External affairs: duties to the Church and the region

(14/15)

The abbots of Rievaulx were often required to arbitrate in disputes relating to the church in the North. One such example is the quarrel regarding jurisdiction of the See of York in the late thirteenth century, when there was a vacancy and the abbots of Rievaulx, Jervaulx and Roche were appointed to resolve this dispute.(34) Cistercian abbeys were exempt from episcopal visitation and conducted their own visitations, but it was often expected that they would entertain the archbishop or bishop if he was in the area.

Covered bowl from Kirkstall Abbey
© Cistercians in Yorkshire Project
<click to enlarge>

To provide hospitality for such an important visitor and his entourage would have been costly, and Rievaulx had several such visits in the fourteenth century. On 27 May 1301 Archbishop Corbridge of York stayed a night with the community when he was in the locality on business. The community had received due warning of this visit for the archbishop had written to the monks in the January, stating his intention to stay for one night the coming May.(35) During his stay at Rievaulx, Corbridge attended to administrative matters, including a letter to Master William of Beverley concerning a visitation of the prioress and convent of Erden.(36) On 20 July 1308 Rievaulx entertained Archbishop Greenfield of York, who had spent the previous night at Byland Abbey.(37)

In 1311 the abbot of Rievaulx was amongst those summoned by the archbishop of York to suppress the Knights Templar. The trial was attended by a number of prelates, including ten Cistercian abbots; with the exception of the abbot of Sawley, every Yorkshire Cistercian abbot was present.(38) The commission was at first divided as to what should be done, but eventually agreed that the twenty-four Templars should be absolved and dispersed amongst the various religious houses, where each would be received as a guest. Whilst Rievaulx agreed to receive Brother Henry Kereby the community later reneged on its promise and was duly punished.(39)