They persuaded him and two other
apostate friars to rob these convents of the "Bibles, chalices,
and other sacred books," and, with the aid of night, the
enterprise met with more success than they deserved.[1]
[1] Bryce, i. 27.
The prior and convent of Ely traced some of their
books to Paris. They wrote to Edward III (1332):
"Because a robber has taken out of our church four books
of great value, viz.--The Decretum, Decretals, the Bible
and Concordance, of which the first three are now at Paris,
arrested and detained under sequestration by the officer of
the Bishop of Paris, whom our proctor has often prayed in
form of law to deliver them, but he behaves so strangely
that we shall find in him neither right, grace, nor favour:--
We ask you to write to the Bishop of Paris to intermeddle
favourably and tell his official to do right, so that we may
get our things back."[1] In 1396-7 William, prior of Newstead,
and a brother canon, proceeded against John
Ravensfield for the return of a book by Richard of
Hampole, entitled Pricke of Conscience, "and now the
parties aforesaid are agreed by the licence of the court,
and the said John is in misericordia'; he paid the
amercement in the hall.
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