Page:History and characteristics of Bishop Auckland.djvu/88

 'mSTOBY OF BISHOP AUCKLAND. 65 proeoring of temporal emoluments to his Church, bat also to the promotion of religion in his people ; that irhile Divine service is performed with greater veneration, a more fervent devotion may be excited in the congregation, and that the holy offices, with the ministers, may be acknowledged* with greater reverence and hononr. Seeing, therefore, that the Collegiate Church of St. Andrew, of Auckland, in our diocese, is not only greatly decreased in the number of its prebendaries, but in revenue also ; and as no canon or prebendary of this Church doth either reside himself, or find a proper person to officiate in his stead, though duty and honesty require it, pretending, in excuse, that they have no houses there, or sufficient grounds whereon to build, We, &c., with the consent of Master Robert de Albuwyke, vicar, and of all the canons or prebendaries there, do ordain as followeth : — ^As within the limits of the parish of Auckland, certain new lands of our wastes have been brought into tillage in our time, whereof the tithes are in our disposal, as well by common right as the custom of the said parish, of such tithes of new or waste lands so brought into tillage beyond Gaundless in our forest, towards the west, and near Gaundless, in Wydeope Moor, we constitute and ordain a prebend to the amount of ten pounds, conceiving that the-said tithes will for ever prove sufficient to answer the same ; and because an union of the prerogative of dignity and eminence of person with riches constitutes the highest degree of an excellent office, the name of Vicar, which hitherto has been the most eminent in this Church, we decree shall for ever be changed to that of Dean of the Collegiate Church, therein not only regarding the late Yicar, now the Dean thereof, and his successors, but also the advancement of that Church to higher honours. The first rector mentioned is Uthred (1085), and the last Adam de Brempton (1270). Master Robert de Albuwyke was the last vicar, and the first dean. The first or senior canons were Master Robert Avenell, Walter de Langton, Galfred de Vesano, John de London, and Master Adam de Bremp- ton. Their successors were to engage priests, and pay them annually five marks each ; and the rest of the can(»is were to have sub-deacons, with annual stipends of 30s. Rules were laid down for the daily chanting of divine service, the celebration of High Mass, the Mass of the Virgin Mary, and for the order of the services. There were two chantries, or chapels, in the church, with endowments attached — one dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, and the other to John the Baptist — ^but their founders are unknown,* Chantey Priests. — J. de Wassefield. — Symon de Westewyke, 1352 — He procured four acres of land in North Auckland of Will, son of Bichard, of West Auckland (whether free or exchequer land not known), to be amortized to this chantry without the Bishop's license ; WilL de Punchard alienated to this chantry one acre of land, with the appurtenances, in the yille of North Auckland, and Will. Faucewyt one messuage, and four acres of land in Woodhouse, in the same yille ; also Joh. Plomer, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, four acres of land in the same yille ; all which tenements being seized into Bishop Hatfield's hands as escheats, he gave by letters patent, 4th of August, 1354, to Sir Nich. de Hull, his clerk, his heirs, and assigns, to be held of the Lord Bishop and his successors, &c. — Simon de Weston, cap. a like instance in his time. — Joh. de Hackforth, 1399 — he oc. custos cant. Dne de Auckland, 29th Ap. 1413, and again 1437, when Bishop Langley granted his license to William Doncastre, Dean of Auckland, to give and assign, in mortmain, to him and his successors for eyer, for their better support, three messuages, eight acres of land, with appurtenances, one tenement, with appurtenances, and fifteen burgages, with appurtenances, in Bishop Auckland, and one annual rent of 14s. issuing out of diyers burgages in the same yille, which were held of the Bishop in burgage, with a reserve of the services from thence due and accustomed to the Bishop and his successors — Sir Joh. Typpying — Sir Joh. Flayne, cap. 1499, p. m. Typpyng — Bai-thoL Langesford Cantator et Mag. Sdwlarum (choristers) 1523 — ^Tliomas Sotheron ibid. 1524 — Joh. Eton ibid. 1527~Will. Herryson, 1528— Edward Gretehead, the last incumbent, had, at the dissolution, a pension of £4 13s. 4d., which was paid in 1553— Cantaria beat» Mari» in Ecclia parochial! Sti AndresB in Aukelande, let to John Armstronge 7th Aug. 2nd Edw. YL Chantries were small chapels, or side aisles, which pious and wealthy people built in their respective parish churches. They were dedicated to some Saint, usually the one whose name, the founder took in confirmation, and whom they considered their patron saint They liberally endowed those chapels, with rents or lands, for the maintenance and support of chantry priests, whose duty it was to pray daily at the altars erected therein for the souls of the founders and their connections. Recent alterations in the church, by the taking away of the old pews, show clearly where the altars stood, as there are two piscina in the south, and one in the north transept, which indicate the exact placea being in the Bishop's hands, because William Robson ziid. trom the firm of one garden of a certain tenement, lately William Robeon's, in Newgate, being in the hands of the Bishop (Nevill, A^ 3, 1440), which was alienated to this Onild without fioensei^ William Scott, the last Incumbent of this Chantry or Guild, had, at the suppression, a pension of £6 allowed him, in 1547, which he leoeiTed until 1663i Digitized by Google
 * 1419. Tija. from the rent of one measaage, with