A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



their relation to the monastery was friendly, partly because the two latter 

 bishops were local Benedictines. 



Various churches and chapels can first be traced in that part of the 

 thirteenth century which has now been reviewed. We hear of chapels at 

 Streatlam and Stainton in 1210,''' at Satley in 1221;°' of licences to oratories 

 at Stanley in 1241,^* and Old Durham, 1268;'° of chantries at Easington (a rec- 

 tory before 1222; Surtees, Hist. Dur. i, 2, 12), about 1249, and at St. Nicholas, 

 Durham, in 1250.^^ These are, perhaps, the first known instances of chantries 

 in the bishopric. Heighington was made a vicarage in 1239." 



The century which lies between the death of Robert of Holy Island in 

 1283 and that of Hatfield in 1381 comprises what is outwardly the most mag- 

 nificent period in Durham church history. The palatinate power was now at 

 its height, and to a great extent proved itself unassailable in the internal con- 

 troversies with convent and commonalty and the external attempts of king 

 and archbishop. Yet there were contrasts to the success and opulence of the 

 prince-bishops in various episodes which darkened the general splendour. 

 Few years were without prospect or realization of Scotch invasion ; the clergy 

 were still pillaged by direct taxation or by the iniquitous practice of papal 

 provisions ; the Black Death, if less awful than in some parts, left its terrible 

 trace upon the land ; robbery and violence abounded. The epoch was intro- 

 duced by Bishop Anthony Bek (1284—1311),°* first friend and comrade in 

 arms of Edward I, then churchman, diplomat, and statesman. Shortly after 

 his elevation Bek was opposed by Archbishop Romanus of York, who stimu- 

 lated by the old jealousy sought from Bek an acknowledgement of his position 

 as suffragan. In the issue certain messengers were imprisoned at Durham, 

 and Bek cleverly urged his palatine jurisdiction as justification of what he 

 had done, and obtained a decision in his favour. The bishop was employed 

 by the king in the marriage negotiations on behalf of the first prince of 

 Wales and the Scottish child-Queen Margaret. Her death prevented the union 

 of the two kingdoms, and led to the dynastic feuds which followed. Bek 

 made use of his crusading experience in the series of wars between England 

 and Scotland. He was appointed custodian of the lands north of Trent, and 

 found himself at the head of a large force of men gathered not only from the 

 bishopric and the northern counties, but from Ireland and Wales. It was, 

 perhaps, in the newly-built hall of Durham Castle that Bek lavishly enter- 

 tained the king in 1296 after a successful campaign. In 1300, and partly as 

 an outcome of this warfare, there took place a recrudescence of the weary 

 controversy between bishop and convent. On this occasion the matter in 

 dispute was not only the bishop's visitatorial powers (in executing which he 

 deposed the prior), but a broadening out of the whole quarrel, so that the 

 tenants of the bishop were involved. These last had complained bitterly of 

 being drawn outside the bishopric in the late war, and pleaded their privilege 

 of being ' Haliwerk folk,' and so exempt from external service.'^ The struggle 

 at last bereft Bek of his palatinate for a time, and brought a summons to 



" Surtees, Hist. Dur. iv, I, loo. " Ibid. 344. " Wolley Chart, v, 3. 



'^ Surtees op. cit. iv, 91. ^ Ibid, iv, 2, 48. '' Ibid, iii, 306. 



'' For his character and history see Jrch. Ael. xx, 1 1 5. 



™ Cal. Pat. 1301-7, p. 71. Various matters were introduced into the dispute, e.g. the question of co.il 

 rights, perhaps the earliest reference to Durham coals ; cf. Arch. Ad. viii, 175. The Icing compelled the dis- 

 putants to come to terms; Cal. Pat. 1 301-7, p. 106. Articles of agreement in Stowe MS. 930, fol. 152. 



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