Whilst Edward was preparing for war against Scotland, he sent five successive times to this abbey for money to assist him in carrying on his enterprise, and Godfrey gave him in all about £500. His other gifts and entertainments were sumptuous and large, and the sum of money which he expended during his abbacy was £3646 4s. 3d. This remarkable man died in 1321, after a splendid rule of twenty-two years. The value of the monastery possessions in his time, about Peterborough alone, was £621 16s. 3d; but this sum was but a small portion of the vast property which then belonged to the church.
Adam de Boothby was the next abbot. He entertained the king, queen, and royal household, in the year 1327, which cost him £327 15s. Prince Edward, with his sisters and servants, were likewise hospitably treated at this abbey during a stay of eight weeks. Like Godfrey, Boothby was a generous man, but the expenses which the royal family cost him and his predecessors must have been a heavy impost upon the monastery. He died in 1338, in the eighteenth year of his rule.
Henry de Morcot was installed in February, 1338. There is nothing of any moment recorded of him, except that he was engaged in successful litigation with a baron for the recovery of some church lands. He died in 1346, having ruled eight years.
"Henry being dead, was buried betwixt the quire and the great altar, near unto his predecessor Adam. His grave being, in the year 1648, opened to receive the body of John Towers, late head bishop of this place, there was found a seal of lead (the instrument wholly consumed), having on one side these letters thus inscribed:—'Spa Spe,' over their several effigies; on the reverse—'Clemens P P VI.' (Gunton, p. 47-48). It is probable that the instrument was some indulgence gotten at the jubilee, which was but three years before."
Robert Ramsey succeeded to the abbacy in 1346, but of him nothing particular is recorded.
Henry de Overton was Abbot in 1361, and was followed by Nicholas, who was noted for his prudence and economy.
We now come to the rule of William Genge, who was elected in 1396, and ruled twelve years. He was, according to Gunton the first abbot of this monastery who was dignified with a mitre. In the supplement to Gunton's history, it is stated "that they put on mitres in token they had episcopal jurisdiction, and being advanced to the dignity of barons, and to sit in parliament which no other abbots had done." During his abbacy, the church which was then situate in St. John's close, in Boongate, was taken down, and re-erected on its present site. The cause of this removal was the fearful inundations to which, from its proximity to the fens, it was exposed.
Between 1408 and 1438 the monastery was presided over by John Deeping. During his abbacy great complaints were made of the conduct of the Monks, and the heads of the Benedictine order were summoned before the King at Westminster, to answer the charge of abuses, which they could not deny, but promised to reform.
Richard Ashton was appointed abbot in 1438, and ruled 33 years. He made many visits to the neighbouring monasteries, and likewise received many from their abbots. He granted several corrodies to persons who endowed his abbey. One to John Delaber, bishop of St. David's, is worthy of notice.—This John had his choice, whether to remain at Peterburgh for life, and receive a pension of £32 per annum, or retreat to the abbot's manor at Eyebury[14] ] with the same advantages.
There was another corrody granted to Alice Garton, the widow of Thomas Garton, who was a benefactor to the Cathedral, and whose name is engraved on stone, in characters of an hieroglyphic kind, over the large painted window at the west end of the building; it is well worth examining. It was in the year 1439 that king Henry granted a charter unto this abbot to hold a fair "for three days," commencing on St. Matthew's day, (O.S.) in a field, (now named the Mending,) which joins the counties of Huntingdon and Northampton together. This fair, on account of its vicinity to the bridge, was called "Brigge Fair," by which name it is still known. Ashton was called to parliament at Westminster, but being too infirm to attend, he deputed William Tresham, (probably one of his monks) to appear for him. He afterwards took the oaths of allegiance to his sovereign, at Coventry. During his rule it is stated that 33 monks died in the monastery, and many festivals were suspended in consequence, there not being a sufficient number left to perform the ceremonies. This abbot made several additions to the church; and the building at the east end, according to Britton, was commenced by him.