1. AUSTIN CANONS. The body of St. Petroc being removed[89] to this
place, there was a church built to his memory, and the episcopal see
for Cornwall was therein placed by K. Edward the elder and archbishop
Plegmund, A.D. 905.[90] Here K. Æthelstan is reported to have met with
old Saxon, or rather British, monks following the rule of St.
Benedict, to whom he granted so great privileges and endowments, that
he is accounted founder of the monastery here, about A.D. 926. That
settlement was destroyed by the Danish pirates, A.D. 981, yet the
Religious continued here under several shapes,[91] and much
alienations of their lands, both before and after the Conquest, till
about the year 1120, when one Algar, with the king’s licence and the
consent of Will. Warlewast bishop of Exeter, re-established this
religious house, and placed therein Regular canons of the order of St.
Austin, who continued till the general suppression, when it was styled
the priory of St. Mary and St. Petroc,[92] and was valued at 270_l._
0_s._ 11_d._ _per ann._ Dugd. 289_l._ 11_s._ 11_d._ Speed. The site,
with the demesnes, were granted, _36 Hen. 8._ to Tho. Sternhold, one
of the first translators of the Psalms into English metre.
_Vide_ Mon. Angl. tom. i. 213. ex Leland. Collect. vol. i. p. 75,
76. Et ibid. p. 227. cartam Ethelredi regis de episcopo Cornubiæ
apud S. Petrocum, et libertatibus eidem concessis. Ibid. tom. ii.
p. 5. cart. 57 Hen. 3. m. 9. confirm. cartam Eadredi regis priori
et canonicis de Bodmine, de manerio de Niwetone.
Leland. Itin. vol. ii. p. 114. vol. iii. p. 12.
In Itinerario Will. de Worcestre, p. 100. 111. de fundatione et
dimensione ecclesiæ; p. 107. excerpta ex kalendario principalis
Libri Antiphoner: p. 111. nomina nobilium et generosorum in
kalendario memoratorum: p. 112. ex registro.
Cart. Antiq. D. n. 40, 41.
Cart. 36 Hen. 3. m. 18. pro manerio de Neweton.
Cart. 13 Ed. 1. n. 9. et 66. pro piscaria in Alan, bosco in Bodan,
et aliis libertatibus.
Cart. 6 Ed. 2. n. 1.
Cart. 9 Ed. 3. n. 41. pro emptione stanni: Pat. 19. Ed. 3. p. 2. m.
d. de visu franci plegii infra villam: Pat. 48 Ed. 3. p. 2. m. 12.
de XL _s._ redd. exeunt. de burgo, et boscis de Kingswood et
Kelleritho.
Pat. 3 Ric. 2. p. 2. m. 25.
Pat. 1 Hen. 4. p. 8. m. 34.
Pat. 1 Hen. 6. p. 3. m. 24. Pat. 3 Hen. 6. p. 1. m. 11.
Pat. 3 Ed. 4. p. 1. m.
2. HOSPITAL. About a mile from Bodmin is St. Laurence,[93] a poor
hospital or lazarhouse,[94] on the east; well endowed for nineteen
leprous people, two whole men and women, and a priest to minister unto
them.[95]
_Vide_ Leland. Itin. vol. ii. p. 115. vol. iii. p. 12.
3. ALMSHOUSE. At the west end of the town was a chapel and an
almshouse,[96] but not endowed with lands.[97]
_Vide_ Leland. Itin. vol. ii. p. 115.
4. GREY FRIERS. A house of Grey friers on the south side of the
market-place, begun by John of London a merchant, and augmented by
Edmund earl of Cornwall.[98] After the dissolution this friery was
granted to one William Abbot, _37 Hen. 8._ and in Q. Elizabeth’s time
it was made the house of correction for the county.[99]
_Vide_ Leland. Itin. vol. ii. p. 115. vol. iii. p. 12.
Stevens’[100] Supplement, vol. i. p. 154.
In Itinerario Will. de Worcestre, p. 99. de fundatione et excerpta
quædam ex kalendario.
[Harl. MS. 6964. p. 77.
Hoveden, Script. post Bedam, fol. 324.
Domesd. tom. i. fol. 120. b. 121.
MS. Cole, Brit. Mus. vol. xxvii. 184 b. H.E.]