away to lessen them or to vexe them with ony vexacions but that they shold be keped hole for theire sustenaunce and gouernynge for the which they were I-graunted to profite in all manere vsis, Savyng the auctorite of the pope and the reguler right of the diocesane Bisshoppe. And yf ony in the tyme to come, of the Chirche or of the seculer parte, knowyng this his writyng, tempte frowardely to come or do ayenst hit twyes or thries I-warned, but he correcte his gilte with dew satis|faccion, he shold lakke or be depreved of his dignyte, worshippe, and powere, and know hym to be Iugged of god for that his wikkednesse that he did, And that he stondith departed fro the most holy body and blode of god and of oure agayne-byere Ihesu crist, and be subiected to streight vengeaunce in the last dome. And all this is no more to sey after my symplenesse, but that suche persones bene accursed. And he wolde that the pease of oure lord Ihesu crist shold be, to all kepyng of the same place theire rightis, that is to sey, they shold have cristis blissyng, that they doyng so myght take the frute of ther good doyng and to fynde the rewardes of everlastyng pease at the streight Iuggement. Amen, & cetera.
1401/2, Febr. 18. Bull of pope Boniface IX (el. 1389, Nov. 2; died 1404, Oct. 1), empower|ing God|stow to lease out, give, or sell, the yearly proceeds of their different possessions, without obtaining licence of the ordin|ary, and in spite of pro|visions of the canon law. No papal decree hereafter obtained by any bishop is to be of power to annul this grant, unless the revocation expressly recites the grant and expressly repeals it.
THE sentence of this confirmacion is, that Boneface, bisshop, servaunte of the seruantis of god, willed to be know to a per|petuell myndyng or memorie, that al so ofte as hit was I-asked of hym that was accordyng (or semed to acorde) to the holy religion and honeste, he graunted and thought to graunte with a good wille and to graunte to the desiris of the askers con|venyent helpe. This was the cause that he inclyned to the supplicacions of his welbeloued in crist the abbesse of Godestowe and of the Couente of the same monastery of the ordire of Seynt Benette of Lyncolne Diocise in this behalf, that they myght lawfully and frely arendre, sette to ferme, yeve or selle, all frutis, rentis, prouentis, tythis, and offeryngis of chirches, chapelles, porcions, pensions, and of othere possessions longyng
