A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England in 1 190 granted the church of 

 Broxbourne to the Bishops of London in return for a yearly payment of 

 4 marks." The system presented so many advantages that it was inevitable 

 that it should be adopted by the rector whose cure was served by a resident 

 and perpetual vicar.'' 



Whatever may have been the financial position of the average curate or 

 stipendiary priest, there is evidence that the parson or vicar was frequently 

 a man of means.* Thus in 1350 the vicar of Codicote had £zo stolen from 

 a chest in his chamber." Three years later the vicar of Weston seems to 

 have had in his pocket 3 ox. which was stolen from him when he went out 

 to supper with one of his parishioners." The rector of Lilley, who 

 contracted a debt of ^^40 in about 1 464, must have been able to give 

 adequate security for so large a sum." 



Strong as was the tendency for the priest to live the ordinary life of his 

 fellows, there was, at least in theory, one point on which he was diffe- 

 rentiated from the layman and that was by his celibacy. There can, 

 however, be no doubt that the rule was only enforced by the bishops with 

 the greatest difficulty and incomplete success. Throughout the 13th century 

 the bishops were strenuous in their efforts, which were seconded by the 

 papal see.^' Alan, the vicar of Ashwell, was married, but Bishop Hugh or 

 Wells only gave him the parsonage on his entering into a bond in 30 marks 

 to have no dealings with the woman Annora." In 1237 the declaration of 

 Otto provided that all married clerks should be deprived of their preferment,'* 

 but it seems probable that this extreme step was only taken in cases of 

 public scandal, the strictness with which the rule was observed depending 

 greatly on the vigilance of the diocesan and his officials. Grossteste made 

 a rigorous inquisition on this matter throughout his diocese in 125 1, and 

 deprived transgressors," but unfortunately the returns have not been preserved. 

 During the 1 4th century concubinage was apparently not uncommon. Nor was 

 it apparently regarded as reprehensible. John, chaplain of Ayot St. Lawrence, 

 found no objection to complaining of having been robbed of a linen shirt, a 

 belt and purse when visiting his mistress one June night in 1367.'' In very 

 bad cases deprivation was carried out ; thus in i 3 1 3 Bishop Ralph Baldock 

 deprived Nicholas de Hadham, vicar of Ardeley, but here the guilt was 

 deepened by three of the four women involved being his penitents." Thomas, 

 the rector of Kelshall, when cited for dilapidations of the goods of his church 

 and for incontinence was merely suspended by Bishop Sutton for three years." 



The 14th century was an age of violence ; the number of murderous 

 assaults was doubtless increased by the habit of carrying weapons, which, in 

 spite of episcopal injunctions, was common to clergy and laymen alike. The 

 basilard formed a part of the cleric's ordinary dress and was worn by Robert 

 de Maddingley on Trinity Sunday, 1358. For some reason he had fault to find 



^ Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. ix, App. i, 32. 



^ Rot. Hugonis de Welles (Cant, and York Soc), i, 94. 



8 cf. Add. Chart. 24065 ; Klst. MSS. Com. Rep. ix, App. i, 30-1, 39 ; Cal. Pat. i39'-6, P- 543- 



8 Anct. Indictments, K.B. 9, file 38, m. 13 d. i" Ibid. m. 27. " Cal. Pat. 1461-7, p. 318. 



12 Cal. Papal Letters, i, 90. ^^ Rot. Hugonis de Welles (Cant, and York Soc), i, 79. 



1* Lea, Hist, of Clerical Celibacy, i, 350. 1* Matt. Paris, Chron. Maj. (Rolls Ser.), v, 256. 



1* Anct. Indictments, K.B. 9, file 37, m. 13. 



1' Reg. Radulphi Baldock (Cant, and York Soc), ii, 160. " Line. Epis. Reg. Sutton, Memo. fol. 121. 



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