| Description | From: Pope John XXII
To: the bishop of Rochester; the prior of Rochester Cathedral Priory; the archdeacon of Rochester
The subprior and convent of Dover Priory have a papal privilege and an archiepiscopal grant exempting them from the sede vacante jurisdiction of prior and chapter of Canterbury Cathedral Priory. However, Mgr Hugh de Forsham, clerk, the cathedral priory's vicar sede vacante, tried to subject Dover Priory to the cathedral priory's jurisdiction and compel it to make an oath of obedience. Dover Priory appealed to the pope. In contempt of this appeal, Hugh, excommunicated the prior, subprior, sacrist, cellarer, precentor and other monks, and threatened to withdraw their income and place the priory under interdict if they did not swear obedience to the cathedral priory. Dover Priory again appealed to the pope. The pope orders the addressees to deal with the case. No date. [Date: handwriting and date of original.] Original dated 9 Dec 1316 [altered from 27 Nov] at Avignon [Vaucluse, France]. |