Vatican Regesta 725: 1487 | British History Online

Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 14, 1484-1492. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1960.

Citation:

'Vatican Regesta 725: 1487', in Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 14, 1484-1492, ed. J A Twemlow( London, 1960), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/cal-papal-registers/brit-ie/vol14/pp193-201 [accessed 6 November 2024].

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

Bullarum Liber XXVIII.

3 Innocent VIII.



1487. 18 Kal. July. (14 June.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 17r.)	Statute and ordinance, as below. The recent petition of William Selling, prior of Canterbury (who was sent to the pope by Henry, king of England, as his orator to make obedience to the pope and the apostolic see), and the convent of that church contained that from time immemorial the prior for the time being and the chapter have, during voidance of the said church, been wont to exercise full jurisdiction in all places within and without the diocese of Canterbury and the whole of the province, even as regards the office of visitation, except in the case of non-void cathedral churches, and to do everything which the archbishop for the time being can do by right or custom, take the emoluments arising therefrom, and apply them to the use of the said church, but that, inasmuch as the said church has not been void for [more than] thirty years, (fn. 2) they have not made use of the said jurisdiction, wherefore, as they cannot prove the said rights and jurisdictions otherwise than by such continuous possession, they fear that in course of time they may be molested in regard thereto. The pope, therefore, hereby makes statute and ordinance that in future for ever the said prior and chapter may and shall, during voidance of the said church, have, perform, and exercise all the said jurisdiction, not only as regards the office of visitation in the said diocese and province, etc., and the visitations of wills, (fn. 3) but also in all other matters concerning archiepiscopal jurisdiction, as they have done hitherto, take and levy the said emoluments, and apply them to the utility of the said church. Ad fut. rei mem. Super gregem dominicum. [2¾ pp. In the margin at the end: ‘Jul (ii).’]
Prid. Id. June. (12 June.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 94v.)	To the priors of the monasteries, wont to be governed by priors, of St. Mary, Kells (de Kenlis), and St. Columba (sancte [sic] Columbe), Inystiok, in the diocese of Ossory, and the official of Ossory. Mandate, etc., as below. The pope has learned that a canonry of the church of Ossory and the prebend called [the prebend] of Mayn [sic] (fn. 4) therein are void because Edmund Co(m)morford has obtained, by a collation made by authority of the ordinary, peaceful possession of the deanery of the said church, a major dignity, to which a certain other prebend is annexed; and has also learned that the rectory, of lay patronage, of the parish church of Kylmodymogneca(n)o [and] the perpetual vicarages of the parish churches of St. Nicholas, Jerpoint, and Moyn [sic], in the diocese of Ossory and Cashel, and the precentorship of Cashel, (fn. 5) have been so long void that by the Lateran statutes their collation has lapsed to the apostolic see, although Odo Oduna, Thomas Ohedian the younger, Thomas Ohedian the elder, and John Cantuel, priests, of the said dioceses, have without any title or right detained possession of the said rectory, vicarage of St. Nicholas, vicarage of Moyn [sic], and precentorship, respectively. The pope, therefore, at the recent petition of James, also Ohedyan, clerk, of the diocese of Cashel or of Elphin (who alleges that notwithstanding his illegitimacy, as the son of a bishop and an unmarried or a married woman, he has been made a clerk by the said bishop, and that he doubts whether he is a native of the said diocese of Elphin or of that of Cashel, and of which of them he can be called a clerk), hereby orders the above three if, after summoning the said Edmund, Odo, Thomas the younger, Thomas the elder, and John, they find the said vicarages, rectory, precentorship, and canonry and prebend of Mayn [sic], to be void in any ways, or the said precentorship to be void by the said John's entry into religion, etc., to collate and assign the said canonry and prebend of Mayn [sic] and the said precentorship to the said James, and to unite and appropriate the said rectory and the said vicarage of St. Nicholas's to the said canonry and prebend [of Mayn, and] the said vicarage of Moyn [sic] to the said precentorship, for as long as he shall hold them [sc. the canonry and prebend and precentorship], the yearly values of which rectory, vicarage of St. Nicholas's, canonry and prebend of Mayn [sic], vicarage of Moyn [sic], and precentorship do not exceed 4, 8, 5, 6 and 8 marks sterling, respectively; inducting him, and removing the said Odo, Thomas the younger, Thomas the elder, and John, and any other unlawful detainers. The pope further specially dispenses him to act as a clerk, and also as an acolyte, which order he afterwards received, even if he received it wrongfully, (fn. 6) and to be promoted to all, even holy orders and receive and retain the said canonry and prebend, precentorship and annex, and resign them, simply or for exchange, as often as he pleases, and hold instead five mutually compatible benefices, etc., and also grants him indult to take the fruits of his benefices, with and without cure, whilst residing in one of them, or engaged in the study of letters, except only the daily distributions, and not to be bound to reside in them. Apostolice sedis providentia circumspecta. [8½ pp. In the margin at the end: ‘Jul (ii).’]
4 Non. June. (2 June.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 139v.)	Plenary remission of all their sins to all who, being truly penitent and having confessed, visit on Ash Wednesday (die Cenerum) and the three days following in the year of the Nativity of our Lord 1490 only, from the first to the second vespers of each of the said days, the church of the priory of Clerkynwel in the diocese of London, of the hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, for which church a great affection is felt by John Weston, prior thereof, called the prior in England, a member of the pope's household, who has at divers times fought against the Turks and exposed his life to danger, and who was sent to the pope as orator of Henry, king of England, to do obedience to the pope and the apostolic see. Universis Christifidelibus … Pastoris eterni. (Gratis de mandato domini nostri pape.) [1¼ pp.]
9 Kal. July. (23 June.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 158r.)	To Archibald Laing, clerk, of the diocese of St. Andrews. Grant and assignment to him (who has this day given up to the pope the suit which has been pending before a certain papal auditor between him and John Crechioun [sic], clerk, of the diocese of Glasgow, about the parish church called the prebend of Kwkbrid (fn. 7) (? recte Kirkbrid) in the church of Lincluden, in the said diocese, and all his right in or to the said church, by his proctor Leonard de Bertinis, a master of the register of petitions, which cession the pope has admitted), of a yearly pension for life of 20 marks of the usual money of Scotland, equal to 3½l. sterling, from the fruits, etc., of the said church, to be paid by the said John (who has consented by his proctor John Doglas, clerk, of the said diocese) and by his successors, rectors of the said church, half on Christmas day, and half on the feast of the Nativity of St. John Baptist; with sanctions for non-payment, etc., and mandate executory hereby to the precentor of Segorbe (Segobricen.), John Baptista de Ferrariis, a canon of Modena, and the official of Glasgow. Vite etc. [4 pp. In the margin at the end: ‘Jul (ii).’]
8 Id. Aug. (6 Aug.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 172v.)	To the archbishop of Canterbury. Commission and mandate, as below. The pope lately inhibited, motu proprio, all the inhabitants of the realm and subjects of king Henry to stir up fresh disturbances in the matter of the right of succession, etc., under pain of excommunication and the greater anathema, etc. [Reg. Vat. DCLXXXII, f. 413v., above, p. 2.] He now, at the petition of the said king, gives commission and mandate to the above archbishop, by himself or by deputy, to absolve all who have incurred such sentence of excommunication, enjoining on them a salutary penance, etc. Apostolice sedis indefessa clementia. (At the end: ‘Gratis de mandato [sanctissimi] domini nostri pape. R. de Vulterris L. de Marcellinis Ja. Fiella. Below which is: ‘Collat (ionata) F. Blondus.’ In the margin at the end: ‘Jul (ii).’) (fn. 8) [2 pp. +. Fœdera, from the original in Public Record Office, Papal Bulls, 23 (8). See also Reg. Vat. DCLXXXVI, f. 283r, above, pp. 33, 34.]
9 Kal. July. (23 June.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 186v.)	To the bishop of Dunkeld (Dunkalden. [sic]), the abbot of the monastery of St. Columba, in the diocese of Dunkeld, and the archdeacon of Dunkeld. Mandate, at the petition of Isabella and Joan Wucht, (fn. 9) Francisca EneZan, (fn. 10) and Joan Dirsse, (fn. 11) sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, called [the Order] of Penance (containing that John Scot. a canon of the above monastery, rector or master and founder of the poor hospital of St. Mary the Virgin near the town (fn. 12) of Abodour [sic] in the said diocese, considering the spiritual benefits which would arise to the women of Scotland if the sisters of the said Order were introduced into the realm, granted the said hospital (with the consent of James earl of Morton, (fn. 13) by whom it was endowed), and its chapel and appurtenances, to the said sisters for the perpetual use and inhabitation of them and other sisters of the said Order; and that the said sisters, named, have received the said hospital and have since dwelt therein), to summon the said canon and earl and others concerned, and if they find the facts to be as stated, to confirm the said grant, etc., grant to the said sisters faculty to rebuild and enlarge the said hospital, with dormitory, refectory, and cloister, like other houses of the sisters of the said Order in France and Flanders, (fn. 14) and appoint the said Isabella to be its mistress for life, under the care, etc., of the vicar of the friars of the province of Scotland, of the Order of the Friars Minors, called [the Friars] of the Observance, etc. Inter universa opera. (Gratis de mandato domini nostri pape.) [9 pp. +. In the margin at the end: ’Jul (ii).’ Theiner, Vet. Mon. Hib. et Scot., p. 500, No. DCCCLXXXIV, where the final ‘etc.’ represents the final clauses contained in nearly the whole of f. 190r. and the whole of f. 190v. of the Register.]
8 Kal. July. (24 June.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 215v.)	To the guardian and friars of the house of Cardiff, (fn. 15) of the order of Friars Minors, in the diocese of Llandaff, Indult, as below. Their recent petition contained that the buildings of their said house are in great need of repair, and that they themselves are in such great want that for the lack of food the brethren are often forced to leave and wander about through divers provinces, to the shame of religion and the diminution of divine worship in the said house; and that inasmuch as wine and oil do not grow in their country, on account of the barrenness of the land, which is very mountainous, and inasmuch as there is but a small supply of fish and corn, (fn. 16) if the brethren and sisters of a certain confraternity which has been constituted in the said house were allowed to eat milkmeats in Lent, and enjoy the merits of the Lenten fast, the inhabitants of that country (who for the most part use, on account of the said need, the said milkmeats in Lent, without any dispensation) would be induced to enter the said confraternity more readily, and help the said brethren and house in their needs. The pope, therefore, hereby grants them an indult that the brothers and sisters of the said confraternity, present and future, may use milkmeats in Lent, and enjoy the merits of the said Lenten fast. Sacre religionis. (Gratis de mandato etc.) [2 pp. In the margin at the end: ‘Jul (ii).’]
1487. 12 Kal. Aug. (21 July.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 219v.)	To the chancellor of Glasgow, Nicholas Rose, a canon of the same, and the official of the same. Mandate (the pope having been informed by John de Wulgas [sic], clerk, of the diocese of Glasgow, M.A., that Nicholas, abbot of the monastery of Holywood (Sacri nemoris), O. Praem., in the said diocese, has dilapidated and alienated divers of its immovable goods), to receive the said John, if found fit, as a canon of the said monastery, give him the regular habit thereof, and receive his profession, and moreover, if he will accuse the said Nicholas before them, to summon the latter, and if they find the foregoing to be true, to deprive and remove him, and in that event, and if they find the said John to be fit, to make to him, if he has taken the habit and made his profession, provision of the said monastery, yearly value not exceeding 50l. sterling. The pope further grants to him that he may be blessed by any catholic bishop in communion with the apostolic see, etc. Apostolice sedis providentia circumspecta. [8 pp.]
Prid. Id. July. (14 July.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 281v.)	To the archbishop and the chancellor of Dublin, and Nicholas Boysse, a canon of the same. Mandate, as below. The recent petition of Edmund Offlyn, perpetual vicar of the parish church de Carbria in the diocese of Kildare (Daren.), contained that upon the pope learning, at the false information of Gilbert Omagna, clerk, of the said diocese that the said Edmund had dilapidated and alienated the precious movables of the said church, had incurred perjury, committed simony, and openly committed fornication, he ordered the abbot of Monasterevan (de Rossvalle) in the said diocese and the dean of Kildare (their names not being expressed), and James Obechan, a canon of Kildare, if the said Gilbert would accuse the said Edmund before them, to summon the latter, and if they found the foregoing to be true, or one of them sufficient for the purpose, to deprive and remove him, and, in the event of their so doing, to erect the perpetual vicarage of the parish church of Balykeyn in the said diocese, then void, into a simple prebend of Kildare, and to unite, annex and appropriate to it, thus erected, the said vicarage de Carbria, and to make provision of the said prebend and its annex to the said Gilbert; and that Thomas, abbot of the said monastery, Malachy Omullanni, dean of Kildare, and the said James, wrongfully (fn. 17) proceeding, by their unjust sentence deprived the said Edmund of the said vicarage de Carbria, and removed him, erected the said vicarage of Balykeyn into a prebend of Kildare, united, annexed, and appropriated to it the said vicarage de Ca[r]bria, as being void by the said deprivation and removal, and made collation and provision of the said prebend and its said annex to the said Gilbert, from which said deprivation and removal, union and appropriation, the said Edmund appealed to the apostolic see. Seeing that, as the said petition added, it is alleged that neither of the said Edmund and Gilbert has a right in or to the said vicarage de Carbria, the pope has been petitioned on behalf of the said Edmund to commit the cause of the said appeal (for the prosecution of which he set out for the Roman court within the lawful time, but has been prevented by a lawful impediment from prosecuting it within the said time), and that of the principal matter, etc., to some upright men in those parts. The pope, therefore, at the said petition of the said Edmund (who was lately dispensed by papal authority on account of illegitimacy, as the son of a priest and an unmarried woman, to be promoted to all holy orders, even the priesthood, and hold a benefice even with cure, after which he was so promoted and obtained the said vicarage de Carbria by collation made by authority of the ordinary), hereby orders the above three to summon the said Gilbert and others concerned, and if they find what is alleged about the said impediment to be true, to hear and determine the said appeal cause and that of the principal matter, without appeal, causing their decision to be observed by ecclesiastical censure, and moreover, if by the event of the suit they find that neither Gilbert nor Edmund has a right in or to the said vicarage de Carbria, to collate and assign it, yearly value not exceeding 30 marks sterling, to the said Edmund, inducting him, etc. The pope further specially dispenses him to resign the benefice for the holding of which he has been dispensed, simply or for exchange, when he pleases, and to receive and retain another benefice, even if a parish church or its perpetual vicarage, notwithstanding the said defect, etc. Vite etc. [6⅓ pp.]
Prid. Id. Aug. (12 Aug.) St. Peter's, Rome. (f. 343r.)	To the dean and the precentor of Killaloe (Laon[i]en.), and Donatus Ogradi, a canon of the same. Mandate, as below. The recent petition of Eustace Artur, a canon of Limerick, contained that upon the priorship of the house or hospital of SS. Mary the Virgin and Edward, King and Martyr, by the bridge of Limerick, of the order of St. Augustine or St. Mary of the Cruciferi, and of the patronage of the king of England for the time being, becoming (by the cessation, through the death extra R.c. of Thomas, bishop of Limerick, of the commenda which that bishop held thereof for life by papal grant and dispensation), void in the way in which it was void when it was granted in commendam to the said bishop, Geraldus de Geraldinis, earl of Kildare, then the lieutenant in Ireland of Henry, king of England, presented the said Eustace to the chapter of Limerick, or their vicars-general, the see being void; and that thereupon the said chapter, or their said vicars, alleging that during the voidance of the see the institution to the said priorship belonged to them by ancient custom, instituted the said Eustace by their ordinary authority, under pretext of which presentation and institution he took possession of the said priorship, and thenceforth held and possessed it, as he likewise (fn. 18) holds and possesses it at present, taking the fruits de facto, thereby contracting disability; (fn. 19) that afterwards David, archbishop of Cashel, falsely alleging that a canonry of Limerick and the prebend called [the prebend] of St. Munchin's (sancti Monchini), which the said Eustace was then holding, as he believes that he still does lawfully, had become and was then void by his obtaining peaceful possession of the said priorship, and alleging that the collation, etc., thereof had lapsed to the archiepiscopal see of Cashel, as metropolitan (the said see of Limerick being void), caused the said Eustace to be summoned to appear before him or his commissaries in a certain place, access to which was not safe for him, from which assignation and from other grievances inflicted and threatened by the said archbishop and his commissaries he appealed to the apostolic see, etc., notwithstanding which appeal, and in contempt thereof, the said archbishop or his commissaries have de facto removed the said Eustace from the said canonry and prebend, and by metropolitical authority have made de facto collation and provision of them, alleging that they were void by the said removal, or by the obtaining of the said priorship, to Thady (T[h]ed[e]rico) Obren, clerk, of the diocese of Limerick, and that, whilst the said Eustace was well within the time for the prosecution of his said appeal, the said Thady (Thedericus), maliciously anticipating him, is alleged to have obtained the commission of the said appeal to divers judges in those parts, without their names and dignities being expressed, and without mention of the fact that the said Eustace was within the said time; (fn. 20) and that afterwards, upon the pope learning that the said priorship had become and was then void, as above, he ordered collation and provision of it to be made, by certain letters in which it was stated that its yearly value did not exceed 40 marks sterling, to John Fox. priest, of Limerick, professed of the said Order, and subsequently, by letters in which no mention was made of the said right of patronage, ordered it to be granted in commendam, as being thus void, to Geoffrey Artur, treasurer of the said church [of Limerick]. Seeing that, as the said petition of the said Eustace added, the said yearly value was then and still is 54 marks sterling, although not more than 60, and that it is alleged that neither Eustace nor Thady (Tedricus) has a right in or to the said canonry and prebend, and that in accordance with the foregoing the said presentation and institution are without force, and that the grant of the said commission and each of the said letters are surreptitious, the pope, at the said petition, hereby remits to the said Eustace the fruits, etc., taken by him from the said priorship, and orders the above three to summon the said Thady (Tedricus), John, and Geoffrey, and others concerned, and hear and determine the said appeal cause and that of the principal matter, etc., causing their decision to be observed by ecclesiastical censure, without appeal, etc., and moreover, if by the event of the said appeal cause they find that neither the said Eustace nor Thady (Thedericus) has any right in or to the said canonry and prebend, to collate and assign them, yearly value not exceeding 16 marks sterling, to the said Eustace, and to grant him in commendam for life the said priorship, which is conventual and elective, howsoever it be void, to be held by him even with the said canonry and prebend and with any other benefices with and without cure, secular and regular. Before they proceed to execute these presents, he is to resign to them the said priorship. Sedes apostolica pia mater. [12 pp.]