INSPEXIMUS and CONFIRMATION, at the prayer of the prior and convent of the monastery of the holy apostles SS Peter and Paul near Wexford: It is ordained, enacted and established in parliament, and by authority thereof, that the letters patent, the tenor whereof ensues, and all other things therein contained, be accepted, approved, ratified and confirmed in all points:

'Henry [VI] by grace of God, K. of Eng. and France and Lord of Ire., to all to whom the present letters shall come, greeting.

The prior and convent of the monastery of the holy apostles Peter and Paul of Selskar, near Wexford, have petitioned the K. that whereas K. Richard II of Eng., by his letters patent made at Dublin under his own attestation, on 1 Feb. 18 Ric. II [1395],¹ granted and gave licence to the prior and convent, that they might acquire lands, tenements, rents and advowsons of parochial churches, vicarages, chapels and chantries, to the value of £10 p.a., according to a true extent to be made thereof, to them and their successors, the said lands and tenements, rents and advowsons to be amortised, united and annexed, and the said churches, vicarages, chapels and chantries to be appropriated, to have and to hold to their own use to themselves and their successors for ever; the statute made against putting lands and tenements in mortmain notwithstanding, as by his letters patent enrolled in the rolls of the chancery of Ire. more fully appears.

And John Talbot kt, lord of Talbot, Furnival and Wexford, by his deed made at Wexford on 20 April 3 Hen. VI [1425], gave to the prior and convent and their successors the chapel of St Nicholas of Carrick, and the advowson of the same chapel, with its appurtenances, to have and to hold the chapel and advowson to the prior and convent and their successors in pure and perpetual alms for ever, which chapel and advowson are held of the K. in chief, and were held of the K. at the time of the alienation.

And also, Robert [Whittey], bp Ferns, by the assent of the dean and chapter of the church of Ferns, on 5 Oct 6 Hen. VI [1427], gave to the prior and convent the parochial church of Ardcaven and the advowson of the same, which then was parcel of the temporalities of the bishopric and held of the K. in chief, to have and to hold to the prior and convent and their successors to their own used for ever, the K.’s licence of alienation not obtained; which prior and convent had no other licence to amortise the church advowson, chapel and advowson, save the licence of the said late K. [Ric. II], nor any writ ad quod damnum executed by the prior and convent, nor any office taken to certify to the K. the matter. The K. would be willing to consider as well the licence granted by the late K. as the ignorance of the prior and convent in making such acquisitions, and the poverty of the prior and convent and of their monastery, also the ruin of the rents and possessions of the prior and convent effected by the Irish enemies, to pardon and release to the prior and convent and their successors, the offence and trespass that they have committed by acquiring and appropriating the church advowson, chapel and advowson, our licence for the same not being obtained. And also to release to the prior and convent the right and title that the K. has to the church, advowson, chapel and advowson, by reason that the prior and convent have acquired and appropriated to their own uses the church, advowson, chapel and advowson, contrary to the form of the statute, licence thereupon not being obtained; the above statute or any other statute against amortising made to the contrary notwithstanding. And further, to ratify, approve and confirm the estate, title and possession that the prior and convent have in the church, advowson, chapel and advowson, for the K. and his heirs, that the prior and convent may peaceably have and hold to their own uses, to themselves and their successors for ever, the church, advowson, chapel and advowson, the statute or any other statute made to the contrary thereof notwithstanding. The K. having considered the premises and wishing to do a special favour in this behalf to the prior and convent, by the assent of Richard [Talbot], abp Dublin, Jcr, have pardoned and released to the prior and convent and their successors, the offence and trespass that they have committed in acquiring and appropriating the church, advowson, chapel and advowson thereof, the K.’s licence thereupon, as is said, not being obtained. And also the K. has released to the prior and convent the right and title that he has to the said church, advowson, chapel and advowson, by reason that the prior and convent have acquired and appropriated the church and advowson, chapel and advowson, to their own uses, contrary to the form of the statute, the K.’s licence not being obtained; the statute or any other statute against putting in mortmain made to the contrary notwithstanding. And further, the K. ratifies, approves and confirms, for him and his heirs, the estate, title and possession that the prior and convent have in the church, advowson, chapel and advowson, granting that the prior and convent may peaceably have and hold to their own uses to themselves and their successors for ever, the church, advowson, chapel and advowson; the said statute or any other statute made thereupon to the contrary notwithstanding. In witness whereof these letters patent have been made.

And moreover, it is ordained and granted that the estate, title and possession that the prior and convent have in the chapel of St Nicholas of Carrick, and advowson of the chapel, with the appurtenances, and also the parochial church of Ardcavan and advowson of the same, and in each of them, be accepted, approved, ratified and confirmed, granting that the prior and convent and their successors may peaceably have and hold to their own use, to them and their successors for ever, the said chapel, advowson, church and advowson. Any statute, act, ordinance, resumption, or provision made to the contrary notwithstanding. Saving to every person his right.'