| Description | Papers of the Archbishops of Canterbury, mainly in their roles as Visitor of Canterbury Cathedral, Visitor of All Souls College, Oxford, and arbiter of cases concerning the statutes of Bristol Cathedral.
The papers appear to have been brought together and numbered by Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury 1758-68.
ff. 1-62. Papers of the Archbishops of Canterbury relating to Christ Church Cathedral, Canterbury, mainly in their role as Visitor of the Cathedral. 1746-67.
ff. 1-6. Copies of papers in a case submitted to the Archbishop by John Lynch, Dean of Canterbury, 9 Dec. 1746, arising from the wish of Richard Marsh to resign his minor canonry while retaining his benefice, the vicarage of Faversham, a step requiring the consent of the Dean and Chapter. The Archbishop was asked to rule on whether the consent of both the Dean and the Chapter was needed, or whether a majority of the canons alone could determine the case without the consent of the Dean. With a copy of the ruling by John Potter, Archbishop of Canterbury, that the Dean's consent was not necessary.
ff. 7-13. Extracts copied from the registers of Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1570-3, and Richard Bancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1608, concerning the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury. Endorsed 'Extracts by Hall and myself'. Folio 7 is in the hand of Thomas Herring, Archbishop of Canterbury.
ff. 15-48. Papers of Thomas Herring, Archbishop of Canterbury, relating to a dispute between the Dean and certain prebendaries over the interpretation of a statute of the Cathedral concerning leases. 1752-56. Included are a memorial from prebendaries Samuel Shuckford, John Potter and Thomas Tanner requesting an interpretation of the statute 15 Dec. 1752; letters from John Lynch, Dean of Canterbury, John Potter and Thomas Tanner; and letters providing legal advice from George Hay (Vicar General), Charles Yorke (Solicitor General) and Sir George Lee (Dean of the Arches), with a draft ruling by Lee. Cf. ff. 57-62.
ff. 49-56. Correspondence (mainly between Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury, and William Freind, Dean of Canterbury, concerning the repair of the Palace wall and adjacent road at Canterbury. 1762.
ff. 57-62. Correspondence between Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury, and John Potter, Dean of Canterbury, on the unresolved dipute concerning leases (see ff. 15-48). Feb.-March 1767.
ff. 63-81. Papers of Thomas Herring, Archbishop of Canterbury, relating to a dispute between the Dean and the Chapter of Bristol. The Archbishop was asked to rule as to whether the Dean, without the consent of the Chapter, had the right to elect and dismiss the Precentor, Minor Canons and other officers of the Cathedral. 1749-52.
Included are correspondence between Archbishop Herring and Thomas Chamberlayne, Dean of Bristol, and a copy of a letter from Herring to Joseph Butler, Bishop of Bristol.
At f. 64 is a list of the papers in the hand of Andrew Coltee Ducarel, Lambeth Librarian; at f. 63 is a list of the papers in the hand of Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury, correcting Ducarel's and showing the correct chronological arrangement of the papers.
ff. 82-137. Papers of Thomas Secker, Archbishop of Canterbury, as Visitor of All Souls College, Oxford. 1760-62.
The papers have endorsements in Secker's hand and are numbered 31-55. For the items numbered 1-30, 56-69 and additional unnumbered papers, see Secker 6, ff. 1-139.
ff. 82-122. Papers relating to a petition from Alexander Popham (1729-1810), afterwards M.P. and penal reformer, to be allowed to retain his artist fellowship at All Souls despite his profession as a lawyer and not being in holy orders. 1760.
Included are Popham's petition and supporting papers concerning precedents, including papers relating to the case of William Blencowe (1683-1712) 1709-12 and a printed broadsheet, 'The case of commutation of faculties in All-Souls College Oxford', dated 14 Aug. 1713 [Oxford?, 1713]. Also included is correspondence between Archbishop Secker and Stephen Niblett, Warden of All Souls.
ff. 123-137. Papers relating to a case referred to Archbishop Secker by the Warden and Fellows concerning founder's kin. July 1761-Jan. 1762. Related papers are in Secker 6. |