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YEAR 1343 A.D.

From Illustrations of Chaucerâs England, edited by Dorothy Hughes, M.A., Longmanâs, Green and CO.; London, New York, Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras; 1919; pp. 178-182. 178

[Petition to the King in Parliament against the provision of aliens to English benefices, 1343. ãRolls of Parliament,ä ii. 144. ãPetition of the Community.ä (French.)]

Whereas aliens hold so many benefices in this land, and the alms that were wont to be distributed from them, are withdrawn, much of the treasure of the land is carried beyond the sea, in maintenance of your enemies, the secrets of the realm are revealed, and your liege clerks in this country have the less advancement; — and now lately several cardinals have been made, to two of whom the Pope has granted benefices in this land amounting to 6000 marks a year. . . . And the commons have heard that one of these two cardinals, to wit, the cardinal of Périgord, is the Kingâs fiercest enemy at the papal court, and the most hostile to his interests. And from year to year the country will be so filled with aliens that it may be a great peril, and scarcely any clerk over here, the son of a great lord or other, will find a benefice wherewith he may be advanced — Wherefore the commons beg a remedy, for they cannot, and will not endure it longer; and that it may please the King to write to the Apostolic See . . . requesting the Pope to suspend these charges and recall what has been done. . . .

Answer. — The King is advised of this mischief, and he is willing that remedy and amendment may be ordained, 179 between the great men and commons, if it can be agreed upon; and also he wills and agrees that good letters shall be made to the Pope touching this matter, as well in the name of the King and the great men as of the commons.

2.

[The letter, 8 May, 1343, inserted by Murimuth in his ãChronicleä. (Latin.)]

To the most holy father in God, our lord Clement, by divine providence sovereign bishop of the holy church of Rome and of the Church universal, his humble and devoted sons the princes, dukes, earls, barons, knights, citizens, burgesses and all the commons of the Kingdom of England, assembled in the parliament holden at Westminster in the quinzaine of Easter last past, devoutly kissing his feet with all reverence and humility. Most holy father, the holy discernment, government, and equity which are manifest in you and ought to reign in so holy and high a prelate, head of holy Church, by whom all holy Church and the people of God ought, as by the sun, to be enlightened, give us sure hope that the just prayers, to the honour of Jesus Christ and of his holy Church, offered by us to your Holiness, will be graciously hearkened to by you, and all faults and wrongs be done away and removed, in fruitful accomplishment and remedy, by the grace of the Holy Ghost, who hath chosen and accepted you for such high state, and by you applied and graciously ordained. Wherefore, most holy father, we all in full consultation, by common assent do in lively manner set forth to your Holiness that the noble Kings of England, and our forefathers and predecessors and we, according to the grace of the Holy Ghost, to them and to us devised and giving each one in his devotion, have ordained and established, founded and endowed within the kingdom of England cathedrals and collegiate churches, abbeys and 180 priories, and other divers religious houses, and in them have ordained, and to the prelates and governors of the said places have given lands, possessions, patrimonies, franchises, advowsons, and patronages of dignities, prebends, offices, churches, and other many benefices: to this end and intent, that the cure and government of such benefices might be given to such persons, as that by them the service of God and the Christian faith might be honored, increased, and embellished, hospitalities and alms given and maintained, Churches and buildings honorably preserved and kept, devout prayers offered up therein for founders, poor parishioners aided and comforted; and that by them those whose cure they should have might in their own tongue, in confession and otherwise, be fully taught and instructed. And inasmuch, most holy father, as you cannot have notice of the faults and shortcomings of the persons and places so far removed, if you be not informed thereof, we, having full knowledge of the faults and shortcomings and of the state of the persons and places aforesaid within the said kingdom, do make known to your Holiness that, by means of divers reservations, provisions, and collations granted by your predecessors, apostles of Rome, and by you, most holy father, in your time more largely than they were wont to be, as well to foreign and divers nations and to some our enemies not having knowledge of the tongue nor the condition of those whose government and cure should belong to them, as to others who are not fit, there come to pass dangers and mischiefs, which are these — the souls of parishioners are imperiled, the service of God is destroyed, alms are withdrawn, hospitalities impoverished, churches and buildings thereto belonging fallen into decay, charity stinted, cure of souls and the government which belonged thereto brought to naught, devotion of the people checked, honest persons of the realm unad 181 vanced, as well as many scholars, the treasure of the realm carried away, contrary to the intent and pious will of the founders. Which faults, shortcomings, dangers, and scandals, most holy father, we cannot nor ought not to suffer or endure. Therefore we humbly beg that the faults, shortcomings and divers perils which may thence come to pass being discreetly considered, it may please you both to recall such reservations, provisions, and collations, and to ordain that they be not henceforth made, and to apply fitting remedy for the evils which may thence arise, follow and ensue; and that the benefices, buildings, and rights thereto belonging may to the honour of God be had in charge, defended and governed by persons of the said realm. And may it please your Holiness to signify unto us by your holy letters your intention upon this our petition without captious delay, understanding for certain that we shall on no account fail to apply our care and travail to get remedy and fitting correction in the matters aforesaid.

In witness whereof to these our letters patent we have set our seals. Given in full Parliament at Westminster, on the 8th day of May, the year of grace 1343.







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