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  • Sept. 1, 1881
  • Page 23
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The Masonic Magazine, Sept. 1, 1881: Page 23

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    Article THE HISTORY OF SELBY, ITS ABBEY, AND ITS MASONIC ASSOCIATIONS. ← Page 3 of 7 →
Page 23

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The History Of Selby, Its Abbey, And Its Masonic Associations.

Rainecourt gave , And in my gift , I have granted him to hold along with these , all things from whatever source , as well in lands and possessions , as in other offerings which , by the promptings of the Holy Spirit , may be presented by p ious benefactors , and whatever may be acquired in any way , by right , by solicitation , or by purchase , under the royal favour , quietly and freely , exempt from all taxationtrouble and annoyanceas becomes the alms of a king and

, , an abbey of his founding , in endless and perpetual peace ; and to have and possess for ever , its own court with sac , soc , tol , team , and infangenethefe , and all customs of a hi gher order , that the church of St . Peter at York , has , for the evidence or testimony and confirming of this charitable gift , for the salvation of my soul , and those of my ancestors and successors , this charter was given and confirmed at London in the presence of thesenamelyOdo

, , , Bishop of Bayeux , Edward of Salisbury , Hugh of Porta , Hugh of Montford , Richard , son of Earl Gilbert , Baldwin , his brother , Bishops Remigius , Radulph , Talebois , Robert of Tany , Ganfrid de la Wirchi , and of the king ' s whole court . "

It may be interesting to note that William only founded two abbeys in consequence of his northern victories , viz .: Selby ancl Battle Abbey , in Sussex . In 1070 William brought his queen to the north to assist him to settle the endowments of the newly-founded monastery , ancl whilst they were at Selby it is stated that our first English king , Henry Beauclerc , was born ; but the fact is by no means free from doubt , ancl is yet a subject of controversy .

During the reign of Stephen a castle was erected in what is now Finklestreet , of which the remains were discovered some twenty years ago . For the next 400 years Selby pursued pretty much the even tenoiir of its way as a small but important provincial town , under the leadership of the abbots , who were its masters ; indeed , the history of the abbey is , until the Reformationvirtually the history of the town . The abbots of Selbwere very

, y important personages in those days , for being mitred abbots they were lords of Parliament ; ancl the Abbot of Selby , with- his colleague of St . Mary ' s , at York , were the only mitred heads of houses north of the Trent . They were wealthy , for in 1292 , in the time of Pope Nicholas IV . ( the only Englishman who ever wore the tiara ) , the value of their possessions was estimated at

£ 832 lis . Id ., a large sum at that time . Doubtless there were gay doings in Selby in those days , whether on the occasion of the Church high festivals or when some royal or other important personage passed through ; ancl the archbishops of York would most likely pass through it on their way to and from their episcopal seat , and to and from their palace of Cawood , within five miles from hence .

Of the royal visitors prior to the Reformation , may be noticed Edward I ., who , making a progress in the north with his second wife , Margaret , daughter of Philip III . of France , visited Selby on the 1 st of June , 1304 , being conveyed up the river Humber in a fleet of eleven barges belonging to Gilfred de Selby . ^ He stayed at the abbey , and shortly afterwards his wife gave birth to a son in a small manor-house at Brothertonnear Ferrybrid In 1322

, ge . Edward II . stayed all night here ; and , doubtless , in 1530 , the great Lord Cardinal Wolsey passed through here on his arrest by Percy , Earl of Northumberland , at Cawood , on his way to Leicester , " there to lay his weary bones , " ancl thus end , perhaps , the most chequered career that has ever befallen English subject , and whose character is so beautifull y but pathetically drawn by our great English bard—the Swan of Avon .

In 1540 , the act dissolving the Abbey of Selby and its possessions was passed , vesting them in the Crown ; and possibly owing to the fact that the last abbot , Robert Selb y , was not implicated in the Pilgrimage of Grace , very liberal terms were secured to the abbot ancl monks , for he got £ 100 per annum for himself , and at least £ 5 per annum a-piece for the twentythree monks . This abbot led a very chequered career , for he ultimately be-

“The Masonic Magazine: 1881-09-01, Page 23” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 3 June 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmg/issues/mmg_01091881/page/23/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
CHINESE FREEMASONRY. Article 1
Untitled Article 5
Untitled Article 6
Untitled Article 7
Untitled Article 8
MASON'S MARKS FROM CARLISLE ABBEY. Article 9
APPENDIX. Article 10
BASSENTHWAITE LAKE. Article 12
JUNIUS. Article 14
MANY YEARS AGO: THE ANCHORITE'S LAMENT. Article 16
AN OLD MASON'S TOMB. Article 17
THE HISTORY OF SELBY, ITS ABBEY, AND ITS MASONIC ASSOCIATIONS. Article 21
HISTORY OF THE AIREDALE LODGE, No. 387. Article 28
AMONG THE HILLS. Article 33
SEA-SIDE SIGHTS. Article 34
MASONIC SYMBOLISM. Article 35
ON THE RHINE. Article 39
FLOWERS. Article 40
AFTER ALL. Article 41
NATURE IN REPOSE. Article 45
LITERARY GOSSIP. Article 46
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Page 23

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The History Of Selby, Its Abbey, And Its Masonic Associations.

Rainecourt gave , And in my gift , I have granted him to hold along with these , all things from whatever source , as well in lands and possessions , as in other offerings which , by the promptings of the Holy Spirit , may be presented by p ious benefactors , and whatever may be acquired in any way , by right , by solicitation , or by purchase , under the royal favour , quietly and freely , exempt from all taxationtrouble and annoyanceas becomes the alms of a king and

, , an abbey of his founding , in endless and perpetual peace ; and to have and possess for ever , its own court with sac , soc , tol , team , and infangenethefe , and all customs of a hi gher order , that the church of St . Peter at York , has , for the evidence or testimony and confirming of this charitable gift , for the salvation of my soul , and those of my ancestors and successors , this charter was given and confirmed at London in the presence of thesenamelyOdo

, , , Bishop of Bayeux , Edward of Salisbury , Hugh of Porta , Hugh of Montford , Richard , son of Earl Gilbert , Baldwin , his brother , Bishops Remigius , Radulph , Talebois , Robert of Tany , Ganfrid de la Wirchi , and of the king ' s whole court . "

It may be interesting to note that William only founded two abbeys in consequence of his northern victories , viz .: Selby ancl Battle Abbey , in Sussex . In 1070 William brought his queen to the north to assist him to settle the endowments of the newly-founded monastery , ancl whilst they were at Selby it is stated that our first English king , Henry Beauclerc , was born ; but the fact is by no means free from doubt , ancl is yet a subject of controversy .

During the reign of Stephen a castle was erected in what is now Finklestreet , of which the remains were discovered some twenty years ago . For the next 400 years Selby pursued pretty much the even tenoiir of its way as a small but important provincial town , under the leadership of the abbots , who were its masters ; indeed , the history of the abbey is , until the Reformationvirtually the history of the town . The abbots of Selbwere very

, y important personages in those days , for being mitred abbots they were lords of Parliament ; ancl the Abbot of Selby , with- his colleague of St . Mary ' s , at York , were the only mitred heads of houses north of the Trent . They were wealthy , for in 1292 , in the time of Pope Nicholas IV . ( the only Englishman who ever wore the tiara ) , the value of their possessions was estimated at

£ 832 lis . Id ., a large sum at that time . Doubtless there were gay doings in Selby in those days , whether on the occasion of the Church high festivals or when some royal or other important personage passed through ; ancl the archbishops of York would most likely pass through it on their way to and from their episcopal seat , and to and from their palace of Cawood , within five miles from hence .

Of the royal visitors prior to the Reformation , may be noticed Edward I ., who , making a progress in the north with his second wife , Margaret , daughter of Philip III . of France , visited Selby on the 1 st of June , 1304 , being conveyed up the river Humber in a fleet of eleven barges belonging to Gilfred de Selby . ^ He stayed at the abbey , and shortly afterwards his wife gave birth to a son in a small manor-house at Brothertonnear Ferrybrid In 1322

, ge . Edward II . stayed all night here ; and , doubtless , in 1530 , the great Lord Cardinal Wolsey passed through here on his arrest by Percy , Earl of Northumberland , at Cawood , on his way to Leicester , " there to lay his weary bones , " ancl thus end , perhaps , the most chequered career that has ever befallen English subject , and whose character is so beautifull y but pathetically drawn by our great English bard—the Swan of Avon .

In 1540 , the act dissolving the Abbey of Selby and its possessions was passed , vesting them in the Crown ; and possibly owing to the fact that the last abbot , Robert Selb y , was not implicated in the Pilgrimage of Grace , very liberal terms were secured to the abbot ancl monks , for he got £ 100 per annum for himself , and at least £ 5 per annum a-piece for the twentythree monks . This abbot led a very chequered career , for he ultimately be-

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