(Abstract) 'WRIT OF PROTECTION (conservatorium) of LUNDORS.' INNOCENT [IV.], bishop, servant, etc., to the Abbot of Dunfermline and the Prior of May, in the diocese of St. Andrews, etc. The account of the seizure and holding in pledge of monks, converts, animals, and other goods of the monastery is recited as in cIII. After which follows: 'Wherefore we commit to your discretion by apostolic writ that ye do not permit them to be improperly molested by any contrary to the tenor of our inhibition, restraining offenders of this kind by the censure of the Church, appeal being postponed. Given at Lyons, v. Kal. of May [April 27], in the seventh year of our pontificate.1 CV De episcopis Abirdonensis ecclesie qui INNOCENCIVS episcopus, seruus seruorum dei, Dilectis filiis, Cancellario Morauiensi, Thesaurario, et magistro Johanni de Euerley Canonico Dunkeldensi, Salutem et apostolicam Benediccionem. Presentata nobis Dilectorum filiorum de Kelchou, de Aberbrodoch, et de Lundors, abbatum, sancti andree diocesis, sancti Benedicti, ac prioris cathedralis ecclesie sancti Andree, sancti Augustini ordinum, conuentuumque suorum peticio, continebat quod cum bone memorie aberdonenses Episcopi, capituli sui accedente consensu, quasdam ecclesias aberdonensis diocesis in quibus abbates, prior, et conuentus iidem ius obtinent patronatus, in proprios usus eorum sibi duxerint concedendas, et quod per eosdem episcopos taliter factum extitit in hac parte per apostolicam sedem fuerit postmodum confirmatum; Venerabilis frater noster Aberdonensis Episcopus, episcoporum illorum successor, vicariis ecclesiarum ipsarum sub pena suspensionis pro sua inhibuit uoluntate ne ultra pensiones antiquas de dictis ecclesiis aliquid de cetero soluerent abbatibus, priori, et conuentibus memoratis. Quocirca discrecioni vestre per apostolica scripta mandamus quatinus eorumdem abbatum, prioris, et conuentuum instrumentis diligenter inspectis, si dictas ecclesias inueneritis non esse sibi pensionarias, 1 A. D. 1250. set in proprios usus canonice deputatas, inhibicionem episcopi prelibati, auctoritate nostra, reuocare curetis. Nec ullatenus permittatis abbates, priorem, et conuentus eosdem super hiis ulterius ab aliquibus indebite molestari; Molestatores huiusmodi per censuram ecclesiasticam, sublato appellacionis obstaculo, compescendo: Non obstantibus aliquibus litteris ueritati et iusticie prejudicantibus, per quas execucio mandati presentis impediri ualeat uel differri, et de quibus specialem oporteat in presentibus fieri mencionem. Quod si non omnes hiis exequendis potueritis interesse, duo vestrum ea nichilominus exequantur. Datum Lugdun. xij. Kalendas Maij, Pontificatus nostri anno Septimo. (Abstract) 'OF BISHOPS of the CHURCH Of ABERDEEN who have molested our place.' INNOCENT [IV.], bishop, servant, etc., to the Chancellor of Moray, the Treasurer, and Master John of Everley, Canon of Dunkeld, etc. A petition presented to the Pope by the abbots of Kelchou, Aberbrothoc, and Lundors, in the diocese of St. Andrews, of the order of St. Benedict, and the prior of the cathedral church of St. Andrews, of the order of St. Augustine, and their convents, contained that Bishops of Aberdeen, of good memory, with the consent of their chapters, had thought fit to grant to them for their own uses (in proprios usus) certain churches in the diocese of Aberdeen, in which their abbots, the prior, and convents have the right of patronage; and what was done in this respect by the bishops was presently confirmed by the Apostolic See. Further, the petition went on to state that the Bishop of Aberdeen, successor of those bishops, had of his own will inhibited, under pain of suspension, the vicars of those churches from paying anything in future to the abbots, prior, and convents aforesaid, beyond the old pensions from those churches. Wherefore it is committed to the Chancellor of Moray, the Treasurer, and John of Everley, canon of Dunkeld, that they should carefully examine the documentary evidence (instrumentis) on the matter; and if they found that the said churches were not pensionary [that is, liable for payment of a fixed pension], but had been made over to the abbots, prior, and convents for their own uses, they were to revoke, by the Pope's authority, the inhibition of the Bishop of Aberdeen. They were further to prevent the abbots, prior, and convents being molested, by restraining those who molest them by the censure of the Church, appeal being disallowed (sublato appellationis obstaculo), and this, notwithstanding any letters prejudicial to truth and justice by which the execution of the present mandate could be impeded or delayed, and of which letters special mention ought to be made in these presents. But if all of you cannot take part in the execution of these things, nevertheless let two of you execute them. Given at Lyons, xij. of the Kalends of May [April 20], in the seventh year of our pontificate.1 CVI Item de eisdem episcopis Abirdonensibus. INNOCENCIVS episcopus, seruus seruorum dei, Dilectis filiis Cancellario Morauiensi, Thesaurario, et magistro Johanni de Euerley, canonico Dunkeldensi, salutem et apostolicam Benediccionem. Presentata nobis Dilectorum filiorum de Kelchou, de Aberbrodoch, et de Lundors, Abbatum, Sancti Andree diocesis, Sancti Benedicti, ac prioris cathedralis ecclesie Sancti Andree, Sancti Augustini ordinum, Conuentuumque suorum peticio continebat quod cum bone memorie Aberdonenses [fol. 74.] Episcopi, Capituli sui accedente consensu, quasdam ecclesias Aberdonensis diocesis in quibus Abbates, prior, et conuentus iidem ius obtinent patronatus in proprios usus eorum sibi duxerint concedendas, et quod per eosdem episcopos taliter factum extitit in hac parte per apostolicam sedem fuerit postmodum confirmatum, Venerabilis frater noster Aberdonensis Episcopus, episcoporum illorum successor, pro sua nobis suggerens uoluntate, quod nonnulli abbates, priores, aliique prelati, tam religiosi quam eciam seculares, in ciuitate Aberdonensi et Diocesi constituti vicariis quarundam ecclesiarum quas in proprios usus tenent imponentes nouas contra Lateranensis statuta concilij pensiones, terras et alias possessiones, ad uicarias spectantes easdem, ipsis subtrahunt vicariis, eas in usus proprios conuertendo; Quidam uero prelatorum ipsorum tantum de prouentibus ecclesiarum percipiunt predictarum quod earum vicarij nequeunt de residuo comode sustentari, a nobis obtinuit [litteras] continentes ut super hiis auctoritate nostra statueret prout utilitati ecclesiarum ipsarum secundum deum expedire uideret, non obstantibus concessionibus quibuscunque et confirmacionibus eciam a sede apostolica impetratis, Contradictores per censuram ecclesiasticam, apellacione postposita, compescendo. Cumque litterarum ipsarum pretextu niteretur 1 A.D. 1250. conuentus. idem episcopus ordinare, fines tenoris earum perperam excedendo, quod prefati abbates, prior, et conuentus de pro- MS. prior uentibus dictarum ecclesiarum certam annuatim reciperent prior et porcionem, et omnes reliqui prouentus ipsarum assignarentur vicariis earundem, Jam dicti abbates, prior, et conuentus se ac ecclesias suas seu monasteria sua per ordinacionem huiusmodi sencientes indebite aggrauari, per apellacionis remedium nostram audienciam inuocarunt, cui dictus episcopus detulit reuerenter sicut in eius litteris perspeximus contineri. Quocirca discrecioni uestre per apostolica scripta mandamus, quatinus facultatibus ipsarum ecclesiarum diligenter soliciteque pensatis in eis prout discrecio uestra secundum deum uideret expedire, certas et determinatas curetis statuere uicarias, et de prouentibus ecclesiarum illarum porcionem ipsis congruam assignantes, nominatos abbates, priorem, et conuentus postea contra ordinacionem vestram super hiis nullatenus permittatis ab aliquibus indebite molestari, molestatores huiusmodi per censuram ecclesiasticam, sublato appellacionis obstaculo, compescendo; Non obstantibus aliquibus litteris ueritati et iusticie preiudicantibus, per quas execucio mandati presentis impediri ualeat uel differri, et de quibus specialem oporteat in presentibus fieri mencionem. Quod si non omnes hiis exequendis potueritis interesse, duo uestrum ea nichilominus exequantur. Datum Lugdun. xij. Kalend. Maij, Pontificatus nostri anno Septimo. (Abstract) 'Concerning the same BISHOPS of ABERDEEN.' INNOCENT [IV.], bishop, servant, etc., to the Chancellor of Moray, the Treasurer, and Master John of Everley, Canon of Dunkeld, etc. The narrative is recited as in the preceding writ (cv.) as far as the words' confirmed by the Apostolic See.' After which it proceeds as follows. 'Our venerable brother, the Bishop of Aberdeen, the successor of those bishops, of his own accord intimated to us that some abbots, priors, and other prelates, as well religious as secular, in the city and diocese of Aberdeen, impose upon the vicars of certain churches which they hold for their own uses (in proprios usus) new pensions, contrary to the statutes of the Lateran Council, and withdraw from the vicars lands and other possessions pertaining to the vicarages, and convert them to their own uses, adding that some of these prelates receive so much from the revenues of the said churches that the vicars cannot be properly maintained out of the residue. The Bishop of Aberdeen obtained from us letters to the effect that he might by our authority make enactments on these matters, as might, in the sight of God, seem to him expedient, for the advantage of those churches, notwithstanding all concessions and confirmations whatsoever which had been obtained from the Apostolic See, restraining opponents by the censure of the Church, appeal being postponed. And since, under pretence of these letters, the limits of the tenor of which he has much exceeded, the bishop endeavours to ordain that the aforesaid abbots, prior, and convents should receive yearly a fixed portion from the revenues of the said churches, all the remaining revenues of the same being assigned to the vicars of the same, the aforesaid abbots, prior, and convents, feeling themselves and their churches, or monasteries, to be aggrieved, have appealed for remedy to our judgment, to which the aforesaid bishop reverently submitted himself, as appears from his letters. Wherefore we commit to your discretion by our apostolic writ to weigh diligently and carefully the capabilities (facultatibus) of these churches, as may seem expedient to your discretion in the sight of God, and then to fix and determine the values of the vicarages [i.e. the benefices], and to assign a fitting portion to the vicars of the same, and after that to prevent the abbots, prior, and convents suffering molestation in this matter, restraining those who would molest them by the censure of the Church, appeal being disallowed. And this, notwithstanding any letters prejudicial to truth and justice, by which the execution of this mandate could be hindered or delayed, and of which letters special mention should be made in these presents. Which, if not all of you, etc. Given at Lyons, xij. Kalends of May [April 20], in the seventh year of our pontificate.1 CVII De confirmacione Ecclesie de Lundoris. VNIVERSIS Sancte matris ecclesie filiis et fidelibus, Rogerus dei gracia Episcopus Sancti Andree, perpetuam in Domino Salutem. Nouerint omnes, tam posteri quam presentes, Dominum Dauid comitem, fratrem domini Willelmi Regis Scotorum, fundasse abbaciam quandam de ordine Kelkoensi apud Lundors, pro salute Domini Willelmi Regis fratris sui, et pro salute anime sue et matildis comitisse coniugis sue, et omnium heredum ipsorum, et pro salute anime Regis Dauid aui sui, et Comitis Henrici patris sui, et Ade Comitisse matris sue, et omnium antecessorum suorum, et ipsam ecclesiam de 1 A.D. 1250. |