Royal exemplification and confirmation of an indenture of agreement made on 10 Aug. 1394 between the abbot and convent of Westminster, on the one part, and the dean and college of St Stephen, Westminster, on the other, settling a jurisdictional dispute between them which had been prosecuted at the Roman curia. It sets out in detail the strictly defined exemptions accorded to the thirty-eight members of the college within its precinct, under its terms, giving exact measurements of buildings and plot sizes. These are presented here on a map of the site (see frontispiece and appendix 4). The royal ratification is dated 13 Dec. 1394.

Physical description: Three membranes of a larger roll, sewn end-to-end; in good condition and wholly legible.

Scope of transcription: Transcribed in full. Headings have been added to aid legibility.

Additional copies (not collated):

(1) Westminster Abbey Archives, WAM 18451, Westminster abbey's half of the original indenture, dated 10 Aug. 1394.

Physical description: One large parchment folded sheet, with cord for seal tag attached; stained and torn along one of its folds, with some loss of text; not wholly legible.

(2) BL, Cotton MS Faustina A III, ff. 293r–314r, copy of the indenture in the Westminster abbey cartulary, under the heading ‘Compositio inter abbatem et conventum monasterij sancti Petri Westm’ et Cm C decanum et collegium capelle pro Stephani infra palacium’, charter no. cxxxvij.

Physical description: Twelve folios in a larger MS; in good condition and wholly legible.

[m. 26]

De confirmacione Westm’

Rex Omnibus ad quos etc. salutem. Inspeximus alteram partem cuiusdam indenture inter abbatem et conventum Westm’ et decanum et collegium capelle sancti Stephani in palacio Westm’ facte in hec verba.

Noverint universi presentes pariter et futuri quod orta dudum in Romana curia inter venerabiles <et> religiosos viros dominos abbatem et conventum monasterij Westm’ ordinis sancti Benedicti London’ diocesi sedi apostolice immediate subiectos ex una parte et venerabiles et discretos viros dominos Willelmum Sleford decanum et collegium capelle sancti Stephani in palacio regio apud Westm’ predictum infra dictorum abbatis et conventus fines et limites et in parochia sancte Margarete dicto monasterio unite erecte et situate de et super nonnullis iurisdiccionibus spiritualibus et ecclesiasticis ac ipsarum exercicio quas et quod in predicta capella decanum canonicos presbiteros vicarios clericos choristas et ministros ipsius capelle et alias personas eiusdem quascumque dicti religiosi vendicant