 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Fountains Abbey: History
Fountains Abbey: Buildings
|
Violence at Fountains (26/26) The convent elected various persons in various ways,
and so divided
Fountains had its own fair share of drama in the fifteenth century, when a violent tussle emerged over the abbacy, following the death of Abbot Robert Burley in 1410. The appointment of a successor caused several years of strife and animosity, which took on national and international dimensions, involving not only the pope, but the king of England, parliament and the Council of Constance. Discord arose when the Fountains community was split over the election of Robert Burley’s successor. As none of the candidates secured the required two-third majority, the two English commissioners appointed by Clairvaux, namely, the abbots of Rievaulx and Jervaulx, installed Roger Frank, a monk of Fountains, who (allegedly) had received the greatest number of votes. This decision provoked outrage and was vehemently denounced by another contender, John Ripon, the abbot of Meaux and one time cellarer of Fountains. Ripon claimed that the appointment was unorthodox and brought his complaint to Rome, where he engaged an English clerk, William Swan, as his proctor. Swan’s account of the proceedings survives, and provides valuable information regarding the nature and complexity of events at this time.(93) The case was damaging to the Order, for Ripon undermined the orthodoxy of Frank’s appointment, which was an indictment the commissioners’ decision. It was also damaging to Frank and Ripon, for both parties cast aspersion on the other’s character and capability to preside as abbot of Fountains: whereas Ripon questioned Frank’s suitability, he denounced Ripon’s conduct as abbot of Meaux and accused him of wasting the abbey’s resources and wandering around, armed, in public, without his habit. Ripon managed to convince the pope (John XXIII), that he was in fact the true candidate since the account of the election sent to Cîteaux was misleading, as facts had been withheld. He then set about evicting Frank from the abbacy. However, Ripon still needed to convince parliament and also the General Chapter of his legitimacy. Petitions, interviews, litigation and paperwork ensued in what became a complicated and long-drawn out affair. Each side sought to indict the other and created discord, confusion and violence.(94) Fountains was in a state of turmoil, for although Frank had been driven away from the abbacy, he continued to exercise authority and retained the common seal, dispensing the community’s resources. Moreover, his men launched an attack on Ripon and allegedly plotted his murder. The abbey was torn, as its tenants took sides, and Fountains’ granges were looted and destroyed. The gravity of the situation was such that the matter was brought to the Council of Constance, and in October 1415 the Commons ordered that this discord should be brought to a head and the abbacy decided one way or the other. The matter was resolved in Ripon’s favour. It was agreed that Frank’s appointment in 1410 had been based on erroneous material; facts had been withheld and a misleading account of events had been given to the General Chapter. John Ripon was declared the true abbot remained in power until his death and burial at Fountains in1434. The fifteenth-century ‘President’s Book’ describes him as ‘a man most worthy of praise and pious remembrance’.(95) Whether Ripon or Frank was the legitimate candidate, the account of this complex, confused and damaging affair underlines the ambitiousness of men who sought the abbacy of Fountains at this time, the extent to which they were prepared to fight for this position, and how events in a Yorkshire community could command the attention of parliament and the Western Church. |
