MS. H. 45, Iron from ye ground to ye Roofe of ye howse wth a doore of
c. 1655.

Iron into itt and a faire table wth a green cloth wher also
was kept ye Evidence & many gentl sent ther evidence to
be kept ther for safety as also ye Chapter seale, And over
age the tresure howse doore was a place where ye Novices
did learne. And ther was neyther stranger nor any other
suffered to molest them in ther studdy for ther was a
Porter appointed for ye purpose.

The West Alley of ye Cloysters.
MS. L., In the west side of the Cloyster, on the south side of the
1656. Dorter door, a little distant from the said door, there is a

strong house called the treasure house, where all the
treasure of the house, when it was a religious house did lie,
it hath a very strong door, with two strong lockes upon it,
and within the said treasure house, in the midst of it, a very
fair strong grate of Iron sett fast in the ground work, and
in the roof of the house also, and likewise fast in either
wall the breadth of the house, (being very strong and not
for any to break it) and in the midst of the grate a door of
Iron according to the workmanship of the grate, with a
strong lock on it, and two great slotts of Iron for the said
door, and within the said grate, a fair Ivory squared table*
covered with a green cloth, for the drawing and telling of
their money, which Treasure house is yet to be seen, and
the Evidences of the house and the Chapter Seal with the
evidences of certain gentlemens land in the country, there
lying for safeguard of them, thinking they were more sure
there than they were in their ow custody, being in great
chests, lockt within the said Treasure house, untill now of
late time it is altered and changed, and their treasure and
money kept in a fair strong house over the East gates of
the Abbey in the south Bailey, now called the Exchequer
and in the said old treasury is kept the common Chapter
Seal.

Over against the said Treasure house door, there was a
fair great stall* of wainscott where the Novices did sitt and
learn, and also the master of the Novices had a pretty stall
or seat of wainscott adjoyning on the south side of the

c. 1600.

Treasure house door over against the stall where the MS. L., Novices did sitt and look on their bookes, and there did 1656. sitt and teach the said Novices both forenoon (72) and afternoon, and also there were no strangers nor other persons suffered to molest or trouble any of the said Novices or Monkes in their Carrells, they being studying on their bookes within the Cloyster, for there was a Porter appointed to keep the Cloyster door for the same use and purpose." L., C., Dav. ]

(XLIII.) The Dorter. V pon the West syde of the Cloyster there was a faire Roll, large house called ye Dorter* where all ye Mounkl & ye Novices did lye, euy Mouncke having a litle chamber of wainscott* verie close seưall by them selves & ther wyndowes towardes ye cloyster, euy wyndowe servinge for one Chambre by reasoune ye ptició betwixt eưy chamber was close wainscotted one from an other, and in euy of there wyndowes a deske to supporte there bookes for there studdie ; In ye weste syde of ye said dorter was ye like chambers & in like sort placed wth there wyndowes, and desks towardes ye fery & ye water, the chambers beinge all well bourded vnder foute.

[Also the nouices had theire chambers seuerall by MS. Cos., himselfe not so close, nor so adioyninge [in the South-end C. 1620. of the said Dorter, Dav.) to the foresd chambers hauinge eight chambers on either side, euery nouice his chamber seuerall by him selfe, not so close nor so warme as the other chambers was there was no windowes* to giue light but as it came in at the foreside of the sd chambers, of the sd nouices beinge all close els both aboue and at either side. In either end of the said dorter was a 4 [fair, L., C., Dav.] square stone, wherin was a dosen cressetts* wrought in either stone beinge euer filled and supplied with the cooke, and they needed to giue light to the monkes and nouices when they rose to theire matters [Mattens, L., C.] at midnight and for their other necessarye uses. Cos.]

Also there was a faire large house* and a most decent Roll, place adioyninge to the west syd of the said Dortre, towardes ye water for ye mounckes and nouices to resort vnto

c. 1600.

C. 1600.

Roll, called the 'vies, wch was maide wth two greate pillers of

stone that did beare vp the whole floore therof, and eily
seate and ptició was of wainscott close of either syde verie
decent so (73) that one of them could not see one another,
when they weare in that place, there was as many seates of
[or, L., C.] pvies on either syde as there is litle wyndowes in
ye wall [altered to walle] wch wyndowes was to gyve leighte
to eưy one of the saide seates, wch afterward was walled vp
to make ye howse more close and in ye height of ye west end
there is' iij fair glass wyndowes* & in ye southe syde in
ye hight over ye said seates is an other faire glass wyndowe
wch greate wyndowes doth gyue lighte to all ye whole
house. 2

Also in ye Dortre was edy nyght (aboute 12 a clocke,
H. 45] a Pvy searche* by ye suppor, who did caule at
eily mounckes chambre [by ther names, H. 45), to se good
order keapt, yt none should be wanting (as also yi ther
were noe disorders amongest them, H. 45] & ye mydest of
ye said Dorter was all paved wth fyne tyled stone* from
thone end to thother, also ye said suppors chamber was ye
first chamber in ye Dorter for seinge of good order keapt.
The Suppor dyd alwaies dyne* & sup wth ye hole covent
and ded sytt at ye over [high, H. 45] end of ye table, &
when euy mā had Supped, wch dyd end alwaies at fyve of
ye clocke vpo ye Rynginge of a Bell to gyve warninge to
say grace, wch being said they deptid all to ye chapterhouse
to meite ye por eily neight ther to remayne in praier &
Deuoc'o* till six of ye clocke, at wch ty me vpõ the ringing
of a bell they went to ye Salvi,* all ye dures both of ye
Sell[er], the fratre, ye Dorter, and ye cloisters weare Locked
evin at vj of ye clocke,* and ye keys delyded to ye suppor
vntyl vij (six, Cos. ; seven, L., C.] of ye clock the next
morninge.

(XLIV.) The Lofte. *

1

The mounckes dyd all dyne together* at one table, in a place called ye lofte, wch was in ye west end of ye fratree [frater-house, Cos.] aboue ye seller,* the Supprio dyd ! "is" erased and “ written over.

before the next line, at a joining:

was

2

(vses

C. 1600.

alwaies sitt att ye vpper end of ye table as cheeffe, and theye Roll

, had there meat served from ye great kitching, ye said great kitchinge seruinge* both ye prio and all ye whole covent."

[Ther was a paire of stayres wthin ye frater howse wch did Ms. H. +5, goe into a Loft over itt where ye ould Monckes did dyne &

c. 1653. supp where ye Subprior was ye cheife, they were served wih meate from ye great kitchinge wch hadd two dresser windowes* into ye frater a greater for principall feastes ye other for eưy day. H. 45).

[And also there was a door in the west end of the Frater Ms. L., hard (74) within the frater house door, where the old Monkes 1056,

. or Covent went in, and so up a greece* with an Iron raile to hold them by that went up into a loft (which was in the west end of the Frater house) wherein the said Covent and Monkes did all dine and sup together, the Subprior did alwayes sitt at the upper end of the table as chief and at the Greece foot there was another door that went into the great Cellar,* or buttery, where all the drink did stand, that did serve the Prior, and all the whole Covent of Monkes, having their meat served to them in at a dresser window from the great kitchin through the Frater house into a loft (above the said Cellar) wherein they did all dine and sup, the said kitchin served both the Prior and the whole Covent, having two kitchin windows into the Frater, one great window for principall feast, and the other not so great for every day.* L., C., Dav. Also the mounckes was accustomed eủy daie aftere Roll

, thei dyned to goe thorowgh the cloister, in at ye vshers C. 1600. dour* and so thorowghe the entrie in under the pors lodginge and streight in to ye centorie garth* wher all ye mounckl was buried, and ther did stand* all bair heade a Certain longe Space, praieng amongs the Toumbes & throwghes for there brethren soules being buryed there, [depted, H. 45), and when they hadd done there prayers then they did Returne to ye cloyster, and there did studie there bookes vntill iij of ye clocke that they went to Evensong this was there dalie exercise [& studie eily day after they had dyned. ]2

“kitchinge" “covent" repeated at joining.

1

2 In different ink.

Roll, c. 1600.

The said mouncke weare the onelie writers of all the actes* and dead of the bushoppes and piors of ye abey church of Durhm, and of all ye Cronacles and stories : and also did write & sett furth all thingl that was [thought, Cos.] wourthię to be noted, what actl & what miracles was done* in eưy yere & in what moneth. wch there doinges were most manifestly and vndoubtedlie to be most Just and trewe and was alwaies most vertuouslie occupied, neư Idle, but either writing of good and goddly wourkes or studying the holie scriptures to ye setting furthe of ye hono” & glorie of god, and for ye edifieinge of the people, aswell in example of good life and conversacion, as by preaching ye worde of god. Thus yow may se and perceave howe ye mounckl and Religious mē wer occupied in most godly writing & other exercissis in

auncient ty me.' MS. H. +5,

[The sd Monckes were the onely writers of ye lives and deedes of ye Bpps and Priors of Durham and of Cronicles and stories of Memorable thinges and miracles of holy men wch were done eưy yeare, wch writinges were examined and found to be moste iust & true. And somety mes studyinge (75) ye holy scripture to ye honno? & glory of god and the Edifying of ye people by good example as well as by preachinge. H. 45.]

(XLV.) The Common Howse.* Roll, On the right hand as yow goe out of ye cloysters in to ye c. 1600. f?mery (or Infirmary, Dav.] was ye commone house & a

Maister therof the house being to this end, to haue a fyre keapt in yt all wynter for ye Mounckes to cume & warme them at, being allowed no fyre but that onely. Except ye Mrs and officers of ye house who had there seưall fyres. Ther was belonging to ye common house a garding and a bowlinge allie* on ye Backe side of ye said house towardes ye water for the Nouyces Sume ty mes to recreat theme selves when they had remedy of there mr* he standing by to se ther good order. [for the recreation of the Moncks ye Master standinge by to see good order kept. H. 45.] Also

Heading “ The Comonhowse" repeated at joining.