Canons of Bangor

LIST 8 CANONS OF BANGOR

Bangor was a clas church: instead of claiming territorial authority, Bangor owed its importance to its role as a mother-church possessing influence over her daughterchurches. In the 12th and 13th centuries the clerical elite of Bangor maintained the pre-Norman financial arrangement of dividing the common fund equally between bp. and familia or chapter. There were no territorial prebends. The situation was thus similar to the financial framework of the chapter of Exeter (see above, Introduction pp. xxii-xxiii; EEA XI p. xlix; 1 Fasti X, introduction).

? M. Adam de Sancta Trinitate

Not called can. of Bangor. Possibly can. when occ. at Caernarfon 15 Oct. 1221 (Cal. Charter Rolls II 459) and possibly at Ruthin 18 Nov. 1225 (Eyton, Shrops. X 247). Cf. M. Adam who occ. as clerk of Llywelyn 27 May 1231 (Pat. Rolls 1225-32 p. 436) and Nov. 1232 (CPR 1232-47 p. 3). See Stephenson, Governance pp. 202, 222.

? M. Anian Luffy

An unnamed dean of Arfon (Gwynedd) occ. as can. of Bangor 1291, when his emoluments worth £8 (Taxatio p. 290a). Perhaps to be identified with M. Anian Luffy who occ. in deanery same time (ibid. p. 291a).

? Arthur of Bardsey

Perhaps a member of Bangor chapter, but not called can. Active in dioc.; nom. as bp. by prince Owain before Oct. 1163; last occ. Apr. or May 1169 (above, list 1). Cf. his associate Uhtred (below).

M. Cadwgan

Occ. as can. of Bangor 1291, when his emoluments worth £10 (Taxatio p. 290a). Also occ. 1292 x 93 (Merioneth Lay Subsidy Roll, ed. K. Williams-Jones (Cardiff, 1976) p. 72; cf. ibid. p. c). D. without heirs by Easter 1308 x Easter 1309 (Transactions of the Honorable Soc. of Cymmrodorion, Session 1902-3 (1904) p. 59).

? David

Not called can. of Bangor. One of three brothers of bp. Meurig who occ. 1141 x 43 (Cart. Haughmond no. 784; above, list 1).

M. David

Occ. as can. of Bangor 1291, when his emoluments worth £13 6s. 8d. (Taxatio p. 290a). Possibly the same as M. David who occ. as can. 17 Sept. 1326 (Cart. Haughmond no. 633).

? M. David ap William (fn. 1)

Perhaps can. of Bangor, but does not occ. as such. Occ. at Bangor with prince Llywelyn 8 Apr. 1247 (Cal. Charter Rolls II 291). Occ. as Llywelyn's envoy 24 Apr. 1256 (CPR 1247-58 p. 470) and 8 July 1260 (ibid. 1258-66 p. 81). Occ. as official of Dyffryn Clwyd (Clwyd) 12 Dec. [1263] (Litt. Wall. no. 204, cf. ibid. no. 147, at p. 78).

Elias

Occ. as can. of Bangor 1291, when his emoluments worth £3 (Taxatio p. 290a). Perhaps to be identified with Elias the chapl. who occ. with dean of Bangor 3 Nov. 1284 (Litt. Wall. no. 119).

M. Gervase of Llanfair (Iorwerth) (fn. 2)

Bp.'s clerk, occ. 31 Oct. 1259 (CPR 1258-66 p. 57). First occ. as can. of Bangor 8 Nov. 1267 (ibid. 1266-72 p. 165). Clerk and vice-chanc. of prince Llywelyn, occ. 22 Jan. 1277 (Cal. of Ancient Correspondence concerning Wales, ed. J. G. Edwards (Cardiff, 1935) p. 87) and 7 Nov. 1281 (Litt. Wall. no. 69). Prob. to be identified with Gervase, a portioner with M. Gregory (below) in church of Llanfaes (Anglesey), accused of being involved in conspiracy against prince Dafydd 1282, summoned to abp.'s court 10 July 1284 (Reg. Epp. Peckham III 780; see A. D. Carr, "The last and weakest of his line": Dafydd ap Gruffydd, the last prince of Wales', WHR xix (1999) 373-99, at p. 392). If so, he occ. 1291, not among cans. but holding rectory of Llanfaes (Taxatio p. 290b). Perhaps to be identified (as suggested by Stephenson, Governance pp. 36-7) with M. Gervase Moel (i.e. the Bald), who occ. 1284 (Arch. Camb. 3rd sen, xiii (1867) 190-1), and Michaelmas 1289 x Michaelmas 1290 receiving a royal pension of 10s. (J. Griffiths, 'Early accounts relating to north Wales, temp. Edward I', BBCS xiv (1950-2) 235-41, 302-12, at p. 308).

M. Gregory

First certain occ. as can. of Bangor 3 Nov. 1284, receiving £3 10s. damages for losses in war (Litt. Wall. no. 110). Prob. to be identified with Gregory, a portioner with Gervase (above) in church of Llanfaes, accused of being involved in conspiracy against prince Dafydd 1282, summoned to abp.'s court 10 July 1284 (Reg, Epp. Peckham III 780; see Can, "The last and weakest"' p. 392). Occ. as can. 1291, when his emoluments worth £11 6s. 8d. (Taxatio p. 290a). Also occ. 1292 x 93 (Merioneth Lay Subsidy Roll, ed. K. Williams-Jones (Cardiff, 1976) p. 67).

Gruffudd

Occ. as can. of Bangor 1291, when his emoluments worth £8 (Taxatio p. 290b). Possibly to be identified with Griffin Werwerth, accused of being involved in conspiracy against prince Dafydd 1282, summoned to abp.'s court 11 July 1284 (Reg. Epp. Peckham III 782; cf. Gervase and M. Gregory, above).

? M. Instructus

Not called can. of Bangor. Occ. frequently as clerk of Llywelyn, first 1204, last 1231 (see Stephenson, Governance pp. 224-5). Occ. as archpriest of Caergybi (Holyhead) at Ruthin 18 Nov. 1225 (Eyton, Shrops. X 247). His name (in Welsh 'Ystrwyth') may indicate he was a teacher; he was at the schools 1221 and 1222 (Rot. Litt, Claus. I 464, 511, 'Ostricius'). See H. Pryce, 'Negotiating Anglo-Welsh relations: Llywelyn the Great and Henry III', England and Europe in the Reign of Henry III (1216-1272), ed. B. K. U. Weiler and I. W. Rowlands (Aldershot, 2002) pp. 13-29, at pp. 14, 24.

? Iorwerth

Not called can. of Bangor. Prob. a member of familia when occ. twice as pr.: 1141 x c. 1143 (Cart. Haughmond no. 1214) and 1143 x 51 (ibid. no. 1219).

Madog

Occ. as can. of Bangor once only: 1 Jan. 1247/8 (Cart. Haughmond no. 795).

Madog Fychan (Parvus) (fn. 3)

Clerk and attorney of prince Llywelyn, occ. 1 Oct. 1279 (Litt. Wall. no. 262, 'Madoc Vachan'). Occ. as can. of Bangor 10 July 1284, when required by abp. to make purgation for killing a knight (Reg, Epp. Peckham III 781, 'Madoc Parvus'). Occ. as can. 1291, when his emoluments worth £13 6s. 8d. (Taxatio p. 290a).

M. Matthew

Occ. as can. of Bangor once only, June 1215 x 1236 (Cart. Haughmond no. 793).

? Moses

Not called can. of Bangor. One of three brothers of bp. Meurig who occ. 1141 x 43 (Cart. Haughmond no. 784; above, list 1). Perhaps to be identified with Moses who took a letter from Owain Gwynedd to Louis VII (H. Pryce, 'Owain Gwynedd and Louis VII: the Franco-Welsh diplomacy of the first prince of Wales', WHR xix (1998) 1-28, at pp. 17, 26-7).

? Rhys

Not called can. of Bangor. One of three brothers of bp. Meurig who occ. 1141 x 43 (Cart. Haughmond no. 784; above, list 1). Also occ. 1141 x c. 1143 (ibid. no. 1214) and c. 1157 (ibid. no. 1213).

? M. Richard

Not called can. of Bangor. Perhaps member of chapter when occ. 15 Oct. 1221 (Cal. Charter Rolls II 459) and June 1215 x 1236 (Cart. Haughmond no. 793, as M. Richard de Keworth).

? Uhtred

Not called can. of Bangor, but an associate of Arthur of Bardsey in 1160s (Corresp. of Becket I no. 61; above).