RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



It they were to receive the archbishop in order 

 It he might correct what was amiss according 

 the rule of St. Benedict.^' 

 About this time there seems to have been 

 ne abuse on the part of the abbey 

 thorities with respect to their indults and 

 ivileges. These were suspected by the arch- 

 ;hop and certain skilled lawyers as being false, 

 d on 5 May 1225 the pope ordered them to 

 submitted to himself for purposes of examina- 

 n.^* On 15 March next following a papal 

 ter was directed to the archbishop quashing an 

 lult in the name of Pope Celestine giving 

 wer to the abbot to excommunicate invaders 

 the abbey properties, as it had been found to 



fake, and revoking anything that had been 

 ne by its aid.^* 



Pope Honorius III, it appears, had ordered the 

 >Ot and convent to make provision for twelve 

 man clerks in churches of which the patron- 

 e belonged to them. This impoverished them 

 nsiderably, so that some who wished to join 

 :m had to buy their own habits. In considera- 

 in of this Pope Gregory IX granted licence to 

 e house to convert to their use the church 



Kirkby Lonsdale and to put in a chaplain 



serve it.^° Similar licences were granted in 

 nnexion with the churches of St. Michael, 

 ppleby,'' and Gainford, in the diocese of 

 urham.^ An indult to the abbot to use the 

 itre, ring, pastoral staff, sandals, and other 

 ntifical insignia, with the faculty of blessing 

 stments and giving solemn benediction when 

 I bishop or legate was present,^' granted by 

 nocent IV in 1245, was confirmed by Pope 

 Martin V on 1 3 January 1 4 1 8, Thomas the then 

 bet receiving the further privilege for himself 

 d successors to bless altar linen, &c., to receive 

 ws of chastity, to bless and give the veil, &c. 

 d to give solemn benediction at mass and 

 :er matins and vespers and at table, in the 

 sence of a Catholic bishop or papal legate.^" 

 Many of the dissensions and troubles of the 

 use arose from its relations with the mayor, 

 uncil and citizens of York. In 1262 a 

 mber of the abbot's men were actually killed 



a quarrel, some of his houses in Bootham 

 stroyed, and the abbot, Simon de Warwick, 

 5k to flight and was absent from the house 

 • a period of two years.'^ A commission 

 IS granted in 13 1 1 on complaint by the abbot 

 It the mayor and bailiffs ' levied toll, murage, 

 ntage and pavage on his men coming to 

 e city with their goods, and also carriage, 

 hough by the king's confirmation of the 

 arters of his predecessors the abbot's men are 

 empt from such ; (that they) hindered his men 



'^ Cal. of Papal Letters, I, 116. 

 "Ibid. loz. "Ibid. 109. 



« Ibid. 

 *» Ibid. 



"Ibid. 188. 



'"Ibid, vii, 58. 



"Lawton, Relig. Houses, 37 



191. 



'Ibid. 190. 

 'Ibid. 222. 



coming to the city to buy provisions for him and 

 his convent, compelled his men staying within 

 his liberty of Bouthum to contribute, together 

 with the commonalty of the city, divers aids, 

 tallages, and contributions assessed upon the 

 commonalty, and carried away their goods, and 

 did not permit them to replevy the same.''^ In 

 this same year one of the monks, Stephen de 

 Oustwyk, was assaulted at the cellof 'la Maude- 

 leyne ' at Lincoln and imprisoned.^' 



On 22 March 13 19 Archbishop Melton 

 held a visitation of the abbey, and on 4 May 

 1319'* he issued a long decretum to the abbot 

 and convent. No serious offences had been 

 disclosed at the visitation, but emphasis was laid 

 on the unsatisfactory financial condition of the 

 house, which was owing no less a sum than 

 ^^4,029 2s. i^d. Needless expense, therefore, 

 was strictly prohibited, and in the matter of 

 granting corrodies and pensions the convent 

 was to be consulted. The monks were for- 

 bidden to shave one another, and the abbey was 

 forthwith to be provided with uno barbitonsore 

 artificiali, who was to shave both young 

 and old monks. Once a year at least, twice 

 if possible, the abbot, prior, or the presiding 

 monk was to call to his aid two of the senior 

 monks and cause each monk to open his chest 

 and carol for inspection. In case of refusal they 

 were to be broken open, and any article illicitly 

 received and secreted was to be confiscated to 

 the common use. The sacrist, as formerly, was 

 to have the tithes, rents and provisions pertaining 

 to his office, and was to keep in order the 

 church ornaments, the clock, the ornaments of 

 the stalls, the lectos sacristarum, &c. He was to 

 provide tapers, wine, light and other essentials, 

 especially the fourteen tapers on every great 

 festival. The service which the abbey was 

 under obligation to perform for John de Ponte 

 and Thomas de Fridethorp was to be duly said. 

 The tithes of the chapel of Croom, and an 

 annual rent of 20s. for the benefit of the sick 

 in the infirmary '' was being used for the whole 

 as well as the sick : this was to be remedied. 

 The common seal was to be kept in the treasury 

 and the statutes and Melton's injunctions were 

 to be read in chapter once a month. '^ 



The dispute between the abbey and citizens 

 was renewed and greatly intensified in 1334. The 

 citizens complained that the abbot usurped their 



" Pat. 4 Edw. II, pt. i, m. 5 d. 



"Ibid. 5 Edw. II, pt. i, m. 20 d., I9d. 



"York Archiepis. Reg. Melton, fol. 134. 



" In the York Museum is the mortar of the infir- 

 mary, made in the early I4tli century. It is a beautiful 

 example, made of bell-metal and weighing 76 lb. 

 and on it is the inscription : ' Mortariu. Sci. Johis. 

 Ewangel. de Ifirmaria. Be. Marie. Ebor. Fr. Wills. 

 de Touthorp. me. fecit. A°D. mcccviii.' (For de- 

 scription and plate see Museum Handbk. 185-6). 



** York Archiepis. Reg. Melton, fol. 1 3 3-4. 



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