Pagina:Annales monastici Vol IV.djvu/55

PREFACE. xlvii There are continual intimations as to the unwillingness Opposition of the priory to admit this bishop's visitations ; though bishop's he seems to have been received honourably when he visitations, came in person, his officials were always resisted (pp. 545, 546). The visitations must have entailed no slight expense on the priory, as in 1290 he came mth 140 horses (p. 504). There is mention of a curious scene on Ash Wednesday in 1291, when the bishop's officials gave the ashes to the people, and dismissed the penitents, the prior meantime preaching in the chapter house ; after- wards the prior blessed the ashes, and gave them to the convent, and did not interfere with the bishop's office (nee de officio episcopi se intromisit), p. 504. Their Attempt of dislike of his visitation did not, however, prevent the ^j^j^P^^g***" prior fi'om wishing to exercise his presumed right to other mo- visit the other monasteries of the diocese, when the see t^g^jQ^ggg was vacant on the bishop's death. In 1301, soon after ^^de va- the death of bishop Godfrey Giffiird, the prior set forth to visit them ; the annalist does not say whether he was admitted by any ; but states that the convent of Tewkesbury, the monks of Gloucester and Winchcomb, and the canons of Cirencester pertinaciously resisted him with closed doors ; they do not appear to have denied his right in the abstract, as they put forth as their reason for the opposition that they had already been twice visited that year (p. 551). The prior earned the cause into the Arches Court, and two years after- wards (1303) the abbats of Tewkesbury and Gloucester were condemned (p. 55G). With the Franciscans, who had had a settlement at Quarrels Worcester soon after their first arrival in England,^ the R-ancis- relations of the priory were far from amicable. The cans re- quarrels chiefly arose fi-om questions as to the right of the right of sepulture. The annalist is evidently very angry that sepulture. William of Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, (the Beauchamps "v^Irwick. See Eccleston (Brewer's Monamen to Franciscana), p. 27. d 2