Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/176

116 THE ML'NIMEXTS OF THE ABBEY uF WESTMINSTER. Her ^lajcstj-'s Commissioners have lately fouiul aflocting many collections of historical M:S;S. in private cnstody. The con- tiguity of the Royal Treasury, and the intimate relations often existing between the King and the Abbot of West- minster, ^Yill account for many of these extraneous docu- ments being found among the Abbey archives. Under the heading " Abbots " are many documents re- lating to their election, their rights and privileges, and expenditure. Among them is a roll of letters, apparently from various members of the monastery, chielly in reference to the then vacant Abbacy, to vhich (in the opinion of most of the writers) a person is elected of whose " infamia et insnfiiciencia " the imi)ortant personages intended to be iniluence<l are said to be ignorant. This is the case of the scandalous election of Abbot Kydyngton, mentioned in the " Historical Memorials." The division headed " Corona- tions " docs not bear out the promise of its title — the fact being that the great pageants and ceremonials of the Abbey are not subject-matter for its nnmiments. Under the title " Corrodies and Pensions" we have evidences of a curious and ordinary mediaeval practice, the "boarding" of persons Avho hail furnished the house with a sum of money in consi- derati(»n of such a return, by which monasteries and other like lound;iii(jns became a species of savings' bank to the community, and by which their own temporary wants were olten supplied. The heading '"Fabrick" suj)plies us with many interesting documents relating to the structure of the Abbey. As is well known, the i-c-building of the Al)bey, in the reign of Henry Hi., was undertaken at the king's own cost, and the principal documents relating to that re-building have been found among the imblic records of the country ; but there are among the Abbey muniments several documents (sixteen in numbi-r) which dovetail into the other existing records, and allortl many interesting particulars. It was not till ilie end of the nign of J'Mwaid ill. that the works might be said lu have been under the cai'e of th(.> Abbot, and from that time the accounts of tlu' " Custos novi operis ' are ioimd among the archives. j'larly in tlu; succeeding reign, the famous Kieliaid 'liiiiiiigti»h of Ldiidou was one of the Wardens of such works. Alihot W'enlock, in ad. li^ini-IM, got into serious (rouble on account of his harbiniiing one of the I'Viais Miiiois, and