Cylchgronau Cymru

'OLD BRECKNOCK CHIPS." A Column of Antiquarian Chit-Chat relating to the County of Brecknock. NOTES, QUEEIES, AND REPLIES, on Subjects inter¬ esting to Breconshire, must be addressed EDITOR, Brecon County Times, Brecon. Real names and addresses must be given in confidence, and MSS. must be written legibly, on one side of the paper only. FEBRUARY 4th, 1887. NOTES. THE DISSOLUTION OF THE HOUSE OE PEIOKY OF SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST OF BEECKNOCK. The following is a transcribed copy of the "Composition" be Ween the last Prior of Brecon, Eobert Salder, and the then Vicar of Brecon, by which, with some few reserva¬ tions, the poor Monks were thrust out of their property. It will be found at pp. 400-1 of Stephen's Additions to Dugdale's Monas- ticon, published in 1723 :— u §* it kmrfcm to all that been now, and shall " come hereafter, which shall heare, see, " or read these presents, That Eobert " Salder, Prior of the House or Priory " of St. John Evangelist of Brecknock, " within the Diocese of St. David's, and " the whole Convent of the same place of " the one Party, and Sir Thomas ap " Jenkin Groge, Vicar of the Parish of St. " John Evangelist aforesaid in Brecknock, " of the other Party, have made a final " Peace, End, Translation, and Composi- " tion real, through the Assent and " Consent of the Ordinary, and of all " other having, or pretending to have any " Eight, Title, or Interest in this behalf, " for the said Parties and Successors for " ever more, by such Covenants and " Agreements, as hereafter particularly " followeth, That is to say, the aforesaid, " Eobert Salder, Prior, and the said " Convent, of their own express Assent " and Consent have bounden themselves " and their Successors, under their Con- " ventual Seal, to the said Sir Thomas, " Vicar, and his Successors for ever : And " the aforesaid Sir Thomas hath bounden " himself and his Successors, in likewise " unto them and their Successors under " his Seal, for the true keeping and " performance of all the singular Articles " and Covenants hereafter ensuing. First, " the said Prior and Convent willeth, and " and by these presents granteth, for them " and their Successors for ever, that the " said Sir Thomas, now Vicar, and his " Successors there to come, shall have all " manner of Titles, Offerings, Emoluments " belonging or appertaining to the afore- " said Church of St. John Evangelist of " Brecknock, with all the Chapels annex'd " unto the aforesaid Parish, or to the said '* Prior and Convent by reason of the " same, except and reserved always to the " said Prior and Convent, and to their " Successors, as hereafter followeth: " First; the said Prior and Convent do " except and reserve to themselves, all " manner of Grains, that is to wit, Wheat, " Eye, Oates, Barley, and also Wax, with '' all other offerings that come to the Eood " Soller, within the said Church. Also " they do except all Offerings and Emolu- " ments done within the Monastery of " Saint John the Evangelist in Brecknock; " also they do except the Chapels of Rattle, " jWflttlitoit, and %Ier, with all the Titles, " Offerings and Emoluments belonging to " them ; also they except and reserve to " themselves, and to their Successors, the " Manor and Grange of the "§aah, with " their Appurtenances, that is to say, the " Tyth Lamb, Cheese, Wool, and Hay, " remitting and giving all other Tythes " growing within the said Parish, to the " aforesaid Vicar, and to his Successors " for ever more. Also they except and " reserve all Offerings and Emoluments " done in their £nint |atoma Cfragel, " being within the Parish Church of "Brecknock, from the First Evensong " upon St. Laurence Eve, unto the last " Evensong upon St. Laurence Day. Also " that is agreeably covenanted between " the said Parties, that the said Prior and ' Convent, and their Successors, shall " cause all Sacraments and Sacramentals "to be administered within the three " aforesaid Chapels, and to all the Inhab- '' itants and Dwellers within the Precincts " of the aforesaid Chapels, at all Times " necessary, when they shall be call'd '' upon, on the proper cost and charges of " the aforesaid Prior and Convent and ' Successors. Moreover, that it is between " the said Parties, agreed and covenanted, " that the aforesaid Sir Thomas and his " Successors, shall Elect and find a Curate, " to serve and to bear Cure and Charge " for the aforesaid Prior and Convent, and " their Successors, of them that dwell " within in Precinct and Limits of the " Chapel of Our Lady, set within the " Walls of the Town of Brecknock, upon " the Cost and Charges of the said Vicar " and his Successors. In like manner " also, the said Vicar and his Successors, " shall find Bread and Wine within the " aforesaid Chapel and Parish Church, at " all Times necessary. Also that it is