Cause papers (fourteenth century)

The 254 fourteenth century cause papers can be divided into seven main categories according to their subject matter: matrimonial, tithes, defamation, benefices, testamentary, church rights and breach of faith. Each category contains both cases heard in first instance and on appeal. Table 2.1 distinguishes between first instance and appealed cases, while Table 2.2 takes both together. Table 2.3 shows the number and percentage of cases originating in each of the ten decades between 1300 and 1400. Each of the three tables furthermore shows the number and percentage of surviving depositions and sentences among these cause papers. The ‘Depositions’ row gives the depositions of each category or decade both as percentage of all cause papers from that category or decade (DP) and as percentage of the total number of surviving depositions (PD). The ‘Sentences’ row does the same for the sentences, indicating both their weight among all cause papers from that category or decade (SP) and among the total number of surviving sentences (PS).

Oath of the Consistory Court advocates

The following oath, allegedly taken by the advocates of the Consistory Court of York, was included in the court statutes drawn up under archbishop William Greenfield in 1311. They were published by David Wilkins in the second volume of his Consilia magnae britanniae et hiberniae ab anno MDXLVI ad annum MDCCXVII (1737), 409–415. Wilkins based his edition on two surviving manuscripts: Cotton MS. Vitellius D V1 and MS. penes Tho. episc. Assaven.

Ego N. juro ad haec sancta Dei evangelia quod in omnibus causis, quarum patronus sum et ero in hoc consistorio, vel coram domino archiepiscopo, vel ipsius spiritualibus commissariis, fidele patrocinium praestabo. Quodque omni opere ac diligentia id, quod justum et verum aestimavero, meis clientibus in suis causis et negotiis procurabo, et circa hoc, quatenus est mihi possibile, fideliter laborabo. Nec aliquid dicam, proponam, vel faciam, seu per alium dici, proponi, vel fieri, quantum in me est, scienter et malitiose permittam, ad partis alterius justitiam auferendam, vel etiam indebite differendam. Nec etiam contra Eborum ecclesiae jurisdictionem, aut Eborum curiae consuetudines, vel statua.