hen, at the suppression of the monasteries by Henry VIII., regulars,
after more than four centuries and a half, ceased at last to form the
establishment of this cathedral. Two general visitations of religious
houses had been made in 1535 and 1537, but neither of the reports on
this establishment seems to be extant. If either could be found it would
very possibly prove unfavourable. Some injunctions by Bishop Wells, in
1439, nearly a century before, seem to show that he found deviations
from the rule of the order, and that he thought precautions against its
infraction necessary.

During its later days the priory does not seem to have been in a
flourishing state. In the twentieth year of King Henry VIII.'s reign,
the annual income of its estates was returned to the exchequer as only
_L_486 11_s._ 6_d._, and its financial condition, though it has not been
accurately ascertained, seems to have been bad. In 1498 there were only
twenty-four monks in the house, though the original establishment had
been sixty, and this great diminution in numbers was probably due to the
want of funds. Later, to the priory's acknowledgment of the Royal
Supremacy, dated June 10th, 1534, there were only twenty signatures
altogether.

The 20th of March, 1540, is the date of the commission to the Archbishop
of Canterbury, George Lord Cobham, and others to accept the surrender of
the house and its possessions to the king. On the 8th of April following
the seal of the convent was affixed to the instrument of resignation, a
document which seems to us very ironical in its wording. It was sent in,
we read by them "with their unanimous assent and consent, deliberately
and of their own certain knowledge and mere motion, from certain just
and reasonable causes, especially moving their minds and consciences,
of their own free will." Some pensions were granted on the day of
surrender, the total number given among the dispersed monks being
thirteen. These seem very few, but possibly vacancies had been left
unfilled for some years in dread of such an event, and perhaps one or
two of the monks embraced the opportunity of release from their vows.
Others, we know, were given new appointments. Even the above small
number soon dwindled. In Cardinal Pole's list of 1556 we find only one
former member of this priory recorded as in receipt of an annuity, and
five as in receipt of pensions. The annuity was possibly a payment to
which the house was already liable at the