DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6886#0080
48 HISTORY OF
Holewell, or Hohvel, in the county of Hereford; is said to contain six hides and
a half of land, and was confirmed by Edward the Confessor. It continued in the
possession of the abbot and monks of this monastery till its dissolution in the reign
of Henry VIII. who continued it in the bishopric of Westminster, which he had
then created : but when Edward VI. thought fit to dissolve that see, he granted
this land by patent to Nicholas Ridley, then Bishop of London, and his succes-
sors. But on the untimely and lamentable death of the young king, his bigotted
successor, Queen Mary, displaced Bishop Ridley, and set aside the grant. When,
A principal feature in the public life of Dunstan, was his support of monachism ; in which his
ambition, as well as his superstition, was most likely to be gratified, from the firm and active support
he was sure to receive from the court of Rome, in advancing a system, which, combined with the
celibacy of the clergy, was the great object of papal policy, as it proved the most effectual engine of
the papal power and dominion. The particulars, however, of Dunstan's benefactions to Westminster
Abbey, are by no means clearly ascertained ; any more than those of the princes who preceded his
time. That powerful churchman, who was made a saint by the monks, and whose birth and death
were, in their history of him, accompanied by all the splendour of miracles, was not, as may be sup-
posed, without enemies among the secular clergy, whom he so grievously oppressed. By some of
them it is said, perhaps with equal truth, that, having been raised by King Edred to the office of his
treasurer, he embezzled large sums of public money, and was thereby enabled to carry on works sur-
passing royal magnificence. The charter, indeed, which bears the name of Dunstan, is still extant,
but of its being a spurious instrument, no antiquary seems to have expressed a doubt. The same
character is also attributed to the greatest part of the charters which pretend, at least, to coeval anti-
quity; and are now considered as the inventions of the monks, and not always, it is to be feared, for
pious purposes. The charter even of Edward the Confessor, which bears date 1065, so frequently
alluded to, is reasonably suspected. At the same time, these ancient documents are not without
their use ; for, though they have assumed a false character, it was the interest of those who fabricated
them, to give them a claim to authority, by detailing circumstances which were well known, or gene-
rally believed. This charter of Edward the Confessor may be a forgery ; but, at all events, it is a very
ancient one, and appears to give a very good historical account of the possessions of the church.
Holewell, or Hohvel, in the county of Hereford; is said to contain six hides and
a half of land, and was confirmed by Edward the Confessor. It continued in the
possession of the abbot and monks of this monastery till its dissolution in the reign
of Henry VIII. who continued it in the bishopric of Westminster, which he had
then created : but when Edward VI. thought fit to dissolve that see, he granted
this land by patent to Nicholas Ridley, then Bishop of London, and his succes-
sors. But on the untimely and lamentable death of the young king, his bigotted
successor, Queen Mary, displaced Bishop Ridley, and set aside the grant. When,
A principal feature in the public life of Dunstan, was his support of monachism ; in which his
ambition, as well as his superstition, was most likely to be gratified, from the firm and active support
he was sure to receive from the court of Rome, in advancing a system, which, combined with the
celibacy of the clergy, was the great object of papal policy, as it proved the most effectual engine of
the papal power and dominion. The particulars, however, of Dunstan's benefactions to Westminster
Abbey, are by no means clearly ascertained ; any more than those of the princes who preceded his
time. That powerful churchman, who was made a saint by the monks, and whose birth and death
were, in their history of him, accompanied by all the splendour of miracles, was not, as may be sup-
posed, without enemies among the secular clergy, whom he so grievously oppressed. By some of
them it is said, perhaps with equal truth, that, having been raised by King Edred to the office of his
treasurer, he embezzled large sums of public money, and was thereby enabled to carry on works sur-
passing royal magnificence. The charter, indeed, which bears the name of Dunstan, is still extant,
but of its being a spurious instrument, no antiquary seems to have expressed a doubt. The same
character is also attributed to the greatest part of the charters which pretend, at least, to coeval anti-
quity; and are now considered as the inventions of the monks, and not always, it is to be feared, for
pious purposes. The charter even of Edward the Confessor, which bears date 1065, so frequently
alluded to, is reasonably suspected. At the same time, these ancient documents are not without
their use ; for, though they have assumed a false character, it was the interest of those who fabricated
them, to give them a claim to authority, by detailing circumstances which were well known, or gene-
rally believed. This charter of Edward the Confessor may be a forgery ; but, at all events, it is a very
ancient one, and appears to give a very good historical account of the possessions of the church.