THE FIRST FRAGMENT OF BISHOP BURY'S REGISTER. [Dean and Chapter Library, Hunter, 132.]* This short collection was found in a small octavo volume, written by Dr. Hunter himself a little before the middle of the eighteenth century. His collection of most interesting papers was bought by the Dean and Chapter of Durham from his executors in the year 1756; they gave £42 for it. No part of Bury's Register before 1338 has been found. Dr. Hunter unfortunately does not say where the MS. was that he copied here. RICARDI DE BURY, ERUDITISSIMI ILLIUS EPISCOPI DUNELMENSIS PHILOBIBLI NOMEN AEQUISSIMO JURE MERITI REGISTRI PARS ANNIS 1342 et 1343, IN PERGAMENA (i.e. from 23rd January, 1343, to 13th April, 1343). Ricardus permissione divina Dunolmensis Episcopus dilectis filiis decano de Alnewick et perpetuo Vicario de Horslee, nostrae dioecesis Salutem gratiamet benedictionem. citari faciant in Praesentarunt nobis electi filii domini Willelmus de Howyk† et Petrus de Dunolmo, Canonici Prioratus de Brynkeburn, Procuratores Suppriores et Conventus loci ejusdem, Priorem Priora- dominum Robertum de Throuncton in Priorem prioratus Commissio episcopalis Decano de Alnewick et Vicario de Horselee, ut ecclesia de Brynkeburn, Oppositores Rob. de Throuncton in *Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of this part of the register deal with the appointment of Robert of Throuncton to be prior of Brinkburn Priory. It appears that the election of the convent was challenged by someone. We have no information what might have been the illegality of it, nor of the challengers' names or position. The opponents of Robert's claim appealed to Bishop Bury, who (in No. 1) appoints two commissioners, both being canons of Brinkburn, to cite the opponents to appear in St. Nicholas' Church in Newcastle-on-Tyne on 23rd January, 1343. No. 3 is a petition from the Vicar of Newcastle to be excused from appearing as a judge in the matter. The next document (No. 4) is a commission issued by the priory, making the two canons (Lowick and Peter of Durham) their representatives; also in No. 5, which follows, the Bishop announces to Robert of Throuncton that his election must be condemned as uncanonical; then comes the important document (No. 6), in which the Bishop declares to the subprior, etc., that this uncanonical election had thrown legally the appointment into Bury's hands; and that he, thereupon, declares the election void, and then immediately on his own authority appoints Robert of Throuncton Prior, as being a prudent man, discreet and fit for the office. Finally (in No. 7), Bury gives orders to the Archdeacon of Northumberland to install Throuncton into actual possession of the priory. It was Lowyk, not Howyk, who was here appointed; a copyist's mistake. ‡ Brinkburn Priory, a house of Augustinian canons, is on the River Coquet, about three miles north of Rothbury. burn electi, ut commis sariis Episcopi in Ecclesia B. dicti tunc vacantis electum, Nobis humiliter supplicantes tus de Brynkequatenus personam dicti electi et processum electionis de compareant eodem celebratae examinare ipsamque electionem fore coram consis canonicam pronunciare ac canonice confirmare dignaremus. Nicolai in villa Nos, vestigiis Apostoli praecipientes, nemini cito manus Novi Castri. imponendas haerere volentes, proclamationem primitus prout praecipiunt Canones decrevimus faciendam. Vobis ergo firmiter injungendo mandamus, quatenus coelectum dicti Dni Roberti, seu oppositores vel oppositorem, si quos vel quae [quem] habeat, specialiter et nominatim ac peremptorie citetis seu citari faciatis, alioquin in genere in ecclesia de Brynkeburn, ubi praedicta electio dicitur celebrata fuisse, publice proposito citationis edicto, moneatis et peremptorie citetis omnes et singulos, qui quicquam in formam electionis praedictae seu dicti Dni Roberti electi personam objicere voluerint vel potuerint, quod in ecclesia beati Nicholai Villae Novi Castri in die Martis proxime 'post Festum sanctificationis beatae Mariae proxime futurum coram idoneis vel Commissariis nostris seu commissario compareat vel compareant, proposituri et obje[ctu]ri quicquid in formam electionis vel person[ae] electi proponere vel objicere voluerint vel valuerint. Ac in dicto electionis negotio et causa quae occasione objiciendorum oriri poterunt, processurus vel processuri, ulteriusque facturus seu facturi, recepturus vel recepturi quod jus dictaverit et canonicae sanctiones. Et si his exceptiendis ambo praeesse non poteritis, unus vestrum ea exequatur, et quid feceritis in praemissis, vel fecerit unus vestrum, dictis die et loco vos vel commissarios Nostros vel commissarium certificetis seu certificet unus vestrum per literas vestras vel (?) factas patentes actorum seriem continentes ac sigillo officii Decanatus de Alnewyke sigillatas. Valete. Datum apud Aukeland vigesimo tertio die Januarii 1342 (1343), et Consecrationis nostrae Nono. INDULGENTIA EPISCOPALIS CONCESSA CONTRIBUENTIBUS CONSTRUCTIONI PONTIS DE REYLE* IMPRAESEN- *This heading must have been added later than the document itself, which is dated 1342, as the Battle of Neville's Cross was fought on the 17th October, 1346, that is, as it says, four years later. Tradition says that Universis sanctae matris ecclesiae filiis praesentes literas inspecturis Ricardus permissione divina Dunolmensis Episcopus Salutem in amplexibus Salvatoris. Gratum obsequium toties opinamur impendere salutare quoties animos fidelium per delectiva Indulgentiarum munera ad pia excitamus opera caritatis. De pia omnipotentis Dei misericordia et gloriosae Virginis matris suae, necnon sanctissimi confessoris et patroni nostri Cuthberti, omniumque sanctorum meritis et intercessionibus confidentes, omnibus parochianis nostris et aliis quorum diocesani hanc nostram indulgentiam ratam habuerint et gratam, ad constructionem et sustentationem Pontis de Reyle nostrae Diocesis de bonis. sibi a Deo collatis inter vivos, seu in ultima voluntate grata contulerint subsidia caritatis, seu quovis modo manus porrexerint adjutrices, quadraginta dies ab injuncta poenitentia misericorditer relaxamus; Indulgentias a venerabilibus Patribus Archiepiscopis [et] Episcopis, sedis Apostolicae gratiam obtinentibus ad id concessas vel imposterum concedendas, quantum in nobis est, ratas habentes pariter et acceptas. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum nostrum praesentibus est appensum. Datum Dunolmi vicesimo nono die Januarii 1342, et consecrationis nostrae nono. JOH: DE HIRLAWE VICARII S. NICHOLAI EPISTOLA AD EPISCOPUM QUA SE EXCUSATI EXOPTAT DETER- Venerabili in Christo patri Ricardo Dei gratia Dunolmensi episcopo suus humilis Johannes de Hirlawe Vicarius ecclesiae beati Nicholai de Novo Castro super Tynam Obedientiam Reverentiam et Honorem. Mandatum vestrum reverendum recepi in haec verba. Ricardus permissione divina Dunolm: episcopus dilecto filio Magistro Johanni de Hirlawe Juris merito Salutem gratiam est Benedictionem. Ad procedendum et cognoscendum hac instanti die Martis proxime sequenti, cum continuatione et prorogatione dierum subseKing David, after his defeat, hid himself under the bridge now standing near Bearpark; it is far more likely that the original Relley Bridge was a wooden structure, crossing the Browney at a farm called Relley to this day, and only half a mile from the scene of the battle. This Relley Bridge has been superseded by a new stone bridge, and has lost its old name. * Hirlawe was vicar of St. Nicholas when peace between England and Scotland was ratified in his church, 1351. He is mentioned as appearing also in the case of St. Margaret's font. quentium, in ecclesia beati Nicholai Villae Novi Castri super Tynam in negotio electionis de Dno Roberto de Throuncton in Priorem prioratus de Brynkeburn nostrae diocesis, per resignationem Dni Radulphi de Preston* Prioris ejusdem vacantis celebrato, electum secundam formam actorum coram Nobis in dicto negotio tertio(?) habitorum : et ad dictam electionem examinandum confirmandum vel infirmandum seu annullandum, cassam, irritam seu nullam pronunciandum, prout dictaverint canonicae sanctiones, necnon in eventu quo ordinatio seu provisio dicti prioratus de Priore inibi hac vice praeficiendo de jure seu consensu nostro . providendum eidem prioratui de persona dicti Roberti Throuncton in Priorem electi . : vobis vices nostras quousque .. cum revocandas vobis interim firmiter injungentes, quatenus omnia et singula praemissa cum celeritate quadam de praeteritis executioni debito demandare curetis. Decretum electionis praedictae procuratorium procuratorum dictum negotium electionis prosequentium, necnon certificatorium citationis seu proclamationis, Auctoritate nostra in ecclesia de Brynkeburn vacante factae vobis ad continuandum processum, prius habita inspicienda, transmittantur, vice et nomine ac loco actorum eorum vobis in dicto negotio ut praemittitur-habitorum, de vacatione dicti Prioratus : praedicto nobis fidem credulam adhibeatis de omni eo quod faceritis in praemissis per literas vestras patentes universam harum seriem continentes, sigillo officii Decanatus villae Novi Castri praedicti sigillatas, infra decem dies proxime sequentes. Nos reddatis certiores. Valete. Datum Dunolmi secundo die mensis Februarii Ao Dni 1342 et Consecrationis nostrae decimo. Et facta proclamatione publice in ecclesia beati Nicholai praedicta die quarto Februarii si aliquis vellet et sciret aliquid rationabile objicere contra formam electionis praedictae vel contra personas eligentium seu electi, nullus comparuit contradictor, qui aliquid opponere voluit in hac parte. Verumtamen ad examinandam formam electionis praedictae et ad alia facienda quae in praedicto Mandato vestro mihi committuntur, procedere non audebam neque potui, proper gravem aegritudinem corporis mei qua nunc laboro, et timeo verisimiliter quod eadem aegritudine pro meo perpetuo laborabo: et nihilominus sentio me insufficientem decernere propter imperitiam juris ad plenam et * He resigned the priory on 1st January, 1343. canonicam executionem Mandati vestri ; tradam me consilio juris peritorum, qui in Villa Novi Castri supradicti inveniri non poterunt nisi casualiter, ut est notum. Unde ex causis praemissis et ex aliis causis legitimis mihi in hac parte competentibus, me ab executione dicti Mandati excusatum habere dignetur vestra Paternitas reverenda, si placet. Decretum electionis praedictae, certificatorium et Procuratorium, de quibus in eodem Mandato vestro plenior mentio continetur, qua (? quae) a praedicto electo recepi, per me inspicienda, Paternitati vestrae Reverendae plenarie remitto. In quorum omnium Testimonium praesentes literas meas patentes et clausas Paternitati vestrae reverendae transmitto, sigillo meo et sigillo officii Decani Novi Castri juxta praedicti Mandati exigentiam consignatas. Valeat Dominus meus ad regimen ecclesiae vestrae Dunolm: per tempora prospera diuterna. Datum apud Novum Castrum supradictum Non. Febr. Ao Dni supradicto. COMMISSIO CONVENTUS DE BRYNKEBURN WILL DE LOWYCK ET PETR. DE DUNELMO, CANONICIS EJUSDEM CONVENTUS, REPRAESENTANDI DICTAM ELECTIONEM CORAM EPISCOPO DUNELMENSI (3 Feb., 1343). Pateat universis per praesentes quod nos Capitulum seu Conventus Monasterii de Brynkeburn dilectos fratres concanonicos nostros Dnos Willelmum de Lowyck et Petrum de Dunelmo procuratores nostros veros et legitimos ordinamus facimus et constituimus per praesentes. Dantes eisdem et eorum cuilibet in solidum nomine nostro et Monasterii nostri praedicti potestatem specialem in omnibus quo Electio nostrae de Domino Roberto de Throuncton in Priorem Monasterii nostri per nos celebrata, electo absque omni vitio personae praedicti electi debitum non poterit sortiri effectum supponendi et subjiciendi nos et provisionem seu ordinationem Monasterii nostri praedicti, quoad futurum Priorem, hac vice, nobis e Monasterio nostro praedicto perficiendum, propensioni et dispositioni venerabilis patris ac domini Dni Dunelmensis Episcopi, seu ipsius in hac parte commissarii, promittentes nos ratum et gratum habituros quicquid iidem Procuratores nostri ac dictus pater Dominus Dunelmensis Episcopus per se vel alium fecerint in hac parte. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum nostrum praesentibus est appensum. Datum apud Brynkeburn tertio Non. Februar. A.D. 1342. |