Biography of John Vesci -1289

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. And when at length the election of the bishop of Durham was completed, the archbishop opposed the election of Anthony (age 39), saying that he had been elected by persons under excommunication, and therefore should not be admitted. The lord king, however, sent his own trusted servant, Sir John de Vescy, to the archbishop to say, and to threaten under heavy forfeiture, that he was not to hinder the election and promotion of his most special clerk; rather, if the archbishop had a legal case against the monks who had made the election, he should bring and pursue it in due place and time, but the elect was not to be punished for the offence of the others. And so the archbishop was afraid for himself, and gave way, fearing man more than God, and consecrated him, as has been said, on the day of the Translation of Saint William [9th January 1284]. Later, however, he repented of it. After him, Archbishop John Romanus (age 54) wished to make a visitation; but because he was greedy, they bought him off with money for the whole of his term. After him, Archbishop Henry of Newark did not begin such proceedings, because he lived only a short time, and besides this, he was a friend of the bishop of Durham. After him, Archbishop Thomas of Corbridge, although he visited his own province twice within four years (except for his own chapter), nevertheless did not approach Durham, because he feared the king and the trouble it would bring.

Factaque demum electione Dunolmensis, opposuit se archiepiscopus contra electum Anthonium, dicens ipsum esse electum ab excommunicatis, et propter hoc non fore admittendum. Et misit ad archiepiscopum dominus rex familiarem suum, dominum Johannem de Vescy, qui diceret, et sub gravi forisfactura comminaret, quod electionem et promotionem specialissimi clerici sui non impediret: imo si actionem haberet contra monachos eligentes, institueret et persequeretur eam pro loco et tempore; et non puniretur electus pro delicto cæterorum. Timuitque sibi archiepiscopus et adquievit, magis timens hominem quam Deum, et consecravit eum, ut supradictum est, in die translationis sancti Willelmi; postea tamen poenituit. Post hunc archiepiscopus Johannes Romanus voluit visitasse; sed quia avarus erat extinxerunt eum pecunia data pro toto tempore suo. Post illum archiepiscopus Henricus de Newerk non incepit talia, eo quod parvo tempore vixit, et præter hoc fuit familiaris domini Dunolmensis episcopi. Post quem archiepiscopus Thomas de Corebrigge, qui licet provinciam propriam infra quatuor annos, excepto proprio capitulo, duabus vicibus visitasset, Dunolmum tamen non petiit, eo quod timuit regem et vexationem.