_Episcopal Registers of Exeter_, 7 vols. (1886, etc.). F. C. Hingeston-Randolph. _Episcopal Registers of Winchester_, 3 vols. (1896, in progress). Hampshire Record Society. _Episcopal Registers of Worcester_ (1898, in progress). Worcester Historical Society. _Sede Vacante Register of Worcester Priory_, five parts (1893-7). Worcester Historical Society. _Episcopal Registers of Bath and Wells_, 4 vols. (1887-1889, in progress). Somerset Record Society. _Register of Walter Gray, Archbishop of York_ (1872). Surtees Society. _Register of Bishop Kellaw of Durham_, 4 vols. (1873-8). Rolls Series. _Register of Archbishop Peckham_, 3 vols. (1882-5). Rolls Series. For the suppression of the monasteries the following should be consulted: _Letters and Papers of the reign of Henry VIII._ (Domestic State Papers). Dr. Gairdner. _History of the Church of England_, 6 vols. Canon Dixon. _Henry VIII. and the English Monasteries_, 2 vols. (1888). Abbot Gasquet. _Henry VIII._ (1901). F. Darwin Swift. _Reformation of the Church of England_, 2 vols. (1882.) J. H. Blunt. The _Victoria County Histories_, now in progress, propose to deal thoroughly with all the religious houses; up to the present, those of Hampshire (2nd vol.) have been treated by Rev. Dr. Cox, and those of Bedfordshire (1st vol.) by Sister Elspeth. The _Times_, in reviewing the first of these volumes, said that if the scheme was followed up in other counties after a like fashion with Hampshire, the result would be the issue of a new ‘Monasticon.’ Possibly it is presumptuous to quote St. Augustine in connection with a booklet of this description, but the words with which the great Doctor concludes his treatise _De Civitate Dei_ seem applicable: “If in these pages there is either too much or too little, the fault is mine, and may I be forgiven; but if there is just sufficient join with me in giving thanks to God.” F. S. A. _October, 1904._ _Contents_ CHAPTER I PAGE VOCATION 1 CHAPTER II THE MONASTIC TENANTS 18 CHAPTER III EDUCATION IN MONASTERIES 32 CHAPTER IV MONASTIC CHARITIES 40 CHAPTER V MONASTIC DIET 49 CHAPTER VI MONASTIC MORALITY AND FOREST COURTS 69 CHAPTER VII VISITATIONS 80 CHAPTER VIII THE TWO COMMISSIONS OF HENRY VIII 93 CHAPTER IX CONCLUDING WORDS 108 _List of Illustrations_ I NEWSTEAD PRIORY _Frontispiece_ PAGE II RIEVAULX ABBEY _facing_ 16 III FOUNTAINS ABBEY ” 32 IV BYLAND ABBEY ” 48 V BUILDWAS ABBEY ” 64 VI LLANTHONY PRIORY ” 80