Composition (copy) and portion

From: John Stratford, archbishop of Canterbury Composition between the prior and convent of Canterbury Cathedral Priory and the vicar of Farningham. A portion is assigned to the vicarage of Farningham ('Fremingham') for 'Dominus' Thomas the vicar and his successors (extract from DCc-ChAnt/F/18). The vicar's portion consists of tithes and offerings as specified, with the produce from 12 acres of arable land belonging to the church, the vicarage garden and the dovecote. He is also to receive annual payments of 1d, a quarter of wheat and a quarter of palm-barley from the priory's almoner, to whose office the church has been assigned, an annual pension of 5 marks, the remains of the Paschal candle after it's broken, the grass in the churchyard and legacies to the church which can be received by the rector. Other tithes as specified are assigned to the priory. The vicar is to maintain a chaplain to serve the church at his own cost and shall provide bread, wine and a wax light for celebrating divine service and communion on Easter day. He shall also pay for the washing and mending of vestments and the binding of books for the church. The priory shall bear all other burdens. The archbishop reserves the assessment of expenses in this case. Mid 14th century copy of portion with copy of the archbishop's letter to the priory attached. No date. [Date: date of composition.] Original dated 28 Jul 1347 at Lambeth (decree) and 20 May 1348 at Maidstone (confirmation). The copy was compared with the almoner's register [now Bodleian Library Tanner 18.] Copy attested by Horton Drayton, auditor and registrar of Canterbury Cathedral, and examined by Walter Loveden. Copy not dated. [Date of copy: Horton Drayton's dates as registrar and auditor.]

<p>Registered version of original: CCA-DCc-Register/B, ff9r-11v</p>