22 PAPERS, ETC. 



diocese of Batli and Wells. These churches were, as we 

 have already noticed, canonically appropriated to them, 

 and had been so froui ancient times. On tlieir citation to 

 pay the customary " obedience" in behalf of these churches, 

 considerable harshness Avas exhlblted ; and, on their duly 

 demanding to be furnlslied with a copy of his commission, 

 the commissary had not only neither listened to their 

 prayer nor acceded to their request, but had pronounced 

 them contumaclous, when they were not so, had fined 

 them in an immoderate sum of money, and had ordered the 

 same to be levied forthwith. An appeal was forwarded to 

 the Apostolic See, which was promptly followed by an 

 Inhibition against his attempting aught to the prejudice of 

 the appellants during the pending of the suit in the Court 

 of Canterbury. The Inhibition was dated at London, the 

 26th of September, 1329.--' 



It appears, from the Year Book of 1330, that the arrange- 

 ment just mentioned in connexion with the chapel of 

 Lokyngton, or Leeke, was not fully and faithfuUy observed. 

 The record referred to presents us, accordingly, with an 

 instance of litigation, the issue of which, so fav as we can 

 gather it, was of an unfavourable character, The proceed- 

 ings, as there given, are in avowry, and the question is 

 raised as to the lawfulness of a certain distress levied 

 by Agnes, widow of William Samuel, upon Isabel de Berch, 

 Prioress of Buckeland, through the alleged non-perform- 

 ance of the terms of the covenant. Agnes, by a plaint 

 sued by the Prioress, is made defendant, and called upon to 

 give reasons for levying the distress. To those of my 

 readers who feel an interest in the old practica of the law, 

 it will not be unwelcome if I enter into the particulars 



* MS. Harl. 6965, p. 17. Appendix, No. XVI. 



