The case of the incorrigible canon: Dublin's first heresy conviction, 1310, and the rivalry between its cathedral chapters

Abstract

Dublin's atypical arrangement of two neighbouring cathedral chapters, St Patrick's and Holy Trinity, was a source of ongoing conflict. The conflict became more sinister in the early fourteenth century after Thomas de Chaddesworth, the dean of St Patrick's and the vicar of the archbishop-elect of Dublin, served as the primary inquisitor in the trial of the Templars and in 1310 initiated heresy proceedings against Philip de Braybrook, a canon of Holy Trinity. This article explores the conflict between the two chapters and how it shaped Philip's trial; it also examines the exceptionally irregular circumstances in which he became Dublin's first convicted heretic. Introduction In 1310, Dublin experienced its first heresy trial, part of the international proceedings against the Knights Templar, instigated primarily by Philip IV of France.1 Before the year was out it saw its second, or some semblance thereof. Shortly after becoming inquisitor in the Templar trial, Thomas de Chaddesworth, the dean of St Patrick's, brought an old rival, Philip de Braybrook, a canon of Holy Trinity (now Christ Church) to the notice of Richard de Haverings for a relapse of heresy.2 Haverings, after three years still the ever-absent archbishop-elect of Dublin, replied to his vicar Chaddesworth on 4 September 1310, informing him that, after examining the letter's report, he had found Philip guilty, apparently for refusing to accept the sacrament in both * Author's e-mail: maeve.callan@simpson.edu doi: 10.331 8/PRI AC.20 13.113.05 1 See Malcolm Barber, The trial of the Templars (1978; reprint, Cambridge, 2006); Helen Nicholson (ed.), The proceedings against the Templars in the British Isles, 2 vols (Burlington, VT, 2011), and Maeve Callan, The Templars, the witch, and the wild Irish: heresy trials in medieval Ireland (forthcoming). 2 Medieval names often take a range of forms. Chaddesworth is also rendered as Chedworth and Cheddisworth, and Braybrook as Braydock and Braibrook, among other forms. Chaddesworth and Braybrook are here preferred as the most common forms among authoritative sources. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy Vol. 113C, 163-191 © 2013 Royal Irish Academy This content downloaded from 207.46.13.85 on Sat, 28 May 2016 06:47:15 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms