(sic), devote visitent et honorent, de bonis sibi a Deo collatis, pia devocione adjuvent, ut per hujusmodi pias elemosinarum suarum largiciones in terris thesaurum sibi indeficientem faciant in celis, et mereantur habere largas peccatorum suorum et penitentiarum sibi injunctarum indulgencias et remissiones, per sanctæ Romanæ ecclesiæ pontifices, et alios pios super hoc concessas. et hoc subscriptas. In primis, videlicet, conferentibus ad fabricam ecclesiæ predictæ a Johanne Archiepiscopo Ebor., xl dies. Item a Willelmo Archiepiscopo xl dies. Item omnes Archiepiscopi qui interfuerunt a prima fundacione dictæ Ecclesiæ usque

among the Canterbury Tales which describes the operations of one of these travellers in Holderness. Had Chaucer heard of the fame of these Yorkshire beggars?

"Lordings, ther is in Yorkshire, as I gesse,

A mersh contree ycalled Holdernesse,
In which ther went a limitour aboute
To preche, and eke to beg, it is no doute.
And so befell that on a day this frere
Had preched at a churche in his manere,
And specially aboven every thing
Excited he the people in his preching
To trentals, and to geve for Goddes sake,
Wherewith men mighten holy houses make.

As may easily be conceived, the privilege of seeking alms for any religious purpose was frequently abused. Forged seals and licenses were common. The country was overrun by idle fellows, who imposed upon the faithful in many ways, and wasted upon their own pleasures the numerous gifts that they received. In 1324, Archbishop Melton warns his spiritual subjects in strong terms against these impostors. Injungimus vobis omnibus et singulis in virtute obediencia supradictæ, et sub pena excommunicacionis majoris ne ad presens negocium exponendum aliquos admittatis questores preter eos qui nominatim in cedula annexa presentibus continentur. Et ne ipsos seu eorum aliquem . . . . falsa, errores, seu aliquid aliud excessivum permittatis in populo exponere, seu eciam predicare.... oculos seu libros depictos, seu falsas reliquias ostendere nec in fraudem seu elusionem catholicorum aliud predicare seu exponere contra quod in brevetto seu dicta cedula continetur sub penis superius annotatis." (Reg. Melton, 518, b.)

Archbishop Melton issued two Indulgences for the fabric, one in 1320, and the other in 1324. As they are, in words, identical with No. xiii., they need not be recorded here.

nunc, quilibet per se xl dies. Item visitantibus et honorantibus ecclesiam Ebor. in predictis a Nicholao papa iiijtoj annum et xl dies. Item ab eodem Nicholao j annum xl dies. Item a papa

Alexandro c dies. Item ab Honorio papa xl dies. Item ab Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi xx dies. Item ab episcopo London xx dies. Item ab episcopo Lincoln xxx dies. Item ab episcopo Rofonensi x dies. Item ab episcopo Hereford vij dies. Item ab episcopo Dunelm. xx dies. Item a duobus Archiepiscopis et octo episcopis, a singulis, singulos dies quadragenos. Item a Berardo, domini papæ legato, xl dies. Item a domino Antonio Dunolm. episcopo xl dies. Item a quolibet episcopo qui solempnitati translacionis Beati Willelmi interfuit, cum essent xj de numero; xl dies. Item omnes benefactores dictæ Ecclesiæ participes erunt omnium missarum et omnium aliorum benefactorum quæ cotidie sunt aut fient in perpetuum in sancta ecclesia predicta, ac in omnibus aliis ecclesiis et capellis per Ebor. diocesim sibi subjectis. Item omnibus diebus dominicis per annum infra missarum solempnia, vel ante panis benedicti distribucionem, in qualibet ecclesia parochiali omnis populus oracionem dominicam flexis genibus ad Dominum fundant, cum salutacione Beatæ Mariæ Virginis, pro cunctis fratribus et sororibus vivis et defunctis qui elemosinas suas contulerint, vel aliquid in ipsorum ultima voluntate legaverint in subsidium fabricæ ecclesiæ memoratæ. Item dominus papa Johannes, qui nunc est, ratificat et confirmat omnes indulgencias supradictas istud negocium a die recepcionis usque ad diem reportacionis in visitacionibus infirmorum et in confessionibus parochianorum nostrorum nullo modo sub pena qua decet omittamus. Nomina questorum per dictum procuratorem nominatorum, Johannes Storkes, Andreas Scot, Robertus de Duffeld, Alanus Scriveyn, Ricardus de Altoftes, Radulphus de Pokelington, Andreas de Cundale, Alanas de Thornton, Willelmus de Clif, Johannes Lyne, Willelmus Pebles, Johannes Pebles.

XVI.-DEPUTATIO BREVIATIORIS PRO FABRICA. (Act. Capit. sub anno 1335, 24, b. 7.)*

Pateat universis quod ego, Ricardus de Grymeston, perpetuus vicarius ecclesiæ de Ledesham, venerabilium virorum dominorum

* The last document contained a list of the instructions which were issued to the bearer of a brief for the fabric: I now give the formal licence empowering

Decani et Capituli ecclesiæ Cath. Beati Petri Ebor. deputatus hac forma. Universis sanctæ matris ecclesiæ filiis ad quorum noticiam pervenerit hec scriptura, notum per presentes quod nos, Willelmus Decanus, et Capitulum Eccl. Cath. B. Petri Ébor., ad pecunias colligendum, et recipiendum nomine nostro fidelium elemosinas, nobis ac fabricæ Ecclesiæ nostræ predictæ devocione datas et dandas, assignatas et assignandas, per totam diocesim et provinciam Ebor.; necnon ad impetrandum literas a quibuscunque ordinariis dictæ diocesios et provinciæ, quorum est in hac parte, et ad revocandum omnes et singulos questores a nobis ante diem confeccionis presencium qualitercumque constitutos et substitutos ab eisdem, non obstantibus literis nostris quibuslibet, quas de cetero nullius momenti esse volumus et vigoris, et ad se substancius procuratorem seu procuratores, nuncium vel nuncios, coadjutorem vel coadjutores, et eosdem et corum omnem revocandum, et ad faciendum omnia et singula quæ ad officium questoris pertinent quovis modo, et, si mandatum exigant speciale, dilectum nobis in Christo, Ricardum de Grymeston, perpetuum vicarium ecclesiæ de Ledesham, exhibitorem presencium, procuratorem nostrum et nuncium specialem tam in locis. exemptis, quam non exemptis, ordinamus, facimus, et constituimus per presentes, ratum habentes, habituri et firmum, quicquid a predicto Ricardo et ejus substituto et substitutis, substituendo vel substituendis, actum, gestum, seu procuratum in . . . el quolibet premissorum: presentibus per unum annum integrum a ix. kal. Februarii ultimo preterito tantummodo duraturis. In quorum omnium testimonium sigillum nostrum presentibus est appensum. Data Ebor. ix. kal. Feb. Anno Domini m° cccmo tricessimo quinto. Dilectum mihi in Christo Simonem del Saran de Pontfracto secundum formam, vim, et effectum procuratorem meum principalem mihi a dictis dominis meis concessi, etc.

XVII. EJUSDEM.* 12, b.)

INQUISITIO DE DEFECTIBUS FABRICE ET CUSTODUM (From a book marked L. penes Dec. et Cap., fol.

Nono die Januarii, 1344, comparuit dominus W. . . . . qui juravit ad dicendum veritatem de defectibus fabricæ, et de rethat person to act. It is granted, it will be observed, by the Dean and Chapter, and is registered among their acts.

This is one of the most valuable documents connected with the history of the fabric that has occurred to me, and it is one that has escaped the attention of every writer on that subject.

M

ceptis camerarii. Prius dixit de receptis istud. Dixit etiam quod de oblacionibus provenientibus ad sepulcrum bonæ memoriæ domini Willelmi quondam Archiepiscopi (sic). Item de xx marcis debitis de domino Nicholao de Hugate,* nuper hujus ecclesiæ canonico. Item, de expensis fabricæ, dixit quod credit cementarios ultra quam debita fuerint et nimis excessiva salaria recepisse, et idem de aliis operariis, prout Nicholaus de Pykering plus debito recepit, ut dicitur. Item in solucione stipendiariorum ubi videlicet quod quum solet fieri solucio pro xva, modo differtur usque in mensem, et aliquando ultra. Et aliquando contrarotulatores, in absencia eorumdem. Ordinatum est quod de cætero non differatur solucio ultra quindenam ad plus. Item dicit quod solvit semel Rogero de Hirton, ejusdem fabricæ cementario, stipendium suum fere per quindenam, qui toto tempore illo absens fuit, et nichil operabatur. Item de pecunia soluta pro potacione. Item, memorandum, quod, quoad fabricam Ecclesiæ, dicit quod sepius facta fuerit alienacio meremii, lapidum et calcis, et nescitur ubi. Item dicit quod coopertura Ecclesiæ et opus ecclesiæ lapideum deteriorantur propter defectus curæ et custodiæ eorumdem. Item fabrica oneratur in pensione c.s, pro Roberto de Pynchebek, nuper canonico Ecclesiæ, et camerarius non percipit emolumentum ultra xl.s. Item dicit quod custodes operis et eciam operarii, licet videbantur ydonei, tamen sepissime

In the beginning of the year 1345, an officer, whose name and office have been lost, is summoned before the Chapter to give an account of his stewardship, and, generally, to inform the Chapter how the works of the minster were progressing. He gives by no means a favourable report, in consequence of which the master-mason and master-carpenter are also called before the Chapter to answer for themselves. The information that they give is at once novel and interesting, and throws very great light upon the architectural history of the church.

Fifty years had now elapsed since the foundations of the nave were laid, and, under ordinary circumstances, we should expect that that part of the church was complete. There seems, however, to have been some delay in the work, by which the fabric had received much injury. There was a "coopertura" to the nave, but there was no lead upon it, and the rain broke into the church through the imperfect covering so violently as to endanger the life of one of the servants of the church. The buttresses, also, had sustained much injury from their having been left unprotected at the top, the wet thereby getting into the joints of the stones and loosening them by degrees. The wheels for winding up stones and wood were still at the west end of the church, but they had fallen into decay, probably from not being used, and there were many peculations among the stores. All this tends to shew that the nave, with the exception of the lead roof, had, in point of fact, been complete for some time, long enough for it to fall into decay, and that, through negligence or want of funds, the Chapter had been unable thoroughly to finish the work. Thus the masons became idle, and idleness generated strife and plunder. When men are well employed they have no time to waste upon such matters.

* Prebendary of Barneby, Provost of Beverley, and Archdeacon of Gloucester. He died in 1328.

dissenserunt adinvicem, ita quod opus fabricæ multociens tardabatur et periet hiis de causis. Item dicit quod columpnulæ exteriores, quæ botraces vocantur, perierunt, pro majori parte, pro defectu cooperturæ. Item dicit quod W. carpentarius senex est, et non potest laborare in altis. Ordinatum est quod alius juvenis loco suo subrogetur, et quod alius senex supervideat defectus. Magister cementariorum comparuit xj die Januarii Anno, etc., xliiij. Dicit quod sunt plures cementariorum qui, contra suam voluntatem, et eciam operarii, qui non sunt habiles aut ydonei ad laborandum, ac quod quidam ita rebelles sunt, quod nequit eos corripere et debite castigare. Item dicit quod alienata sepius erant ligna, lapides, calx, cement' et hujusmodi, et dicit quod de quarrura plura mala provenerunt quoad alienacionem lapidum, et quod domi nihil affertur quasi fabricæ ydoneum. Item dicit quod pro defectu curæ et cooperturæ tanta est aquæ habundancia quod nuper quidam famulus fere submersus extiterat, qui quidem defectus provenerunt, ut supra, pro defectu plumbatæ cooperturæ, etc., et dicit quod non potest habere curam operis, operariorum, et aliorum, sicut habere debet, quia impeditur per majorem, et non potest supervidere defectus quia dominus Thomas de Ludham habet claves ostiorum fabricæ solus. xij die mensis Januarii ordinatum fuit per dominos meos canonicos supradictos (viz., J. de Warren, R. de Cestre, T. Sampson, T. de la Mare, J. Giffard, et J. Wodhouse), quod nullus intromittat se de cementariis nisi magister cementariorum, videlicet de perficiendis vel amovendis. Item quod magister cementariorum denunciet Capitulo de illis qui rebelles inventi fuerint et incorrigibiles. Item quod predictus magister cementariorum diligenter intendat ne quis cementariorum suorum, quid accipiat ultra industriam et diligenciam quam fecerint in operando. Item quod dominus Thomas de Ludham supervideat omnes alios operarios, vel quiscunque pro tempore fuerit principalis magister operis, quominus, ut supradictum est, idem magister cementariorum Capitulo denunciare debeat defectus discipulorum et excessus. Item quod magister sepius denunciet Capitulo et saltim de XV in quindenam excessus discipulorum predictorum. Item quod de cetero nullus cementarius vendicet aliquid privilegium ultra communia salaria eis per consuetudinem vel habere

vel quonam alio modo debita. xj die Januarii, ut supra, comparuit Willelmus de Wrsal, submagister operis fabrica ejusdem, et, examinatus, dicit quod major defectus, quem ipse scit, est quod rotæ existentes in occidentali parte Ecclesiæ sunt putridæ et nichil valent. Item eodem die comparuit magister carpentariorum, qui eciam janitor clausi fuit eo tempore, juratus et examinatus, dicit quod nescit de mala administracione camerarii