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The new foundation
(6/9)
St Bernard’s continued as a Cistercian college
until the Dissolution, and had its fair share of problems. In 1518,
for example, Arnold Gye of Buckfast, provisor of
the studium, was sued by the university stationer for failing to
pay the nine shillings he owed for books.(27) St
Bernard’s never flourished and numbers remained comparatively low.
From 1500 to 1540, sixty-seven students passed through the college,
but included one of the most active monk polemicists in the later
Middle Ages, a John Hooper.(28) The last provisor of
St Bernard’s
was probably
William Alynger (Alyng). His
will of September 1539 includes bequests to former scholars and
servants of the studium, as well as to the college.
This provides a valuable insight to the lifestyle of a provisor,
with references to the clothing he wore, furnishings in his chamber,
and also his personal
interests – his will mentions a virginal, a stringed instrument, similar
to a harpsichord. William bequeathed various items of clothing
to three scholars of Hailes, who
also appear as witnesses to the will. Two of the scholars were
each to receive a riding cloak and studying gown; one was
also assigned a feather-bed; the third monk was left William’s worsted
gown. The college steward (manciple) and barber were not forgotten.
William’s
pack saddle and bridle were earmarked for the former; the latter
was to receive five shillings. Items that were left to St Bernard’s
include pewter vessels and table linen (two cloths and six napkins),
as well as
ecclesiastical vestments and furnishings (an altar cloth, velvet
vestment and appurtenances, a carpet and two cloths to hang in
front of the altar).
William also stipulated that certain named objects should forever
remain in the provisor’s chamber, which was situated above
the outer gateway of the college, namely, two carved wooden bedsteads,
three chairs, four
benches and four stools, a carved wooden cupboard and coffer. Other
garments and items of interest that are mentioned in the will,
and which shed some
light on the provisor’s lifestyle and daily comforts, are
a silk jacket, a velvet doublet, feather bed, sheets, bolster and
coverlet, and a grey
horse.(29)
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