The Somerset Carthusian. By E. Margaret Thompson. (John Hodges.)—In this
volume, one of the " Catholic Standard Library," Miss Thompson tells the story of the foundations of Witham and Hinton. Witham was the first Carthusian House in England, founded by Henry II., in reparation for the murder of Becket. The first Prior appointed to superintend the founda- tion found himself unequal to the work; the second died; it was carried out by the famous Hugh of Avalon, better known as St. Hugh of Lincoln. Hugh ruled it for nearly a quarter of a cen- tury ; after his departure there was little of importance in its history. The monks had a quarrel, in which they seemed to be in the right, with a neighbouring house at Maiden Bradley. In the time of the Black Death they lost their labourers, but themselves escaped untouched, a testimony to the benefit of their ascetic rule. From time to time fresh endowments were made, and growing wealth seems to have brought jabout some relaxation in their austere life. At the Dissolution, the foundation possessed a revenue equivalent to about £2,500 of our money. There were then a Prior and twelve brethren, with two lay-brothers. The Hinton House was founded at Heythrop, in Gloucestershire, by William Longestree, and transferred to Hinton in 1232 by his widow, the Countess of Salisbury. Its history was much the same as that of the other Somersetshire house. Its revenue at the Dissolution was nearly £3,000, and it had a Prior, seventeen brethren, and six lay-brothers. Both the Priors received hand- some pensions, the first of £400, the second of £500 per annum. This is a carefully written volume, adorned with some good illus- trations by Miss L. Beatrice Thompson.
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