Add MS 41612

REGISTER of the Cathedral Priory of Ely, co. Camb., in Latin and (occasionally) French: apparently the 'registrum capituli Eliensis' to which reference is made on f. 69. The arrangement (presuming a transposition of the two sections of the last gathering) is roughly chronological, covering the period 1273-1371. A few deeds and extracts of earlier date are, however, included (e.g. a fine of 19 Hen. III, f. 21 b; extracts from the Pipe Rolls, [Richard I]-Henry III, ff. 17b-21 passim, 24b; and an 'Antiquum scriptum' [1198-1200 ?] of Eustace, Bishop of Ely, in favour of Sawtrey Abbey, f. 100b); there are also insertions throughout, the latest date being 2 Dec. 1426 (f. 1 b). The contents consist chiefly of presentations to benefices in the gift of the Chapter, grants of pensions and corrodies, manumissions, appointments of proctors or proxies to Parliament and Convocation and to effect appropriations of advowsons, etc., and confirmations of instruments of the bishops of Ely (including deeds relating to the foundation or early endowment of all the 14th century Cambridge colleges or halls, except Pembroke, ff. 65 b-66, 79b, 80b, 87-90b passim, 102, 109b). Included also are 'Ordinaciones capituli Elyensis', 12 Mar. 1300/1, presumably for 1314/5 (ff. 30b-31), and 'Ordinaciones speccantes (sic) principaliter ad religionem et conuentum', 12 Mar. 1314/5, (ff. 31b-33), drawn up prior to a visitation by archiepiscopal commissioners, a documented account of which follows (ff. 33-36 b); deeds issued during the elections of Bishop John de Hothom [Hotham], 1316 (ff. 37 b-41b) and his predecessor John de Ketene, 13 (ff. 49-53 b). The entire contents (except a note of a loan to the Convent, 1 (?) Ric. II, f. 1 b; a rental of Earith and Colne, co. Hunt., f. 2b; the whole of f. 26b; and an erased presentation to the rectory of Foston, co. Norf., f. 57b) have been calendared in Hist. MSS. Comm., 6th Report, App., pp. 289-300; so numerous, however, are the misprints and mistakes that the descriptions should be used with caution. Elaborate extracts from the MS., then in the possession of Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Bart., of Orchard Wyndham, co. Som., were taken by the Rev. George Harbin, the non juror, in 1735; these became the property of the Rev. Thomas Baker and are now MS. Mm. i. 49 (Baker 38), pp. 107-182, in the Cambridge University Library, being described in Cat. of MSS., v, pp. 456-461. Other excerpts by Harbin 'Ex Registro de Ely Priorat.' are Phillipps MS. 4806. Documents and extracts from records are printed (from other sources) as under:-Inquisition conc. the appointment of officers of the Priory during the vacancy of the See, 1302 (f. 2) in Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum, i, 1817, p. 487; extracts from the 'Quo Warranto' rolls (ff. 4, 47, 96) in Placita de Quo Warranto, Edw. I-III, pp. 279-80, 727, 729); articles and petition of the clergy of Canterbury Province against the form of a citation to Convocation, 1314 (ff. 53b-54b) in Wilkins, Concilia Magnae Britanniae, ii, pp. 443-4. There is some repetition, viz., the 'Quo Warranto' plea of the Bishop of Ely in co. Hertf., 6 Edw. I, is found on f. 4, and on f. 96, an entry on f. 5 is repeated on f. 8 b, the same deed appears twice on f. 12 b, an extract from a Pipe Roll of Edward I occurs on both f. 20 and f. 21, an inquisition on a writ of ad quod damnum rel. to Ely Place, Holborn, 1303, on f. 22 is repeated on ff. 39 (unfinished) and 98, and a deed on f. 62 b reappears on f. 63 b. A partial list of contents in a hand of the end of the 15th century is on f. 1 b. Vellum; ff. i + 115. 11¼ in. x 7 3/8 in. Late XIII-XV centt. Gatherings: i4, ii12- v12 (iii has an inserted leaf, f. 26; v has a supernumerary leaf, f. 42), vi10, vii8- viii8, ix10 (f. 81 supernumerary), x10, xi14 (two independent groupings of 4 and 8 leaves within an outer skin). A few initials in red and blue in the first two gatherings. Original binding of bevelled oak boards. Scribblings (15th-16th cent.) by John Dounham on f. i. Belonged, in 1735 (see above), to Sir William Wyndham, by whose descendant, the third Lord Leconfield, it was sold (sale-cat., lot 47).

Ely, Cambridgeshire: Register of the Cathedral Priory: 13th-15th centt.: Lat. and Fr.

Chartularies: Ely Cathedral Priory (Chapter Register): 13th-15th centt.: Lat. and Fr.

Bindings ENGLISH: Bevelled oak boards: 13th-14th cent.

includes:

• f. 1 John Dounham: Scribblings by: 15th-16th cent.: Lat.
• ff. 37 b-41 b John de Hotham, Bishop of Ely: Deeds rel. to election of: 1316.: Lat.: Copies.
• ff. 49-53b John de Ketene, Bishop of Ely: Deeds rel. to election of: 1310.: Lat.: Copies.
• ff. 65 b-109b passim University of Cambridge: Deeds rel. to foundation or endowment of colleges: 14th cent.: Lat.: Copies.