Walter Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter. Stapledon Walter King and council. Bishop of...

Petitioners

Walter Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter.

Name(s)

Stapledon, Walter

Addressees

King and council.

Occupation

Bishop of Exeter

Nature of request

Walter, Bishop of Exeter, states that the church of St Buryan is a parochial cure of souls belonging to the bishopric of Exeter, and not the king's free chapel, and that the advowson of this church belongs to the earldom of Cornwall and not the crown, and the bishop of Exeter has had institution, destitution, and all manner of ordinary jurisdiction there from time immemorial; however, after the death of William de Hamelton, who was dean there, presented by Edmund earl of Cornwall and instituted by the bishop of Exeter, one Ralph de Manton falsely told Edward I that the church was the king's free chapel, and so was instituted there by him, without being presented to the bishop. After his death Matthew, a chaplain of Queen Margaret, became dean in the same manner, and after his death John de Medunta was presented by Edward II, in the same way. The bishop requests a that the right to this presentation be examined; and, as there has been a law-suit on ordinary jurisdiction in this church between him and the king for seven years now, he asks that either the record of that suit be examined in answering the petition, or the petition be sent to the justices for them to determine both together. He also states that he has petitioned every parliament for the last seven years on this, but has had no remedy.

Nature of endorsement

Coram rege quia tangit ipsum (Before the king because it concerns him).It seems however to the council that this petition should be sent with a writ of the king to the justices appointed to hear this plea, instructing them to proceed to do justice.Of the same opinion. So a writ is to be sent as above.

Places mentioned

Seinte Beriane (St Buryan), [Cornwall].

People mentioned

Ralph de Manton, clerk of Edward I

William de Hamelton, Dean of St Buryan

Edmund [of Almaine], Earl of Cornwall

Edward I, King of England

Matthew, chaplain of Margaret of France

Margaret of France, Queen of England

John de Medunta.

For a petition by the dean and chapter, see SC 8/257/12814

For a petition by the dean and canons of St Buryan on the same matter, see SC 8/91/4528

For another petition by the same petition by the same petitioner, see SC 8/169/8447

For a letter to Queen Isabella concerning petitions on this matter, see SC 8/33/1628

For another petition by the same petitioner on the same matter, see SC 8/110/5464

For another petition by the dean and canons of St Buryan on the same matter, see SC 8/92/4565

For a petition of the dean of St Buryan on the same matter, see SC 8/33/1629

For a petition by the dean and canons, see SC 8/318/E351

• Rotuli Parliamentorum; ut et Petitiones, et Placita in Parliamento, vol. I, Edw I and Edw II, (Record Commission, 1783), p.421a-b, no.18 (full edition of a later copy of the original document)
• The Parliament Rolls of Medieval England, Ed. Paul Brand, Anne Curry, Chris Given-Wilson, Rosemary Horrox, W.M. Ormrod and J.R.S. Phillips, (Cambridge University Press, 2005), Appendix of Unedited Petitions, 1307-1337, Rot. Parl. vol. I, pp. 416-429, no. 18 (summary of references)