ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



of Retford on 29 July, in the church of the blessed Michael at the Bridge of 

 Retford. On this occasion Nottinghamshire was visited by the archbishop's 

 official, and by Master W. de Blida, sub-dean of York, because the archbishop 

 was at that time (as is set forth) in parts remote from his diocese, engaged 

 in arduous work on behalf of the Church of England. 68 



These two visitors were further commissioned by the archbishop on 

 I September following for the correcting, reforming, and repairing all the 

 offences that had been discovered (comperta) during their visitation of the 

 archdeaconry of Nottingham, according to their nature and quality, as set 

 forth on the rolls attached to the commission." 



Serious accusations were preferred against Richard vicar of Bingham in 

 1283. He was charged with keeping a public-house, revealing the secrets 

 of confessions, drunkenness, quarrelling, neglecting service, illiteracy, and 

 grave incontinency. For these enormities the vicar made absolute and 

 humble submission to his diocesan, pleading for mercy and expressing com- 

 plete penitence. The archbishop bound him under a bond of 10 to abstain 

 from all these acts ; stating that any return to incontinence or breaking the 

 seal of confession would be followed by deprivation. 60 



Bingham was at this time doubly unfortunate in its parish clergy, for 

 four years later (1287) Robert the rector of Bingham was bound under a 

 penalty of 50 to be of good behaviour, and not to repeat divers evil actions. 

 The rector, however, returned to his evil life, for in 1294 we find the arch- 

 bishop writing to the Archdeacon of Oxford about the rector of Bingham, 

 who was accused of incontinence with a woman living in St. Giles Street, 

 Oxford ; he begged the archdeacon to see that the woman, whom he named, 

 was duly corrected, and that he would also proceed against the rector if he 

 could find him, for he had fled to escape canonical punishment and there 

 were many other charges against him." 



The entries near the beginning of Archbishop Romayne's register 

 relative to leave of absence so freely granted to youthful rectors for the 

 purpose (as alleged) of study take, in several instances, rather unusual forms. 



In 1286 William de Bosco rector of Attenborough had leave to attend 

 the schools (stare in scolis) for three years, and in the meantime to let his 

 church. In the same year Henry rector of Kirkby-in-Ashfield handed over 

 his church to be farmed by Walter Oliver, clerk, from 1 5 April, for the term 

 of three years, having permission to attend the schools for that period. 

 William de Weston rector of Car Colston had leave to study for two years, 

 from Michaelmas 1286, in a place in England where he might solemnly 

 pursue his studies in theology or in canon law, provided that his church and 

 the cure of souls were meanwhile in the charge of a suitable proxy, who 

 would be held responsible to the ordinary." 



Previous letters of Archbishops Giffard and Wickwane, dated respec- 

 tively 1272 and 1280, permitting Edmund de Everley to hold a mediety of 

 Treswell together with one Oxfordshire benefice were inspected and confirmed 

 in May 1286. At the same time Archbishop Romayne granted Edmund 

 three years' leave of absence to study in this country or across the sea, 



68 York Epis. Reg. Romayne, fbl. 83d. Two continental councils were held this year, the one at 

 Saumur, the other at Tarragona. 



" Ibid. M Ibid. fol. 70 d. 61 Ibid. fbl. 72 d. a Ibid. fol. 69. 



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