Richard Poore, 1217—1229. 



243 



very early period also each Canon obtained his separate " prebend/' 

 for in the charter of Henry II., in 1162, we have a distinct mention 

 of the prebend of Rotefen (afterwards exchanged for Winterbourn 

 Earls'), and in the same charter it is stated that Bishop Jocelin had 

 created a separate prebend out of the moiety of the oblations of the 

 principal altar. 1 There is mention also of a special grant of a virgate 

 of land (about thirty-two acres) for the correction, or, as I take it, 

 the repair of the books, 2 a duty devolving on the Chancellor ; and 

 it is an interesting fact, that, until quite recently, a small portion of 

 land at or near Old Sarum (in Stratford in fact) was always held 

 by lease under the Chancellor. Moreover, as early as 1141 (as 

 appears by a charter of King Stephen) the Churches of Odiham and 

 Bricklesworth (or Brixworth) were bestowed as an endowment on the 

 same high dignitary [ad opus magistri scola Sar.), and we know 

 that the prebend of Bricklesworth was always annexed to the 

 Chancellorship, until in 1864, by an act of the Close Chapter to 

 say the least of questionable legality, it was unhappily divorced 

 from it, in defiance of the traditions of more than seven hundred 

 years. Each prebend no doubt was sufficiently valuable to render 

 the great majority of the Canons indifferent as to obtaining that 

 increase in income which residence at the cathedral afforded from 

 the common fund, the more so as the expenses of such residence 

 were so disproportionate to such increase as to lead them to speak 

 of it as " bearing the burden and heat of the day." 3 Hence the 

 necessity of statutes which should provide not only for the resi- 

 dence of the Canons, 4 but also for the due visitation of the prebendal 

 estates from time to time. During the time that Richard Poore 



1 " Medietatem oblationum principalis altaris sicut Jocelinus Episcopus dedit 

 earn in pr&bendam. This is the prebend of " Minor," or (as it was sometimes 

 termed) " Media pars Altaris." 



2 This was made in 1220. The document is printed in Hatcher and Benson, 

 p. 726. " Carta Eicardi Episcopi Sarum de donacone fact. Cancellario pro libris 

 corrigendis." 



3 This is the expression used in Bishop Roger de Mortival's Statutes. See cap. 

 iv. — " De contributione pro communibus ecclesise negotiis communiter facienda." 



4 As regards the residence of the Canons there were two statutes passed, one in 

 1214, when Richard Poore was Dean, and another in 1222, when he was Bishop. By 



