A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



belonging respectively to the chapters of Sarum, Bangor and Lincoln. 1 

 Like visitations were held in 1380 and 1387. 



Wykeham did his best, after his consecration, to check the abuses 

 of the day in connection with preferment, but he was powerless to 

 prevent the appointment to benefices of those in minor orders. There 

 are various entries in his registers excusing residence for the definite 

 purpose of further instruction, and these licenses are of a more precise 

 kind than those to be found in some episcopal registers of the period. 



In 1381 William Wichot, rector of the church of St. Peter- 

 without-Southgate, Winchester, was instituted to the church of Newn- 

 ham on the presentation of the king ; but he had to take his oath to 

 the bishop that he would regularly attend a grammar school at the hours 

 of reading and study, that he would use all diligence in acquiring enough 

 grammar for his station and as much plain song as possible, and that 

 during the interval of four years till priest's orders he would provide a 

 sufficient chaplain to serve the church of Newnham, under the penalty 

 of loos, a year for each year if he should make default. 2 



The bishop was constantly on the watch to insist on the residence 

 of all who could not claim or had not obtained due leave of absence. In 

 January, 1368, he required his archdeacons to cause three proclamations 

 to be made on Sundays and festivals in the churches of the absentee 

 clergy, ordering residence within two months. 3 In November, 1379, a 

 mandate was directed to the official of the archdeaconry of Winchester 

 to admonish certain Hampshire beneficed absentees, whose names were 

 annexed in a schedule, for continued absence notwithstanding previous 

 warnings, the result being that divine worship was much lessened, hospi- 

 tality was not exercised, the devotion of the people ceased, and church and 

 parsonage fell into decay. 4 On i March, 1400, another mandate was 

 issued to the non-resident clergy of Hampshire through the archdeacon. 6 

 In November, 1403, abuses of this description were more limited in the 

 county, and the bishop contented himself with directing the rural dean 

 of Droxford (who was at that time rector of Warnford) to admonish the 

 vicars of Hambledon and Eastmeon to return into residence. 6 



Whatever may be the truth with regard to the early tripartite 

 division of tithes in English dioceses, insistence on the duty of hospi- 

 tality and care for the poor as a chief part of the obligations resting on 

 the beneficed clergy is continually set forth by the mediaeval bishops. 

 This comes out with much emphasis in Wykeham's official instruments. 

 When the bishop granted John Edendon, archdeacon of Surrey and 

 rector of the Hampshire living of Ringwood and the Surrey living of 

 Farnham, leave of absence for three years to go across the seas, he was 

 not only ordered to find suitable priests for the spiritual needs of the two 

 parishes, but it was expressly stipulated that the incomes of both benefices 



< Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, f. 1 1 2. * Ibid. pt. i. f. 1 18. 3 Ibid pt i;i f 6 



Ibid. pt. in. f. i8ib. These defaulters are described as per nonnulla temfora te abientarunt per 

 aivenat munJi panes miserabiHter evagando. 



6 Ibid. pt. iii. f. 319. Ibid. pt. iii. f. 36ib. 



38 



