WOBURN ABBEY.

THE Abbey of St. Mary de Woborn was founded in the year 1145, in the tenth year of the reign of Stephen, by Hugh de Bolebec. This Hugh de Bolebec, or Boleboc, was of baronial dignity, and possessed very large estates in this county and the adjoining county of Buckingham; and built the castle of Whitchurch, at present a small village about five miles from Aylesbury. In the decline of his life he entered the Cistercian order, but into what monastery it has not been ascertained. The following is the translation of a M. S. relative to the foundation of Woburn Abbey, preserved in the Cottonian and Arundelian Libraries.

TRANSLATION.-"And the Lord added to increase his nation, and to extend the bounds of its possessions. There was a man called Hugh de Bolebock, a powerful man, and of great possessions; he, being inspired by God to build an Abbey of the Cistercian order, came to Fontes, and by the counsel of the Lord, Henry the Abbot, consecrated to divine uses a small village, Woubourne by name, in the diocese of Lincoln, with

its adjacent lands. The abbot undertook the charge at the hand of the rich man, and the buildings being constituted according to custom, designed for the place itself an assemblage of regular brothers. In the year 1145, a convent of 13 monks, under the abbot Allan, was separated from the foundation of the monastery of Fontes, to the place which is now called Wouburne."

De Fontibus, or Fountaynes, was a celebrated abbey in the West Riding of Yorkshire, founded by Thurstanj Archbishop of York, A. D. 1132, for 13 monks of the Cistercian order, who removed from the abbey of St. Mary's, York. Though these monks were originally only 13, the number must have speedily increased; or, otherwise, the colony sent to Woburn would have completely dissolved the whole fraternity. At the dissolution, its revenues amounted (according to Speed) to

.1173 08. 7d. It must be observed, that St. Mary's abbey was Benedictine, and that these monks voluntarily removed to adopt a stricter discipline.

Allan therefore was the first abbot of Woburn, but of his successors we know nothing, not even their names. The convent registers, &c. being unfortunately lost, its history is involved in great obscurity. It appears however that in a short time their revenues were very considerably augmented, by the liberal donations of various

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benefactors. The following is a translation of the charter of Henry II. confirming the above mentioned donations and legacies.

TRANSLATION.---"Henry, King of England, Duke of Normandy and Aquitain, and Earl of Angiers, To our Archbishops, &c. Health. Know ye that I have granted, and for perpetual alms have confirmed to God and the church of Woborne, that which Hugh de Bolebock gave them for alms, and the place in which the church itself is founded, and all other donations, and alms, and possessions of theirs, which have been rationally granted and made to them, as the wills and writings of the donors and founders of their church testify. From the gift of Hugh de Bolebock, all the aforesaid manor of Woborne, with all its appurtenances, and particularly with that portion of land which is called Baghelella.--From the gift of Rodulph Pirot, all the land which they possess from his covenant, as their charters testify.And all the land which they possess from the gift of Hugh de Lucellis, with all the land which by the same covenant they possess of William de Lucellis.---And all the land which they possess from the gift of William de Flicton.---And all the land which they possess from the gift of Stephen de Pulotheshel.---And all the land which they possess from the gift of Pirot Bennion.---And all the land which they possess from the gift of Henry Pulotheshel.---And all the land which they possess from

the gift of Walter de Caisnet, with the common pasture of his village of Pottesgrave.---Wherefore, it is my will, &c. Witnesses, Philip, Bishop of Baieux; Arnulph Bishop of Lisieux; Thomas, Archdeacon of Kent; and Richard de Humet, Constable; and Robert de novo Burgo; and Warin, the son of Gerold Cam; and Manasseth Bissit, Manciple, and Walter of Hereford, and Robert of Doneffr. Given at Rouen, &c."

There is also extant a will of Hugh de Maleth, wherein he "grants to God and the church of St. Mary at Woburn, and the monks there serving God, all his lands, possessions, &c. in Suaneburn and Marsele, except one 'Virgata' of land, which he gives to the sick monks of St. Mary de Pratis." There were two religious houses of that name in this neighbourhood; one near St. Albans, and the other near Northampton, either of which may be the one here referred to.

The subjoined is a translation of the charter for founding the abbey of Medinham, in Buckinghamshire. TRANSLATION.---"John, by the Grace of God, &c. Know ye that we for the love of God have granted, and by our present charter have confirmed to the monks of the church of Woburn, for the construction of an abbey of the Cistercian order; the manor of Medinham, with all the appurtenances and liberties which it possessed from the

gift of Hugh de Bolebock: Wherefore we will and firmly order, that the said monks may have and possess the aforesaid manor, with all its appurtenances, well and in peace, freely and quietly, and honourably, in church and mill, &c. &c. in meadow and pasture, and all its appurtenances and liberties, as the charter of the aforesaid Hugh de Bolebock, which they possess, rationally testifies. Witness, R. Bishop of St. Andrews, R. Earl of Lincoln, Wm. de Brayhouse, and many others. Given under the hand of S. Archdeacon of Wells, at Selveston, on the 3d day of January, in the second year of our reign."

In the year 1204, a convent of monks, went from Woburn to the place which is called Medinham on the Thames. In the same year the convent of Medinham was recalled, and the abbot of Woburn was deposed. It is not easy to guess the cause of this recal, and the deposition of the abbot. In the year 1212, it appears the second colony was sent, and the abbey regularly founded and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Some suppose it to have been of the Cluniac order; but this is a mistake, it certainly was of the Cistercian. The abbot was considered Epistolar of the Order of the Garter, and officiated as such in St. George's chapel. In **** when there were only two monks, its revenues, according to Dugdale, amounted to 8.20 6. 2d.; according to Speed, £23 178. 2d. It was, in ****, granted to the