ST. Michael's mount. 225 



Livric (who was the first Bishop of Exeter after the removal 

 of the see from Crediton), had died in February, 1073. Oliver 

 suggests that the Pope at the time was G-regory "VT, but he had 

 abdicated in 1046. G-regory VII did not come to the chair until 

 April, 1073, that is, two months after Livric's death. There is 

 a mistake somewhere. 



Appended to this charter of the Earl of Mortain, is a 

 further deed whereby Livric, by command of his most reverend 

 lord Gregory, and on the exhortation of the King, the Queen 

 and all the optimates of the realm of England, freed the church 

 of St. Michael the Archangel in Cornwall, which was entrusted to 

 the angelical ministry, and with full approbation consecrated and 

 sanctified, fi-om all episcopal jurisdiction and subjection, and 

 remitted a third part of the penances of aU who should visit the 

 said church and assist it with their gifts ; and, that the grant 

 might remain for ever unshaken and inviolable, by the authority 

 of G-od the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, he 

 forbad all his successors from attempting anything contrary 

 to this decree. William of Worcester, who gives the impossible 

 date of 1070 for Pope Gregory's bull, tells us that this episcopal 

 decree, having been recently found amongst the ancient registers 

 of the Mount, was ordered to be placed publicly on the gates of 

 the church, and enjoined to be read in other churches, that the 

 devout might be induced to visit the place more frequently 

 and in greater numbers. 



I regret to say that I am unable to identify the places named 

 in Earl Mortain's grant. Probably someone better acquainted 

 with the parishes in which they were situated can do so. We 

 meet with some of the same names in a deed of Bargain and Sale 

 of 1 8th April, 1 640, whereby the Earl of SaHsbury conveyed to 

 Francis Bassett, of Trehidy(s^c)in lUogan, the Mount itself, Bassett 

 covenanting to keep there eight soldiers for its defence. We may 

 note in passing that many of the deeds relating to the Mount 

 contain similar provision, for instance, in 1619* Captain Arthur 



* State Papers Domestic vol. XC, no 100, where also is an inventory of its 

 ordnance and of reparations required. See, too, Oliver's Mon. Dio. Exon. p. 30, 

 note. We believe that legally the Mount is still a garrison entitled to fly the 

 Union Jack, though no soldiers are now maintained there and the right is never 

 exercised. 



