Appendix 3: Dating of manuscript sources

Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300-1541: Volume 5, St Paul's, London. Originally published by Institute of Historical Research, London, 1963.

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'Appendix 3: Dating of manuscript sources', in Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1300-1541: Volume 5, St Paul's, London, (London, 1963) pp. 74-75. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/fasti-ecclesiae/1300-1541/vol5/pp74-75 [accessed 27 April 2024]

APPENDIX 3

The date of the list of prebendaries in Matthew Hutton's transcript of the missing St Paul's Liber F f. 62 in Brit. Mus., Harley MS. 6956 f. 89.

This list, which gives the name of the prebendary and value of each prebend, purports to be compiled for the taxation for the Holy Land granted by pope Gregory. Gregory X was pope from 1271 to 1275, but the valuation was made by the papal collectors in 1276 (W. E. Lunt, Financial Relations of the Papacy with England to 1327 (Mediaeval Academy of America, 1939) p. 318). The list is vitally important in the compilation of St Paul's Fasti, as although the two catalogues of the prebends (WD 2 ff. 110/117-112/119 and Brit. Mus., Harley MS. 6956 ff. 91-96) give in order the names of most of the holders, they assign no dates at all, and other evidence is extremely scanty. Le Neve-Hardy and Hennessy accept Liber F f. 62 as being a list of prebendaries in 1276 (or even 1271-75), but this raises several problems, which may be summarized as follows:

(1) It would necessitate many holders remaining prebendaries for lengthy periods. (fn. 1)

(2) It would necessitate altering the order of prebendaries in the catalogues, whereas these are generally fairly reliable. (fn. 2)

(3) There is a strong probability in many cases and certainty in others that men named as holders in the list became prebendaries after 1276. (fn. 3)

(4) Some men named as holders in the list are not known to have held benefices anywhere as early as 1276. (fn. 4)

(5) Many men known from other sources to have been canons of St Paul's c. 1276 do not figure in the list. (fn. 5)

A comparison with the Taxatio P. Nicholai IV of 1291 is indecisive. The valuation of twenty prebends is identical in both lists, and the remaining ten are higher in the supposed valuation of 1276. This fact throws suspicion on the alleged date of the latter, as the valuation of 1291 was normally higher (Lunt, Financial Relations, p. 326).

Although it seems certain from these considerations that the list could not be as early as 1276, it is more difficult to ascribe a positive date to it. A date c. 1291-4 seems probable from the following observations:

(1) Everyone mentioned could fit in c. 1291-4, and most are known to be canons of St Paul's about then.

(2) The list does not omit anyone known to be a canon about then.

(3) Three considerations may have a bearing upon the list's superior limit, but none of them is certain. If William de Luda held Nesden until he became bishop of Ely, Hugh de Kersingham became prebendary in 1290. If Solomon de Rochester held Chamberlainwood to his death, Stephen de Gravesend became prebendary in 1292. If William de Montfort held Islington to his death, John de Luco became prebendary in 1294.

(4) The list must be dated before 1295 when Ralph de Malling was collated to Harleston in succession to Hugh de Kendale.

Ralph de Baldock is likely to have become preb. of Newington in 1283, when predecessor Thomas de Ingoldesthorp became bp. of Rochester.

Robert de Ross is likely to have become preb. of Pancratius in 1282, when predecessor Richard de Swinfield became bp. of Hereford.

Ralph de Stanford is likely to have become preb. of Reculversland in 1287, on d. of predecessor Ralph de Fremingham.

James de Hispania is likely to have become preb. of Totenhall in 1284, when predecessor Antony de Bek became bp. of Durham.

Stephen de Gravesend is likely to have received collation of preb. of Chamberlainwood from bp. Richard de Gravesend (1280-1303).

Giles Filliol who is named as preb. of Mapesbury, and Hugh de Kendale, preb. of Harleston, were installed as canons between Michaelmas 1286 and Michaelmas 1287 (Hale, The Domesday of St Paul's p. 173).

Footnotes

  • 1. (See the text of this edition of the Fasti for fuller details and references.) e.g. William de Greenfield, allegedly prebendary of Holbourn in 1276, held it until 1296. Ralph de Hingham held Caddington Minor until 1311. Stephen de Gravesend held Chamberlainwood until 1338. Richard de Gravesend held Chiswick until 1330. William de Sardene held Ealdstreet probably until 1303. Giles Filliol held Mapesbury until 1298. John de Chishull was probably still holding Mora in 1301. Obert the Roman was still preb. of Rugmere in 1303. James de Hispania held Totenhall until 1330.
  • 2. e.g. For Consumpta-per-Mare the list gives John de Berewik as preb. in 1276, but the order of the catalogues is: Simon de Stanbrigg (occ. as a can. c. 1279, 1283), Philip de Wyleby, Gilbert de Strathone (instal. 1286/7 (W. H. Hale, The Domesday of St Paul's (Camden Soc., 1857) p. 173)), John de Berewik. For Ealdland, the list gives John de Selvestone, whereas the order of the catalogues is: John de Esthall, Robert de Scardeburgh (occ. 1287 (Reg. of J. le Romeyn, ed. W. Brown (Surtees Soc., cxxiii, cxxviii) 1 366)), John de Selvestone. For Pancratius, the list gives Robert de Ross, whereas the order of the catalogues is: Richard de Swinfield (not known to have held any benefices before 1277; bp. of Hereford 1284), Robert de Ross. For Totenhall, the list gives James de Hispania, but the catalogues have Richard de Gravesend (bp. of London 1280), Antony de Bek (bp. of Durham 1284), James de Hispania.
  • 3. e.g. At Caddington Major, Ralph de Hingham, named in the list as preb. in 1276, is more likely to have become preb. in 1285 when predecessor Fulk Lovel died. Hugh de Kersingham is likely to have become preb. of Nesden in 1290, when predecessor William de Luda became bp. of Ely. John de Luco is likely to have become preb. of Islington in 1287, when predecessor William de Montfort became dean.
  • 4. James de Hispania, named in the list as preb. of Totenhall in 1276, was still under age in 1283 (Emden, Reg. Ox. 111 1737). Stephen de Gravesend, named as preb. of Chamberlainwood, held his first known benefice in 1277, when a subdeacon (ibid. 11 806).
  • 5. The canons in the following lists from various sources for the years 1271-79 do not figure in Brit. Mus., Harley MS. 6956 f. 89: 1271: Adam de Feuresham, Thomas de Ingoldesthorp, Robert le Moine, William Faceto, William Passemere, Robert de London, William de Northfield, Ralph Dunjon (Brit. Mus., Harley MS. 6956 f. 20). 1273: Thomas de Ingoldesthorp, William de Northfield, Hervey de Borham, John Sandon (WD 1 f. 64). 1273: William Passemere, Adam de Cantuar' (Brit. Mus., Harley MS. 6956 f. 130). 1278: Thomas de Ingoldesthorp, G. de Mortuomari, Roger de la Leye, Fulk Lovel, Simon de Stanbrigg, Antony de Bek, R. de Scardeburgh, Geoffrey de Aspalle (WD 1 f. 107). 1278: Fulk Lovel, John de Sancta Maria (ibid. f. 59). 1279: Thomas de Ingoldesthorp, Geoffrey de Mortuomari, Roger de la Legh, Fulk Lovel, John de Wengham, John Sondan, Simon de Stanbrugg, John de Sancta Maria, Edmund de Bathonia (Brit. Mus., Harley MS. 6956 f. 38).
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