XXV. Inquisitio capelle de Samlesbury in capitulo de Weryngton.*

"W"" E C est inquisitio facta in pleno capitulo de Weryngton die

• | mercur. prox. post festum omnium sanctorum, Abbate de

_J^_ \j Stanl. presente et appellante p iure suo quod dicit se habere in capella de Samlesbury. Consilio habito inter clericos super hac

* i.e. the Rural Deanery of Warrington.

90 fit. De Bl.ilietiurn.

inquisitione dixerunt quod bene recolebant, et multi ex eis et ex alija adhuc superstites fuerunt qui videbant et sciebant, capellam de Sam- lesbury capellam esse de la Lawe et sine cymiterio, et mortuorum cor pora de Samlesbury usq. ad ecclesiam de la Lawe sepelienda deferri. Et quod dñus de Samlesbury, cum tota familia sua et cum hominib} eiusdem ville precipuis fastis cum oblationib} suis ad ecclesiam de la Lawe, sicut ad matricem ecclesiam accesserunt, omnia iura eccle- siastica ibidem pcipientes, et omnes decimationes maiores et minores eidem ecclesie psoluentes usq. ad tempus bone memorie Hug. de Nunant* Couentr. episcopi. Temporib} vero ipsius, illo in trans- marinis partib} existente, duo episcopi de Hybernia superueuerunt apud Samlesbury, gratia hospitandi, et dñus de Samlesbury, qui Gospatric dicebatur, ipsos in domum suam benigne recepit et p aliquot dies retinuit. Qui ex petitione sua et ex consensu Henr. de Blakeburn-f psone ecclesie de la Lawe et de Samlesbury idem cymi- terium dedicaucrunt. Reuerso vero de transmarinis partib} episcopo Hug. de Nunant, et, hoc audiente, egre tulit, et factum illud in irritum reuocauit. Tandem victus parte ppter difficultatem accessus maxime tempore hyemali usq. ad matricem ecclesiam concessit ibidem cymiteriumj fieri. Et ab ipso tempore corpora mortuorum ibidem

* Hugh Nouant, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. See p. 39, ante.

t See ante, p. 72.

? This grant requires some explanation. On the formation of a parish, the inhabitants were bound to perform their parochial rites at the mother chureh, the ealdan mynstre, of the parish. But from the extent of many of tho districts, the remote hamlets found it inconvenient to resort on all occasions to the mother church, and private oratories were allowed to be licensed in convenient situations. To prevent them from trenching on the rights of the mother church, they were merely licensed for preaching and praying, the performance of the rite of burial and the ministration of the sacrament of baptism being strictly forbidden. These were the true parochial rites, and the grant of them to an oratory severed its connection with the parish church, and converted it into a parochial chapel, or, more strictly speaking, into an independent church. So essential were

¿Tit. Ъe Blabeburn. 9l

sepeliebantur, Hen r. de Blak. rectore ecclesie utriusq. yimpendente, eo quod in boc nihil sibi deperiit. Abbas petit capellam consolidan matrici ecclesie auctoritate pontificali.