kkes' of sheep and cattle); but
especially from the farm of indulgences. When much building was in
progress the Canons' incomes were afterwards specially taxed, and once
or twice Peter's-pence were actually withheld from the Pope and devoted
to architectural purposes.

At the time of Archbishop de Gray, the old and somewhat vague
jurisdictions in and about Ripon had become more distinct. The parish
was a Peculiar,[15] and as such was exempt from the authority of the
Archdeacon of Richmond, either by tradition from the days when the
church was a monastery, or because of the presence here of the
Archbishops. Over this Peculiar (the laity included) the Chapter
exercised the spiritual jurisdiction of an archdeacon's court, assisted
by the Rural Dean of Ripon, who sat as 'Dean of Christianity.' This
'Court Christian' dealt with testamentary and matrimonial cases, cases
of defamation, immorality, neglect of religious duties, etc. Accused
persons cleared themselves by compurgation, or underwent penalties
(commutable, however), such as being beaten, walking barefoot in the
processions, suspension _ab ingressu ecclesiae_, or excommunication.[16]
Lesser offences were dealt with by an archbishop's officer called
_penitentiarius_, who heard confessions and enjoined penances. The
Archbishop was Ordinary of the Peculiar. He held visitations in the
Chapter-house, and could order repairs of buildings, make statutes (in
consultation with the Chapter) for the College, and sequestrate its
revenues. He also exercised authority over offending Canons and over the
inferior clergy of the staff, though the correction of these belonged
primarily to the Chapter and especially to the Canon of Stanwick.

[Illustration: MEDIAEVAL SEALS.
1. Seal of the Mediaeval Chapter.
2. Capitular Seal "ad causas."
3. Common Seal of the Vicars.]

For purposes of secular jurisdiction Ripon, with the lands round it, was
a Liberty, exempt, that is, from the authority of the Sheriff. The
Liberty was almost co-extensive with the Peculiar. Within it were two
secular jurisdictions, that of the Archbishop as lord of the manor, and
that of the Chapter, which embraced the southern half of the town and
many country districts, and which may have originated either with
Ealdred's presumable gifts of land out of the manor to form prebends, or
(as the charters pretend) from a grant of Athelstan, or perhaps from an
original independence enjoyed by the church as a mo