464 ANTIQUITIES 



[Item 22nd. Since negligence or remissness towards 

 offenders is in itself detestable, and since facility of pardon 

 operates as an incentive to delinquency ; orders that, with- 

 out exception of persons, correction shall be used according 

 to the amount of the delinquency ; and that the regular 

 observances shall be duly kept.] 



Item 23d. He bids them distribute their pittances, 

 t pitancias" 1 regularly on obits, anniversaries, festivals, &c. 



[Item 24th. Prohibits the sale of wood, the farming out 

 of manors or of churches, or the transaction of any other 

 important business, without consultation and consent of 

 the whole convent, or of the larger and discreeter portion 

 of it : otherwise there is no validity in the proceeding. 

 " Ilia quoque que omnes tangunt ab omnibus merito debeant 

 approbari."] 



Item 25th. All and every one of the canons are hereby 

 inhibited from standing godfather to any boy for the future, 

 "ne compatres alicujus pueri de cetero fieri presumatis," 

 unless by express license from the bishop obtained ; because 

 from such relationship favour and affection, nepotism, and 

 undue influence, arise, to the injury and detriment of reli- 

 gious institutions. 2 



Item 26th. The visitor herein severely reprimands the 

 canons for appearing publicly in what would be called in 

 the universities an unstatutable manner, and for wearing of 



1 " Pitancia, an allowance of bread and beer, or other provision to 

 any pious use, especially to the religious in a monastery, &c., for aug- 

 mentation of their commons." " Gloss, to Rennet's Par. An tiq." G. W. 



2 " The relationship between sponsors and their god-children, who 

 were called spiritual sons and daughters, was formerly esteemed much 

 more sacred than at present. The presents at christenings were some- 

 times very considerable : the connexion lasted through life, and was closed 

 with a legacy. This last mark of attention seems to have been thought 

 almost indispensable : for, in a will, from whence no extracts have been 

 given, the testator left every one of his god-children a bushel of barley." 

 Sir John Culluin s " Hist, of Hawsted." G. W. 



" D. Margaretae filiae Regis primogenitae, quam JUiolam, quia cjus in 

 baptismo compaler fuit, appellat, cyphum aureum et quadraginta libras, 

 legavit." Archbishop Parker " de Antiquitate Eccles. Brit." speaking 

 of Archbishop Morton. G. W 



