Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 10, 1447-1455. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1915.
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'Vatican Regesta 398: 1450-1451', in Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 10, 1447-1455, (London, 1915) pp. 104-114. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-papal-registers/brit-ie/vol10/pp104-114 [accessed 25 April 2024]
In this section
Vatican Regesta. Vol. CCCXCVIII. (fn. 1)
Secrete.
5 Nicholas V.
| 1451. Kal. Dec. (1 Dec.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 36d.) |
To Robert Pichard, a canon regular of the Augustinian house or priory of St. Bartholomew in Wistsmythfelde in the suburbs of London. Dispensation to hold for life any benefice with or without cure wont to be governed by secular or regular clerks, even if a parish church etc., and to resign it, simply or for exchange, as often as he pleases.Religionis etc. (Pe. de Noxeto. | xxx. W. de Gouda.D. de Luca.) [In the margin: De(cembris).] |
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| Id. Dec. (13 Dec.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 57d.) |
To Robert Stillyngton, archdeacon of Taunton in Wells, doctor of civil law (legum). Dispensation to him (whom Eugenius IV dispensed [Cal. Lett. VIII, p. 311] to hold for life with the parish church of Beverston in the diocese of Worcester [value not here stated] any other benefice with cure or otherwise incompatible, even if another parish church etc.) to hold for life with the said archdeaconry, value not exceeding 140l. sterling, or with any other benefice with cure or otherwise incompatible which he now holds or shall hold therwith, even if a parish church etc., any other third benefice with cure or otherwise incompatible, even if a parish church etc., and to resign all, simply or for exchange, as often as he pleases, and hold three other incompatible benefices, even if two be parish churches or perpetual vicarages, or three be dignities, major or principal, etc.Litterarum etc. (Pe. de Noxeto. | xxxx. Ja. de Viterbio.Constantinus.) [In the margin: Fe(bruarii). 2 pp. +.] |
| 14 Kal. Jan. (19 Dec.) St. Peter's, Rome (f. 59.) |
To the bishop of London, and [the abbot] of St. Peter's, Westminster, and the dean of London. (fn. 2) Mandate, as below. The recent petition of Nicholas Ragland, rector of Lekehempton in the diocese of Worcester, contained that formerly John Walle, rector of Coberler (sic) in the said diocese, falsely alleging that certain tithes lawfully belonging to the said church of Lekehempton belonged to him and the church of Coberley, (fn. 3) caused him to be summoned, as did afterwards the said Nicholas himself cause the late (fn. 4) Walter Frenssh of Cheltemham (sic), of the said diocese, to be summoned in regard to certain other tithes of the said church of Lekehempton, before John Ryuet, official of Worcester, as a result of whose proceedings in the two causes [related at length], and his undue favour both to the said John Walle and also to Thomas Frenssh and Walter Frenssh, laymen, of the said diocese, executors of the will of the said late (fn. 5) Walter, whom the said official admitted for the prosecution and defence of the said cause, Nicholas appealed in the matter of the two causes, one after the other, to the apostolic see, but was hindered from prosecuting within the lawful time the appeal in his cause concerning John Walle. At the said petition, which added that Nicholas doubts whether he can obtain justice in the said causes in the city and diocese of Worcester, etc., the pope orders the above to summon the said John Walle, Thomas Frenssh and Walter Frenssh and others concerned, and hear and decide all the causes, causing their decision to be observed by ecclesiastical censure, without appeal. Humilibus supplicum votis. (Pe. de Noxeto. | xxv. Ja. de Viterbio. Constantinus.) [In the margin:Fe(bruarii). 1¾ pp.] |
| 10 Kal. Jan. (23 Dec.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 61.) |
To William Lax, priest, of the diocese of Durham. Indult (the pope having learned that in the foundations and endowments of chaplaincies or chantries of the realm of England it is forbidden to hold two chaplaincies or chantries together, or with one of them any other benefice) to hold for life two chaplaincies called chantries, or with one of them any other benefice with or without cure, even if a parish church or a perpetual vicarage or such chaplaincy, and to resign them, simply or for exchange, as often as he pleases. Vite etc. (Pe. de Noxeto. | xxx. Ja. de Viterbio. Constantinus.) [In the margin: Fe(bruarii). 1 p. See below, p. 160.] |
| Ibid. | To John Braas, priest, of the diocese of Exeter. Indult to him, who holds the chaplaincy or chantry of Humberlech in the parish church of Adryngton in the diocese of Exeter, without cure and value not exceeding 6 marks sterling, to hold for life any other benefice with or without cure etc., as in the preceding, mutatis mutandis. Vite … Fe(bruarii), as ibid. 1 p. +.] |
| 1451, [Mar. 19–1452, Mar. 18]. (fn. 6)
St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 77.) |
Erection etc. as below. The recent petition of Henry, king of England, Thomas, bishop of London and the mayor and aldermen of the city of London contained that the Augustinian conventual priory of Holy Trinity in the said city, called Christchurch, is reputed to be the first of the places of its order founded in England, (fn. 7) that its fruits etc. are at present so abundant, especially on account of the industry of the present prior, that they reach a yearly value of about a thousand marks sterling, that it is subject to no other regular place, but immediately to its diocesan, that the prior is one of the governors of the city after the mayor, or an alderman, and that he is wont to celebrate mass, even solemnly, and other wonted ceremonies at the creation of the said mayor. (fn. 8) At the said petition and that of Thomas Pomeray, the present prior and the canons and convent, the pope hereby erects the said priory into an abbatial dignity, and ordains that the said prior and his successors shall be in perpetuity called abbots, orders the convent and vassals to obey them as such, etc., and grants indult to the said Thomas Pomeray and his successors, abbots of the said monastery, to wear the mitre, ring and other pontifical insignia, and within the precincts of the monastery and in its subject priories and two parish churches [not named] belonging to the said prior and convent, give solemn benediction after mass, vespers and matins, provided that no papal legate, bishop or ordinary of the place be present, to promote the canons to all minor orders, and to consecrate chalices, corporals, palls, vestments and other ecclesiastical ornaments necessary for divine worship in the said monastery, priories and churches; with faculty for the said Thomas Pomeray and his successors to be blessed by any catholic bishop. Ad fut. rei mem. Benigna sedis apostolice. (Pe. de Noxeto. | c. G. de Puteo.Jo. de Collis.) [In the margin: Ap(rilis). 2¼ pp.] |
| 1451. 5 Kal. Dec. (27 Nov.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 83d.) |
To John Langley, nobleman, donsel, of Worcester. Exemption etc. as below. His recent petition contained that he, who is beyond his seventieth year (fn. 9) and is unmarried, is unable, without danger of death, on account of his old age and bodily weakness and the grave infirmities with which he is at times afflicted, to do without a woman to serve (fn. 10) his infirmities and necessities; that he has therefore taken for the purpose as his handmaiden and servant (fn. 11) Joan White, a woman of more than fifty, also unmarried, and has retained her for some time in the said services; that at length, considering that she had shown very diligent care (custodiam) in his infirmities, and had served him faithfully, and that by her means and good care (custodiam) he had often escaped death, which otherwise he would doubtless not have escaped, in order that she might be the more induced to continue to serve him and remain with him for life, (fn. 12) he gave her divers moveables and immoveables, to the said end and without any occasion of sin or intention of sinning; that although no suspicion of the sin of incontinence can in future arise in regard to them, by reason of their age, (fn. 13) all power of committing such things being on the contrary taken from them, nevertheless at the instance of certain malevolent persons and enemies of the said John, the bishop of Worcester, knowing that he cannot do without the service of the said woman without great danger of his person, has endeavoured and daily endeavours to remove her from his service, falsely pretending that she is living incontinently with him and has been denounced to him for such incontinence, and has unjustly disturbed and molested him and her in many ways. At his said petition the pope, seeing that if the above be true he and the said woman cannot be deservedly taxed with incontinency, and desiring that he may end his days in peace, exempts him and her, as long as they live, from all jurisdiction etc. of the ordinary or diocesan of the place and of any other, and grants him indult that he may retain her with him, for his service only, as long as he lives, and that she may dwell with him as his handmaiden, to serve him honestly and without sin of fornication or incontinence. The pope's will is that if he or she or one of them ever in any way commit error or excess or perpetrate anything requiring punishment or correction, they shall be corrected and punished by the rector of the parish church under which he and she shall be living, or by the collector of the papal camera in those parts, and by no other, all processes, sentences etc. to be taken by the said bishop or his officials against him or her on account of the aforesaid or otherwise, being hereby annulled. Sacrosancta Romana ecclesia. (Pe. de Noxeto. | xxx. W. de Gonda. D. de Luca.) [In the margin: De(cembris) (fn. 14). 1½ pp. See below, p. 158.] |
| Kal May. (1 May.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 125.) |
Declaration etc., as below. On [5] Id. March anno 2 [1449] the present pope motu proprio specially reserved to his gift a canonry and prebend of the church called the chapel royal of St. Mary in the diocese of St. Andrews and two benefices with or without cure, even if dignities etc., in the collation etc. of the bishop of St. Andrews or any other collators of that diocese, which should first become void in the months belonging to papal expectants, and ordered provision thereof to be made to three persons to be chosen by James, bishop of St. Andrews [above, p. 47]. Afterwards the pope extended the said letters to three other benefices with or without cure, even if canonries and prebends, dignities etc. in the same collation etc. as above, which should first become void as above, for collation to three other persons to be chosen by the said bishop, the pope granting faculty to him to make collation and provision of the said six benefices to his nominees, and declaring his intention to be that the said six persons should have preference over all others in regard to obtaining collation of the said benefices, etc. [below, pp. 168, 169], as is contained more fully in each of the said letters. The pope now, at the petition of the said bishop, declares that the said letters shall not be prejudiced by any subsequent letters of grants of appropriations or reservations in favour of nominees of James, king of Scots, etc., unless such later letters contain special verbatim mention of each of the said two earlier letters, with their dates and the names etc. of the said six persons, but that the said six shall still retain the preference over all others, etc.; with mandate hereby to the abbots of Lindores (de Londoris), Cambuskeneth and Balmurinoch, in the said diocese, to defend the said six nominees; and grant to the said bishop that he may execute the said letters, notwithstanding any such grants as aforesaid to the contrary. Ad fut. rei mem. Ne ex dubiis. (Pe. de Noxeto. | lxxxx. A. Trapezuntius. Colla(tiona)ta et concordat, D. de Bistorff.) [5 pp.] |
| 1451[-2]. Id. Feb. (13 Feb.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 127d.) |
To Robert Paris, a canon of the Augustinian monastery or priory of St. Stephen the Protomartyr. Launceston (de Lancestonie [sic]), in the diocese of Exeter. Dispensation to hold for life in titulum vel in commendam any benefice with or without cure wont to be held by secular or regular clerks of any order, even if a parish church or a perpetual vicarage or a priory etc.. and to resign it, [simply or for exchange,] as often as he pleases. Religionis etc. (Pe. de Noxeto. | xxxx. Ja. de Viterbio. A. de Magio. Colla(tiona)ta et concordat, D. de Bistorff.) [In the margin:Fe(bruarii). 1¼ pp.] |
|
Ibid. (f 128.) |
To Thomas Derby, a native of the realm of England, a Friar Minor. Dispensation to him, who is broken with age, has taught for two years in the study of the ‘Sentences,’ (fn. 15) and has laudably exercised himself for thirty years in preachings, to hold for life, in order that he may more conveniently devote himself to the said study and preachings, (fn. 16) any benefice etc., as in the preceding. Religionis … Fe(bruarii), as ibid. [1⅓ pp.] |
| 1451[-2]. 15 Kal. March. (16 Feb.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 143.) |
To John Eye, a Carmelite friar, of the diocese of Norwich. Dispensation to hold for life any benefice with or without cure etc., as above, f. 36d. Religionis etc. (Pe. de Noxeto. | xxxv. Ja. de Viterbio. S. de Monte. Coll(ationa)ta et concordat, D. de Bistorff.) [In the margin: Fe(bruarii). 1 p. +.] |
4 Nicholas V.
5 Nicholas V.
| 1451[-2]. 5 Id. March. (11 March.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 150.) |
To William Perey (rectius Percy), priest, of the diocese of York, M.A. Dispensation to him, who has completed his twenty-third year, is of a race of earls and a scholar in theology, at his own petition and that of Henry Perey [sic], earl of Northumberland (Northonbrie), who says that he is his son, to hold for life any three benefices with cure or otherwise incompatible, even if dignities etc. or parish churches etc., and to resign them, simply or for exchange, as often as he pleases, and hold instead three other incompatible benefices, even if they be major or principal dignities, but not three parish churches or perpetual vicarages. Nobilitas generis, litterarum etc. (Pe. de Noxeto. | lxx. Ja. de Viterbio.P. Legendorff. G. de Puteo.) [In the margin: Mar(tii). 11/5 pp.] |
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Ibid. (f. 150d.) |
To George Nivelle, a canon of York. Dispensation to him (who was lately, then in his fourteenth (fn. 17) year and holding ‘inter cetera’ a canonry of York and the prebend of Massam therein [value not stated], dispensed by the present pope to hold for life any two benefices with cure or otherwise incompatible, even if parish churches etc. or dignities etc.; who has completed his seventeenth year, is of a race of earls and a B.A.), at his own petition, that of Henry, king of England, whose kinsman he is, and those of the earl of Salisbury, his father, and the earl of Warwick, his brother, to hold for life with the said two incompatible benefices any other benefice with cure or otherwise incompatible, even if a dignity etc., and to resign all, simply or for exchange, as often as he pleases, and hold instead three other incompatible benefices, even if three major or principal dignities or two parish churches or perpetual vicarages etc. Nobilitas generis, vite etc. (Pe. de Noxeto. | xxxx. Ja. de Viterbio.P. de Spinosis.) [In the margin: Mar(tii). 12/3 pp. See above, p. 2.] |
3 Nicholas V.
5 Nicholas V.
| 1451[-2]. 8 Id. March. (8 March.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 164d.) |
To the bishops of Ely and Bangor and the abbot of Bury St. Edmunds. Mandate, as below. The recent petition of William Darsset, priest, doctor of civil law (legum), contained that Thomas Franke, a physician and, as is believed, a Greek, obtained by authority of the ordinary, without having himself promoted to holy orders, the parish church of Bryghtwell in the diocese of Salisbury, and detained it for about ten years, under pretext of certain papal dispensations, (fn. 18) and, appointing a proctor, took the fruits etc. whence seandals arose in the said church and its parish and neighbourhood; that, the said proctor dying, and the said Thomas being, as is believed, beyond the sea, (fn. 19) and there being no certain knowledge of the place where he was residing, William, bishop of Winchester. to whom by ancient custom the presentation belonged, presented the above William to Richard, bishop of Salisbury, who for a reason unknown refused to institute him, wherefore William, having recourse to John, archbishop of Canterbury, got himself instituted by special commission of the said archbishop, and by virtue of the said presentation and institution obtained possession and at present holds it; that the said bishop Richard (who also caused and ordered the fruits of the said church to be sequestrated), wishing, as is believed, to make provision of the said church to some other, in prejudice of the right of patronage of bishop William, and alleging that the church belonged to the said Thomas, caused William to be summoned before John Stokis, priest, doctor of civil law (legum), auditor of the said archbishop John, who, unduly favouring bishop Richard, has proceeded to a number of acts very prejudicial to William, wherefrom, and from other grievances inflicted by the said auditor, William has appealed to the apostolic see. At the petition therefore of the said bishop William and William Darsset (alleging that on account of the non-residence of the said Thomas divine worship is much diminished in the said church, that its chancel and other buildings pertaining to the rector have become very ruinous, and that the cure of souls was not exercised), and at the petition also of king Henry, the pope calls up to himself any suits pending between bishop William or William Darsset and bishop Richard or Thomas, orders the above to summon Thomas and others concerned, and if they find the aforesaid or enough thereof to be true to decree that Thomas has forfeited the said church, that it has therefore become void, (fn. 20) and that the presentation and institution made to William have been valid from the dates thereof and are valid, etc.Apostolice sedis circumspecta. (—. | xxxv. Ja. de Viterbio. Constantinus.) [In the margin: Mar(tii). 2¾ pp.] |
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| 1451. Prid. Id. Nov. (12 Nov.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 166.) |
To Hugh Forster, a Benedictine monk of St. Mary's, Glastonbury, in the diocese of Bath and Wells. Grant etc. as below. Lately, when already a papal minor penitentiary in St. Peter's Rome, he was dispensed by the present pope to hold for life a benefice with cure wont to be governed by secular or regular clerks, even if a parish church etc., and to resign it. simply or for exchange, as often as he pleased. At his recent petition, containing that although he is a minor papal penitentiary he has never had and has not the intention to give up the regular observance of the said monastery and obedience to its abbot, the pope grants and decrees that as long as he lives he shall be treated in the said monastery as a true monk thereof, that provision shall he made to him from its revenues just as to a monk thereof, and that he shall enjoy the privileges, exemptions etc. enjoyed by monks thereof, and especially his stall in choir and voice in chapter according to his seniority and order of profession, etc., as if he were not a minor papal penitentiary, and as if the said dispensation (by virtue of which he perhaps holds a benefice wont to be governed by secular clerks, or will do so) had not been granted to him. Religionis etc. (—. | xxii. Ja. de Viterbio. Fabricius.) [In the margin: Fe(bruarii). 1¼ pp.] |
| 1451[-2]. Prid. Non. Mar. (6 March.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 166d.) |
To Richard Andrew. dean of York, doctor of civil law (legum). Confirmation etc., as below. His recent petition contained that on the voidance of the deanery of York, a major dignity, by the death of William Felter, the majority of the chapter, to which the election of the dean by ancient custom belongs, elected him, whilst the others elected John Bernyngham, treasurer of the said church; that after he and John had consented to the elections, each sought to have it confirmed by authority of the ordinary, whence arose a dispute and an appeal by Richard to the apostolic see. The said petition added that, although he was elected by the majority, some alleged that John was elected by the greater and sounder part, so that he fears to be burdened with further litigation and expense by the said John. The pope, therefore, seeing that Richard was elected by the majority, that he has taken the doctor's degree, that John has no scholastic degree, at Richard's said petition and that of king Henry, whose secretary he is, calls up to himself any suit between him and the said John and extinguishes it, and confirms the said election etc; with mandate hereby to the bishops of Piacenza, Winchester and Durham to induct him etc. Litterarum etc. (—. | lx. Ja. de Viterbio. Constantinus.) [In the margin:Martii. 2 pp. ✗.] |