All the before-mentioned Endowments are called the Lands of the old Dotation, to distinguish them from those confirmed on the College by KingEdw.VI. which are term’d the Lands of the new Dotation; of which hereafter. But several of them given by KingEdw.IV. the College never possessed,viz.Atherston,Quarle,Uphaven,St. Burien,FulburnePension,Brimfield,St. Elen,Charleton,Blakenham,Ponyngton,Wedon,Old Swynford, andGannow, and of some others they were seized but a short time,viz.Chesingbury, the Lands inNewford,Blandford, andPortsmouth. Besides these, the College was dispossess’d ofGottesford,temp. Hen.VI. ofCheshunt,temp. Hen.VII.temp. Hen.VIII. or a little before ofWodemershthorn,Tylthey,Retherfeld,Levyngdon,Stoke-Basset,Stretham,Totingbeek,Fordham,Elthorp,Newenham, andTollesworth; afterwards they surrendred into the Hands of KingHen.VIII.Eure,Clyff,Ashton,Rowhand,Kingston,Esthenreth,Northmundon,Compton,Weleg,Compton St. John, andShobingdonPortion; and upon theReformationthe College lost at least 1000 Marksper Annum, in the Profit made by St.Anthony’s Piggs, which the Appropriation of the Hospital of St.Anthony’sLondonbrought to it, and no less then 500per Annum, the Offerings of SirJohn Shorne’s Shrine atNorthmarstoninCom. Bucks, a Man of great Piety and Veneration with the People, and sometime Rector there. The Advowson of this Church was appropriated to the Dean and Canons, by the Convent ofDunstaple,temp. Edw.IV. in exchange forWedenbeckinCom. Bedford.
TheDean and Canons having convey’d unto K.H.VIII. the Mannor and Rectory ofIvorinBucks, the Mannor ofDammery-CourtinDorset, and other Lands, Rents, Portions, and Pensions in the Counties ofSomerset,Hants,Middlesex,Oxford, andSussex, to the yearly Value of 160l.2s.4d.for which they had no Recompence in his Life, that King, by his last Will, ordered them an Equivalent upon the Commutation and Agreement of an Exchange; which Will, KingEdw.VI. his Sonand Successor performed, as well for the Assurance of Lands, to the yearly Value of 600l.to the Dean and Canons for ever, to the Uses in the Will, as for the Assurance of other Lands, of the annual Value of the said 160l.2s.and 4d.wherefore by Letters Patent, dated the 7th ofOctober, in the First Year of his Reign, he granted them the Rectories ofBradnynche,Northam,Iplepen,Ilsington, andSouthmoltoninCom. Devon, the Tithe of Corn ofOtery, in that County, as alsoBlossoms-Innin St.Laurence-lane,London, the Tithes of Grain,&c.of the Rectory ofAmbrosbury, inWilts, and all the Tithes ofBedwyn,Stoke,Wilton,Harden,Harden-Tunrige,Knoll,Pathall,Chisbury,East-Grafton,West-Grafton,Grafton-Martin, andWexcomb, the Prebend ofAlcannyngsandUrchefounte, the Rectories ofUrchefounte,Stapleford,Tytcombe, andFroxfeild, all inCom. Wilts, and all the annual Pension of 8l.issuing out of the Manner ofIcombeinCom. Gloucester, the Rectory and Vicarige ofIkelingtoninCambridgeshire, the Rectory ofEast-BeckworthinSurrey, the Reversion of the Portion of Tithes ofTrequiteinCornwall, and the Rent of 13s.4d.reserved upon the same, the Rectory and Church ofPlympton, and the Chapels ofPlymstoke,Wembury,Shagh,Sandford-Spone,Plympton,St. MauriceandBrixton, inCom. Devon, the Rectory ofIsleworthandFarickenhaminCom. Middlesex, andShiplakeinCom. Oxon, the Reversion of the Rectory ofAberguille, and of the Chapels ofLlanlawet[Llanbadock] andLlanpenysaunt, with the Rent of 30 reserved thereon, the Reversions of the Rectory ofTalgarth, with the reserved Rent of 11l.6s.8d.the Reversion of the Rectory ofMarainCom. Brecknock, and 6l.Rent, and that of St.GermainsinCornwall, with 61l.13s.and 4d.Rent, to have and to hold,&c.forever, except the Tithes ofWoolpatandFitzwareninWilts, the Vicarige-House ofIkelington, Marriage-Money, Dirge-Money, and Mass-Money, and the whole Profit of the Bedrolls ofIkelington; nevertheless to pay the Crown in the Court ofAugmentation, for the Rectories ofAberguille,TalgarthandMara, the ChapelsLlanbadockandLlanpenysaunt4l.2s.8d.in the Name of Tenths, and for all Rents, Services,&c.of the other Rectories,&c.48l.7s.4d.annually atMichaelmas. Moreover, withinall these Premises, the King granted them Court Leets, or Views of Frankpledge, and to levy Fines, Amerciaments, Free Warrens, Waifs, and Felons Goods, and all other Profits,&c.whatsoever, and the said Rectories, Tithes, Pensions, Rents, and all other Gifts and Grants in the Possession of the Dean and Chapter, were confirmed to them by Act of Parliament, 2Jac.I.
Theancient Rate of these New Lands in the King’s Books was 661l.6s.and 8d.per Annum; but according to the improved Rents, as they were then turned over to the College, 812l.12s. 9d.out of which 160l.2s.4d.was yearly allowed them in Requital of their Lands passed to KingHen.VIII. and 600l.per Annum, for accomplishment of his Will; but the remaining Sum,viz.52l.10s.5d.was reserved in lieu of Tenths, to be paid into the Court ofAugmentation; nevertheless, this last reserved Sum was not assented unto by the Dean and Canons to be so paid, because the Charges issuing out of the Lands were larger than were expressed in the Rental. And we find that, shortly after, the Rents of St.Germains,Northam,Ilsington, &c. part of the New Lands, were received and accounted for, according to the old Rate in the King’s books, to wit, 162l.13s.4d.per Annum, in Recompence for the Lands conveyed to KingHen.VIII. and out of which they paid a yearly Surplusage of 2l.2s.1d.This Sum, together with the Rents of the rest of the New Lands, being upon the said Improvement accounted to be 597l.17s.11d.made in all 600l.per Annum; and this was laid out by the Dean and Canons for some time towards erecting the Alms-Knights Apartments.
Thusstood the Lands accounted for till the Settlement made by QueenElizabeth, who in the First Year of her Reign appointed the Dean and Canons to convert the Rents of these New Lands to such Uses and Intents as she had set down in a Book signed with her Sign manual, and annexed to an Indenture made between her and the Dean and Canons; by which Indenture they were obliged to apply the Rents and Profits of these Lands, as was prescribed in the Book, and to observe the Ordinances therein, and upon Default, to abidesuch Orders as the Crown, or any Knight-Companion, deputed by the Sovereign, shall set forth.
Which Remainder has been and is assigned for Payment of Tenths to the Crown, Vicars, Curates, Annual Stipends, Officers Fees, Reparation of the Premisses, and for the Relief of the Dean and Canons, in Maintenance and Defence of the said Lands.
Andto the End the Queen might know how the Revenue was disposed of, she gave charge that her Lieutenant and the Knights-Companions should annually (at the Feast of the Order held atWindsor) state the Accompt, and see how the Income was expended, and that her Lieutenant should yearly be put in mind of it by one of the Officers of the Order. This Ordinance was renewed, 21Jac.I. and the Chancellor of the Order was appointed to be the Remembrancer, and in Obedience thereunto, the Account of these new Lands (which begins atLady-Day, as that of the old Lands doth atMichaelmas) was afterwards exhibited in Chapter, and in particular that Account, 9Car.I. which was submitted to the Sovereign and Knights-Companion’s Consideration, who referred the Inspection thereof to the Knights-Commissaries, who were to consult over the Affairs of the Order.
§. 8.ThePrivileges of the Chapel and College are Ecclesiastical and Temporal: As to the first, PopeClementVI. exempted the Chapel, College, Canons, Priests, Clerks, Alms-Knights and Officers, from all ordinary Jurisdiction of Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacons, and all Judges and Officers, and received them within the Protection of the Papal-See; and granted a farther Privilege, That the Custos should have Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction over the Canons, Priests,&c.as also the Cure of their Souls, notwithstanding any Papal Constitution,Provincial, or Synodical, yet allowing that the Custos should receive that Cure from the Diocesan of the Place. In Consideration of this Exemption, the Custos was to pay annually, on St.George’s Day, a Mark in Silver, to the Pope’s Chamber. Two Years preceding, the Chapel was called the King’s Free Chapel, which Title it still enjoys; for it owes Subjection to none but the Sovereign ofEngland, the Supream of the Church, as heretofore it stood divided between the King and See ofRome. The Privilege of Exemption included in the Confirmation of Liberties, made by the Founder in his Charter, datedAnno Regni sui47. and all other Emoluments granted by him, are confirmed by Act of Parliament, 8Hen.VI. As the College has its sole Dependance on the Crown, it is visitable only by the Lord-Chancellor, whose Visitations and Power are reserved to him by the Statutes of the College, and himself called in the King’s Commission for Visitation, 2Rich.II. Governor of the said Chapel, as well in Spirituals as Temporals, and, under the King, immediate Custos. And so jealous were the Dean and Canons, lest the Power of the said Exemption should be infringed, that whenSixtusIV. had granted the Bishop ofSalisbury, and themselves, to make new and interpret the ancient Statutes, they soon obtained a Revocation of that Authority, lest the said Bishop (in whose Diocess the College is situate) being so unpowered, might by Degrees bring them under his Jurisdiction, in prejudice to their Exemption. And,A. D.1485. to prevent such design, the Archbishop ofCanterbury, &c. were commission’d to see the Bull revoked, andSalisburyenjoyned not to intermeddle further in the College Affairs. Moreover other Bishops, and the Chancellor ofEngland, were to renew, alter, or new make such Statutes as might accrue to the Advantage of the College.
Ifthe Archbishop ofCanterburybe present in the Chapel, he sits below the Dean, nor can he consecrate there, without his License. And this is very remarkable, that at the ratifying the Peace between KingCharlesI. andLewisXIII.A. D.1629. in the Chapel atWindsor, Dr.Wren, then Dean of the College, gave theOath to theFrenchAmbassador, and not the Archbishop ofCanterbury, tho’ he was then present.
TheDean and Chapter are to weigh well and debate at their yearly Chapters all things fit to be dispatched in reference to the College Affairs, and whatsoever Determination they come to, not repugnant to their Statutes, all Persons are firmly obliged to observe.
TheDeans have no Institution from any Bishop, but his Institution, Investiture, and Installation into the Custos-ship, Canonship, and Prebendship, is conferred from such of the Canons Resident, to whom the King (who collates) doth recommend him. Other Marks of Exemption appear in the constant proving of Wills before him, or in his Absence before his Lieutenant. In using the Power of Excommunication within their Jurisdiction (the Precincts of the College) granting a Dispensation for eating Flesh inLent, a farther Mark of their Privilege appears, that the Ordination for the Chantry Priests were confirmed by the Dean and Chapter, and not the Bishop of the Diocess, as were the Statutes of the new Commons. The Dean is exempt from paying all Synodals, or Procurations, nor can any of the King’s Chaplains preach in the Chapel of St.George, unless he be a Canon there, or have License from the King, or from the Dean and Canons. They send no Delegates to the Synod, and when the Point was debated, 1640. it was carried in the Negative, as being against their Liberties, and might intitle them to the Payment of Subsidies; nor are they intitled to any Share in the Government of the Church, more than the Colleges in the Universities, where there are many nominal Deans. In short, when by the Act ofUniformity, 14Car.II. every Clergyman was bound to subscribe before the Archbishop or his Ordinary, the Canons subscribed before the Dean; and tho’ some of them subscribed before the Bishop, yet was it with a Salvo, saving the Rights and Privileges of this Free Chapel.
TheirTemporal Immunities and Privileges are these, as granted them by Charter, 6Mar.27Edw.III. and confirmed by several of his Successors.
TheCustos and Canons were free from paying Aid upon making the King’s eldest Son a Knight, and marryinghis eldest Daughter, and exempt of all Aids to the King’s Contributions and Tallages.
Whensoeverthe Clergy should give a Tenth, or other Imposition, out of their Spiritualties, or the Commons give a Tenth, Fifteenth, or other, out of their Temporalties, Subsidy, or the King tax his own Demean, or the Pope impose any Money to be raised upon the Clergy, to give it the King, this College and their Possessions were to stand freed thereof.
Theywere discharged from any Contributions of arraying Soldiers, and from sending them to guard the Sea-Coasts, and from every Fine and Composition of the like Nature. Their Houses within the Castle ofWindsor, as elsewhere, are quit from any Livery of the King’s and Queen’s Stewards, Marshals, Purveyors, Officers, and Servants, and from the like Officers of the Peers or Nobles, and the said Officers were not to intermeddle there, without Leave of the Custos and Canons.
NoDuke,&c.or Nobleman, nor any Stewards, Marshals, Escheators, Sheriffs, Coroners, Bailiffs, or Officers, nor other Person of what Condition soever, upon any Pretence, were not to lodge or remain in their Houses without their Consent.
TheCustos, Canons, and their Tenants, were not to pay any Toll, Paviage, Piccage, Barbicanage, Terrage, Pontage, Murage, Passage, Payage, Lestage, Stallage, Tallage, Carriage, Pesage, and from Scot and Geld, Hidage, Scutage, working about Castles, Parks, Bridges, Walls for the King’s Houses; and from Suits to the County, or Hundred Courts, and Wapentakes, or Court Leets, Murder, and common Amerciaments, before either King, Justices of the Bench, or Itinerant, and from every like Custom had an Immunity.
Withintheir Lands, Fees, and Precincts, the Chattels of all Felons and Fugitives were seized to their own Use. All Fines for Trespasses, and all other Contempts and Misdemeanors,Fines pro licentia concordandi, and for all other Causes, Amerciaments, Redemptions, Issues, and Forfeitures whatsoever,Annum Diem Vastum & Streppum, and all Things which might belong to theKing and his Heirs, and all Wrecks, Waifs, and Strays, were granted them.
NoPurveyance of Corn, Hay, Horses, Carts, Carriages, Victuals, or any Goods, Chattels, or any thing whatsoever, should be carried off by any of the King’s Officers, upon their or their Tenants Land.
Theywere to be free from paying any Pension, Corrody, or other Sustentation to be granted to the Crown.
Theywere to have free Warren in all their Demain Lands wheresoever, and that altho’ they lay within the Bounds of the King’s Forest.
Thatthey should enjoy for their Conveniency a weekly Market onWednesday, at their Mannor ofEverinBucks, and Two Fairs to last Eight Days, one on the Eve and Feast of St.Peterand St.Paul, and Two Days after the other, upon the Eve and Feast of St.Peter ad Vincula, and Two Days following.
Thatthey should, in all their Lands have Socage and Sackage, Infangthef, Utfangthef, and View of Frankpledge, with Thewe, Pillory, and Tumbrel for punishing Malefactors, and Power to erect Gallows upon their own Soil for executing those apprehended in their Jurisdiction.
Theywere to be exempt of all Suits and Pleas of the Forest, and of all Charges or Fees which the Officers of the Forest might demand, and from the Expeditation of their Dogs and Suits of Court there; as likewise all from Gelds,DaneGelds, Knights Fees, Payments for Murder and Robbery, Building or Repairing of Bridges, Castles, Parks, Pools, Walls, Sea Banks, Causeways, and Inclosures; and of all Assizes, Summonses, Sheriffs Aids, their Bailiffs, or Officers, bearing of Treasure, and all other Aids whatever; as also from the common Assessments and Amerciaments of the County, and Hundred, and all Actions relating to them; they were discharged from the Payment of Ward-penny, Aver-penny, Tithing-penny, and Hundred-penny, and quit from Grithbreck, Forestal, Homesoken, Blodwite, Wardwite, Hangwite, Fightwite, Leyrwite, Lastage, Pannage, Assurt, and Waste of the Forest; so that such Waste be not committed in the Forests, Parks, andWoods belonging to the Crown, and then reasonable Satisfaction, without Imprisonment, should be accepted.
AllWrits and Attachments were returnable to them, as well relating to the Pleas of the Crown as other, thro’ all their Lands and Fees, and no Sheriff, Bailiff, or Officer, should execute any such there, unless in Default of the Custos and Canons, and they to have and hold Leets, and Lawdays, and Cognizance of all Pleas betwixt their Tenants, as well of Trespasses and Contracts, as others. And lastly, They were to have and hold Wards, Reliefs, Escheats, Forfeitures, and other Profits, Issues, and Emoluments whatsoever, within their own Fees, from all their Tenants, which might appertain to the Crown, as if the Tenants did hold of the Crown or othersin Capite.