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Edwardi, nuper regis Angliæ, factam in hæc verba: Edwardus, Dei gratia, rex Angliæ, archiepiscopis, episcopis, etc., salutem. Sciatis nos concessisse et hac carta nostra confirmasse, dilecto nobis in Christo, abbati de Fontibus, quod ipse et successores sui imperpetuum habeant liberam warrenam in omnibus dominicis terris suis de Balderby, Marton-super-Moram, etc.—[Ut supra, No. xiii. p. 20.]

Inspeximus, insuper, cartam domini Edwardi nuper regis Angliæ tercii, progenitoris nostri, factam in hæc verba: Edwardus, Dei gratia, etc., omnibus ad quos, etc., salutem. Sciatis quod, cum nuper pro eo quod, dilecti nobis in Christo, abbas et conventus de Fontibus, concesserunt, ad requisitionem nostram, Johanni de Waltham, nuper nuncio nostro, jam defuncto, quandam sustentationem, etc.-[Ut supra, No. xxv. p. 44.]

Inspeximus etiam quasdam literas patentes domini Henrici, nuper regis Angliæ sexti, progenitoris nostri, factas in hæc verba: Henricus, Dei gratia, rex Angliæ, etc., omnibus ad quos, etc., salutem. Inspeximus literas patentes domini Ricardi nuper regis Angliæ, prædecessoris nostri, factas in hæc verba: Ricardus, Dei gratia, rex Angliæ, omnibus ad quos, etc.—[Ut supra, No. xxx. p. 48.]

Nos autem literas, cartas, concessiones et confirmationes prædictas, et omnia et singula in eisdem contentis, rata habentes et grata, ea, pro nobis et hæredibus nostris, quantum in nobis est, acceptamus, ac dilectis nobis Marmaduco, nunc abbati et conventui loci prædicti, ratificamus et confirmamus, prout litteræ et cartæ prædictæ rationabiliter testantur. In cujus, etc. T. R., apud Westmonasterium, xx° die Februarij.'

(I) The rest of the Royal Charters, consisting of confirmations of grants of land and licenses of Alienation in Mortmain, will be found under the subsequent heads of the places to which they relate.

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I. PRIVILEGIUM

INNOCENTII II. DE PROTECTIONE, IMMUNITATE DECIMARUM, RECEPTIONE LIBERARUM PERSONARUM, DE NON RECEPTANDO FUGITIVOS NOSTROS, NEC INTERDICENDO LOCUM NOSTRUM, ET DE CELEBRANDO DIVINA TEMPORE INTERDICTI

ETC. 2

INNOCENTIUS episcopus, servus servorum Dei, dilectis filiis Ricardo, abbati monasterii sanctæ Mariæ de Fontibus, quod archiepiscopatu Eboracensi situm est, ejusque fratribus, tam præsentibus quam futuris, regulariter substituendis imperpetuum.

(1) The engraving represents the obverse and reverse of a bulla or leaden seal of pope Innocent III.-A.D. 1198-1216-found a few years ago among the ruins of Fountains, and supposed to be the only remaining vestige of the original papal bulls granted to the monastery.

(2) The ensuing series of PAPAL BULLS is taken from the REGISTER OF THE PRIVILEGES OF FOUNTAINS, mentioned in the first note of the present volume. This manuscript, which records much interesting matter that otherwise would have perished, is divided into three parts. The first contains the royal charters recited in the previous pages, with some other documents, the purport of which has also been noticed. The second part consists of copies of thirty-nine bulls relating specially to Fountains; and of eighty others of a provincial or a general character, interpolated in the series, which directly affected its interests. This division, reduced to chrono logical order, furnishes the present text-the bulls relating, eo nomine, to Fountains, being printed in extenso-and the rest in a form more or less abbreviated, according to their importance or their absence from any printed work. The third section consists of a transcript of the Bullarium or Register of the general privileges of the Cistercian Order, compiled by Jean de Cirey, abbot of Citeaux, in the year 1490, and printed in the next year at Dijon, in a small quarto volume without title or imprint, but with the following colophon: "Opere et impensa reverendissimi in Christo patris et domni, domni Johannis abbatis Cistercii, sacræ theologiæ eximii professoris: ad usum sacratissimi ordinis filiorum consolationem et profectum, hoc opus plurium summorum pontificum privilegiorum, quibus dictus sacer ordo Cisterciensis amplissime contra omnes injurias et insultus, privilegiatus est et munitus; emendatissimæ et integerrimæ impressum Divione per magistrum Petrum Bethlinger Alemannum, anno Domini Mo CCCC. nonagesimo primo, iiij Julias;

Apostolici moderaminis clementiæ convenit religiosos viros. diligere, et eorum loca pia protectione munire. Dignum namque et honestati conveniens esse cognoscitur, ut quia ad anima

Finit Feliciter." The rarity of this book-alluded to by Dom. Liron in his Singularités Historiquez et Litteraires, tom. iii. pp. 337-339-is so great that the only copy which I have been able to discover is that in the Bodleian Library, I. Q. v. 56, quoted in the following notes by the title, "Privilegia Ordinis Cist.," though this and the foliation have been added by the pen. It is in the original binding, and has a pictorial frontispiece, engraved on wood, representing a body of monks and nuns kneeling under the protection of the cloak of the Virgin, above whose head is inscribed on a scroll,

"Quam tibi Cisterci placeant sanctissimus ordo,
Hæc nobis primum ostensio facta probat;
Ergo tuo maneat semper sub numine tutus,
Deditus ante alios, Virgo beata tibi."

On the other side of the page is a large wood-cut of the pope seated, in the act of benediction, and holding a bull or charter in his left hand. Two cardinals stand on each side, and abbots and monks kneel before him. St. Robert and St. Albert hold the representation of a church, before which is an armorial shield-Seme of fleurs de lis, an escutcheon of pretence, charged with bendy of six, within a bordure-subscribed "Cistercium." This collection was published in an enlarged form by Chrysostom Henriquez, under the title, "Regula, Constitutiones, Privilegia ordinis Cisterciensis: item congregationum monasticarum et militarium quæ Cisterciense institutum observant, etc. Antverpiæ, ex officina Plantiniana Balthasaris Moreti, 1630," but it is very seldom to be met with in this country. Considering therefore, the unusual rarity of these works, and the absence of any other equally comprehensive collection, I have appended in the following notes, under the reign of each pope, the rubrics and dates of the bulls included in the third series of the manuscript register above mentioned, and not found in the second, supplemented by memoranda from accessible Registers of English Cistercian monasteries containing documents of this nature, and other quoted sources of information. Assuming the improbability of a Cistercian Bullarium being published for some time to come, such an accompaniment seems, also, requisite, inasmuch as the series of bulls in the text affords a suitable opportunity of providing, at least, a connected abstract of documents, which throw remarkable light on the influence and decline of an order that left beneficial results, deeply and indelibly traced, not only in the social history of the kingdom, but in the history of European civilization.

A large portion of the bulls granting privileges to the Cistercian order were probably obtained at the instance of the chapter-general, or of the parent house of Citeaux. In most instances, they were addressed to the abbot of that monastery and all his fellow abbots, in others, with respect to England, to the archbishops, bishops, and other prelates of the provinces of Canterbury and York, when their operation was consequently confined to those provinces. Copies of them, under the bulla, or papal seal, bearing varying dates, were therefore obtained from the pontiffs who granted them, by different monasteries-a circumstance which causes much trouble in their identification and arrangement, especially when entered in a register in an undated and abstracted form. Without a knowledge, also, of the general series of privileges granted to the order, bulls might be erroneously supposed to be special and peculiar to a house that had been previously enjoyed elsewhere. Thus, the bull of Benefaciens Dominus, granted to the abbot and convent of Meux, in Holderness, by pope Honorius III., on the 9th of April, in the eighth year of his pontificate (Lansd. MS., 424, f. 17), had been addressed to all archbishops, bishops, etc., on the 31st of December, in his third year (Bullar. Rom. Cocquel., tom. iii. p. 201), and copies had been obtained by Fountains on the 4th of January (Regist. Privil. de Font., f. 38), and by Meux, on the 15th of March in the following year (Lansd. MS., 424, f. 15). In this case, the abbot of Meux probably sought to add greater weight to some cause he might have in dispute, by the production of a special exemption granted to his house under the papal seal. Sometimes the operation of a bull of privileges was confined, in the first instance, to a particular province or provinces, and afterwards was made general, as in the instance of another bull of pope Honorius III.-Cum abbates Cisterciensis ordinis-which was originally addressed to the archbishops of Canterbury and York, on the 25th of June, in the seventh year of his pontificate (Regist. Priv. de Font., f. 36), copies of that date being entered also in the registers of Meux (Lansd. MS., 424, f. 15), and of Sibton in Norfolk (Arund. MS., B.M. 221, f. 145). This was not, however, made generally operative, by being addressed to all archbishops, bishops, and prelates until the 9th of November, in the ninth

-rum regimen assumpti sumus, eas et a pravorum hominum nequitia tueamur, et apostolicæ sedis patrocinio foveamus.1

Ea propter, dilecti in Domino filii, vestris justis postulationibus clementer annuimus, et præfatum locum, in quo Divino mancipati estis obsequio, sub beati Petri et nostra protectione suscipimus, et præsentis scripti privilegio communimus. Statuentes,

ut quascunque possessiones, quæcunque bona, ipsum monasterium in præsentiarum juste et canonice possidet, aut in futurum, concessione pontificum, largitione regum, vel principum, oblatione fidelium, seu aliis justis modis, Deo propitio, poterit adipisci,

year of his reign,—Regist. Priv. de Font., p. 3. f. 66. By one of the constitutions of the order, it was directed "ut, in omnibus monasteriis habeantur transcripta privilegiorum," and, in case of neglect, the abbots, "stallum proprium ingredi non presumant, donec habuerunt ipsa privilegia." -MS. Laud. in Bibl. Bodl., 362, f. 8. If this regulation was strictly observed, the Register of Fountains is, however, so far as I am informed, the only English volume devoted exclusively to that purpose. Probably, like the original bulls, they were systematically destroyed at the Reformation. There are not more than thirty chartularies of English Cistercian monasteries preserved in our public libraries and archives, and collections of papal privileges occur only in those of Beaulieu, Fountains, Furness, Gerouden, Holm-Coltram, Meux, Sibton, and Vale-Royal.

Though the second part of the Register of Privileges of Fountains probably contains as perfect and comprehensive a collection of the papal privileges granted to the Cistercians, within the provinces of Canterbury and York, as can now be recovered, still, the monks never appear to have entertained a desire to obtain copies as the series was issued, either "sub plumbo" or under the hand of a notary-public. Thus the compiler says of the bull of pope Urban III.-Cum ordo vester-"Habetur apud Kirkestall sub bulla;" of that of Alexander IV.-Licet ad hoc-"Originale est in Claravalle, et transcriptum sub manu publica apud Kirkestale;" of that of Boniface VIII. -In ecclesiæ firmamento-" Est apud Revalle et Strateford;" and other instances of a like nature will be observed in the following notes. Some of these records were of greater rarity than others, even when they were of greater importance, as in the instance where the compiler observes on the bull of pope Innocent IV.-Significastis nobis-"Est valde bonum privilegium et necessarium et raro invenitur." In all cases, they were preserved with jealous care-bond being required, even when lent from one house of the order to another-but when Fountains was the mother house, it is somewhat surprising to find it said in its register, of the bull of Honorius III.-Contigit interdum -"Apud Valle Dei dicitur esse sub bulla;" and of that of Gregory X.-In vestitu deauratoOriginale est, ut dicitur, in Parcolude, sed sub manu publica est apud Melsam et Jorevallem." It is to be hoped, for the credit of all parties concerned, that it was an exceptional case which drew forth the significant observation relative to the bull of Alexander IV.-Sedes apostolica duxit"Istud originale perdidimus per moniales de Synigthwait, tempore abbatis P., sed est aliud originale in Parcolude." The abbot thus alluded to was Peter Alyng, who is thought to have been deposed.-Vide vol. i. p. 139.

(1) The exordium, as well as other clauses, of Papal Bulls granting privileges to religious houses, were drawn up, in ordinary cases, from settled forms and precedents, varied of course as occasion required. Thus the exordium used in the present bull was adopted in that which follows it in the text, granted by pope Eugenius III.; and in the succeeding clause, after the word, annuimus, pope Innocent II. added, sometimes, on similar occasions, "atque prædecessorum nostrorum vestigiis inhærentes." (Bullar. Rom. ed. Cocquelines, tom. ii. col. 270-271.) A Bull of Confirmation couched in nearly similar terms as the present was granted, by pope Eugenius III., to the monastery of Vaussoire in France. (Coll. Vet. Script. ed. Martene et Durand, tom. i. col. 819.) (Bullar. Rom. Cocquel., tom. ii. c. 321); and there is another with the same exordium and scope in the collection of Cocquelines, tom. ii. c. 459. Pope Innocent II., by a bull dated at the Vatican, 5 Id. Mar., 1140, takes the Cistercian abbey of Thame-which I had occasion to mention in the first volume of this work, p. 69-into his protection, adding the clause, "Sane decimis laborum, nostrorum quos propriis manibus," etc., and enjoins that none shall disturb their possessions.-Cott. MS., Julius, C. vii. fol. 304.

F.-VOL. II.

firma vobis vestrisque successoribus et illibata permaneant.

Sane laborum vestrorum quos propriis manibus aut sumptibus colitis, sive de nutrimentis vestrorum animalium, nullus omnino clericus vel laicus a vobis decimas exigere præsumat.

Si qua vero libera et absoluta persona, pro redemptione animæ suæ, vestro monasterio se conferre voluerit, eam suscipiendi facultatem liberam habeatis. Addentes etiam auctoritate apostolica prohibemus ne quis fratres vestros, clericos, videlicet, sive laicos, post factam in vestro monasterio professionem, absque vestra licentia suscipere audeat vel retinere.

Sanximus etiam nequis archiepiscopus vel episcopus, sive cujuslibet ordinis, locum vestrum a divinis interdicat officiis, sed liceat vobis omni tempore, clausis januis et exclusis excommunicatis, divina officia celebrare, nisi abbatis vel fratrum ipsius loci evidens et manifesta culpa extiterit.

Si qua igitur, in futurum, ecclesiastica sæcularisve persona, hanc nostræ constitutionis paginam sciens, contra eam temere venire temptaverit, secundo, tertiove commonita, si non satisfactione congrua emendaverit, potestatis honorisque sui dignitate careat; reamque se Divino judicio existere de perpetrata iniquitate cognoscat; et a sacratissimo corpore et sanguine Dei et Domini Redemptoris nostri, Jesu Christi, aliena fiat; atque in extremo examine districtæ ultioni subjaceat.

Cunctis autem eidem monasterio justa servantibus, sit pax Domini nostri, Jesu Christi, quatenus, et hic fructum bonæ actionis percipiant, et apud districtum Judicem præmia æternæ pacis inveniant. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Ego Innocentius,1 catholicæ Ecclesiæ episcopus, [subscripsi].'

(1) Innocent II. was elected Pope, 15th February 1130, was consecrated on the 23rd of the same month, and died 24th September, 1143. Of his acts and times see Baronius Annal. Eccles., ed. Mansi, tom. xviii. pp. 427-624. Muratori Rerum Ital. Script., tom. iii. pt. 1. p. 433, pars. ii. col. 366. Ciaconius, Vit. et res gest. Rom. Pont., Romæ 1677, tom. i. col. 971-1010. Vita Innocentii II. Pont. Rom., auctore Caulio; Marburgi, 1744. Hist. B. Platinæ de vitis Rom. Pont.; Coloniæ, 1574, p. 173. Ľ'Art de Vérefier les Dates; Paris, 1818, tom. iii. p. 343. Jaffé Regesta Pont. Rom., p. 558.

The copy of the signum of pope Innocent II., and the monogram BENE VALETE, between which the papal subscription is placed, are reduced in size one third from that drawn in the Register of Privileges. There are also copies in Bullar. Rom., ed. Cocquel., tom. ii. col. 205-206. Ciac. Vit. Rom. Pont., tom. i. col. 976. Papias says, in voce Formata, "Privilegia summorum episcoporum sunt cujuslibet ecclesiæ concessiones Pontificum, quorum materia hæc est, ut dicat pontifex, erogatum cujuslibet dignæ personæ, vel alia qualicunque ratione ecclesiæ illi, illa seu illa pontificali concedere et roborare dignitate. Anathema ponatur in calce epistolæ. Habent autem et Privilegia prologos, sicut et cæteræ epistolæ, et monogramma hujusmodi in fine BTE., quod est Bene valete. Signum autem in Privilegii exordio vel crismon, vel crux Dominica, cum crismon erit.-Consueverunt præterea in extremo margine privilegii quosdam insignire orbiculos, antistitis nomen, et quælibet paucula verba continentes in hunc modum," etc. A facsimile of part of an instrument of pope Benedict III. (A.D. 855-858) where the words BENE VALETE are written horizontally, the one below the other, will be found in Mabillon De re diplomatica, pl. xxvij.

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