_Simon de Albo Monasterio_, or _Whitchurch_, who had previously been a monk of this abbey, succeeded as 13th abbot, and if we may judge from the frequent occurrence of his name in the abbey chartulary, was one of the most active heads this monastery ever enjoyed. He was regularly elected by the entire convent xv. cal. May, 1265, in the 45th year of his age, and the 22nd after assuming the cowl, Simon de Montford being then usurper of the Earldom of Chester. His admission was opposed by Lucas de Taney, Justiciary of Chester, who kept the abbey open for three weeks, and taking the revenues into his hands, wasted them by the most scandalous profligacy. Simon de Montfort, however, much to his honour, on hearing the circumstances, admitted the abbot, and directed Lucas de Taney to make ample compensation to the abbey, after which Roger de Menland, then bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, confirmed his election at Tachebrook, on Whit-Monday, and Simon de Montford having invested him with the temporalities at Hereford the Monday following, the new abbot received the benediction from his before-mentioned diocesan at Tachebrooke, on Trinity Sunday. On this same day the partizans of Prince Edward laid siege to Chester Castle, and a reverse of fortune speedily taking place, the election of the abbot was declared void by the lawful earl, as having been unratified by himself. The abbot, however, made his peace with Prince Edward at Beeston, and compensation was made him at the instance of James de Audley, Justiciary, even to the replacing from the stores in the Castle, two casks of wine, which had been consumed by the Prince’s attendants, during his deposition. The struggles between the laity and the clergy, which are particularly observable in the documents of Vale Royal and this monastery, about this period, and had so peculiarly disquieted the abbacy of Thomas de Capenhurst, were continued in that of his successor. Philip Burnel, and his wife Isabella, baroness of Malpas, attempted to recover the manors of Saighton, Huntington, Cheveley, and Boughton, a domain as desirable to the abbey, from its richness as its contiguity to Chester. After a protracted contest, the claimants released their right to abbot Simon in the king’s court at Westminster, in 1281, in the royal presence, but the monks purchased the compliance by a bond for the payment of £200 sterling. The chartulary states that the influence of Robert Burnel, bishop of Bath and Wells, and uncle to the claimant, was corruptly used in obtaining this bond: payment was, however, never made, for the abbot had shortly afterwards the address to procure a release, on stipulating for the maintenance of two chaplains to pray for the soul of the said Philip Burnel for ever.