Ely, 1257-1337

This volume prints, mostly for the first time, the documents generated in running the diocese of Ely, loosely equivalent to historic Cambridgeshire, between 1257 and 1337. They show how the system of parishes was developed by the bishops, their dealings with religious houses and other institutions, and their close involvement with successive kings who worked with the bishops over matters linked to discipline, justice, taxation and warfare. The documents show how far the bishops were powerful figures who had strong influence locally, and who worked with kings in the government of the realm as a whole. Much of this can be paralleled in other dioceses, but many of the bishops of Ely were also deeply involved in royal government at Westminster, and the correspondence arising from that is also included here. Uniquely, the bishops of Ely played a large part in developing the University of Cambridge in this period, founding one college, taking a large role in developing another, and in establishing the governance of the institution as a whole. Overall, this volume gives a vivid picture of the influence of the medieval church on many aspects of life in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.