Page:The histories of Launceston and Dunheved, in the county of Cornwall.djvu/24

8 LAUNCESTON. horn, on the day of the transfer of the relics and Canons of the same Church, at the ford of the town of Lanstaueton. Richard Karl of Cornwall and Poictou, the famous son of King John, next took under his protection "the Priory of Lanston, and the Prior and Canons thereof, and all their men, churches, tenures, and possessions," and enjoined "that no one should presume to interfere with the rights and liberties which they had under their charters." The same Richard afterwards, by charter, granted in per- petuity to the Prior of Lanceuetone, and the Canons there, 5s. iod., to be received annually from the Burgesses of Dunheved, for providing a lamp to burn every night before the image of the Blessed Mary in the Priory. The same Earl, by another charter, confirms to the Church of St. Stephen at Lanstone, all their former rights and liberties, freed for ever from all secular service and all secular customs, and declares that no one should place the afore- said Canons in plea of any tenement, unless before himself or his Bailiffs of Cornwall. Among the witnesses to this deed are Ivon, the Earl's brother, Henry of Bodrigan, and Ralph Bloyo. The dates of these charters of Richard are somewhat uncertain, but he was created Earl of Cornwall 1227, and died in 1272. In 1258 Robert Fissacre, a Prior of this convent, was ex- communicated for "disobedi- ence and manifold offences," but was shortly afterwards ab- solved, and continued Prior until September 12th, 1261. During his priorate he founded 1% sigillv. eccle. sci stephani de lan. ^ hospital of St. Leonard at Gillemartin. (See a translation of his grant at page 37.)