The story cited in Chapter 7 above from the Nova legenda relates in highly colourful terms that St Edmund, appearing in a vision, raised his banner in defence of the privileges of his church and of all other franchise-holders against King Edward I’s encroachments. Abbot John would have owed his success against Edward’s encroachments on St Edmunds’ rights partly to his highly trained officials and councillors. In addition, St Edmunds, in the same way as other religious houses at that time, had established a network of connections with influential people – royal officials and justices, lay and ecclesiastical magnates, and the like – whose favour they could expect. They courted favour by various means. Royalty could count on lavish and genial hospitality in the abbey. Visiting magnates would be similarly entertained, and the abbot and convent might grant them or their dependents pensions, or might present them or their dependents to benefices (ecclesiastical livings). Besides, dependents might receive corrodies or sergeanties in the abbey.

A list survives in a thirteenth-century register from St Edmunds of the names of thirteen men who received pensions from the abbey under Abbot John, specifying the annual sum paid to each. It reads as follows:

• 1. Dom William Burnel 100s.

• 2. Dom Thomas of Weyland (‘de Weylaund’), clerk, 100s.

• 3. Dom Henry of Lynn (‘de Lenn’), 100s.

• 4. Master Ralph of Fotheringhay (‘de Foderinggeye’), 100s.

• 5. Master Henry of Bray, 100s.

• 6. Master Hervey of Saham, 5 marks.

• 7. Dom Henry of Guildford (‘de Gildeford’), 4 marks.

• 8. Dom Philip of Willoughby (‘de Wyleby’), 5 marks.

• 9. Master John of Cam[bridge], 40s

• 10. Nicholas ‘de Castello’, clerk, 40s.

• 11. Thomas son of Lord Walter of Stirchley (‘de Stirchel’), 5 marks.

• 12. Master William of Dalton, 20s.

• 13. Walter of ? Sancton Hall (‘de sc̄ōhaƚƚ’), clerk of Dom Robert of Tiptoft (‘de Tibetot’), 5 marks.

Some of these pensioners can be identified. First, there are those who received pensions as a reward for services to the crown. Master Henry of Bray was one of the king’s clerks in 1273 with various official responsibilities. In 1286 he was a justice of the brief Ely session (associated with the eyre in Cambridgeshire) during a vacancy in the see of Ely and a justice of the Jews until 1287.