Suspension and Excommunication

Joan Hancok c. Master Henry Aprece

This is a tale of two Joan Hancoks, sisters-in-law, who appear to have been mistaken for one another several times. The testimony is not entirely clear, but the situation seems to have gone like this: Joan Hancok the elder, who was married to Christopher Hancok, was summoned at least three times before one of theContinue reading “Joan Hancok c. Master Henry Aprece”

William Ely c. Master Richard Draper

In theory excommunication – expulsion from the community of the faithful – was a drastic measure in medieval Christianity. In late medieval England, however, it was most often used for relatively mild rather than terrible sins, particularly for the failure to obey summonses, orders, and sanctions issued by church courts. This may have dulled itsContinue reading “William Ely c. Master Richard Draper”