66 iiij Die Maij Rated for? The clere yerely va Sr. Jo: Constable knighte S lue of the p'misses lijli. xvs. iiijd. wch rated at xxix yeres purchase Amountethe to M'DXxxli. iiijs. viijd. "The mony to be pd in hand before the 22 of may 1557. "The king and quene's maiesties to dischardge the p'chaser of all thinges and incu'brauns made or done by their maj', except leses.―The purchaser to dischardge the king and quene of all fees and rep'ses goyng out of the premisse.—The tenure in chefe by knightes s'vyce. The p'chaser to be bounde for the woodes.-The leade, belles, and advousons to be excepted.—The mynes and p'kes to be excepted." (Signed) Willm petre. Frauncys Englefylde.— E.Waldegrave. Jo. Baker.* SKIRLAW CHAPEL, IN THE PARISH OF SWINE, The chapel in the village of Skirlaw, in the the parish of Swine, is about three miles from the church of Swine, with which church it is connected as a chapel of ease. * Harl. MSS. No. 606, fol. 16. It is probable that there was a chapel at Skirlaw, soon after the foundation of the priory at Swine, if not at the Norman conquest. But it is known that there was a chapel there, and a chantry in it, in the year 1337, as in that year the dispute, which has already been mentioned,* arose between the inhabitants of Skirlaw and other places, and the prioress and convent of Swine, relative to the maintenance of a fit priest to serve every day in the chantry at Skirlaw. From the date and terms of the settlement of this dispute by the archbishop of York, it is evident that bishop Skirlaw could not be the original founder of the chapel at Skirlaw, although there is no doubt that he rebuilt the chapel in its present elegant form. He was a native of Skirlaw, and took the name of Skirlaw, and his arms, which he seems to have been studious to exhibit, appear nearly around the chapel of Skirlaw. He died in the year 1405, sixty eight years after the above mentioned controversy began, so that there must have been a chapel before his time. In monastic writers, the same church, abbey or priory, is said to have had many different founders, first, second and third, and even as far as a sixth founder. This will serve to elucidate some diffi * Vide page 39. culties, and apparent contradictions, which occur in several authorities, relative to the founders of churches and monasteries, as benefactors are often called founders.* The chapel at Skirlaw, till within a few years past, retained in its interior, as well as exterior, the marks of the correct judgment and superior talents of its eminent architect, bishop Skirlaw; and every antiquary, at least, will be of opinion that the labour of those persons who have lately undertaken to remove any part of the bishop's work, might well have been spared. The exterior of the chapel is still the most complete specimen of ancient ecclesiastical architecture, to be found in any village in the county of York; and its interior arrangements were once perfectly consistent with the early practice of Christians, with which bishop Skirlaw was no doubt well acquainted. The endowment of the chapel at Skirlaw is very trifling indeed, and some exertions may probably be made to increase it, by people of property and influence in the neighbourhood. How far the support of a clergyman who may officiate in the chapel, can be aided by the legacy mentioned in the will of Marmaduke Langdaill, and * Tanner's Notitia, preface, 18. |