Series 4 > Calendar of Papal letters to Scotland of Benedict XIII of Avignon, 1394-1419

2-9 BENEDICT XIII 63
27 May, 1396 Reg Aven 299, 318-19
To the bishops of Glasgow and Dunkeld. Mandate. The monastery
of Newbattle being vacant a certain John had been provided as
abbot; and later it was shown to Clement vn on his behalf that,
although having been granted administration of the goods of the
monastery by Robert, king of Scots, from whom they were held
in fee, Donald, claustral prior and the convent of Newbattle had
refused to admit John to the monastery, claiming that his provision
was an aggravation to them. They had appealed to the pope, but
John had journeyed to the curia and had asserted that the cognizance
of first appeals to the curia from anyone of the said diocese should
be in the presence of Walter, bishop of St Andrews; and so letters
in mandate were sent to the above bishops of Glasgow and Dunkeld
to institute John or his procurator in corporal possession of the
monastery, to remove anyone detaining it, and to enforce obedience
from the said prior and convent under pain of ecclesiastical censure.
Subsequently it had been shown to Benedict by John that the bishop
of Glasgow alone proceeded to effect the letters threatening the
prior and convent with an interdict if they did not heed the said
mandatory letters. The prior and convent appealed to the pope
who at the request of the abbot committed the hearing and ending
of the case to Guido, bishop of Palestrina, who cited the abbot,
prior and convent to appear before him. The prior was represented
by Dominic de Morali, his procurator, and after certain proceedings
Guido declared that the appeal had been rejected, that the threatened
interdict was legitimate, and that the prior and convent were liable
for the expenses of the suit. The said bishops are now given mandate
to expedite the aforesaid letters of provision on behalf of John under
pain of ecclesiastical censure and with the aid of the secular arm if
necessary.
Avignon, 6 Kal. Jun., anno 2; expedited, Kal. Jul., anno 2 [1 July,
1396]; consigned, 8 Id. Jul., anno 2 [8 July, 1396].
sro, Vat. Trans., ii, no. 1.
7 June, 1396 Reg Aven 299, 319-3 ipv
To John Mason, perpetual vicar of the parish church of Stranygloth,
Dunkeld diocese. Indult to hold further compatible benefices, follow-