236 ST. MICHAEL'S MOUNT. 



now called "The Chair," and he is probahly right.* Having 

 regard, however, to the next bequest for the chancel,! we may 

 possibly regard it as a legacy for the lighting of the church 

 itself — perhaps for maintaining the light before the High Altar, 

 a provision not infrequent in both charters and wills in mediaeval 

 times. J 



When (if ever) and how, this church became an archpres- 

 bytery has not been traced, but in 1537 by dispensation dated at 

 Lambeth on the 16th of November of that year. Archbishop 

 Cranmer allowed John Arscott, Archpriest of the church of St. 

 Michael de Monte Tumba, provided his office of Archpriest did 

 not involve the cure of souls, and his income from the 

 Archpresbytery after deducting all accustomed outgoings did not 

 amount to £8 a year, to hold for his life some other cure or 

 benefice such as was usually assigned to a secular clerk, and to 

 exchange the same if he should so desire. But the Archbishop's 

 dispensation was not to be acted on until confii^med by Eoyal 

 Letters Patent in pursuance of the recent Statute of ParKament 

 to that effect (Bishop Turberville's Eegr. fol. 7). Apparently the 

 Eoyal Letters Patent were never issued. In the Chantry Eolls 

 of 2 Edward 6 § we read " S. Michael at Mount. A chapell. 

 Pounded by the abbess of the dissolved monastery of Syon. 

 Three prysts to celebrate there, one of whom ys named the 

 archepryst. The yerelye value of annuities to sayd prysts, one of 

 x'' and the other two vj^' each, xxij^'." These being the only 

 known references to an archpresbytery at St. Michael's Mount 



* It would certainly be of great advantage to the fishermen, in whose profits 

 the monks had a share. There are grooves in the stone for some such substance 

 as glass or horn. 



1 1 am not confident that this really refers to the chancel. There is no 

 reason to suppose that the chancel was interfered with at this time. The word 

 may mean the chancel-screen, or a window, or possibly the ramparts. In any 

 case I take it to be used for Cancellus, which (amongst its other meanings) 

 bears that of " Interstitium inter propugnacula." (D'Arnis). 



J There are some other recorded early benefactions to this Convent. For 

 example, Dr. Reginald Mertherderwa, Eector of Creed, who in his will, proved 

 nth Feb., 1447, remembered so many churches in Cornwall did not forget St. 

 Michael's Mount; and one Alan Tremenhyre, by his will, dated 20th Nov., 1455, 

 gave a penny to the Church here, five pence to the fraternity of St. Michael and, 

 for the repair of the altar, one bushel of wheat. 



§ Certificates, 9, No. 42 and 10, No. 34, printed in Oliver's Mob, Dio. Exon, 

 p. 488, 



