Not half a century later, the prioress was Sybil Montague, a woman well-placed as a niece of William Montague, 2nd Earl of Salisbury (d.1389) and sister of John Montague, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. Her election as prioress in 1391 was confirmed by the King, Richard II. Dame Sybil seems in effect to have abolished the system of male priors, though this caused a great upheaval and involved the intervention of the new King, Henry IV, against the background of his seizure of power from Richard II. Dame Sybil seems to have navigated the rapids and remained prioress, dying in 1420.