2 - Letter from Pope Gregory IX to the Abbot and Convent of St Edmunds forBidding the Building of Any Chapel or Convent Within the Banleuca of Bury St Edmunds, 16 April 1238 [Cul Ms Ee. III. 60, Fol. 21r]

Summary

Lest any power or any law should vindicate itself within the limits of the town of St Edmund.

Gregory IX, bishop, servant of the servants of God to his beloved sons the abbot and convent of the monastery of St Edmund in the diocese of Norwich, greeting and the apostolic blessing. Acknowledging your devout prayers, by the authority of these presents we forbid anyone apart from the Roman pontiff or his own legate to be granted any power or right to vindicate himself, or to celebrate public masses or to build a convent or oratory or chapel, or to convene a synod or exercise any episcopal offices whatsoever in the town of St Edmund or within one mile's distance of the town divided into four parts; just as was proposed to us by Alexander II, Lucius, Hadrian and Alexander III, Urban, Celestine, Innocent and Honorius, Roman pontiffs of happy memory, our predecessors. Let no man, therefore, dare to disturb the aforesaid place or carry off its possessions or, having carried them off, retain them, or threaten it or harass it with any disturbances whatsoever.