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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 November 2011
The earlier history of the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, or Black Canons as they were commonly called, can hardly now be traced. They do not seem to have made their appearance in England until after the beginning of the twelfth century. It is true of course that certain houses, such as Huntingdon and Taunton, which subsequently followed the Augustinian Rule, were founded at a far earlier date, but the whole matter needs a discussion into which we cannot here enter. Like the Benedictines, each house was a separate corporation bound in no way to other houses. Each canon was sworn to ‘stabilitas’ or permanence in the house of his profession. Like the Benedictines, too, the Canons Regular held their triennial Chapters in accordance with the Lateran Council of the year 1215. Unlike them, however, the Austin Canons might serve the cures of souls, in particular those attached to their own houses. This last is an interesting point as bearing upon the fact that Thomas Becket, who as a child of ten began his education at Merton, at a later date wore the habit of the Merton Canons, while Hubert Walter, bishop of Salisbury, soon after his enthronement as archbishop of Canterbury became a professed Canon of Merton. The first house to be settled in England would appear to be that of St. Botolph, Colchester, which was established within a year or two of the beginning of the twelfth century. The foundation of Merton must have followed shortly afterwards.
page 256 note 1 Our Fellow Bishop Browne, in a lecture delivered at Merton in connexion with the 800th Anniversary celebrations at the parish church, interpreted this document (which he examined) to mean that Gilbert first built the parish church and established Robert and his Canons there in 1115, and that he moved the priory to the site by the Wandle in 1117.
page 258 note 1 L, and P. Foreign and Domestic, Hen. VIII, vol. 13, pt. ii, pp. 130–4.
page 259 note 1 This arch is preserved in situ on the recreation ground of Messrs. Liberty & Co. An Early English capital (fig. 10) was also found during the demolition.
page 263 note 1 Of course it does not necessarily follow that where the first type only exists now the second never existed. There has been a great deal of grubbing up done during the last three centuries; but on the whole the indications are that the foundations of the earliest work were of the first type only.