" There is no record of his ever having resided in the Abbey,
but he probably put a stop to the printing which had been carried on in
the Abbey from 1480 onwards. He also made a gift of plate to the Abbey.
He held the office of Abbot until his disgrace in 1529.
39. #Robert Catton# (1530-1538). This Abbot was really appointed by
Henry VIII., but was nominally elected by the chapter. He had been Prior
of Norwich. The Abbey printing press was again in use in his time. He
seems to have been deprived during his lifetime, for what reason we
cannot say.
40. #Robert Boreman of Stevenage# (1538-1539). This Abbot was a nominee
of the King, and was chosen by him because Henry knew that he would be
willing to surrender the Abbey. This he did on December 5th, 1539. It
was part of the policy of Henry VIII. to make it appear that the
monasteries were _voluntarily_ surrendered by the abbot and chapter, and
it was generally made worth their while to do so by a liberal pension.
In some cases the abbots refused, among them the last Abbot of
Glastonbury, who paid dearly for his refusal, as he was hanged on a hill
commanding a view of the possessions of the Abbey, which not being his
to part with he had refused to surrender, though, of course, the nominal
charge against him was not the real one.
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