Folios: 61v-62. Leicestershire. Provision. First party: Abbot Richard and the convent...

Folios: 61v-62. Leicestershire. Provision.

First party: Abbot Richard and the convent of the church of St Mary de Pratis, Leicester.

Second party: [unspecified].

Place or subject: With the consent and advice of Robert, earl of Leicester, the founder, and religious men and honourable persons, the abbot and convent have provided eight honourable and suitable clerks to serve in the church of St Mary de Castello, Leicester, to be elected by the abbot and convent. Towards whose maintenance they have granted all oblations and tithes, except maniples, fruits and all benefits of that parish church which were formerly called common. Two portions are to fall to the sacrist, who will make provision for the service of the church, with 20s at the earl's exchequer, which his father gave, to provide lights for the church every night of the year, and to adorn the church in summer; and to find frankincense and to wash and repair vestments, curtains and other ornaments and to procure all the surplice of the church and other things of this sort. The remaining six portions will be given to six clerks who will serve with him according to their arrangement. The eighth will be a chaplain, who will have for his sustenance what former chaplains before him were accustomed to have. Such men are to be chosen, whose life is honourable, that is free from all fornication, public or demonstrable, and from all usury and the seeking of trade, etc. If any of the same men is convicted of any of these vices, he is to be replaced. Every single man is to undergo fealty and canonical subjection to their church, and will remain free from the aforesaid vices as long as they serve in that church. The election, substitution or change, on account of such vices or any other reasonable cause, both of the sacrist and also the clerks and chaplain will only be in the control of the abbot and convent. The abbot or any of the canons whom he wants to send for this is to preside over the chapter of that church once a week or whenever he wants and recognises that there is need. And he is to suitably emend the lighter excesses of the clerk there and arrange what seems to pertain to the service of the church. But if any of the clerks is accused of such vices or any greater excess, he is to come into their chapter and obey the judgment of the abbot and chapter upon this. When any one of them undergoes this, if the heir or any successors of the earl wants to substitute anyone in his place by secular power, the person whom he nominates is by no means to be admitted, but the abbot is to have with the advice of his brothers the free faculty of electing and instituting a suitable clerk whom he wishes. No one is to presume to take away the sacred ornaments of that church, namely vessels and priestly cloths and things pertaining to the clerks of the smaller order, also curtains and other things of this sort, which are now there or will be in the future collected to the devotion of the church, or convert them other uses except to the use of the same church.

County: [Leicestershire].

Additional people: Witnesses: Reynold, abbot of Persora [Pershore]; Turstin, abbot of Gerold; Payn, abbot of Saltereia; Robert, prior of Kineldewurd [Kenilworth]; Augustine, subprior of the same church; Master William de Calewic; Ernald de Bosco; William Burdet; William Basset; Robert de Crest; Ralph de Turreville; William de Widville; Philip Sorel; Ralph Fridai; Simon de Hareucort; Roger de Grauf; Robert de Hareucort; Robert the chaplain; Matthew the chaplain; Master Serlo; Peter the clerk; Gilbert Pischer; Hugh de Duham; William son of Amfrid; William Beoli; Bartholomew de Siflewast; Simon the clerk; and Robert the chaplain of the earl.

Undated.