between the Vicar of Sunnedon alias Coggeshall and the Abbot and Convent there concerning the vicarage portion and other things.”*

"To all the faithful of Christ to whom the present writing shall come, EUSTACHIUS, by Divine mercy humble minister of the church of London, eternal health in the Lord.

"Be it known to you universally that when there had arisen a dispute between us and our chapter on the one part, and Benedict, Abbot of the convent of Coggeshall on the other part, concerning the church of Sunnedon, then after many altercations we submitted ourselves, and the settlement concerning the same church, with unanimous consent and free will, to JOHN, by the permission of the Lord, BISHOP OF ELY, promising firmly and in good faith that, ceasing every objection and appeal, we would observe what the same bishop should ordain on this matter— when resignation was made into our hands by the aforesaid Abbot and monks of Coggeshall, of the whole of the right in the said church which they claimed for themselves, having taken counsel of men prudent and skilled in the law, he thus thought fit to ordain, viz., That the monks shall possess for the support of the poor and strangers, in perpetual right, all the tithes of Cornt [garbarum] of the whole parish of the said church, with all the land pertaining to the same church, EXCEPT the capital mansion; and 19 acres in Northfield, near the same mansion; and one acre in the field called Westfield, on the east side, as far as the meadow; and the whole meadow beyond the water course on the north side: and except the tenements which are held of the same Church, by Walter de Rustylford, John Gallicus, William de Fonte, William Bore, John Delbroche, Editha a widow, with their farmers; all which, with all the tithes, profits,

* Extracted from the Registry of the Consistory Court of London. + This has been held to include likewise hay, and not a few disputes arose some years ago between the vicar and the lay impropriators as to his right in the tithes of hay.

and all other things pertaining to the said Church, the vicar, who for the time being shall minister in the same Church, shall possess under the name of the vicarage; and shall sustain all burdens, debts and customs: the appointment and collation to which vicarage shall belong to us and our successors in perpetuity.

"But if it shall happen that any messuage or land of the same parish shall be converted into the possession of the said monks, by the act of any one, to the detriment of the said vicarage, the same monks shall be bound by the arbitration of good men, between the vicar for the time being and the monks -Provided that the pension of Rumalicus shall be first fully and truly discharged out of the aforesaid portion-That the said monks shall often attend the celebration of the synods or chapters, unless by reason of any offence committed in the diocese of London, they shall not be deemed worthy to attend.

"And that the aforesaid settlement may be permanently established, we by pontifical authority, and with the consent of our chapter, in confirmation of the same, have thought fit to set our seal to the present writing, under our hand, and the seal of our chapter, together with the seals of the aforesaid Bishop of Ely and the said Abbot and monks, these being witnesses:-Philip de Falconbrydge. Mark Geoffry de Lucy. Reginald de Radenor and others. Done at Raynes,* VI. id. Jan. [8th January], in the second year of our pontificate."

The date of this document is 1223 or 1224. From this time the Bishops of London continued the patrons of the vicarage, until Bishop Ridley by a Quadripartite Indenture, dated the 12th of April, 4th Edward VI., (nine days after he had taken his oath for a bishopric) granted to the King all the manors of Branktry and

* Near Braintree, which was originally included under this name. The Bishop of London had a manor and palace there.

Southminster in Essex, Stepney in Middlesex, and the advowson and patronage of the vicarage of Coggeshall in Essex, in exchange for certain other lands of a like value. On the 16th of April, the King, "of his special grace, and in consideration of service, granted to Lord Rich the manor of Branktree, and the advowson of the vicarage and parochial Church of Coggeshall, parcel of the late possessions of the Bishop of London: yearly value, £39. 13s. 4d."* This was the Sir Richard Rich already mentioned as taking part in the dissolution of the monasteries and sharing in their spoils. Among other possessions, he had Tyllingham Hall, near Brentwood, which formerly belonged to Coggeshall Abbey, and had been granted by Henry VIII. to Cardinal Wolsey, for the building and endowment of his colleges, afterwards to Sir Thomas Seymour, who alienated it to Sir Richard Rich. He at first studied law in the Middle Temple, and was at length made Chancellor of the Court of Augmentations. He was created by Edward VI. Baron Rich of Leighs, and held Rochford and other lands. He took a prominent part in the execution of several of the Essex martyrs under Queen Mary, and continued a papist till his death, which happened 12th June, 1566. The patronage of this living was possessed by his son Robert, Lord Rich, who died 27th February,,

* Pat. 4., Ed. VI., p. 1. m. 17. Cole, vol. 41., p. 435. Strype. E. M. II., i. 339. 514. Newcourt says (from Grimes' Collections) that Henry VIII., in 38th of his reign, granted the manor and rectory of Coggeshall to Sir R. Rich, to be held in capite by knight's-service, as he did also the Tenth going out of the late Monastery here.

1580-1; and then by his grandson Robert, first earl of Warwick, and his descendants. It was purchased by Mr. Lyde, and thus came into the Du Cane family. The arms of one of this family were formerly on a hatchment in the Church.

Newcourt mentions a Terrier in 1610, in which the vicarage is thus described:-"A vicarage-house, a barn, an orchard, and a garden, and about 19 acres and half and 3 roods of glebe land." The vicarial tithes did not amount to £100 per annum, until about fifty years ago, when by the effort of a new vicar they were greatly increased. By the Award of the Commissioners for Commuting the Tithes, dated the 28th of February, 1851, the amount of small tithes fixed for Great Coggeshall is £350. This is subject to some reservations on account of those Abbey lands which are held in the hands of the owner: such lands as could not at the time of the commutation be proved to have belonged to the Abbey were made permanently liable to great and small tithes, under all circumstances.