A number of ordinations took place during this period. In February 1360, John de Trowell and Nicholas de Trowell were ordained sub-deacon; this was completed with their ordination as deacons in December of that year, which also saw the ordination as sub-deacon of Hugh de Thurgarton. This canon’s career is well documented: he was ordained priest in April 1366, and became the vicar of Ilkeston in 1391. He stayed there until his resignation in 1402. At this period, Walter de Wynkeborn was vicar of Kirk Hallam until his resignation.  

More ordinations included Hugh de Wirsoppe as deacon in March 1364, John de Wolaton as sub-deacon in September 1366 and priest in 1369, William de Eyton and John Bovey as sub-deacons in June 1370, deacons in September 1370 and priests in September 1374. John de Belton and John de Kirkeby were ordained sub-deacons in September 1375; there is a record of Belton being ordained deacon in September 1376, but he is called a sub-deacon in December 1376. Kirkeby’s career seems to have proceeded slowly: he became chaplain in the ‘Abbot’s convent’s chapel of St Cross, Stanley’ in 1392 but was ordained deacon only in September 1396, and licensed to proceed to all orders the following December; in 1398 he was given the dignity of a papal chaplain.

This was a busy period: William de Ilkeston was ordained sub-deacon in June 1378; in December 1379 he was licensed to proceed to all orders, and in March the following year he was ordained priest. Henry de Monyash was ordained sub-deacon in February 1379, had his first tonsure and was licensed to proceed to all orders in December of that year; he was ordained deacon in June 1381, priest in March 1383 and served as abbot from 1400 to 1439. Matthew de Nottingham, having been ordained sub-deacon, was licensed to proceed to all orders in December 1379 and ordained deacon in June 1381. John Sempringham and Roger Mannefeld were ordained sub-deacons in June 1384.

Other appointments at this period included canon Robert de Sallow, vicar of Kirk Hallam in 1380, William de Ketelly and Ralph Palmer of Boney chaplains in October 1382, Hugh de Wyloghby clerk in 1385, when the abbey’s complement consisted of abbot plus 17 canons, John de Kirkeby, chaplain celebrating at the chapel of St Cross, Stanley in 1392, and he and canon Matthew Leche being made papal chaplains in 1395 and 1398 respectively.

Abbot William escaped frequently being made Visitor: in 1364 he carried out a visitation of the Hospital of St Leonard in Derby. He repeated this in 1397, but there are no records of his having been made Visitor of a Premonstratensian circary.

Our abbots were occasionally litigious: in 1381 Abbot William complained that he had been ambushed and driven out of Derby by Thomas, son of Godfrey Foljambe, and John Smyth of Stanley, and was awarded 20s. damages.