38 PAPEUS, ETC. 



resigned his office through the infirmities of extreme old 

 age, and Robert de Messyngham was elected Prior in his 

 stead, licence having been first obtained from Adam, Bishop 

 of Winchestex', the patron, on the 1 9th of the following 

 April.* There were at the time of election twenty-five 

 Canons belonging to the Priory, of wbom tvventy-four 

 were present and one was abroad. f 



On the 5th of November, 1339, Richard de Pym, 

 chaplain, was presented by exchange to the vicarage of 

 Kyngeston.J And a certain Walter, convicted of remov- 

 ing and injuring various crops, the property of William de 

 Cammell, rector of Ivelton, was, on the 23rd of December, 

 sentenced to do penance in several parish churches of the 

 diocese, and that of Taunton among them.|| 



On the 22nd of March, 1340, a writ was addressed to 

 Ralph de Middelneye, the king's Eschaetor, to take the 

 verdict of a jury relative to a third part of the Manor of 

 Dulverton, proposed to be given to the Prior and Convent 

 by Nicholas de Beleville. The conrse of procedure was 

 exactly similar to that with which we are already ac- 

 quainted. The verdict of the Jurors that the gift of 

 such land would not be to the king's damage is dated at 

 Lydyard S. Laurence, on the 12th of April ; and the 

 king's licence, for which the Prior paid a fine of five marcs, 

 permitting the gift and receipt of the property was issued 

 at Westminster on the 2nd of May.§ 



On the 6th of February, 1340-1, the Prior and Convent 

 presented John Stede to the vicarage of Pipmynstr.lT 



* MS. Harl. 6965, p. 127. 



t Dr. Archer, from Eeg. Had. 19". 



X MS. Harl. 6965, p. 130. 



II MS. Harl. 6965, p. 131. 



§ Inquis. ad q. d. 14 Edw. III. (2. n.) n. 48. Pat. 14 Edw. III. p. 1. m. 2. 



llEdw. III. Eot. 24. 



% MS. Harl. 6965, p. 142. 



