[320] See for instance Norris’ note (quoted by Rye) on the grant to Carrow Priory of the tithes of all wheat growing in the parishes of Bergh and Apton, which tithes “occasioned many disputes between the Rector and the Convent, till at length about the year 1237 it was agreed by the Prioress and Convent and Thomas, the then Rector, ... that the Rector should pay to the Convent 14 quarters of wheat in lieu of all their tithes there, which was constantly paid, with some little allowance for defect of measure, until 29 Edw. III, when there was a suit between Prioress and Rector about them. What was the event of it I find not, but they soon after returned to the old payment of 14 qrs., which continued until 21 Hen. VI, when the dispute was revived and in a litigious way they continued above ten years, but I find they afterwards returned again to the old agreement and kept to it, I believe, to the dissolution of the Priory.” Rye mentions a suit between the Rector and Prioress in 1321. Similarly the nuns were involved in a tedious suit (10 Edw. I) about the tithes of the demesne of the manor of Barshall in Riston, with the Rector of Riston. Rye, Carrow Abbey, App. pp. xxx, xxxv.
[321] See below, p. [199], for the other side of the matter.
[322] Similarly the nuns of Kingsmead, Derby, had part of the shirt of St Thomas of Canterbury, and the nuns of Gracedieu had the girdle and part of the tunic of St Francis, both of which were good for the same purpose. V.C.H. Derby, II, p. 43; Nichols, Hist. of Leic. III, p. 652.
[323] V.C.H. Yorks. III, pp. 115, 119, 130, 159, 178, 189.
[324] V.C.H. Northants. II, p. 122.
[325] V.C.H. Essex, II, p. 118.
[326] See for instance the receipts of the nuns of St Michael’s Stamford from Almes, Almoignes et Auenture entered in their roll for 45-6 Edw. III. “From Sir John Weston for a soul, 13s. 4d. For the soul of Simon the Taverner, 1s. For the soul of Sir Robert de Thorp, £20. 6s. 7d. For the soul of William Apethorp, 3s. 4d. For the soul of Alice atte Halle, 3s. 4d. In alms from William Ouneby, 6s. 8d. In alms from Emma of Okham £5. Received from the pardon at the church 6s. 8d. For the pardon from Lady Idayne and from Emma Okham £1.” P.R.O. Mins. Accts. 1260/3. But this was an unusually good year.
[327] The account rolls of St Michael’s Stamford usually arrange expenses under the following headings: (1) rents, (2) petty expenses, (3) convent expenses, (4) cost of carts and ploughs, (5) repair of houses, (6) purchase of stock, (7) weeding corn and mowing hay, (8) threshing and winnowing, (9) harvest expenses, (10) hire of servants, (11) chaplains’ fees. See P.R.O. Mins. Accts. 1260/passim. The active prioress of St Mary de Pré, Christian Bassett, classifies her payments as for (1) “comyns, pytances and partycions,” (2) “yerely charges,” (3) “wagys and ffees,” (4) “reparacions,” (5) “divers expensis.” Dugdale, Mon. III, pp. 358-61. The prioress of Catesby (1414-5) classifies (1) rents, (2) petty expenses, (3) expenses of the houses (i.e. repairs), (4) household expenses, (5) necessary expenses (miscellaneous), (6) expenses of carts, (7) purchase of livestock, (8) customary payments (to nuns, pittancers, farmers, cottagers, etc. in clothing; details not given); (9) purchase of corn, (10) rewards (various small tips to nuns and servants), (11) tedding and making hay, harvest expenses, stubble, thrashing and winnowing corn, (12) costs of the mill, (13) servants’ wages. Baker, Hist. and Antiq. of Northants. I, pp. 278-83.
[328] Liveing, Records of Romsey Abbey, pp. 194-5.