DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6886#0211
WESTMINSTER ABBEY. 179
serve the tranquillity of his cloister, he entered into a covenant with the monks to
observe the composition as a favour from him, but not as a right to be claimed by
them. This condescension, however, as the abbot wished to have it considered,
did not calm the discontents which prevailed in the monastic confraternity. The
pope, nevertheless, restored the prior and absolved the monk; but before peace
was restored in the monastery the abbot died*.
At the time of his death he was one of the presidents of the Benedictines,
who, by a canon of the second Lateran council, were directed to hold triennial
chapters, to form constitutions for the general regulation of the order, to appoint
visitors, censure defaulters, and raise money. The most distinguished characters,
being heads of monasteries, were chosen to preside at these chapters, which were
usually held at Northampton; it being in a central part of the kingdom.
This abbot died on Christmas-day, in the year 1307, at his manor of Purford,
in Surry, and was buried in his abbey church, on the south side of the Mosaic
pavement of the high altar, near the door of St. Edward's chapel. Flete gives
no account of his tomb; but a gravestone was visible in the time of Weever,
which was plated with brass, and the following lines distinguished it:—
Abbas Walterus jacet hie sub raarmore tectus.
Non fuit austerus, sed mitis, famine rectus.
RICHARD DE KEDYNGTON, or DE SUDBURY.
The next abbot was Richard, called de Kedyngton or de Sudbury-f-; but
neither of these was his proper surname. It was not unusual, as it has been
* This covenant is in Flete, whereby the abbot agreed to give up the manor of Durhurst to the
convent, on the demise of the receiver; but the monks never obtained possession in his time, or from
any of his successors.
t Flete.
A a 2
serve the tranquillity of his cloister, he entered into a covenant with the monks to
observe the composition as a favour from him, but not as a right to be claimed by
them. This condescension, however, as the abbot wished to have it considered,
did not calm the discontents which prevailed in the monastic confraternity. The
pope, nevertheless, restored the prior and absolved the monk; but before peace
was restored in the monastery the abbot died*.
At the time of his death he was one of the presidents of the Benedictines,
who, by a canon of the second Lateran council, were directed to hold triennial
chapters, to form constitutions for the general regulation of the order, to appoint
visitors, censure defaulters, and raise money. The most distinguished characters,
being heads of monasteries, were chosen to preside at these chapters, which were
usually held at Northampton; it being in a central part of the kingdom.
This abbot died on Christmas-day, in the year 1307, at his manor of Purford,
in Surry, and was buried in his abbey church, on the south side of the Mosaic
pavement of the high altar, near the door of St. Edward's chapel. Flete gives
no account of his tomb; but a gravestone was visible in the time of Weever,
which was plated with brass, and the following lines distinguished it:—
Abbas Walterus jacet hie sub raarmore tectus.
Non fuit austerus, sed mitis, famine rectus.
RICHARD DE KEDYNGTON, or DE SUDBURY.
The next abbot was Richard, called de Kedyngton or de Sudbury-f-; but
neither of these was his proper surname. It was not unusual, as it has been
* This covenant is in Flete, whereby the abbot agreed to give up the manor of Durhurst to the
convent, on the demise of the receiver; but the monks never obtained possession in his time, or from
any of his successors.
t Flete.
A a 2