Vatican Regesta 652: 1478-1483

Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 13, 1471-1484. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1955.

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'Vatican Regesta 652: 1478-1483', in Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 13, 1471-1484, (London, 1955) pp. 195-202. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-papal-registers/brit-ie/vol13/pp195-202 [accessed 17 March 2024]

In this section

Vatican Regesta, Vol. DCLII.

Bullarum Communium Lib. CII. Tom. CVII.

13 Sixtus IV.

1483.
12 Kal. Oct.
(20 Sept.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 31r.)
To the prior of St. John Baptist's by Naenach, the prior of St. Mary's, Iniscionan (recte Iniscronan), in the diocese of Killaloe (Laonien.), and John son of Thady (fn. 1) Macnamara, a canon of Killaloe. Mandate, as below. By the provision which the present pope has made to Theoderic, [bishop] elect of Killaloe, and by the consecration which is to be conferred on him, the commenda of the monastery of Clare (de Forgio alias de Clar), O.S.A., in the diocese of Killaloe, is about to cease, and the monastery therefore to become void again in the same way as before the making of the said commenda; and the deanery of Kilmacduagh (Duacen.) and the rectory of Bacha alias Kliathceallay, in the diocese of Kilmacduagh, which was united to the deanery for the lifetime of the said Theoderic, are to become void for the same reason. Moreover the pope, upon being informed by Matthew, bishop of Clonfert, that the said Theoderic had dilapidated the precious moveables of the said monastery, sold its immoveables, and converted the proceeds to his own evil purposes, ordered certain judges, if Matthew would accuse Theoderic before them, to summon the latter, and if they found the foregoing to be true, to deprive him of the said commenda, and to grant the said monastery in commendam to Matthew for life. The said Theoderic alleging that the said allegations are entirely false, the pope hereby orders the above three to reserve to their gift, for the purpose of being granted to him in commendam, the said deanery, a major elective dignity with cure, and the said rectory, upon their becoming void, as above, and moreover to grant them, value 20 and 10 marks sterling, respectively, to him in commendam. Furthermore, if after summoning the said bishop Matthew they find that the said allegations were false, they are to declare the said former letters null and void, and upon the said commenda coming to an end, as above, they are to grant the said monastery, value 50 marks sterling, to the said Theoderic, to be held by him in commendam for life with the said church of Killaloe. Romani pontificis providentia. (In the margin: Oct.) [5 pp.]

12 Sixtus IV.

17 Kal. June.
(16 May.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 66v.) (fn. 2)
To the treasurer, the chancellor, and the precentor of Kilmacduagh (Duacen.). Mandate to collate and assign to Odo Maegayn, (recte Macgayn), clerk, of the diocese of Annaghdown (who was lately dispensed by authority of the ordinary on account of illegitimacy, as the son of a priest and an unmarried woman, to be made a clerk, after which he was made a clerk) the [perpetual] vicarage of Kilfursa in the said diocese, value 4 marks sterling, so long void that its collation has lapsed to the apostolic see, although Maurice, also Macgayn, priest, (whom Odo is afraid to meet in the city and diocese of Annaghdown, and who is to be summoned and removed), has detained possession for between twelve and thirteen years without any canonical title; even if it be void by the resignation of Cornelius, also Ma[c]gayn, Odo is hereby dispensed to be promoted to all holy, even priest's orders, and receive and retain the said vicarage. Vite etc. (Gratis pro deo. In the margin: Aug.) [4 pp.]
1483.
(recte 1482). (fn. 3)
18 Kal. Jan.
(15 Dec.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 88v.)
To James Brown, a canon of Glasgow, M.A. Motu proprio collation and provision of a canonry of Glasgow, another of Dunkeld, and a third of Aberdeen, (fn. 4) with reservation of a prebend and of a dignity etc. of each, even if one of such dignities be major, and even if it or one of such canonries and prebends etc. be reserved to the pope's gift, (fn. 5) and such dignities etc. be elective and have cure; with mandate executory hereby to Guichardus Villeninodi, (fn. 6) a canon of Besançon (Bisuntin.) and the officials of St. Andrews and Glasgow, and dispensation for the said James to hold for life any three benefices with cure or otherwise incompatible, even if two of them be parish churches etc. or major or principal dignities, etc., and to resign or exchange them, etc. Litterarum scientia, vite etc. (In the margin: Fe.) [8¼ pp.]

8 Sixtus IV.

1478.
18 Kal. Jan.
(15 Dec.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 167r.)
To Master John de Giglis, I.U.D., a subdeacon of the pope, nuncio of the apostolic see, collector of the apostolic Camera in the realm of England. Faculty, as below. The pope lately sent John, abbot of the St. Mary's, Abingdon, O.S.B., in the diocese of Salisbury, to the realm of England, to Wales and Ireland, and to the adjacent islands, for the purpose of preaching and publishing the indulgences of the Jubilee year. Seeing that, as the pope has learned, a number of sums of money have arisen both from such indulgences and from divers faculties granted by the pope to the said abbot, whereof he has not yet rendered an account to the Camera nor to its collector, the pope hereby revokes and annuls all faculties etc. granted by him to the said abbot, and grants faculty to the above collector to audit etc. the accounts of the said abbot and any deputy-collectors of the said moneys, etc., cause the books containing the taxations and values of benefices, etc. to be shown to him, and inform himself as to all the foregoing, make inquiry against the said abbot etc., cite those whom he finds guilty to appear before him with their accounts, and exact and receive from the said abbot etc. any sums due to the Camera, etc., deprive, suspend and remove them from their offices and benefices, etc., and otherwise punish them, sequestrate the fruits of their benefices, absolve those who incur excommunication, etc., after they have made satisfaction to the Camera, and after enjoining penance, and dispense them on account of irregularity, etc., invoking, if necessary, the said of the secular arm, etc. Ad Romani pontificis providentiam. [22/3 pp. See above, p. 2.]
Ibid.
(f. 168r.)
Faculties, etc., as below. Paul II ordained that the Jubilee year should be held every twenty-five, instead of every fifty years, which ordinance the present pope confirmed [by bull of 25 March 1472; see Raynaldus, Annales, an. 1472, (fn. 7) 60]. Seeing that many persons have been prevented by wars, infirmity, age, the perils of the journey, etc., from taking advantage of the Jubilee year by visiting the basilicas etc. of Rome, the pope has, in order that Edward prince of Wales, son of Edward king of England, and the peoples subject to him (fn. 8) may share in the Jubilee indulgence, sent John de Giglis, I.U.D., a subdeacon and chamberlain of the pope, (fn. 9) as nuncio and commissary of the pope and the apostolic see to the principality or lordship of Wales, and the cities and places thereof and all other islands and lands adjacent thereto, to which he has not yet been sent, in order that all of those parts who have been prevented, as above or otherwise, from making the said visit may more easily share in the said indulgences; and hereby gives faculty to the said John, nuncio and commissary of the pope and collector of the papal Camera in those parts, to choose two convenient churches in the said realm and principality, etc., and for twenty days in person or by deputy to preach and grant therein a plenary remission of all sins and the Jubilee indulgence, namely, to those who, being contrite and having confessed, visit in person or by deputy one of the said churches and put in a box (fn. 10) appointed by the said commissary and collector, or other deputy, for the defence of the Christian religion against the Turks, as much as they would have expended if they had gone to Rome; with faculty also for the said nuncio etc. to appoint confessors in the said churches for the purpose of hearing the confessions of such faithful, absolving them from excommunication, etc., and from their sins, even in reserved cases, and enjoining penance, and relaxing and commuting any oaths and vows, except those of Crusade, St. Peter and Paul, and St. James in Compostella, and those of religion and continence. Copies of these presents, subscribed by two notaries and bearing the seals and subscriptions of the said nuncio and collector, etc., shall have the same credence as the original letters, and these presents shall hold good for four months only from the first day of the publication of the same. Ad fut. rei mem. Divinus amor. [6 pp.]
1478.
Ibid.
(f. 171r.)
To master John de Giglis (etc., as above, f. 167r). Faculty (seeing that the pope has sent him as nuncio of the pope and the apostolic see to the principality of Wales and the islands adjacent thereto, and to certain lands and places of the realm of England to which he had not yet been sent by the pope, in order to preach and publish a plenary [indulgence], as if in the Jubilee year) to absolve, after temporary suspension, ecclesiastics who have obtained benefices simoniacally, or have committed simony in resigning such benefices, or in order to be ordained, or otherwise, or who have contracted irregularity, etc. Cum nos nuper te ad principatum Wallie et illi adiacentes insulas. [4 pp.]
Ibid.
(f. 173r.)
To the same. Faculty (seeing that … been sent by the pope [as in the preceding], in order to preach and publish the indulgence of the Jubilee year), to absolve any persons of the said realm and Wales and Ireland, and any other persons, even without the said realm and principality, who resort to him in order to gain the said indulgence, (fn. 11) on account of usury, tithes unpaid etc., misappropriation of church property, etc., perjury, omission of the divine office and the canonical hours, enjoining penance, and to grant that after such persons have made a payment into the indulgence collecting-boxes for the defence of the Catholic faith, they shall not be bound to make restitution of the balance (fn. 12); faculty to confirm sales, exchanges, leases, alienations of church property, etc., made by ecclesiastical persons against Paul II's bull ‘Ad perpetuam rei memoriam. Cum in omnibus judiciis’ [see above, p. 176], etc., if he find that they were to the manifest benefit of the churches etc. concerned, etc.; faculty to receive abjurations of hereties, schismaties, etc., and to rehabilitate them, etc.; faculty to absolve women who allege that their adulterine children are their husbands', etc., and who procure for them the husband's estate, to the exclusion of the true heirs, (fn. 13) etc.; faculty to absolve persons who have married, being related in the fourth or in the third and fourth degrees of kindred and affinity, enjoining penance, and, after temporary separation, to dispense them to marry anew; faculty to dispense persons related by spiritual relationship, not being god-parent and god-child, (fn. 14) and those who committed adultery and promised to marry, etc., to remain in the marriages which they have contracted; faculty to dispense those who have been ordained per saltum or before the lawful age, to minister in their orders; faculty to absolve those who in the receiving of their orders have incurred censures etc.; faculty to absolve those, secular or regular, who have studied in civil law or medicine (fn. 11) without licence of the apostolic see, or ruled chairs, (fn. 15) etc., and rehabilitate them, as also those guilty of apostasy, conspiracy and any other excesses except homicide; notwithstanding the privileges and indults of Pius II [and] Calixtus III in the matter of heresy specially sent to the said realm of England, (fn. 16) and the constitutions of Otto and Ottobon, sometime legates in the same realm, etc. Cum nos nuper te ad principatum ducatum [sic] Wallie ac illi adiacentes insulas. [4 pp.]
Ibid.
(f. 175r.)
To the same. Faculty (seeing that the pope has lately sent him to the realm of England as his nuncio and collector, and given him faculty to dispense twelve ecclesiastical persons under age in the said realm and island [sic], (fn. 17) after completing their twentysecond year of age, to be promoted, to all holy orders, even the priesthood, and minister therein, and hold a benefice with cure, even if a dignity, etc.; faculty to grant to twelve noble persons of either sex of the said realm and island [sic] to have a portable altar, etc.; faculty to grant to twelve persons of either sex in the said realm to choose their confessor who might hear their confessions and grant them absolution, enjoining penance, except in cases reserved to the apostolic see; faculty to absolve fifty persons of either sex of the said realm, ecclesiastical or secular, from any sentences of excommunication, etc., enjoining penance etc., dispense them on account of irregularity, and rehabilitate them; and faculty to grant to twenty persons in the said realm and island [sic], ecclesiastical or secular, that the confessor of their choice might commute any vows of abstinence and pilgrimage, except vows of pilgrimage to the Holy Land and SS. Peter and Paul and St. James in Compostella, and vows of continence and chastity), (fn. 18) extending the foregoing faculties, namely, to twentyfour persons over and above twelve (fn. 19) in the above cases of dispensations for defect of age, grants of a portable altar, grants to choose a confessor; to a hundred persons over and above fifty in the above case of absolution, dispensation and rehabilitation; and to forty persons over and above twenty in the above case of the commutation by their confessor of their vows, except those vows expressed in the said letters. (fn. 20) He is to send for the fabric of the churches of Rome the money received for the commutation of the said vows of pilgrimage. (fn. 21)Cum te dudum ad Anglie regnum. [3 pp.]
Ibid.
(f. 176v.)
To the same. Faculty (seeing that the pope has lately sent him to the realm of England as his nuncio and collector, and given him faculty to grant [indult] to ten persons of the said realm and island [sic] to take the fruits etc. of their benefices for seven years, whilst studying letters at an university, and not to be bound meanwhile to reside therein; to dispense fifteen persons of the said realm on account of any kind of illegitimacy to be promoted to all holy orders, even the priesthood, and to hold two compatible benefices with or without cure, even if one were a canonry and prebend in a collegiate church, and to exchange them; to dispense twelve men and as many women of the said realm related in the third and fourth or only the fourth degrees of kindred or affinity to marry or, in the case of those who had already married, to remain in their marriages, proclaiming past and future offspring legitimate; and to grant the office of notary to twelve persons of the said realm and island [sic], being not married and not in holy orders), extending the foregoing faculties, namely, to twentyfive persons over and above ten, (fn. 22) to thirty over and above fifteen, to thirty over and above twelve, and to twenty-four over and above twelve, respectively. Cum te dudum ad Anglie regnum. [2¾ pp.]

7 Sixtus IV.

Id. Aug.
(13 Aug.)
Bracciano in the diocese of Sutri.
(f. 185r.)
Indult, as below. The recent petition of the abbot and convent of the monastery of Westminster, O.S.B., immediately belonging to the Roman church, contained that formerly, seeing that the monasteries of St. Albans, O.S.B., and Waltham, O.S.A., immediately belonging to the said church, were so distant from the apostolic see that the abbots elect could not without great dangers of the journey and expense visit the said see in order to obtain confirmation of their election, indult was granted to the convents of the said monasteries, for the foregoing and other reasons, that in future the abbots-elect should be eo ipso abbots, without other confirmation, as if their election had been confirmed by the said see, and should be able to be blessed by any catholic bishop of their choice, in communion with the said see, on condition, however, that the abbot and convent of each of the said monasteries should in future pay 20 marks sterling a year to the collector of the Camera in England on a certain feast day then expressed, under pain of ecclesiastical censures for delay in payment. The said petition adding that for the same reasons it is very burdensome and costly for the abbot and convent of Westminster to obtain papal confirmation of the election of the abbot, the pope, at the said petition and that of Edward king of England, hereby grants to the convent of Westminster an indult similar to those granted to the convents of St. Albans and Waltham, the corresponding yearly amount to be paid by the abbot and convent to the collector of the Camera being 100 gold florins of the Camera, payable on the feast of SS. Peter and Paul the Apostles [29 June], under pain as above. Ad perp. rei mem. Inter curas multiplices. (In the margin: Oct.) [3 pp.]

Footnotes

  • 1. Johanni Tathei.
  • 2. On f. 73r. is a bull of Innocent VIII (1484–92), registered here in error. The bull, which has the frequently occurring incipit, ‘Nobilitas generis, vite ac morum honestas,’ is dated at St. Peter's, Rome, on 3 Id. March (13 March), 1486–7, anno 3 of Innocent VIII, and is addressed to Robert Bisswel, clerk, of the diocese of St. Andrews, to whom pope Innocent assigns a yearly pension, as below. The said Robert has given up to that pope, as the result of an agreement between himself and the below-named William, his suit (now pending before Anthony, bishop of Tivoli, residing in the Roman court and holding the place of a papal auditor), against William Achleck, a canon of Brechin, and David Spens, clerk, about a canonry of Glasgow and the prebend of Provant therein, and all his right in or to the said canonry and prebend, provision of which, he alleges, had been made to him by papal authority; and the said pope has surrogated the said William in and to the said right, and has granted him collation and provision thereof and of the said canonry and prebend themselves. The said pope, therefore, hereby reserves and assigns to Robert, who is by both parents of baronial race, a yearly life pension of 30 marks of the money of Scotland from the parish church of Convent in the diocese of St. Andrews, and 20 such marks from a canonry of Brechin and the prebend of Clemberwey therein, of lay patronage, not exceeding 9l. sterling in value, which [church and canonry and prebend] the said William holds, to be paid by the latter (who has consented) and by his successors, rectors of the said parish church and holders of the said canonry and prebend, half at Whitsuntide and half at St. Martin's, in the city of St. Andrews; with the usual sanctions for non-payment etc. (Nos. … pensionem annuam triginta super parrochialis ecclesie de Convent Sanctiandree diocesis et viginti marcharum monete Scotie summam novem librarum sterlingorum non excedentium super de iure patronatus laicorum existentium canonicatus et de Clemberwey nuncupate prebende ecclesie Brechinensis quos dictus Wil(lelmus) obtinet fructibus redditibus et proventibus, tibi quoad vixerisper eundem Wilelmum, cuius ad hoc expressus accedit assensus, et successores suos parrochialis rectores et canonicatum ac prebendam predictos in ecclesia Brechinensi obtinentes ejusdem Brechinensis ecclesiarum canonicos pro tempore existentes annis singulispersolvendam, tibi auctoritate apostolica tenore presentium reservamus constituimus et assignamus. …); notwithstanding that, as he alleges, from the fruits etc. of the said church of Convent another yearly pension has been reserved to him, the amount of which does not exceed, with the said 30 marks, a third part of the fruits etc. of that church (seu quod ut asseris super fructibus redditibus et proventibus predictis ecclesie de Convent certa alia annua pensio, cuius quantitas et dicte triginta marche insimul tertiam partem fructuum reddituum et proventuum eorundem non excedunt, reservata existat): with a Simili modo mandate executory, beginning Hodie dilecto filio Roberto Bysswel, to the bishop of Glandève (Glandaten.), the abbot of Inchcolm (de Insula Sancte [sic] Columbe) in the diocese of Dunkeld, and the official of St. Andrews. [4¼ pp. The bull which immediately follows the preceding bull in the Register. viz. on f. 75r., has also the superscription ‘Innocentius etc.’ but in this case ‘Innocentius’ is underlined, and ‘Sixtus’ written above it.]
  • 3. i.e. assuming that anno 12 in the date is correct.
  • 4. unum Glasguen. et alium Dunkelden. ac reliquum Aberdonen.
  • 5. Except in certain cases.
  • 6. He recurs in Reg. Vat. dclxxvi, f. 23r, with the spelling ‘Willeminodi.’
  • 7. sibi.
  • 8. subdiaconum et cubicularium nostrum.
  • 9. archa seu capsa.
  • 10. quascunque dictorum regni ac Wallie et Hybernie huiusmodi et alias quascunque etiam extra regnum et principatum predicta existentes personas inibi undecunque pro huiusmodi indulgentia consequenda ad te recurrentes.
  • 11. absolvendi, et quod soluta per eos quantitat(e) aliqua in capsis seu archis deputandis pro colligendis oblationibus fidelium eorundem conscqui volentium indulgentiam memoratam ad opus defensionis fidei catholice faciendis ad restituendum residuum quod superest ultra dictam quantitatem in utroque foro non teneantur et premissorum occasione nequeant molestari concedendi.
  • 12. necnon mulieres que conceptos in adulterinis complexibus filios esse dicunt maritorum aut partum supponunt alienum ac procurant ad maritorum hereditates et bona exclusis veris heredibus pervenire
  • 13. et cum coniunctis spirituali cognatione dummodo levans et levata persona [matrimonium] invicem non contrahant.
  • 14. qui in legibus vel medicine [sic].
  • 15. aut cathedras rexerint.
  • 16. in regnum Anglie predictum specialiter destinatis.
  • 17. cum xii personis ecclesiasticis infra dictum regnum et insulam constitutis —but the ‘insula’ has not been mentioned before in the present bull.
  • 18. quecunque abstinentie et peregrinationis ultramarino ac beatorum Petri et Paul et Sancti Jacobi in Compustella [sic] ac continentie et castitatis votis dumtaxat exceptis.
  • 19. cum aliis xxiiijor personisultra xij, and similarly in the other cases.
  • 20. ut etiam confessorem eligere possent qui vota quecunqus exceptis illis dumtaxat in prefatis litteris expressis commutare valeat.
  • 21. Volumus autem quod pecunias sic ex huiusmodi peregrination(is) votorum commutare (? recte commutatione) perceptas ad fabricam ecclesiarum Urbis quantocius destinare procures.
  • 22. xxv personisultra x, and similarly in the other cases.