Infra,

255.

Dispute with dispute was settled between Boniface archbishop Boni- archbishop of Canterbury and the chapter of Lincoln as to the exercise of jurisdiction during the vacancy of the bishopric.1

face.

The next bishop, Oliver of Sutton, dean of Lincoln, Oliver of Sutton, was chosen bishop "per viam inspirabishop, 1280-1299. "tionis." An explanation of this phrase is given by Mr. Dimock in his Glossary. Bishop Oliver receives the best possible character, and some of the special merits attributed to him may throw some light on the dealings of other bishops who were less scrupulous. The fines which he received from adulterers and other delinquents he did not keep to himself, but divided them among mendicant friars, poor nuns, and the poor of the parishes in which the crimes were committed. Still more to be noticed is the praise that he never burthened the villains on his demesne with any tallages or other exactions beyond the service lawfully due from them. Instead of so doing, he often relieved the poor on his manors with money. He also increased the daily commons of the canons from eightpence to twelvepence. In short, the only fault which the capitular writer can find with him is, that, when the taxation of pope Nicolas Rating of the pre- was made, he allowed the prebendal churches to be too highly rated, a crime of which he deeply repented before his death.

His kindness to the villains on his demesnes.

bendal churches.

At this point we get a glimpse of the writer whom John of Shalby here followed. The compiler says that he knew all bishop Oliver's acts, because he lived in his house for eighteen years as his registrar.

Building of the cloister, vicars' court, &c.

Considerable architectural works were carried out during this episcopate. Bishop Oliver caused the cloister to be

1 See Mr. Dimock's Note, the same dispute is also referred to in

the Annals of Dunstable, Annales Monastici, iii. 189, 190, 213, 214.

built, and gave fifty marks towards the building. The vicars' court was also begun in his time and with his help, and after his death it was carried on by his executors. This marks a stage in the development of cathedral institutions. The vicars, hitherto mere deputies of absent canons and living in the empty houses of their masters,1 were now beginning to become corporate bodies, dependent on the chapter with regard to their duties, but holding independent property of their own, and living together in a collegiate manner. The best known case is the famous Vicars' Close at Wells. But it appears from this account that the change was made earlier at Lincoln, as the Vicars' Close at Wells was the work of Ralph of Shrewsbury, bishop from 1329 to 1363.

Building of the separate church of St. Mary Magdalen.

But perhaps the most interesting among the works of bishop Oliver was

lxxxii.

one which at once connects itself with the original building of the minster by Remigius. Up to this time the parishioners of St. Mary Magdalen had Supra, kept their church in the nave of the minster into which their elder church had grown. It was now alleged that the cathedral clergy were disturbed by the coming in of the parishioners. Bishop Oliver accordingly, with the consent of the chapter and of the parish, caused a separate parish church of St. Mary Magdalen to be built. Here all parochial ministrations were to take place, except baptisms, which were still to be celebrated at the minster font, and burials, which were still to be performed in the minster burial ground. Death of bishop Bishop Oliver's registrar gives us a touching account of his death, while matins were singing on St. Brice's day, a day which in

Oliver.

Supra,

lxxxi.

Supra, lxxxiii.

1300-1320.

general English history suggests such different memories. He also quotes the report of the bishop's confessor as to his personal virtue.' He was succeeded by another of those local worthies who received a popular canonization without being ever put on the list of acknowledged John of Dal- saints at Rome. This was John of Dalderby, bishop, derby, chancellor of the church of Lincoln, elected bishop "per viam scrutinii," whose life is written, like that of Oliver of Sutton, by a member of his household, who extols his piety, bounty, and diligence in preaching. But he still continued the practice of appropriating the revenues of parochial churches to the cathedral body in the form of pensions to the newly established college of vicars.2 He also did one act which ends the history of the relations between the minster and the neighbouring parishes. The church of All Saints, whose revenues had formed and St. Mary Mag- the subject of a dispute recorded in Domesday, was now united with the once more distinct church of St. Mary Magdalen. Some complications arose as to the patronage and jurisdiction of the now united parish. By some arrangement later than the days of Godric and Earnwine, the chancellor had become rector, patron, and immediate ordinary of the church of All Saints. He had also temporal rights and jurisdiction over the tenants of the church of Lincoln with the parish. The parish of St. Mary Magdalen was, as we have seen, in the patronage and jurisdiction of the

All Saints Church

dalen, 1318.

chapter as a body. These conflicting claims were thus reconciled. As the chapter was superior ordinary of All Saints, the chancellor's ecclesiastical jurisdiction was merged in that of the chapter, which thus became immediate ordinary of the united parish. But the chancellor kept all his temporal rights, among them that of advowson. Instead of the perpetual patronage of All Saints, he received every third presentation to the united benefice of St. Mary Magdalen and All Saints.1

Successive election

the church.

The place vacated by the death of after the death of John of Dalderby was not filled withJohn of Dalderby. out a good deal of controversy. The chapter first chose their dean, Henry of Mansfield, who declined the election. Then they chose "per viam scrutinii," another of their own body, a member of the Anthony Beek, episcopal family of Bek or Beek, the less or Bek, refused famous Anthony of that name, who was by the Pope. then, like John of Dalderby, chancellor of But pope John XXII. refused the election, and bestowed the bishopric on Henry of Borowash or Burghersh. In describing him the record falls back on a formula which has been long forgotten. It is said pointedly that Master Henry of Borowash was an Englishman by birth; but the reason now obviously is because the pope might very likely have appointed a Roman or other stranger. There may also be some wish to throw some little scorn on the Englishman who received consecration beyond sea at the pope's bidding.2

Henry of Burgh

ersh, bishop.

I P. 214. "Jus præsentandi ad "dictam ecclesiam beatæ Mariæ "Magdalenæ cum vacaverit tertia "vice, cancellario dictæ ecclesiæ "Lincolniensis prædicto et suis "successoribus, in recompensa"tionem juris patronatus quod "quondam habuit in dicta ecclesia

"Omnium Sanctorum, imperpe"tuum reservavit."

2 P. 215. "Dominus papa Jo"hannes xxii. prætendens se epi"scopatum Lincolniensem suæ "collationi reservasse, contulit "illum magistro Henrico de Boro"wasch, natione Anglico; qui in

John of Schalby is now, if not actually writing in his own person, at least copying records of his own time. For his own name appears among the canons who were present when the treasurer Thomas of Louth, in the year 1324, promised a clock to the minster, a thing which had hitherto been lacking. Mr. Dimock remarks that the act of chapter is here copied with some omissions, one of which is the statement that nearly every other cathedral and conventual church had a clock. The fourteenth century seems to have been a time when the making of these great astronomical clocks was in fashion. The famous one at Glastonbury, now at Wells, dates from about this time.

Relations between

ward II.

The local writer mentions, without the bishop and Ed- giving any details, certain persecutions which this bishop underwent at the hands of Edward II. And he adds that this happened, although it was at the king's own instance that he had taken the bishopric. This seems hardly to fit in with the story in the paragraph immediately before about the bishopric being conferred by the pope. It is however quite possible that the king made use of the pope to cancel a regular election by the chapter. If the papal letter which John of Schalby appears to have copied, but which Mr. Dimock says is not now to be found, had luckily come down to us, the matter might have been clearer. Under Edward III. the bishop fared better. He is chancellor He was that king's chancellor, and he to Edward III. procured for the palace, the churchyard, and the canons' houses, an extension of the very doubtful privilege of sanctuary. This is the last fact which John of Schalby records, and his record here comes suddenly to an end.