Series 3 > Charters of the Abbey of Inchcolm

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to the monastery of Inchcolm, and discharging the Bishop and all others
from molesting the monastery in its possession of the vicarage.
Moray Charters 43.28. Endorsed : ‘ Inhibitio facta episcopo in causa
Unionis ecclesie de Dalgathy.’ The script of this charter is much defaced
and in parts quite illegible.
The provenance of the present instrument can now be shown ; for the
Vatican records have yielded not only the letter of Martin V, mentioned
in this instrument, but an earlier supplication which represents the first
stage of the controversy regarding the appropriation of the vicarage of
Dalgety by Inchcolm.
‘ 8 May, 1420. Formerly William, erstwhile King of Scotland,
granted to the Abbot and convent of Inchcolm, O.S.A., of the diocese
of Dunkeld, the vicarage of the parish church of Dalgaty, said diocese
which has been wont to be governed beyond the memory of man by
secular canons of the monastery, at the pleasure of the Abbot. But a
certain John de Bullok, secular priest, foresaid diocese, has unlawfully
occupied the church for the space of sixteen years, having been intruded
by the power of the Bishop to the no little loss and harm of the Abbot
and convent, to whom the presentation rightly belonged. John,
however, recognizing that he had no right in the said vicarage,
resigned purely and simply in the hands of the Pope; wherefore the
above Abbot and convent supplicate that the Pope would ratify and
confirm the above grant of the King and all its consequences and also
that, confirming the annexation of the ecclesiastical land and chapel
of Bethe, he would provide them anew to the above vicarage of Dalgati
(8 marks sterling), whether void by the way in which it was provided
to them, or by resignation of John, or howsoever. (Fiat ut petitur.)’
(Scottish Supplications, p. 195.)
The mandate of 21 June 1420, which follows on the above supplication,
is as follows:
‘ To the Abbot of Dunfermline, in the diocese of St. Andrews.
Mandate, if he finds the facts to be as stated, to confirm the donation,
made by the late King William to the Augustinian Abbot and convent
of Inchcolm in the diocese of Dunkeld, and confirmed by authority of
the ordinary, of the patronage of the perpetual vicarage of the parish
church of Dalgathy in the said diocese, and of the church itself and its
annexed chapel de Bechto and lands, by virtue of which they have had
the said vicarage governed by one of their canons at the pleasure of the
Abbot from time immemorial, except that John Bullock, priest, of the
said diocese, has unduly detained possession of the said vicarage for
some years, all right to which vicarage he has, however, resigned this
day to the Pope by his proctor, John de Brilou, clerk, of the diocese
of Cologne. The Abbot is furthermore to appropriate in perpetuity
the said vicarage to the said monastery, value respectively not exceeding
eight and two hundred pounds of old sterlings.’
(Calendar of Papal Letters, vii. p. 144.)