Vatican Regesta 678: 1474-1475

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 678: 1474-1475', in Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 13, 1471-1484, (London, 1955) pp. 278-281. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-papal-registers/brit-ie/vol13/pp278-281 [accessed 20 April 2024]

In this section

Vatican Regesta, Vol. DCLXXVIII. (fn. 1)

Liber Decimus Nonus Bullarum Diversarum.

3 Sixtus IV.

1474.
17 Kal. July.
(15 June.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 111r.) (fn. 2)
To Alexander Rate, canon of Glasgow, member of the pope's household. Annulment and fresh collation, as below. Under date Kal. Jan. anno 1 (1 Jan. 1471–2) the pope made him provision of a canonry of Brechin, with reservation of a prebend and a dignity, etc. of that church, and of a benefice with or without cure wont to be assigned to secular clerks, even if a rural deanery, etc., or an elective dignity with cure, etc., in the gift, etc. of the archbishop, then the bishop, of St. Andrews, and the prior and chapter, etc. of that church. At his recent petition, containing that he has no hope of obtaining any advantage from the said grant, so far as regards the gift, etc. of the said archbishop, prior and chapter, etc., the pope hereby, at the wish and with the consent of the said Alexander, who is also the pope's continual commensal, annuls the said letters as far as regards the said gift, etc., and makes him collation and provision of a canonry of Glasgow, with reservation of a prebend thereof and an elective dignity, etc. with cure, provided that it be not a major dignity. As soon as in virtue of the said former or of the present letters he obtains such dignity, etc. of Glasgow, they shall be null and void as regards such other benefice incompatible therewith. Grata familiaritatis obsequia. (In the margin: Octo.) [3¼ pp.]

4 Sixtus IV.

Id. Dec.
(13 Dec.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 129r.)
Safe-conduct, to be valid for one year, and thereafter at the pope's pleasure, for Nicholas Jacobi de Guarnetis of Fermo (Firman.), a member of the pope's household, whom the pope is sending to (fn. 3) England, Almain and Ireland on business of the pope and the apostolic Camera, and whom he has also charged to bring hackneys for the use of the pope and his household (fn. 4); with safeconduct also for his retinue to the number of thirty. Univ. et singMittimus dilectum filium. [½ p.]
1474.
Non. Nov.
(5 Nov.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 226r.)
To Simon, archbishop of Patras (Patracen.), residing in the Roman court. Mandate, as below. The recent petition of Geoffrey ap Grono alias Gregor, priest, of the diocese of Bangor, contained that one day when he was on his way with his brother Lewis ap Grono, layman, of the said diocese, to visit and console their mother and sister, who were sick of the plague, and whose home was twelve miles distant from theirs, one Laurence ap Eynon, also a layman, of the said diocese, an enemy of Lewis, chanced to meet them, that he and Lewis came to words and blows, and that Lewis put Laurence to flight; that the late Robert ap Davit (sic), likewise a layman of the same diocese, came up, took Laurence's part and with a lance wounded Lewis in the arm and then in the belly, so that his bowels came out (fn. 5); and that seeing this the said Geoffrey, who had said mass that day and had no thought of hurting any one, smitten with grief and moved by love for his brother, seeing that he had committed no wrong, spoke these words to the said Robert ‘You thief, you've killed my brother!’ (fn. 6) whereupon Robert, enraged and with intent, as is believed, to wound or kill Geoffrey, struck his lance through and through his clothes, near his arm, and wounded him in the arm (fn. 7); and that Geoffrey, unable to flee without danger of death, because Robert was ready to strike and wound him, in self-defence wounded him on the head with a single blow from a sword which he carried for his protection, but not with intent to kill him; that thereupon Robert ap Meredith, also a layman, a companion of the said Robert ap David, (fn. 8) grievously wounded Geoffrey on the head with a blow from an iron axe, (fn. 9) whereby he was knocked to the ground; and that it is rumoured in those parts, but whether truly or not Geoffrey has no certain knowledge, that the said Robert ap David (fn. 10) died in less than nine days, either through the unskilfulness of the physicians, as is believed to be probably the case, or his bad way of living, (fn. 11) wherefore, leaving his brother wounded as above, and not knowing whether he is alive or dead, Geoffrey has with very great perils, labour and expense come on foot to the Roman court in order to obtain absolution. Seeing that, as his petition added, he did not contrive the death of the said Robert ap David, (fn. 10) and did nothing unlawful on account of which the said Robert ap Davit (sic) was provoked to attack him, (fn. 12) and deeply laments the foregoing, that he has since abstained from the celebration of divine offices, and desires to minister in his orders, the pope hereby orders the above archbishop, if he find the foregoing to be true, to absolve the said Geoffrey, who alleges that he can prove the truth of the foregoing by fit witnesses in the said court, from the crime of homicide, enjoining penance, dispense him on account of irregularity to minister in his orders, and after a year in the ministry of the altar, and to receive and retain any compatible benefices with and without cure, and rehabilitate him. Solet sedis apostolice clemencia. (In the margin: De.) [2½ pp.]

3 Sixtus IV.

9 Kal. July.
(23 June.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 521r.)
To Martin Vau(s), (fn. 13) chancellor of Glasgow, bachelor in decrees. Dispensation for him (who is also M.A., and was lately dispensed by the late Andrew, bishop of Glasgow, then papal nuncio, who had special power from the apostolic see, on account of illegitimacy, as the son of a priest and an unmarried woman, to be promoted to all, even holy orders and minister therein, even in the office of the altar, and hold two compatible benefices, even if one had cure or were a canonry and prebend or an elective dignity, etc. with cure, and to resign or exchange them, etc., after which he obtained the said chancellorship, a non-major dignity with cure, value 40l. sterling), to receive and retain for life any mutually compatible benefices with or without cure, namely, one incompatible with the said chancellorship, or without it any two other incompatible benefices, even if two parish churches, etc. or elective major or principal dignities, etc. with cure, and to resign or exchange them, etc. Litterarum sciencia, vite etc. (In the margin: Apri.) [2½ pp.]

4 Sixtus IV.

13 Kal. Jan.
(20 Dec.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 652v.)
To Nicholas Goldwell, rector of Whynlyngworth [sic] in the diocese of Norwich. Dispensation for him, who is a brother of James, bishop of Norwich, and has held the said church for less than a year, not to be bound for three years to be promoted to subdeacon's, deacon's or priest's orders on account of the said church or any other benefices with cure or requiring priest's or other holy orders. Vite etc. (In the margin: Maij.) [1 p.]
1475.
15 Kal. July.
(17 June.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 782r.)
To John, bishop of Ross. Dispensation for him (who has never received the fruits, etc. of his episcopal mensa of Ross, and who holds by papal grant and dispensation the perpetual vicarages of Wotton and Brokysburn, in the diocese of Norwich and London), to receive and retain for life with the said church of Ross and vicarages any third benefice with or without cure, secular or regular, in titulum or in commendam, respectively, etc., and to resign or exchange it, etc. Personam tuam. (In the margin: Aug.) [2¼ pp.]

5 Sixtus IV.

14 Kal. Oct.
(18 Sept.)
St. Peter's, Rome.
(f. 893v.)
To John Weston, turcopolier (turchopolerio) of Rhodes, a knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Appointing him (who has done laudable service almost from the time of his entering the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, and has done great deeds for the defence of the Catholic faith) (fn. 14) a continual commensal member of the pope's household, with the enjoyment of all the privileges, etc. of other members thereof, the pope's intention being, however, that he shall remain subject to the master and convent of the said Hospital alone; with safe-conduct hereby, in the event of his having to go to divers parts of the world on business of the pope and the apostolic see, and his own, and for his retinue to the number of ten. Decens et debitum. [1 p.]

Footnotes

  • 1. The volume is unusually large, containing 906 ff. of text + 8 ff. of rubricelle + 4 ff. blank.
  • 2. On f. 15r. is a mention of the constitutions of Otto and Ottobon, sometime legates in England, in the non obstantibus clauses of a bull of confirmation, dated 1474, Prid. Kal. Sept. (31 Aug.), anno 4, and extending from f. 1r. to f. 16r., of the privileges granted to the Order of Friars Preachers by Gregory XI, Martin V and Eugenius IV; and on f. 29v. is a mention of the same constitutions in a similar bull of confirmation, dated as above and extending from f. 17r. to f. 30r., of similar privileges to the Order of Friars Minors by Clement IV and Eugenius IV. A similar mention of the constitutions occurs again on f. 305v., in a bull dated 1474–5, 7 Id. Feb. (7 Feb.), anno 4, and extending from 291r. to f. 306r., confirming the privileges granted by Alexander IV, Boniface VIII, Urban VI, Martin V, Eugenius IV, Nicholas V, etc., to the Order of Austin Friars.
  • 3. versus.
  • 4. cui eciam iniunximus ut aliquot gradarios equos pro nostro et familie nostre usu ad nos ducat.
  • 5. usque ad effusionem viscerum.
  • 6. tu latro fratrem meum occidisti.
  • 7. dicta lancea ipsius Galfridi vestes undique circa brachium perforavit ac in ipso brachio percussit.
  • 8. Apparently corrected from ‘Davit.’
  • 9. accia ferrea.
  • 10. So written in each case without correction.
  • 11. vel propter impericiam medicorum, ut verisimiliter creditur, vel malum ipsius regimen.
  • 12. nec dederit operam rei illicite ex qua dictus Robertus ap Davit ad invadendum dictum Galfridum provocatus fuerit.
  • 13. MS. Van', rather than Vau'.
  • 14. qui ut accepimus a tua fere ineunte etate religioni fratrum hospitalis sancti Johannis Jerosolimitani laudabiliter deservisti, et multa preclara in religione ipsa pro defensione catholice fidei impendisti.