Source:Scottish document Theiner, Vet. Mon., no. 182

Confirmation by Pope Alexander IV of the Bishop of Ross's ordinance for the church of Rosemarkie
Pope Alexander IV confirms the ordinance by which the Bishop of Ross, with the consent of his chapter, assigned revenues to the dignities and prebends of the church of Rosemarkie and set statutes for its canons and vicars.
Originally written in Latin 9 February 1256

Transcription

Episcopo Rossensi quaedam ordinationes a praedecessore suo in commodum ecclesiae factae confirmantur. Reg. An. II. epist. 108. ALEXANDER EPISCOPUS etc. Venerabili fratri ... Episcopo, et dilectis filiis Capitulo Rossensi, sal. etc. Cum a nobis petitur etc. usque effectum. Sane fraternitatis tue petitio nobis exposita continebat, quod felicis recordationis G. papa, predecessor noster, augmentandi in ecclesia Rosmarkinensi Rossensis diocesis prebendas tenues et de novo ibidem, prout expedire videret, prebendas alias ordinandi, aliqua ordinatione contraria non obstante, bone memorie Roberto Episcopo Rossensi predecessori tuo concessit per apostolicas litteras facultatem. Verum licet idem Epus in augmentatione antiquarum, et creatione seu ordinatione aliarum prebendarum auctoritate litterarum huiusmodi processisset, quia tamen in ordinatione sua de Decanatu, Precentoria, Cancellaria, Thesauria, Archidiaconatu et aliis prebendis eiusdem ecclesie simplicibus in generali faciens mentionem, non expressit, quid cui prebende assignatum fuerit, vel debuerit pertinere: tu ordinatione ipsius Episcopi tam ipsarum litterarum, sicut poteras, quam propria in aliquibus supplens, et in aliquibus corrigens et augmentans, deliberatione prehabita provide ordinando Decanatui, Cantorie, Cancellarie et Thesaurarie omnes decimas garbarum de Rosnarkino et de Crumbarch inter dignitates ipsas equaliter dividendas, prebendarum earundem dignitatum tenuitate pensata, predicto Decanatui omnes decimas garbarum et alteragium de Andresser, salvis episcopalibus, omnesque decimas garbarum de Kelmur, exceptis garbis dimidie Davach de Aleyn, Cantorie autem omnes decimas garbarum de Kenneythes et de Suthy, Thesaurarie omnes decimas garbarum de Urcharde et de Legidibride, Archidiaconatui vero decimas omnes garbarum de Fortherdi et de Edordor, exceptis garbis unius Davach de Aleyn, Subdecanatui omnes decimas garbarum de Thayne et de Eduthayne, Succentorie ecclesiam de Bron et omnes decimas garbarum de Inverferan, cum omnes predicte decime ad Rossensem pertineant ecclesiam, provide perpetuo assignasti. Prebende quoque Episcopi, quem voluisti in Canonicorum eiusdem ecclesie numero computari, debere omnes decimas ecclesiarum de Niger et de Tharbert ad predictam pertinentes ecclesiam curasti etiam perpetuo assignare, quibusdam decimas garbarum de certis locis simplicibus prebendis, et quatuor Vicariis quatuor personarum altaragia de Roskyarkyn et de Crumbaty ecclesiarum sine omni onere episcopali, ita tamen quod honeste utrique ecclesie serviatur, et omnibus ecclesiis de Ergaythel ad prefatam ecclesiam pertinentibus, cum vacaverint, communi Canonicorum prefate ecclesie in perpetuum assignatis. Preterea statuisti, quod maior Decanus sicut in Saluberiensi ecclesia eligatur, et nullus ad aliquam quatuor dignitatum, nec ad Subdecanatum, nec ad Succentoriam admittatur, nisi sacerdos existat: Archidiaconus vero sit diaconus, neque ad aliquam prebendam simplicem quisquam recipiatur, nisi fuerit in sacris ordinibus constitutus. Adiecisti etiam statuto huiusmodi, quod nullus installetur in choro sepefate ecclesie, priusquam iuramentum prestiterit de residentia continua facienda ibidem, nisi peregrine proficiscatur, vel in scolis steterit, aut alia honesta causa de licentia Episcopi ad certum tempus eius absentiam excusabit, et quod Subdecanus Vicarium diaconum, et Succentor Vicarium subdiaconum, Episcopus vero nomine prebende sue perpetuum Vicarium sacerdotem, cuius stipendiis sex marcas sterlingorum percipiendas in alteragio de Fordi annis singulis deputasti, et Archidiaconus perpetuum Vicarium sacerdotem habeat in ecclesia memorata. Quelibet vero simplex prebenda Vicarium habeat subdiaconum, cui suus dominus, pro quo in ecclesia ipsa ministrat, capam nigram et superpellicium largiatur. Vicarii vero perpetui singuli superpellicia et capas nigras propriis sumptibus sibi ipsis acquirant. Porro tam Canonici, quam Vicarii, si necesse habeant ab ecclesia infra diocesim suam, vel extra pro suis promovendis negociis proficisci, et ultra unius diei spacium moram trahere, a Decano vel Subdecano seu ab eorum vices gerentibus licentiam postulent sibi dari. Duobus tamen Vicariis insimul abesse non liceat, nisi urgens causa et evidens id exposcat. Si quis vero Vicariorum tam perpetuorum, quam simplicium ultra triduum ab ecclesia moram fecerit absque causa rationabili, Vicariis residentibus certam pecunie quantitatem exolvat, et ipsius excrescente mora pena ei pecuniaria gravior infligatur. Si autem residens canonicis horis non interfuerit in ecclesia, nulla eum causa rationabili excusante, a Subdecano debeat subici discipline. Excessus Canonicorum ab Episcopo, et Vicariorum a Decano vel Subdecano, vel ab eorum vices gerentibus corrigantur: in quorum Vicariorum correctione si dicti Decanus et Subdecanus inventi fuerint negligentes nimirum vel remissi, statuisti super eisdem excessibus correctionem ad Episcopum pertinere, vel si ad ipsum ex aliqua iusta causa fuerit appellatum. Verum si quis de Canonicorum familiaribus cuiquam infra Canoniam forfecerit sine sanguinis effusione, vel etiam alicuius membri mutilatione, de excessu huiusmodi coram Canonicis in Capitulo cognoscatur, et de forisfacto Epo satisfiat. Insuper autem statuti adiectione firmasti, ut omnes Canonici ante ipsorum installationem similiter, et Vicarii perpetui priusquam ad Vicariam aliquam perpetuam in eadem ecclesia admittantur, prestent de celandis secretis Capituli, que quidem poterunt sine peccato celari, et servandis ecclesie constitutionibus, quodque prestabunt Epo suo ad revocanda dispersa, fidele consilium et auxilium iusiurandum. Statuisti etiam, ut singulis diebus per aliquem, quem precentor vel ipsius vicem gerens semel in ebdomada ad hoc duxerit ordinandum, Missa pro defunctis, et specialiter pro Epis loci et universis ecclesie benefactoribus celebretur, et quod omnes mansiones Canonicorum, cum vacaverint, excepta dumtaxat mansione Decani, ad Episcopi collationem pertineant, ita tamen quod Canonicis conferantur. Aliis omnibus articulis in predicti predecessoris tui ordinatione contentis, de quibus in tua huiusmodi ordinatione fit mentio, in suo robore duraturis, prout in litteris exinde confectis, et tuo atque communi Capituli tui, suum super premissis consensum interponentis, sigillis munitis plenius dicitur contineri. Nos itaque tuis precibus inclinati, ordinationem huiusmodi, sicut provide factam, ratam habentes et gratam, illam auctoritate apostolica confirmamus etc. usque communimus. Nulli etc. nostre confirmationis etc. Datum Laterani v. Id. Februarii, Pontificatus nostri anno secundo.

Document

Vatican Apostolic Archive
Identifier	Reg. Alexander IV, an. II, ep. 108 (link to catalog entry)

Related documents	• Scottish document Theiner, Vet. Mon., no. 80
People mentioned	• Alexander IV • Gregory IX • Robert
Places mentioned	• Rosemarkie • Cromarty • Ardersier • Kinnettes • Suddie • Urquhart • Tain • Edderton • Nigg • Tarbat • Argyll • Salisbury • Rome

Timeline

Below is a list of events that are evidenced by this source. They should appear in the 'Timeline' section of articles about people and places involved in the events.

• 9 February 1256 - Pope Alexander IV, to the Bishop and Chapter of Ross. The bishop has petitioned that Pope G. granted Robert, late Bishop of Ross, licence to augment the slender prebends in the church of Rosemarkie and to ordain new ones; that Robert, in doing so, mentioned the deanery, precentorship, chancellorship, treasurership, archdeaconry and simple prebends only in general terms, without stating what belonged to each; and that the bishop, supplying, correcting and augmenting Robert's ordinance, has assigned in perpetuity the teind sheaves of Rosnarkin and Crumbarch, to be divided equally among the deanery, chantry, chancellorship and treasurership; to the deanery, the teind sheaves and altarage of Andresser, saving episcopal dues, and the teind sheaves of Kelmur, except those of half a davach of Aleyn; to the chantry, the teind sheaves of Kenneythes and Suthy; to the treasurership, those of Urcharde and Legidibride; to the archdeaconry, those of Fortherdi and Edordor, except those of one davach of Aleyn; to the subdeanery, those of Thayne and Eduthayne; to the succentorship, the church of Bron and the teind sheaves of Inverferan; to the bishop's own prebend, the bishop being counted among the canons, the teinds of the churches of Niger and Tharbert; to the simple prebends, the teind sheaves of certain places; to the four vicars of the four dignitaries, the altarages of the churches of Roskyarkyn and Crumbaty, free of episcopal burdens; and to the common fund of the canons, the churches of Ergaythel belonging to the church, as they fall vacant. The bishop has also ordained that the dean be elected as in the church of Salisbury; that none be admitted to the four dignities, the subdeanery or the succentorship unless he is a priest, that the archdeacon be a deacon, and that none be received to a simple prebend unless in holy orders; that none be installed in the choir before swearing continual residence, unless absent on pilgrimage, at the schools, or for another honest cause by the bishop's licence; that the subdean have a deacon and the succentor a subdeacon as vicar, and the bishop and the archdeacon each a priest as perpetual vicar, the bishop's vicar to receive six marks sterling yearly from the altarage of Fordi; that each simple prebend have a subdeacon as vicar, to whom his canon gives a black cope and surplice, perpetual vicars providing their own; that canons and vicars obtain leave from the dean or subdean to be away more than a day, that two vicars not be absent together without urgent cause, and that a vicar absent more than three days without reasonable cause pay a fine to the resident vicars; that a resident absent from the canonical hours be disciplined by the subdean; that canons' excesses be corrected by the bishop, and vicars' by the dean or subdean, or by the bishop if they are negligent or on appeal; that an offence by a canon's servant within the canonry, without bloodshed or mutilation, be tried before the canons in chapter, with the forfeiture paid to the bishop; that canons before installation and perpetual vicars before admission swear to keep the chapter's secrets and the church's constitutions and to give the bishop faithful counsel and aid in recovering what has been dispersed; that a mass for the dead, especially for the bishops of the place and the church's benefactors, be celebrated daily; and that canons' manses, except the dean's, be at the bishop's collation, to be conferred on canons. All other articles of Robert's ordinance are to stand. The ordinance having been sealed by the bishop and the chapter, the pope confirms it. Given at the Lateran.
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Discussion

Theiner's heading describes the letter as confirming ordinances made by the bishop's predecessor. The letter itself confirms the present bishop's own ordinance, which supplemented, corrected and extended the earlier ordinance of Robert, late Bishop of Ross, made under licence from "G." pope. The present bishop is not named; the register copy leaves his name blank.

"G. papa" is identified in the name field as Gregory IX. His letter of 29 May 1235 (Theiner, no. 80) grants the Bishop of Ross, there unnamed, licence to augment the slender prebends of his church and ordain new ones, notwithstanding any contrary ordinance. The wording of that grant is repeated almost word for word in this letter, and its date falls within Robert's episcopate.

The following places are given as printed and have not been identified: Kelmur (one of the Kilmuirs?), Legidibride, Fortherdi, Edordor, Bron, Inverferan, the davachs of Aleyn, Fordi, and Ergaythel (the churches "of Argyll" belonging to the church of Ross). "Rosnarkino" and "Roskyarkyn" are probably misprints for Rosemarkie; "Crumbarch" and "Crumbaty" are Cromarty.

The date v Id. Feb., 2nd year of Alexander IV, is 9 February 1256. The page header in Theiner also gives 1256.

Source citation

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