ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY besides his ordinary duty was John de Crachely, treasurer to the king; he died in the year 1260, leaving considerable sums of money in charity and also for the endowment of chantries. 1 Complaints of the usury and fraudulent dealings of the Jews appear early in the thirteenth century. The chronicler of Dunstable records in 1 22 1 2 the case of a certain ' Mossy filius Brun ' who tried to pass off a forged charter on the prior, claiming the sum of £70. He was detected, and his brethren had to pay £100 to the king before they could get his death sentence commuted to banishment. Later on, in the reign of Edward I., 3 certain Jews were hanged and their property confiscated at Bedford. In 1278 Jews were caught clipping the coin* there, as in so many other places. In the same year B commissioners were sent to open the chirographer's chest in the King's Jewry; to make a scrutiny and take note of all charters and deeds found there. The expulsion of the Jews in 1290 is recorded with approval by the chronicler of Dunstable; but he preserves also an instance of kindness shown to those who were converted. 8 The same chronicler describes at some length the general senti- ments of English churchmen as to the papal provisions common at this time; he also records a typical instance (not altogether to the credit of his own house) of the way in which English benefices fared when farmed out by foreign rectors. Peter de Vitella de Ferentino, an Italian, had been presented to the church of Steppingley by the prior of Dunstable in 1247. 7 In 1250 8 he came to Dunstable to arrange his affairs; and finally let the church to the dean, Gilbert of Tingrith, to farm for ioox. a year, ap- pointing a canon of Dunstable as his proctor. In five years 8 he returned to implead Gilbert, who had only paid his rent twice. He recovered some part of his money, and now let the church to a certain clerk in- stead of Gilbert, at the same rate as before, departing as soon as this was done for another five years. This case is not however so unsatisfactory as some others, for the church and its ornaments were kept in good repair by the canons, and the expenses charged to the rector; and it may be assumed that if these things were cared for, the services at least were properly performed. But in the long list of complaints drawn up by the king against the Italians, it was alleged that even books and vestments were wanting in some of the churches they held. 10 In spite, however, of papal provisions, and the exactions from Rome 1 Ann. Mon. (Rolls Series), iii. 216. a Ibid. p. 66. The deed was detected by its bad grammar, and also by the fact that it had been washed. 3 Pat. 13 Edw. I.; Harl. MS. 3656, f. 28.
- Ann. Mon. (Rolls Series), iii. 228.
6 Pat. 4 Edw. I. m. 36. 6 The prior of Dunstable was directed in 1275 to provide complete maintenance for a converted Jew and his family; the Bishop of Lincoln ultimately found them a home {Ann. Mon. [Rolls Series], iii. 265). 7 Ibid. p. 176. 8 Ibid. p. 181. 9 Ibid. p. 197. 10 Lidlington was farmed by the canons of Dunstable for a foreign rector, who was so little known in England that in 1277 he was thought to be dead. I 321 41
