BISHOPS. 237 and committed to the Tower of London, from which he was Hberated 23rd June 1400, and deUvered over to the custody of the abbot of Westminster 77 until the King should otherwise direct. On 28th Nov. fol- ^ lowing he received the King's pardon, and was allowed to go at large 78. The Pope appointed him bishop of ^' Samothracia/' and the King allowed him to hold a preferment from the court of Rome in England to the amount of one hundred marks per annum, on account of his great poverty. 1400 William Strickland or Styrkland, who had been 2 Hen. IV. elected to this see in 1395, was upon the deprivation of Thomas Merkes provided to Carlisle by papal bull, and 15th Nov. 139979 he obtained restitution of the temporalities, and was consecrated 15th Aug. 1400^*^, at Cawood, by the archbishop of York. He died 30th Aug. J 41 9, and was buried in Carhsle cathedral. A 4. p. 77 Claus. I Hen. m. 6. 78 Pat. 2 Hen. IV. p. i. m. 11. Rex, &c. Sciatis quod de gratia nostra speciali et pro eo quod dominus Summus Pontifex ex voluntate sua propria transtulit ITiomam Merk Doctorem in Theologia nuper episcopum Kar- liolen. ad ecclesiam de Sama- 8ton' in qua clerus seu populus Christianus non habetur ut ac- cepimus per quod idem Thomas in notabili paupertate devenit et non habet unde statum suum manutenere possit, dedimus et conceHsimus eidem Thomap li- cenciam impetrandi beneficia Hpiritualia de dicto domino Summo Pontifice in curia Ro- ma na ad valorem centum mar- carum per annum cpiscopatibus e.xceptis et dictam imj)etracic>ncm infra regnum nostrum An^lia^ in execulionem i)onendi, aliquibuH statutis in contrarium factis non obstantibus. Pat. 2 Hen. IV. p. I. m. II. The Pope subse- quently conferred upon Merkes ecclesiastical benefices to the amount of two hundred marks a year, and theKing increased them to three hundred. Pat. 3 Hen. IV. p. I. m. 29. He was presented to the rectory of Todenham by the abbot of Westminster 13th Aug. 1404 (Reg. Clifford. Ep. Wigorn. f. 78), and his successor in that rectory was instituted 13th J an . 1 409- 1 o per mortem Thomae Merks. Reg. Peverl. f. 12. 7« Pat. 2 Hen. IV. p. i. m. 13, and 1 8th Feb. 1 399-1 400 he had a grant of the custody of those temporalities belonging to the see, then in the King's hands. Pat. fy Hen. IV. p. i. m. 9. " In festo Assumptionis beatic Maria-. Reg. Scrop. Fbor. 1^
