Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/315

THE RIGHTS OF CHRIST CHURCH, CANTERBURY, ON THE DEATHS OF BISHOPS OF THE PROVINCE. The reader of history has often occasion to observe how much the dominaut idea of an age exercises an influence beyond its proper scope. The feudal system, which linked together the more active elements of society for purposes chiefly military, developed, if it did not originate, the usage of heriots ; by which the lord in many cases became intitled on his tenant's decease to his arms, his best horse, or some other valuable chattel. By a process of assimilation, the mortuary or corse present, whether originally a compensation for offerings omitted, or in the nature of a payment for sepulture — analogous to the modern fee for breaking the ground, assumed a character not very unlike that of a heriot due on the death of a layman to his priest ; and was extended in some places to ecclesiastical relations, where, one ecclesiastic was subordinate to another. In Wales, on the death of every priest, a mortuar}', consisting of some of his best goods, was due to his bishop.' In the archdeaconry of Cliester, on the death of every priest, his best horse, saddle, bridle, and spurs, certain articles of apparel, and his best signet or ring, belonged to the bishop, as being the archdeacon.- The king, in like manner, on the death of every archbishop and bishop, was entitled to his best horse or palfrey with the saddle and bridle, a cloak with the hood {or hat ? capella), a cup with the cover, a basin and ewer, a gold ring, and the mute or kennel of hounds of the deceased.'* It will be observed that the quality of the palfrey and ring only is specified ; yet we may be sure the other chattels were not to be of an inferior kind. On the deaths of some abbots, if not of all, the king claimed the like.^ How these rights of the crown originated, it would now probably be hopeless to inquire, for opinions have long been divided on the subject. They existed in the reign of Edward I., and probably earlier."' Tiiere is reason to think the seals of bishops were generally delivered up to their metropolitans, that they might nut fall into the hands of those, who would be likely to make an improper use of them. In the province of Canterbury, indeed, the second best ring of the bishop accompanied his seals ; the best was probably the gold one that went to the king. The archbishop seems to have stood in some peculiar relation to the bishops of St. Asaph, Bangor, and Rochester ; for on their respective deceases the claim of the primate in some particulars resembled that of the ' 21 Hen. VIII., c. C ; 1'2 Ann. St. 2, * Prynne's Vindication of the King's c. 6. Supreme Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, iii., - 21 Hen. VIII., c. G ; Cro. Car. 2:57 ; pi). .'K^O— 1. 28 tieo. II., c. t). ' See I'rynne and 2(1 Inst., uli stqiru. •' Coke's 2d Inst. -IIM.