the Reformation to prevent them going out of the cloister at all.
Although the earlier history of this house is so little known, we happen to possess some interesting details of its latter days and of the circumstances immediately preceding its dis- solution. The last prioress, Margaret Ver- non, appears to have been on friendly terms with Thomas Cromwell, even while he was still in the service of Cardinal Wolsey, and not so well known to the religious of England generally as he afterwards came to be. The Study of this lady's character does not produce a very pleasant impression. Her house was doubtless in excellent order, and she showed herself a good steward of its property : she may quite well have been a kind and consider- ate superior ; but she was very evidently a scheming and worldly woman, with a keen eye for her own advancement and no real love for the little priory over which she ruled. As ' early as 1529 we find her writing to Cromwell about a vacancy in the priory of St. Helen's.[1] She had heard from ' Lewys, a goldsmith in the town,' that the sub-prioress was likely to secure the post ; if she herself still has any chance, Cromwell may offer his master the sum ' we were at a point for ' ; in any case she begs him to let her know ' my lord's plea- sure,' so that she may settle herself in quiet- ness. Her intrigues were not successful at this time, and she turned herself to arranging the affairs of her own house.[2] But not very long after she wrote to Cromwell again to inquire when he would be in her neighbour- hood, and when she would be likely to find him in his own house, as she required his counsel on several matters.[3]
In 1530 Bishop Longland visited Little Marlow and found there five nuns besides the prioress ; every one of them answered Omnia. bene except Dame Katherine Picard, who drew attention to the fact that there was no sub-prioress. There were no injunctions delivered.[4]
In 1535 the royal visitors arrived, and in accordance with the injunction which for- bade the profession of any under twenty-four years of age, dismissed three of the nuns.[5]
They do not seem to have found anything else amiss. Dame Margaret however found these proceedings ' not a little to her discomfort,' and wrote to Cromwell again for advice.[6] The First Act of Suppression was passed very soon after, and the local commissioners[7] re- ported of this house as in good estate, and out of debt, mentioning at the same time that there were only two nuns there,[8] who both desired to enter other houses of religion, and four servants attached to the monastery, two men and two women.
The surrender of the house was received by William Cavendish on or before 23 Sep- tember, 1536; in a letter of that date he reports his discharge of the religious whom he found there, adding that ' my lady took the matter very like a wise woman,' and delivered
(Cott. MS. Cleop. E. iv. f. 71 ; printed in Wright). {{Smaller|The record of this last profession at Little Marlow is found in Line. Epis. Reg. Memo. Longland, 85 ; it was in 1528, and there were three novices pro- fessed. For some reason unknown, this memoran- dum contains not merely a formal entry of the act, which is usual enough, but the complete for- mula of profession, in English, as follows. ' In the name of God, Amen. I, Sister Constance, in the presence of Almighty God and our blessed lady St. Mary, patron of this monastery and all angels and saints of heaven, and of you, reverend Father in God, John bishop of Lincoln and ordinary of this diocese, and in the presence of all this honourable witness, vow offer and fully give myself to serve Almighty God during my life natural in this mon- astery of Little Marlow, dedicated in honour of God and of our blessed lady St. Mary. And for this intent and purpose I here renounce for ever and utterly forsake the world, and property of temporal substance and goods of the same and all other worldly delights and pleasures, taking upon me wilful poverty ; vowing also and promising ever to live in pure chastity during my life : to change my secular life into regular conversation and reli- gious manners, promising and vowing due and reverent obedience unto you, Reverend Father in God, John bishop of Lincoln and your successors, bishops ; and unto my lady and mother Dame Margaret, now prioress of this monastery, and to her successors, prioresses of the same. And utterly from henceforth I forsake mine own proper will, and not to follow the same but to follow the will of my Superior in all lawful and canonical com- mandments. And to observe this holy order and religion according to the holy rule of St. Benedict and all the laudable constitutions of this monastery by the gracious assistance of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In witness whereof I do put and sign with mine own hand to this my profession."
- ↑ L. and P. Henry VIII. iv. 5970.
- ↑ Her next letter begged a loan of £40 till Whitsuntide, so as to enable her to buy a neighbouring farm for the benefit of her house. Ibid. 5971.
- ↑ Ibid. 5972.
- ↑ Visitations of Longland in the episcopal registry.
- ↑ For the injunctions see Wilkins, Concilia, iii. 786. Margaret Vernon states that the nuns dismissed at this time were Dame Katherine (Picard) and ' The young women that were last professed '
- ↑ Cott. MS. Cleop. E. iv. f. 71.
- ↑ Dugdale, Mon. iv. 420, from Browne Willis.
- ↑ One must have died since 1530, when there were five beside the prioress.
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