Description:In 1313 Edward II granted Alan Charlton and his wife Ellen license to alienate to the abbot and convent of Lilleshall one acre of land in North Molton and the advowson of the church. (See Document 972/1/1/552 and U. Rees, The Cartulary of Lilleshall Abbey, no. 333 and 334)
As by 1340 North Molton church had been taken over by Lilleshall Abbey, the rector mentioned in the document as being responsible for providing processional candles and bread and wine for the services is Lilleshall Abbey. The appropriation of North Molton was justified on the grounds of the abbey’s shortage of money due to the burden of hospitality they faced because of their position near Watling Street but remote from towns.
This inventory of the books and vessels used in the mass give a revealing insight into the celebration of the liturgy in the 14th century.
Antiphonary
A book with a collection of antiphons, pieces of music for a choir to sing in two alternate parts.
Breviary
A book with the Divine Office for each day which those in religious orders had to recite; it consisted of psalms, prayers and readings from Scripture and the lives of the saints. Those
in minor orders below sub-deacons were not required to say the office.
Chrismatory
A vessel containing the chrism or consecrated oil; sometimes a
case with three flasks of oil, one for baptism, one for confirmation and one for anointing the sick.
Corporal
(a) An ancient vestment worn during celebration of the eucharist;
(b) A cloth, usually linen, on which the consecrated bread and wine was placed during mass and with which anything left over was covered afterwards.
Cope
A vestment of silk resembling a long cloak made of a semi-circular piece of cloth worn in procession and at vespers.
Cruet
A small vessel for wine or water for the Eucharist or to hold
holy water for other uses.
Gradual
An antiphon sung between the epistle and the Gospel at the Eucharist sung at the steps (gradus in Latin) of the altar.
Legendary
A collection of legends, especially stories of the lives of the saints.
Ordinal
A book setting out the order of services as they existed before
the Reformation.
Processional
An office book containing litanies and hymns for use in religious processions.
Psalter
A volume containing psalms arranged for use in church or in personal devotions.
Pyx
A vessel in which the host (the consecrated bread) of the sacrament is kept.
Thurible
A vessel in which incense is burned.
Trope
A book containing:
(a) in Gregorian music a short distinctive cadence at the end
of a melody;
(b) a phrase, sentence or verse introduced as an embellishment
to some part of the text of the mass, often sung by the choir.
Venite
The 95th psalm (94th in the Vulgate, the Latin Bible used in the
Middle Ages) which begins ‘Venite exultemus Domino’ - come, let us praise the Lord - used as a canticle at morning prayer.
To learn more about Medieval life in Shropshire, follow the link below to the article 'Aspects of Medieval Life: The Lilleshall Collection' written by Dr. Sylvia Watts and Robert Cromarty.
The transcripts and translations of Medieval deeds in the Lilleshall Collection and the stories written about Medieval life were produced by Dr. Sylvia Watts and Robert Cromarty at Shropshire Archives.