78 A HISTORY OF LONDON he had not been and was not resident, contrary to the constitution of the legate Ottobon."" Plurahties seem to have been fairly common in London, but as there is so little evidence of non-residence it was probably the country parishes that suffered. In 1310 and 131 1 two London rectors received licence from the pope to hold more than one benefice,"^ in each case one in London and one in the country. In 13 19 the Abbot of Westminster was commanded to assign the rectory of Chelsea to Nicholas Hosebond, a canon of London, who already had the church of St. Margaret London Bridge, and a perpetual chaplaincy in St. Paul's."^ On the other hand in three or four cases of reservation of benefices for London clergy between 1332 and 1348 the London church had to be resigned on the new collation."" The pope does not appear to have made many provisions at this period of parochial churches in London, though they are numerous in the higher ranks of the clergy."* In 1322 he provided to St. Vedast's,"° and in 1345 he reserved at the request of Queen Isabella the church of St. Mary Magdalen Milk Street, which led to a suit with a clerk appointed by the rightful patron."'^ In 1338 the Prior of Christchurch wrote to the Bishop of Chester that he could not present his nominee to the church of St. Mary Aldermary because he had so many papal provisions unsatisfied;-" and in 1341 a similar case occurred." Another method of evading the patron's rights was the exchange of benefices, which was at this period very prevalent in London as elsewhere. Twenty- one exchanges touching London benefices are noted in the Patent Rolls between 1327 and 1354,"' and in 1322 the Prior of Christchurch com- plained that the convent's right of presentation had been four times evaded by this means in the case of St. Dunstan's in the East.**" Probably the parochial churches were more affected by the frequent provisions to the archdeaconry of London at this period than by the few provisions to their own benefices. From 1308 to 1338 the archdeaconry was in the hands of the pope's nominees, in spite of the struggles of the bishop to secure presentation.^" The appointment of these foreigners, who were probably non-resident, must have had a very detrimental effect on the parochial clergy of the City, who were so closely under the supervision of the archdeacon. Between the friars, the religious houses, and the pope, they appear to have had considerable difficulty in maintaining their position. Mention has already been made of their attempts to escape the burden of pensions due to religious houses which had appropriated the livings. These continued throughout the 14th century, but apparently without success.^*"
- "' Lond. Epis. Reg. Baldock and Gravesend, fol. 25.
"' Cal. of Papal Letters, ii, 86, 87. "» Ibid. 184, 186. ^ Ibid. 370, 377 ; iii, 280. There is also one case in 1322 where no mention of resignation is made ; ibid, ii, 224. '"' See under St. Paul's in 'Religious Houses.'
- Cat. of Papal Letters, ii, 222. *" Ibid, iii, 185, 259 ; Cal. Pat. 1343-5, P- 564-
"' Lit. Cant. (Rolls Scr.), ii, 175. "» Ibid. 240. '" Cal. Pat. passim. Some of these exchanges were not actually effected ; cf. Cal. Pat. I 327-30, p. 176 ; 1330-4, p. 12 ; 1350-4, p. 367. There is no case of a direct exchange of two London benefices, but in Jan. 1338 the rector of St. Swithin's exchanged that for the vicarage of Romney, which in November he exchanged again for St. Alban Wood Street ; Cal. Pat. 1334-8, p. 573 (cf p. 497) ; 1338-40, p. 162. ^ Lit. Cant. (Rolls Ser.), i, 77-9; cf 142. '" Cal. of Papal Letters, ii, 32, 75, 201, 210, 231, 357 ; Cal. Close, 1323-7, p. 91. '*• Cases are recorded in 1 3 14, 1338, 1349, and six between 1380 and 1403 (D. and C. Westm. box D-K. ; Lond. A. parcel i ; B. box iii ; Chartul. St. Peter, Glouc. [Rolls Sep.], iii, 266 ; D. and C. St. Paul's, A. box 23, no. 1723, 1722 ; box 70, no. 1767; box 4, no. 25, 39, 765 ; box "]•], no. 2064; Walsingham, Gesta Abbat. [Rolls Ser.], iii, 441), all of which were decided in favour of the religious houses. 202
