Precentors

LIST 4 PRECENTORS

PRECENTORY

No reference to estates of the dignity until 1187 × 1197, when it is clear that the church of Oving was already annexed (preb. Oving, list 28). See comment by Mayr-Harting, Acta p. 45.

Ernisius de Tywa bought land in Hultr', which he added to the precentory to establish a chantry with two chaplains for the soul of bp. Ralph de Neville (Chart. Chichester no. 462). In 1535 this chantry was at the altar of St Pantaleon (Valuation 1535 p. 162).

Ernisius also instituted a payment of 40s. p.a. to the succentor, which was confirmed by cathedral statute 23 July 1247 (Walcott, Statutes p. 191; cf. bp. Robert Rede's visitation articles in 1397, Reg. R. Rede p. 102).

The precentory house survives in Canon Lane, called 'The Chantry' (see TattonBrown in Chichester Cathedral pp. 227, 235).

For the precentory estates in 1535 see Valuation 1535 pp. 161-2.

Valuation 1291 Precentory with preb. £53 6s. 8d. (Taxatio p. 137b).

PRECENTORS

Charles preb. unident., list 41

Occ. 11 Nov. [c. 1122] (Chron. Battle p. 126; Acta nos. 4, 6), (fn. 1) and attests a ch. of bp. Ralph Luffa for Lewes priory before 14 Dec. 1123, which although spurious may preserve a genuine witness list (Acta no. 10). Prob. also preb. of London, perhaps before 1104/5, called 'Karolus de Cicestria' (1 Fasti I 83).

Robert preb. unident., list 41

Occ. on two occasions: 2 Feb. 1147 (Chart. Chichester nos. 94, 95); and prob. after c. 1154 (ibid. no. 297). (fn. 2)

Henry preb. unident., list 41

First occ. as precentor before 1 May 1173 (Chart. Chichester no. 294). (fn. 3) Occ. several times. Last occ. after 16 Nov. 1180 (Acta no. 76). Not likely to be identified with Henry archdcn. [of Chichester] by prob. 1154 × 55 to Sept. 1172 × Sept. 1173 (see list 8).

Luke preb. unident., list 41

Occ. three times: 28 Oct. 1185 (Acta no. 139); Dec. 1184 × Dec. 1185 (ibid. no. 85); and presum. 16 Nov. 1180 × Dec. 1190 (Chart. Chichester no. 345). Presum. not to be identified with Luke treas. (see below, list 6).

M. Louis preb. Oving, list 28

Canon from before Dec. 1185 (preb. unident., list 42). First occ. as precentor Dec. 1189 × Dec. 1190 (Acta no. 140). Occ. frequently. Last certain occ. 12 Nov. 1202 (ibid. no. 79), but occ. perhaps later, 1197 × c. 17 March 1204 (ibid. no. 137; also nos. 111, 118, 131, of March 1196 × c. 17 March 1204; and cf. Chart. Chichester no. 1064, of c. 1190 × 28 July 1213).

M. William de Leuekenore (fn. 4) preb. [Oving, list 28]

Occ. without title after 21 Apr. 1224, referring to his absence from England in the previous year, and to his 'statum vite scolastice' and his failure to give the lectures at the cathedral that the bp. required (a letter to bp. Ralph de Neville, pd. in facsimile with transcription in L. C. Hector, The Handwriting of English Documents (2nd edn., 1966) pl. VI(a), p. 111). (fn. 5) First occ. as 'W. cantor Cicestrensis' 21 Apr. 1224 × 28 June 1226, complaining of his poverty (a letter to bp. Ralph, Royal and other Historical Letters... of the Reign of Henry III, ed. W. W. Shirley (2 vols., RS xxvii, 1862-8) I 283) (fn. 6) and with full name and title 1226/ 7 (Walcott, Statutes p. 207, cal. Chart. Chichester no. 40). Also occ. twice 21 Apr. 1224 × 11 June 1229 (Chart. Chichester nos. 208, 965). (fn. 7)

Precentory evidently vacant after 5 March 1231 (Reg. Grég. IX nos. 4336, 575 = CPL I 173, 125).

Ernisius de Tywa (fn. 8) preb. [Oving, list 28]

Canon, preb. unident., by Nov. 1227, and still canon 7 Nov. 1231 or 1232 (list 42). First occ. as precentor 1 Apr. 1234 (Chart. Chichester no. 246). Occ. frequently. Legatee of bp. Ralph de Neville (ibid. no. 462). Provision for his anniversary 1246/7 (ibid. no. 567). Arranged stipend for unnamed succentor, 23 July 1247 (Walcott, Statutes p. 191). Last occ. 19 Apr. 1251 (ibid. p. 213). Died by 25 May 1252 (Chart. Chichester no. 566). As precentor he occ. only as 'E.' or 'Ernisius', but his identity with Ernisius de Tywa, canon (preb. unident., list 42), seems certain.

M. Geoffrey of Ferring (fn. 9) preb. [Oving, list 28]

Official of bp. of Norwich, occ. 30 Dec. 1239 (Eye Priory Cart., ed. V. Brown (2 vols., Suff. Records Soc., 1992-4) I no. 45); official of bp. of Winchester by 27 Dec. 1243 (Reg. J. Pontissara, ed. C. Deedes (CYS xix, xxx, 1915-24) I 18); last occ. 20 March 1260 (Close R. 1259-61 pp. 279-80). Not called precentor of Chichester when occ. 27 Jan. 1253 (CPR 1247-58 p. 173). First certain occ. as precentor 27 June 1254 (Reg. Pontissara I 2-3), but presum. to be identified with the unnamed precentor who occ. as an executor of St Richard's will, so before 3 Apr. 1253 (St Richard p. 69). Occ. several times. Last occ. 31 July 1258 (PRO, Anc. Deeds (E.40) A. 10095). Also preb. of London; dean of London, el. 11 Dec. 1262, last occ. 5 Oct. 1267 and had been succeeded by 29 Oct. 1268 (1 Fasti I 87, 7). Presum. a relative of M. Richard of Ferring, abp. of Dublin (preb. unident., list 42), and therefore of M. William de Irton, treas. (list 6).

M. Richard de Clifford (fn. 10) preb. Oving, list 28

Royal clerk and escheator. Royal collation to precentory and annexed preb., with mandate to install, 23 July 1271, during bp. Stephen of Bersted's suspension (CPR 1266-72 p. 552). No other occ. as precentor. Also preb. of Salisbury, occ. 1284 and 1288 (1 Fasti IV 92); preb. of York by 1270, last occ. 26 Dec. 1292, and had been succeeded by 29 Oct. 1295 (York Minster Fasti II 48).

Bogo de Clare (fn. 11) preb. Oving, list 28

Royal clerk. First occ. as precentor, cited for non-attendance at abp.'s visitation 22 May 1283 (Reg. Pecham II 199). Also occ. as precentor 26 June 1292 and 20 July 1294 (Chart. Chichester nos. 1101, 93) and as canon 28 Sept. 1294 (CPR 1292-1301 p. 93). Also treas. of York (York Minster Fasti I 26-7); preb. of Exeter and numerous livings. Died towards the end of Oct. 1294 (Ann. Worcester, Ann. Mon. IV 517).

M. John de Sancto Leofardo (fn. 12) preb. Oving, list 28

First occ. as precentor 2 Aug. 1295; dean by 17 Aug. 1308 (2 Fasti VII 7, 4). Presum. a relative of bp. Gilbert de Sancto Leofardo (1288-1305) (list 1).