The English register of Oseney abbey / by Oxford, written about 1460. Ed., with an introduction and indexes, by Andrew Clark.

[158.]

1220. Suit between Oseney and Fécamp abbey in Normandy, about tithes, decided by papal com|missioners, appointed Dec. 2, 1219, Oseney claiming ⅔rds of the tithe of the de|mesne land of Little Barton; but accept|ing the offer by Fécamp abbey of a perpetual lease of the tithes at a quit-rent of 10s. to be paid to Cogges priory. Penalty of £1 on the breaker of this agree|ment.

TO all cristen men this present writyng to see thabbot of Enysham and the Dene of Oxonforde Euerlastyng helth in owr lorde. Know ȝe all vs þ^e Maundement of owr lorde the pope to haue i-take in these wordes—

Honorye, Bisshop, seruaunte of the seruauntes of god, to his Beloued soones, thabbot of Enysham, Prior of saynte [folio 35b] ffrides|withe, and the Deene of oxonforde of lincoln Diocesy, helth and the popes Blesshyng. Þat [Omit 'that.'] þe Beloued ssones, thabbot and couent of Oseney, of the ordre of saynte Austen, to vs playnyng, have i-schewed that where thabbot and Couent of lyre ['de Lyra.'] of þe ordre of Saynte Benedicte and summe oþer of Hereford and Wyrcetur diocese and of lincoln Diocese vppon tithis and other thynges doo wronge to þem. Therefore truly to ȝour discrecion, By the popes writyng, we charge that, þe parties i-called, ȝe hyre þe cause and (apelyng removed) with Dew Ende ȝe endid [Read 'end it.'] , doyng ['facientes quod decreveritis. . .obser|vari.'] þat ȝe Decree By censure of þe church to be i-kepid. And þe witnesses that Be i-called, if they þem-selfe for grace, hate, or drede, withdrawe them, By þ^e same censure (appelyng cesyng) ȝe constrayne to Bare witnesse: And if that ȝe all to þese thynges to Be executid may not Be att ['interesse.'] , tweyne of ȝow þoo thynges, not-witstandyng, do execute. The Date at la|teranys, iiij^o none of December, of owr Bisshopehoode þ^e iiij. ȝere.

Þerfore By the auctorite of these letters, thabbot and Couent of Oseney, By there procuratour in owre presence i-sette, ij. parties of þe tithis of þe Demayne of Robert Arsic In litull Barton saide, of þe commune lawe, to þere church of grete Barton to perteyne, þe which of thabbot of ffescampe vtterly they axid, The which By his procuratour, that is to say, Roger thenne or that tyme prior ['tunc temporis prior.'] of Cogges, afore vs thenne com|peryd. Thenne when þe same procuratour, at ['procurator, ad totam causam motam . . . datus.'] all þe cawse

i-meved vppon þ^e saide tithis Bitwene þe forsaide Abbotes and Couentes [i-sett], letters of procuresyis i-ȝeve afore vs in Jugge|ment he [Read 'had.'] schewed, in the which was i-conteyned that Abbot and Couent of ffescampe woolde and willed to be ferme what that Euer ['quicquid.'] þe saide prior in that cawse did. At þe last, after many altercacions Bitwene parties, þe strife ffrendely in this restid, þat is to say, that þe foresaide procuratour of thabbot and Couent off ffescampe to thabbot and Couent of Oseney the forsaide tithis to A perpetuell fferme grauntid, and the same in|to Bodely possession ledde in ['induxit.'] , for x. s. of sterlinges Euery ȝere, at Oseneye, to þ^e prior of Cogges, at þe ffest of Seynte Miȝghell or within þe vtas of þe same, to Be paide; and if oony of þe saide parties agaynste þ^e saide composicion come, to þe oþer partie xx. s. he schall paye. For this cawse we, hauyng this composicion ferme, By the Auctorite of owr lorde pope hit haue i-Juggid to conferme. In-to witnesse of the which and perpetuell mynde, et cetera.