Page:The histories of Launceston and Dunheved, in the county of Cornwall.djvu/33

 THE PRIORY. 17 chancel the said Mayor, &c, were at their own costs for ever to maintain. And by the second of these deeds, dated 31st May, 1430, after reciting that the said Prior and Convent were the rectors and proprietors of the said Parish Church of Leskyret, the said Prior and Convent granted licence to the said Mayor, &c, to erect a chapel contiguous to the chancel of the Parish Church aforesaid, to join such chapel to the chancel on the south and side part thereof. This chapel the said Mayor, Commonalty, and Parishioners undertook to build and thereafter to maintain. John Honyland died Prior 28th September, 1430, and was succeeded by William Shyre, who was officially de- clared Prior 2 1st August, 143 1. Dr. Oliver tells us that there had been some irregularity in his election, and we have now found a draft (in Latin) of the result of an enquiry which afterwards took place, concerning the ex- penses caused by that irregularity. William was acquitted of blame and negligence in the proceedings. We have no evidence of the duration of his priorate. In 1447 Bishop Lacy granted an indulgence in favour of the Chapel of St. Catherine, attached to Launceston Priory. A deed lies before us made during the same reign (Henry VI., 1422-1461). "John, Prior of Launceston," is one of the witnesses to the deed. Unfortunately its actual date is lost. The document is sadly defaced and torn. We see, how- ever, that it is made between John Hawkyn, Prior of the Priory of St. Germans, and the Convent of the same place, on the one part, and John Palmer, then Mayor of the " town of Launceston,otherwisecalled Dounheved," on the other part. The seal of St. Germans Priory is attached, and sufficiently perfect to enable us to give a copy of it. Whether the "John, Prior of Launceston," who witnessed this deed, was Prior John Honyland already mentioned, or a prior elected C SIGILLVM PRIORIS SCI GKRMANI.