| Description | From: John Fynch, prior of Canterbury Cathedral Priory; the chapter of Canterbury Cathedral Priory
To: Thomas Chillenden, I, monk of Canterbury Catheral Priory; Walter Causton, monk of Canterbury Catheral Priory
The church of Meopham was appropriated to the priory and its almonry for the maintenance of the poor. The priory possessed the church peacefully and received its fruits and profits until Archbishop Baldwin deprived it of them. The church should be restored to the priory as it held it in Baldwin's time and, before that, in the time of Archbishop Richard of Dover, who gave the priory the church. It has been decreed that the church should be restored to the priory, and when it becomes vacant the priory may re-enter and reacquire it and return it to the use of the almonry, the counterclaim ('reclamatio') of Archbishop William [Wittlesey] and his successors notwithstanding. The church is now vacant by the departure of Mgr John Kyrkby, the last rector, in accordance with Pope John XXII's constitution , beginning 'execrabil''. The priory therefore, by authority of the decree of Archbishop William Courtenay, appoints Thomas and Walter as its proctors to re-enter and reacquire it and to collect the profits from it and dispose of them to the use of the almonry. They are also to act for the priory in any lawsuit concerning the church and to care for the souls of the parishioners as far as this belongs to the priory.
Given at the chapter house of Canterbury Cathedral Priory.
Endorsed 'De ecclesia Mepham' in late 14th cent hand and 'Ex Case no 84' in 20th cent hand. |