5 - Letter from Pope Alexander IV to the Minister Provincial and Friars of England, 1 November 1257 [Wadding (ed.), Annales Minorum (1637), vol . 4, pp. 64 – 5]
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 December 2023
Summary
At this time the friars obtained a dwelling in the town of St Edmund, king and martyr in the diocese of Norwich in England, supported by a papal grant and assisted by the favour of the earl of Gloucester and Gilbert de Preston. The abbot and convent of the place spoke against this, and petitioned the Curia for contradictory letters. However, the pope revoked these by the following grant, having been made more certain of the whole controversy.
To the minister provincial and friars of the Order of Friars Minor of England.
We are induced by your religious intent, so that we may advance you in benevolent favour, and so that we may have an effective study of providence in those things which you rightly demand. That is, that we, assenting to your supplications, whatever contrary letters, privileges or indulgences have been previously received by you, and obtaining a place granted by us in the town of St Edmund the king and martyr, which is commonly called Bury, and in the diocese of Norwich, by whatsoever other letters, indulgences or privileges not making express mention of the foregoing it was attempted (or should happen to be attempted), we now determine to be ineffective and empty. Notwithstanding, establishing by the same authority that no religious or secular persons may seek to obtain (or are seeking to obtain) letters, indulgences or privileges of this kind from the Apostolic See, collectively or individually against you, and the grant of the present place, and let them thus far support our decree and statute. Let no man whatsoever, therefore, infringe this our document, or dare to contradict it by rash daring. But if anyone should, etc. Given at Viterbo, 1 November, in the third year [of our pontificate].
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- The Franciscans in Medieval Bury St Edmunds , pp. 61 - 62Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2023