Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/454

(JBnginal Bocumfnts. In the extracts from the Bursars' accounts of Winchester College, which were given in Vol. VIII. of this Journal, it will be remembered that men- tion was made of Simon, Bishop of Achonry,' as having been deputed by William of Wykeham to consecrate the chapel and cloisters of the college. This bishop was much employed by WiUiam of Wykeham to assist in his episcopal functions. The following transcript of his will is extracted from Wykeham's register. " Testamentum domini Simonis, Episcopi Accadensis. " In dei nomine, Amen, xiiii™° die mensis Februarii, a.d. mcccxcvii., Ego, Simon, Accadensis Episcopus, condo testamentum meum in hunc modum. In primis, lego animam meam deo, et corpus meum ad sepeliendum in Capella B. Marias infra Mouasterium de Quarrera. Item, lego Abbati ejusdem Monasterii xP. Item, lego Priori ejusdem Monasterii vi^ viii*!. Item, lego Stephano Monacho dicti Monasterii vi^. viii*'. Item, lego ad distribuendum inter Monachos ejusdem Monasterii, ad orandum pro anima mea, liii^ iiii"^. Item, lego Magistro Nicholao unam zonam de cerico stipatam cum argento deaurato. Item, lego domino Roberto rectori de Arreton xl^ Item, lego Michaeh famulo meo xl^ Item, lego Nicholao cognato meo xx*. Et quicquid residuum fuerit de bonis meis non legatis do etiam et lego executoribus meis, ut ipsi ordinent et disponent pro anima mea. Et ad istud testamentum meum expediendum, et in omnibus fideliter exequendum, meos ordino et constituo executores dominum Robertum Waiityngg, rectorem ecclesise de Arreton, et Magistrum Nicholaum Burgh, Rectorem Ecclesias de Nyton," This will was proved on the 27th of March, a.d. 1398. Archdeacon Cotton, in his valuable "Fasti," says of this prelate, that he was a monk, but that it is uncertain to what order he belonged.- From his connexion with the Abbey of Quarrer, or Quarr, which is shown by this will, we may infer that he was a Cistercian. The will itself contains little which might claim any detailed comment or observation, except, indeed, as serving to show the scantiness of the revenues which he received from the see of Achonry. In truth, many Irish prelates at that period would seem to have been little more than mere titular bishops, bearing the titles of Irish sees, but having no other duties to perform, and consecrated perhaps with no other object, than to assist the English bishops in the discharge of their functions. In looking through the work of Archdeacon Cotton, one cannot but be struck with the very numerous instances which occur of Irish bishops, of whom no other memorial exists than an entry in some Episcopal Register in England, recording their appointment to act as suffragans to English bishops. 1 Vol. viii. p. 82, where he was erro- enumerated by Wharton. Bibhoth. To- neously called Bishop of Aghadoe. Simon pogr. Brit. Akadensis occurs in 1385, amongst the 2 Fasti Ecclesise Hibemicae, by Henry " Chorepiseoiji Diocesium Incertarum," Cotton, D.C.L., vol. iv., Connaught, p. 100.