thought good that a plain Declaration should be made of the Premisses, as well to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, as to other his loving Subjects the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled: Whereupon the said Lords and Commons, by a great Deliberation, finally be resolved, that it is and shall be much more to the Pleasure of Almighty God, and for the Honour of this his Realm, that the Possessions of such small Religious Houses, now being spent, spoiled, and wasted for Increase and Maintenance of Sin, should be used and committed to better Uses, and the unthrifty Religious Persons, so spending the same, to be compelled to reform their Lives." And thereupon most humbly desire the King's Highness that it may be enacted by Authority of this present Parliament, That his Majesty shall have and enjoy to him and his Heirs for ever, all and singular such Monasteries, Priories, and other Religious Houses of Monks, Canons, and Nuns, of what kinds of Diversities of Habits, Rules, or Order soever they be called or named, which have not in Lands, Tenements, Rents, Tithes, Portions, and other Hereditaments above the clear yearly Value of two hundred Pounds. And in like manner shall have and enjoy all the Sites and Circuits of every such Religious Houses, and all and singular the Manors, Granges, Meases, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Reversions, Services,Tithes, Pensions, Portions, Churches, Chapels, Advowsons, Patronages, Annuities, Rights, Entries, Conditions, and other Hereditaments appertaining or belonging to every such Monastery, Priory, or other Religious House, not having, as is afore said, above the said clear yearly Value of two hundred Pound, in as large and ample manner as the Abbots, Priors, Abbesses, Prioresses, and other Governors of such Monasteries, Priories, and other Religious Houses now have or ought to have the same in the right of their Houses. And that also his Highness shall have to him and to his Heirs all and singular such Monasteries, Abbeys, and Priories which at any Time within one Year next before the making of this Act hath been given and granted to his Majesty by any Abbot, Prior, Abbess, or Prioress, under their Covent Seals, or that otherwise hath been suppressed or dissolved, and all and singular the Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Services, Reversions, Tithes, Pensions, Portions, Churches, Chapels, Advowsons, Patronages, Rights, Entries, Conditions, and all other Interests and Hereditaments to the same Monasteries, Abbeys, and Priories, or to any of them appertaining or be longing; to have and to hold all and singular the Premisses with all their Rights, Jurisdictions, and Commodities, unto the King's Majesty, and his Heirs and Assigns for ever, to do and use therewith his and their own Wills, to the Pleasure of Almighty God, and to the Honour and Profit of this Realm. (Ed. from Statutes at Large, ed. cit., III, p. 256.) 114. Confession made with Surrender of a Monastery Records, Burnet When the monasteries were surrendered, their heads were induced by promises or threats to make confessions justifying the action of the king. The document given is typical of the rest. and its veracity is at least questionable, however the falsehood may have been excused by the necessities of the case. Forasmuch as we, Richard Green, abbot of our monastery of our blessed Lady St. Mary of Betlesden, and the convent of the said monastery, do profoundly consider, That the whole manner and trade of living, which we and our pretensed religion have practised, and used many days, does most principally consist in certain dumb ceremonies, and other certain constitutions of the bishops of Rome, and other forinsecal potentates, as the abbot of Cistins, and therein only noseled, and not taught in the true knowledge of God's laws, procuring always exemptions of the bishops of Rome from our ordinaries and diocesans: submitting ourselves principally to forinsecal potentates and powers, which never came here to reform such disorders of living and abuses, as now have been found to have reigned among us. And therefore now assuredly knowing, that the most perfect way of living is principally and sufficiently declared unto us by our master Christ, his evangelists and apostles, and that it is most expedient for us to be governed and ordered by our Supreme Head, under God, the king's most noble grace, with our mutual assent and consent, submit ourselves, and every one of us, to the most benign mercy of the king's majesty; and by these presents do surrender, etc. (Collection of Records in vol. II, p. LXVII, History of the Reformation of the Church of England, G. Burnet, Lond., 1880.) 115. Directions for Visitation of Monasteries Records, Burnet Before a religious house was suppressed it was visited and inspected. The general directions to the king's agents are given in the important document given below. This is presented in full because of its great value in describing the ideal manage ment of a monastery and its implication of prevailing irregularities. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE GENERAL VISITATION OF THE Articuli Regia Inqisitionis, in Monasticam vitam agentes, exponendi, et præcipue in exemptos a jurisdictione Diocasana, jam tantum Regiæ Majestati et ejus jurisdictioni subditos et subjectos, ac hujus inclyti sui Regni Statutis et legibus, nullisq; aliis penitus, obnoxios et astrictos. 1. In primis, Whether divine service be solemnly sung, said, observed, and kept, in this monastery, according to the number and the abilities thereof, by night and by day, in due time and hours? and how many be present commonly at mattins, and other service, and who be absent, and so accustomed to be, without cause or sickness? 2. Item, How many monks, canons regulars, or nuns, be within this monastery, and how many there ought to be, and whether the number be complete according to the founder's will, or the statutes, ordinances, and laudible custom of this house; and whether the number be augmented or diminished now of late? 3. Item, Who were the first founders of this house? Fundationem primam, secundam, tertiam, et quotquot habent, exhibeant. 4. Item, Whether this house hath had any increase of lands given to it sithence the first foundation thereof? by whom? by how many? and when? 5. Item, To what sum of money those revenues and rents of this house do extend and amount unto yearly. 6. Item, Whether this house was ever translated from one habit and order to another? by whose authority? and for what cause? Translationem exhibeant. 7. Item, How the lands and possessions appertaining unto this monastery, given by the first founder, and all other lands given sithence the first foundation, were granted, given, and established, and so first brought to morte main? whether by the only authority of the giver, or by the authorization of the prince for that time reigning, and by what tenor and form ye hold them? Donationem et Confirmationem exhibeant. 8. Item, What evidence have you to show for all and singular your lands, manors, tenements, and other your posses sons mortisate, and given unto you, and this your monas、 tery? 9. Item, Wherefore, for what causes and considerations ye were exempt from your diocesan? and what was your suggestion and motive at the obtaining of your said exemption? Exemptionem exhibeant. 10. Item, Whether ye have any private, peculiar, or local statutes, confirmations, ordinances, or rules, made only for the behoof, good order, and singular weal of this house, besides the rules of your profession? and whether they were made either by your founders before your exemption, or by the good fathers of this house, with the whole consent of the brethren, being sinneth your exemption; to what use they were made, and how ye observe them? Statuta illa localia, et alia quotquot habent, exhibeant. 11. Item, By what way and form the master of this house was elected and chosen? And whether all the brethren having, or ought to have by the law, statutes, or laudable custom of this house, voices in the election, were present in the same election, or lawfully called or cited to it? 12. Item, Whether any persons excommunicate, suspended, or interdicted, did give voices in the same election? 13. Item, Within what time after the election was made and done, the master of this house was confirmed? and by whom? 14. Item, Whether unto the confirmation, all that had interest, or that would object against the same, were lawfully cited, monished, and called? Exhibeat Electionem, Confirmationem, et Titulum sua Incumbentiæ. 15. Item, What rule the master of this house, and other the brethren, do profess? 16. Item, How many be professed, and how many be novices; and whether the novices have like habit, or use to wear an habit distinct from the habit of the brethren professed? 17. Item, Whether ye do use to profess your novices in due time, and within what time and space after they have taken the habit upon them? 18. Item, Whether the brethren of this house do know the rule that they have professed, and whether they keep their profession according to that their rule and custom of this house; an in especial, the three substantial and principal vows, that is to say, poverty, chastity, and obedience. 19. Item, Whether any of the brethren use any propriety of money or of plate in their chambers; or of any other manner thing unwarre of the master, and without his knowledge and license, or by his sufferance and knowledge? and for what cause? 20. 21. 22. [These relate to questions of chastity.] 23. Item, Whether the brethren of this house keep their obedience, being ready at their master's commandment, in all things honest, lawful, and reasonable? Sequuntur Regulæ Cæremoniales. 24. Item, Whether ye do keep silence in the church, cloister, fraitry, and dormitory, at the hours and time specified in your rule? 25. Item, Whether ye do keep fasting and abstinence, according to your rules, statutes, ordinances, and laudable customs of this house? 26. Item, Whether ye abstain from flesh in time of Advent, and other times declared and specified by the law, rules, and laudable customs of this house? 27. Item, Whether ye wear shirts and sheets of woollen, or that ye have any constitution, ordinance, or dispensation, granted or made to the contrary, by sufficient and lawful authority? Profitentes Regulam Benedicti quam arctissime tenentur ad prædicta Cæremonialia observanda. 28. Item, Whether ye do sleep altogether in the dormitory, under one roof, or not? 29. Item, Whether ye have all separate beds, or any one of you doth lay with another? 30. Item, Whether ye do keep the fraitry at meals, so that two parts, or the least, the two part of the whole |