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CALENDAE^

OF

CHARTERS AND ROLLS

53 PRESERVED IN THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY

1 EDITED BY

WILLIAM H. turner'^

UN DEE THE DIEECTION OF THE

REV. H. O. COXE, M.A.

bodley's libbaeian

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

M DCCC LXXVIII

Uontron

MACMILLAN AND CO.

PUBLISHERS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF

PEEFACE.

The present volume is the result of an attempt, now made for the first time, to describe a large accumulation of documents, preserved in the Bodleian Library. These formerly constituted the collections of Anthony h Wood, Roger Dods worth, Ralph Thoresby, Thomas Martin of Palgrave, Thomas Tanner bishop of St. Asaph, Dr. Richard Rawlinson, Richard Furney archdeacon of Surrey, and Richard Gough.

The several collections have, for the purpose of description, been thrown together ; and the parishes, which are illustrated by the various documents, have been arranged alphabetically under their counties. This plan has been adopted as being the most convenient for reference. The description will be found, it is hoped, as complete and concise as the nature and extent of the materials will allow.

Of these collections perhaps the most interesting and valuable, on account of the various monasteries represented, is that be- queathed to the Ashmolean Library by Anthony h Wood.

Its history is briefly this : By a bull of Pope Clement VII, dated at Rome 5 id. March 1525, the third year of his pontificate, and confirmed by letters patent dated ist October, 16 Henry VIII, the following monasteries with their revenues were granted to Cardinal Wolsey for the foundation of his proposed college at Oxford : viz. St. Frideswide and Littlemore, Oxford ; Tickford, Bradwell, and Ravenstone, Bucks ; Daventry, Northamptonshire ; Canwell and Sandwell, Staffordshire; Tunbridge and Lesnes, Kent ; Beigham and De Calceto, near Arundel, Sussex ; Wykes, Tiptre, Blackmore, Stanesgate, Horkesley and Thoby, Essex ; Poghley and Wallingford, Berks ; Dodenash and Snape, Suffolk.

The writings belonging to these twenty- two religious houses, according to Wood ^, ^ were by the Cardinall transferred to Oxon, and there layed till his fall, after which divers of the said lands comming into the hands of the king, and by him granted to laicks, those writings that belonged to those places lay in a careless manner subject to wet and the mercy of rats, and none of them except those that concerned lands and churches that were confirmed on King Henry VIII college were carefully pre- served, soe yt the rest, viz. charters bf gifts, leases, accompts, terriers, rent rolls, &c., being cramped altogether in a little study

1 Wood, MSS. D. 2, p. 568. a 2

184

iv PREFACE.

or by-roome in the said treasury, as also in an old worme-eaten chest, have layed soe much neglected to the mercy of wet and rats, that most of them, or the chiefest part of them, are con- sumed to dirt, and noe piece of them bigger than a shilling is remaining.'

Such was the condition of these evidences in Wood's day. They had been previously, for some 150 years, in the custody of Christ Church, where they were obviously considered of no real value, and probably were given by the authorities to Wood. A similar neglect would seem to have befallen them from Wood's time to the present day ; for many of the wrappers had never been removed since he endorsed them with the name of the re- ligious house to which they belonged, and with the note ' from I. Kidd,' the official, possibly, of Christ Church who had the charge of them. Many had, however, been printed by Dodsworth and Dugdale in the Monasticon, and described as then being in /? Wood's possession ; and most of them are quoted in Tanner's Noiilia, under the following reference : * Cartas quasdam originales in pyxide Acad. Oxon, legata ah Ant. Wood in Museo Ashmol.^

The subsequent dissolution of the greater monasteries added to the mass of documents already possessed by Christ Church; and the evidences of Oseney, Thame, and Nottley, became inter- mixed with those of the twenty-two houses before mentioned. Many charters of these monasteries also came into Wood's posses- sion. They are here calendared under the names of the respective abbeys.

The calendar itself will show the peculiar variety and extent of the documents preserved, but special attention may be directed to a few of the most remarkable of them.

Priori/ of St. Frideswide, Oxford.

(i) King Stephen^s charter of confirmation of the chapel of Brill, as held by the convent in the time of King Edward, King William his grandfather, and King Henry his uncle. Dated at Oxford; c. 1135.

(2) A grant by William de Mandeville of the tithe of hay in the village of Cerchil (Churchill, Oxon) ; before the year 11 89.

(3) An exceedingly rare example of a charter issued by King Henry, son of King Henry II, of which the following is a transcript :

* Henricus rex Angliae et Dux Normanniae et Comes Andegaviae, Regis Henrici filius, Henrico Forestario Salutem. Precipio tibi quod juste et sine dilatione adresciari facias fossatum quod firmari fecisti in pratis juxta Haliwellam post coronationem meam sicut esse debet et sicut antea fuit, ne injuste noceat libero tenemento prioris de Sancta Fretheswitha et Canonicorum nee gurgiti sue. Et nisi feceris vicecomes de Oxenefordsir' faciat fieri ne in amplius clamorem audiam pro penuria recti. Teste Willelmo de Sancto Johanne apud Oxeii.' c. 1 1 70.

PREFACE. V

(4) An exchange of land between the convent and Copin the Jew of Worcester, in the parish of St. Aldate, Oxford; c. 1230. The great and lesser Jewry were contained within this parish and were contiguous to the priory, the lands here having been pur- chased by the Jews of Robert Trezeraars during Henry Ill's reign. The witnesses of the charter are distinctly designated as Christians and Jews respectively.

(5) Foundation charter and ordinances for the chantry within the church of St. Frideswide, founded by the Lady Elizabeth Montacute, together with her power of attorney for giving to the priory seizin of the land then known as Montagues-mede, but now as Christ Church meadow. This charter is much mutilated, but fortunately it had been transcribed into the Chartulary now pre- served in the Chapter House at Christ Church. The Chantry Chapel; on the north side of the choir of the present Cathedral, contains an interesting monument of the foundress, which has been well preserved.

(6) An agreement between Hugh the abbot and convent of Abingdon, and the prior and convent of St. Frideswide, con- cerning the right of presentation to the church of St. Aldad's, Oxford; c. 1220. The only other church dedicated to this saint is in the city of Gloucester.

(7) A most valuable document, in French, being the earliest known description of the boundaries of the city of Oxford, written at the beginning of the 15th century, and formerly preserved among the St. Frideswide's evidences. It is fully translated at p. 31 1 of the present Calendar.

Priori/ of Littlemore.

The evidences of this priory, forty-eight in number, were con- sulted by Sir William Dugdale, and eleven of them have been printed in the Monasticon.

(i) The charter of Henry II, confirming the donation of Roger de Sanfort or Sandford, was found among the Wood charters. Nasmyth, in his edition of the Notitia Monastica^ states that it had formerly been in the custody of Bishop Tanner, and expresses X' some uncertainty as to its existence in his own time. It is however well preserved, and, although the great seal is lost, the capsule of linen and white leather still remains. The charter of Roger de Sandford, of which this is a confirmation, is printed in the Monas- ticon^ vol. iv. p. 492 ; but this is by no means conclusive evidence that Roger de Sandford was the founder of the nunnery. The state- ment inTtlie Hundred Rolls is to the effect that it was founded by Robert de Sandford in a pasture called ' Cherleyham ' per- taining"'to~the manor of Sandford held by the Templars. And this view is corroborated by the grant of lands at Pusey, Berks, by Robert de Sandford, of about the same date as the present

vi PREFACE.

confirmation. The land there is granted to the church of St. Mary, St. Nicholas, and St. Edmund of Cherleia, and the gifts of Roger, son of Nicholas, and Ralph his son, are confirmed. This charter helps to explain the indiscriminate use of the names Littlemore and Sandford by which tliis nunnery was desig- nated. It is witnessed by Jordan, Roger and Warine, sons of the grantor.

(2) The bull of Pope Innocent IV, an. 1245, releasing ten days of penance to all who should assist in the work of rebuilding the conventual church of Littlemore, is also printed in the Monasticon^ vol. iv. p. 493, No. xii.

(3) Among the Oseney charters (5 *) is a bull of Pope Honoritts K ,, III, an. 1224, confirming a composition between Oseney Abbey

and this nunnery with regard to the tithes of Stock well- mede.

Priori/ of Tiptre in Essex.

Of this priory, dedicated to St. Mary, St. John the Baptist, and St. Nicholas, there are twenty-nine charters from the collections of Wood and Rawlinson. Very little of its early history has been printed either by Morant or Tanner ; and those writers are incon- sistent with each other. The earliest date of its existence, hitherto known, falls in the reign of Edward I. From these charters much may be cleared up, and, although the charter of foundation is not preserved, yet as early as the reign of Henry II there is a grant of the fee in little Toteham, of Maurice, son of Robert de Toteham, who, if not the founder, was probably one of its earliest benefactors. The priory became possessed of the church of Tolleshunt Tregoz by the gift of Geoff'rey de Tregoz ; and the charter of confirmation of his son William de Tregoz is witnessed by Henry, abbot of Maid on [Bileigh], a monastery founded an. 11 80, by Robert Mauntell. The charter also bears the names of Robert and Matthew Mauntell as witnesses. Tolleshunt Tregoz church was appropriated by William bishop of London an. 121 8, the vicarage being endowed with houses, lands, small tithes, and the offerings of the altar. The priory possessed lands in Braxsted, Tolleshunt, and Totham, in the time of King Henry III, the original grants of which are contained in this collection.

Priory of Thohy or Ginges in Essex.

This priory, dedicated to St. Mary and St. Leonard, was founded by Michael Capra, Rohesia his wife, and William his son. The foundation charter and other evidences are preserved in this col- lection, the former being printed in t\iQ Monasticon^ vol. vi. p. 554.

Priory of Stanesgate in Essex.

The muniments of this priory, seventeen in number, princi- pally relate to the village of Steple and the appropriation of

PREFACE. . vii

its church. These charters have never been consulted for its history. The following* names of priors are found in them : (i) William de Petresfeld, c. 1260. (2) William de Cantuaria, 1375. (3) John, 1403. (4) Geoffrey Gosselyn, 1407. (5) Robert Chamberleyn, 15 Ed. IV. (6) John, 1490. (7) George Good- harste, 151 1. The dates are those of the documents in which their names appear.

Priori/ of Korhesley in Essex,

Of the thirty-seven charters belonging to this priory of St. Peter and St. Paul four have been printed in the Monasticon, vol. V. pp. 156, 157, including the foundation charter of Robert, son of Godbold, and Beatrix his wife, upon the removal of the priory from the jurisdiction of the abbey of Thetford. The family of Constable of Withermarsh (Hwinemers) w^as a considerable benefactor. Among these documents is the will of William Con- stable, temp. Hen. Ill, as also an account of various grants and services from the manor of Stoke Neylond.

Priori/ of the Holy Trinity, Wallingford,

Of the charters of this priory 162 have been preserved, three of which are printed in the Monasticon, vol. iii. p. 280. Nasmyth in his edition of Tanner omits all reference to them. They chiefly relate to grants of lands in Wallingford and the villages around it, extending from the reign of King Henry I to that of Henry VIII. Historians differ as to the founder of this priory (which was a cell to the abbey of St. Alban's). Newcome and Clutterbuck ascribe it to Robert d'Oyley, in opposition to Matthew Paris, who affirms that it was founded in the time of abbot Paul (1077- 1093) by Geoffrey the chamberlain. In the following charter of King Henry I a connexion is shown between the priory and this Geoffrey :

' Henricus rex Angliae Hugoni de Bochelanda Salutem. Precipio tibi ut facias baberi juste monachis ecclesie S. Trinitatis de Warenge- fort decimam eorum de Mullforda et de terra Henrici Larderarii, ita bene et honore sicut umquam melius habuerunt et tenuerunt tempore Regis Willielmis fratris mei, et sicut in die qua Goiffridus camerarius dissaisitus fuit de terra ilia et sicut .... prae-[c]epi per aliud breve meum ita ne inde quicquam perdant pro penuria recti nee amplius inde .... audiam. Teste Ranulpho Cancellario apud Norhamtoniam.'

The importance and antiquity of Wallingford in former times appears from the various references to its castle, walls, and gates, as also to its college and hospital. A very full list of its early mayors and officials might be compiled from the witnesses to the various charters.

viii . PREFACE.

Priori/ of St. Mary Magdalen^ Tunbridge.

To this priory beloDgs an extensive collection of charters and rolls dating from the 12th century onwards. The proceedings relating to the order of St. Augustine within the diocese of Canterbury between ann. 131 1— 1362 have been most carefully enrolled among the evidences of this house, and are interspersed throughout with other documents bearing upon the history of the period over which they extend. Among the events here illustrated are the rising of Humphrey de Bohun, earl of Hereford and Essex ; the opposition to the king's mandate for seizing the estates of Hugh d'Audele ; the decree of Robert of Winchelsea, archbishop of Canterbury, for providing ornaments for churches by parish- ioners and rectors; the complete destruction of the priory of Tunbridge by fire on the nth July 1327, and the appropriation of the church of Legh to assist the monks in rebuilding it ; the plague raging in 1348; the siege of the castle of Ledes, Kent, causing damage to the priory there, with the appropriation of the church of Letherhed for its repairs. There is also a letter of Thomas, earl of Lancaster, to the citizens of London ; a letter of King Edward III to the bishop of Rochester for the prayers of the church in his war against France ; documents concerning Papal provisions ; the executorship accounts of Hugh d'Audele ; indulgences ; records of councils of the clergy, and of the granting of clerical subsidies ; petitions ; royal and other letters, &c.

The following interesting inventories of the goods belonging to the churches of Yalding, Brenchley, and Tudeley, taken in the year 1331, and of Legh taken 1377, are early examples of church property :

' Ornamenta, vestimenta et libri, in ecclesiis de Aldyng, Brenchesle, Teudele et Denardestone, ad festum beati Michaelis archangeli Anno domini Millesimo CCC tricesimo prime, et anno regni regis Edwardi tercii, post conquestum quinto.

Aldyng*. ) Primo j Missale bonum. Item j Missale pejus, et Libri. j ambo sine nota. Item j Manuale pro missis dicendis, sine nota. Item ij Gradalia bona in quibus con- tinentur Evangelia, Epistole et Collecte, temporalium et sanctorum, iij Antiphonaria bona, quorum j con- tinet in se collectas. Item ij Salteria. Item j Legenda temporalium et sanctorum cum j Salterio in principio . . . Legenda. Item j Legenda sanctorum bona. Item ij Troparia bona in quibus sunt Kirie, Sequentiae, Gloria in excelsis, Sanctus, et Angnus Dei. Item ij Manualia. j Martyrologium.

Vestimenta. Item j Vestimentum dominicale, cum toto apparatu. Item j Vestimentum feriale, cum toto apparatu. Item j Alba nova, cum Amicia, Stola, et Manipulo,

PREFACE.

IX

novis. Item j Alba vetus cum Amicia, Stola et Manipulo veteribus. Item ij Tuallia ad tergendum manus.

Beenchesle. ) Primo j Missale bonum, et j Missale vetus. iij Pro- Libri. J cessionalia que sunt et Manualia, j Troparium, ij

Gradalia'quorum j est cum sequentiis Kirie Sanctus et Anguus Dei. j Antiphonarium. j Portiforium bonum cum nota, de dono domini Rogeri capellani. j Porti- forium bonum de almariolo prioratus de Tonbridge sine nota. j Psalterium bonum. ij Psalteria debilia. j Legenda temporalis et sanctorum, in uno volumine etc. Temporalia defectiva. j Legenda sanctorum, per se non ligata. iij Manualia pro missis dicendis. j ordinale bonum. j Martilogium bonum. j parvus Libellus pro sequentiis. Item j Portiforium de legato Thome le Gegg' defuncti.

Vestimenta. Primo ij Yestimenta principalia, cum v Tualliis bonis et novis, quorum unum dedit dominus Johannes Hering, nuper vicarius de Brenchesle. j Vesti- mentum dominicale, cum ij Tualliis, et cum toto apparatu. j Yestimentum feriale, cum ij Tualhis et cum toto apparatu, de dono predicti domini J. Hering. j Yestimentum feriale, bonum cum ij Tualliis et cum toto apparatu. Item j Yestimentum feriale sine Tualliis. j Tunica, j Dalmatica. j Baudekyn de dono domini Thome Colpeper. j Thapetum stragu- latum de legato domini J. Hering. iij Tualliis ad tergendum manus sacerdotis. j Thapetum vetus cus- todie ad pendendum utroque fine altaris in festis duplicibus. j Flammeolum de serico ad ponendum super calicem. j ij Rochetis.

Teudele. ) Primo j Legenda sanctorum, continens Psalterium

Libri. J et Graduale. Item j Psalterium continens

feriales. j Missale. Item ij Item ij

manuale j Antiphonarium principaliter. Item j Por- tiforium de

Vestimenta. Primo j Yestimentum principal' iij Tualliis ....

j Manuterger .... Processional . . . . j cista ad impo- nendum vestimenta

Libri et \ Primo ij Missalia. j Processionale. j Troparium cum

Yestimenta f Kyrie Sequentiis et Process, j Baptisterium. ij Gra-

ecclesie de i dalia. j Antiphonarium. ij Portiforia plenaria, Le-

Leghe. / genda sanctorum et temporalium in j volumine. j Psalterium bonum et j debile. j Ordinale. j Marti- logium. Ano dni mccclxxvijo.

Primo iiij Calices. ij Yestimenta principalia. Item ij dominicalia Yestimenta, et ij ferialia. Item iij Tuallia cum paruris et ij sine paruris pro altari. Item v parva Tuallia tersoria. j Tunica, j Dalmatica. Pannus

X PREFACE.

de serico. j Capa processionalis. ij Cruces argentee. j Crux de laton. ij Superpellic. ij Candelabra de piautre, et ij Candelabra de cupro, et ij ferr', et j magnum ferreum.

The following is an account of the dress and furniture required by the monks at their first entry into the monastery of Tun- bridge :

' Habitus noviciorum in prime adventu et introitu ipsorum.

Ut habitus canonicorum breviter describatur. In primis habeant duas cappas de Worthestede, et unara de frisone, quarum duo capucia furrentur nigris pellibus angninis. Item unum pallium de burneto furratum pellibus angninis albis. Item duo superpellicia ad cotidianum usum, et tercium de Eylesham. ij rochet, cotidian. et j rochet, de Eylesham. Item duas tunicas de blanketo, et unam supertunicam furratam. Et j corsetum furratum albis pellibus angninis. Item unam tunicam tenuem pro estate. Item tria paria linee tele. Item duo lumbaria. Item duo paria sotularium de cordewan, et j par de coreo bovino et j par nocturnalium cum filtro linitum. Item duo paria caligarum lanearum. Item duo paria caHgarum de kanefas. Item duo paria pedulorum de blanketo. Item unum par de pinsones. Item j zonam cum loculo et cultello majore pro mensa et minore pro pennis, et cum j pare tabularum cum pectine, et j acularium cum acu et filo. Item j coclear argenteum, et j ciphum de mureno. Item j capam pluvialem cum capello. Et j par calcareorum. Item j par cirotecarum cum zona que vocatur Sucoreje. Item ij pelliceas de pellibus angninis albis. It j blodbend. Item j almucium de burneto furratum nigris pellibus angninis. Et j parvam cappam furratum, et aliam non furratam pro estate.

* Vestimenta lectualia. Inprimis habeant tria Thapeta et j co- operiens lectum de Yndesay. Item tria paria . . . . et unam culcitram punctatam. Et j materas, j coopertorium de blanketo furratum. Et j Kanefas desuper pro straminej pulvinar longum, duo cervicalia; Et ij sudaria/

Among the documents, calendared as belonging to Oseney Abbey (No. 28 of the series), is an account of the weekly con- sumption of food within the priory of Tunbridge in the time of Edward I.

The consumption in the monastery on Christmas Day was as follows :

For the Bakehouse. \ On Christmas day. One quarter 2 bushels of I quarter, 6 bushels I wheat for the bakehouse, of which 40 manchets of wheat, 4 bushels ( with 2 hundred loaves 4 bushels for bread for of mixture. J the brethren, 2 bushels of mixtal. Also 2 hams,

From the store of ) 2 quarters of beef 2 pigs from the store of Tunbridge 2 pigs, j Tunbridge killed for the larder, of the price of

From the store of ) 6s. 7 capons from the store of Eldyng, price Elding 7 capons. J i^j^d. 6 cocks from the store of Brenchley,

From the store of ) price gd., for carriage i oc?., for veal 6d., for Brenchley 6 cocks. / mustard 3c?. one boar from the store of

PREFACE. a

y f V, f f \ Tunbridge killed for the larder, price 55. ; for

1,° , . , ^ f wine 1 2d. on Saturday 100 lierrinss of the

lunbridge one > . ^ ^ f -u- u e

, ° i price of one mark, 01 which price tor carriage

^^^^' J 4d., for cloth id., for ^d. Also

For the Brewhouse Wo quarters of oats for the brewhouse with 6

10 quarters of oats, > bushels of wheat, from which 2 J casks with

6 bushels of wheat, j one barrel of better beer.

Total iijs. "jd. Total Store 135. 2\d.

Priory of Ttckford^ Bucks,

Sixteen documents have been preserved. The matters of most interest in these are the dispute concerning the annexation of the chapel of Yerdley to the mother church of Aston near Bir- mingham ; and the suit between the vicar of Stoke and the parishioners of Willen for the providing of ornaments for the altar of Willen church.

The Alley of St, Mary^ Oseney.

Whether for local interest, extent or value, by far the most important series of these records concern this foundation. They present at once an extensive collection of charters, manor, court and rent-rolls, domestic and stewards' accounts, embracing the period from its foundation to its suppression and ultimate dis- solution. This abbey, founded in the year 1 1 29 for canons regular of the order of St. Augustine, was chosen by King Henry VIII for the seat of his newly-founded bishopric of Oxford. The revenues, site and muniments, together with the see itself, were afterwards transferred to Christ Church. Its muniments had been codified in three chartularies preserved in the Cottonian Library, the Record Office, and in the Chapter House of Christ Church. The first or earlier chartulary, containing principally the evidences belonging to the City of Oxford, suffered much in the unfortunate fire of the Cotton MSS. in 1731. The Christ Church chartulary contains the evidences of the properties outside of Oxford, while that in the Record Office is only a translation or abstract of some few documents in a hand of the time of Henry VI. The lands held by the abbey lay principally in the counties of Oxford, Berks, Bucks, Gloucester and Stafford. It also held two churches and some manors in Ireland of the gift of Roger de Worcester.

The rolls of accounts annually presented to the chapter at Michaelmas, and entered upon the seneschal's roll, comprise dis- bursements of the following officials, viz. the keeper of the infirmary, the keeper of the flocks, the manciple, the cook, the bursar, the sacristan, the tanner, the almoner, and the keeper of the castle mills. Several rolls of these accounts are of special import and interest, since they enable us to form a good con- ception of the life and condition of the abbey in relation to its internal economy.

xii PREFACE.

Only one grant made by the founder of Oseney is here met with, viz. the grant of Stanhall, a member of his manor of Shenston, to Hugh de Tiwia. Of this manor of Shenston the deeds (twenty-three in number) commence early in the 12th cen- tury. Its church was one of those mentioned in the foundation charter of Robert d'Oyly, who at that time owned the whole of the manor ; and he subsequently confirmed the grant of Stanhall to the abbey made by Hugh de Tiwia. The other charters con- cern the families of Grendon and Bray, and add many important particulars to the history of those families.

Some curious examples of the state of England during the 12th and 13th centuries are found in the sale of serfs independently, not, as was usually the case, as appurtenants to manor or lands.

Sibilla de Saucer sells to the canons of Oseney her man Gilbert, son of Godpin, for 2,0s, [Oseney i.]

Heniy d'Oyly grants to Hugh the abbot and the canons his man Odulph with his issue and chattels, for which he received 4/. and a horse. [Oseney 3.]

Richard the vicar of Great Barton, grants William the weaver, and Isabella his daughter^ with his issue and chattels for ever, to the same canons. [Oseney 288.]

Two examples of episcopal indulgences are preserved, viz. one from Walerand, Bishop of Beyrout, in 1 245, for alms for the Holy Land ; the other for offerings to be made at the church of St. George within the castle, by David Archbishop of Cashel {1275).

The retention by the abbot of Oseney of the muniments, cups and ornaments of the Knights Templars, was the occasion of a writ from King Edward III commanding him to deliver them to the Knights Hospitallers, in which it is said that they had been before demanded of them.

The abbot of this monastery received a writ of summons to attend parliament until the twelfth year of King Edward II, from which date he ceased his attendance. By a writ of 15 King Edward III, dated 20 October, a release is given him, it being assigned as a reason that he held his lands in frankalmoigne of the gift of Robert d'Oyly his founder, and not by barony.

The rent rolls of the city of Oxford, although much mutilated, present a complete history of the houses and properties of the abbey from the end of the 13th to the 16th centuries.

Among the regal documents of Oseney, and those bequeathed to the Library by the Rev. R. Furney, will be found various confirmations of Magna Carta and the Carta de Foresta by King Henry III and King Edward I; of which there are seven examples of the highest interest and value.

I. A document bearing the following indorsement, ^ Magna Carta Caps, xlilj. de Laic, te^ and in a later hand, ' Carta H. reg' de libertatibus magne carte H, reg. avi. nostri. Registratur. Lupli- cata^ and having, affixed by parchment labels, the seals of Gualo

PREFACE. xiii

the legate, and William Marescall, earl of Pembroke, the former in white wax, and the latter in green, was bequeathed to the University by the Rev. R. Furney, M.A., archdeacon of Surrey. It is the charter issued in 1217, probably on the 6th of November, together with the charter of the Forest. It is printed by Sir William Blackstone in his history of the charter, Oxf. 1759, p. 37, who describes it as ' an invaluable piece of antiquity,' and supposes it to have belonged to the abbey of St. Peter, Gloucester. He notices a blank occurring in the last line of this document which he says ' seems to have arisen from the uncertainty of the secretary how to entitle this instrument ; and this may give some countenance to the supposition that the Oxford original was the very first draught of the charter in September which was afterwards more fully attested and dated in November following.' The copy examined by him with the Oxford original was a transcript in the Lib. Custumarum, Lond., and various readings are noted ; the word ' duplicata ' indorsed would show that it was not a single instrument, but this word was printed W. . .athy Blackstone, or probably he would not have been led into the error. Suffice it to say that no other original was known or examined by him. [Glouc. 8.]

2. A Charter bearing the following indorsement: ^ Magna Carta Beg Henr^ [3]. 8f Ubertate totius Regni. dujplicataj and in a modern hand ' Oseneia 14. 62.' Appended to this is the seal of Gualo the legate^ much more perfect than the one to the foregoing charter noticed. Its indorsement shows that it was formerly in the pos- session of Oseney Abbey, and it came to the Library with the Wood collection. This also is the charter of 1217, but its read- ings present some slight differences, and no blank is found. Its concluding clause runs thus : ' Quia vero sigillum nondum ha- buimus presentem cartam sigillo venerabilis patris nostri domini Gual' titulo Sancti Martini presbiteri cardinalis et apostolice sedis legati et Willielmi Marescalli com Penbr' rectoris nostri et Regni nostri fecimus Sigillari. Testibus prenominatis et aliis multis.' [Oseney 142 *.]

3. A Charter with the following indorsement : ^ Magna Carf Eg. H. iij. de liberV totius regni. du^licata^ and in a modern hand, * Oseneia 13. 6ij' having the seal of the Marshal appended in green wax. This is an original copy of the charter of 2 Hen. Ill last named, and preserved among the Wood charters. It agrees exactly with No. 2.

4. Charter with the following indorsement : ' Carta Begia de

diversis libertatihus totius Anglie magnatihus sis. Hen''. iiij'J

and in a modern hand, ^K. H. 3. confirmacon of magna cJiarta^ &c. II Feb. 9. Hen. 3. 63.^ The seal has been torn away. This is the charter of Feb. 1 1, 1225. The search made by Sir William Blackstone for original copies of this confirmation resulted in the discovery of two only, one in the hands of John Talbot, Esq.,

xiv PREFACE.

of Lacock, the other belonging to the Dean and Chapter of Durham. Blackstone described these documents as of inestimable value, and in consequence of the accident of overturning a bottle of ink, by which the Durham one was defaced, considered the one in the possession of John Talbot, Esq., was a singular curiosity. The copy in this collection is perfect, excepting the loss of the great seal. It presents some slight clerical differences from the copy printed by Blackstone, and his collation of the Durham copy. It is conjectured that this charter was preserved among the muniments of Oseney Abbey, from the number ' 6^ ' indorsed upon it, the two previous charters having 61 and 62 upon them. (Lond. I.)

5. A Charter with this indorsement : * Confirmatio Reg^ de libertatibiis AtujV Caps, xiiij. de laicis tenuris. Begistratur,^ being a confirmation, dated at Westminster 28th January, 21 of Hen. Ill, A.D. 1237, to which is appended the great seal. It is printed by Blackstone from this copy at pp. 68, 69, no other original being known to him. This is also one of the charters bequeathed by Archdeacon Furney. [Glouc. 10.]

6. A Charter indorsed : ' ConfirmaV Regis E,jorimi suiter magnam cartam de liberf fforeste, Oseneia 4. 64.' This is an inspeximus charter of King Edward I, dated at Westminster 28 March in the 28th year of his reign, a.d. 1300, and formerly belonged to Oseney ; it came to the library in Wood's collection. [Oseney 143 ■^.]

7. A Charter indorsed : Confirmacio E. Reg. de lihertatibus Anglie et fores ie. Registratur^

Attached to this charter is the great seal in white wax. It is dated 14 February, 29 Ed. I, a.d. 1301, and printed by Black- stone, pp. ^% 86. This also came to the Library by the bequest of Archdeacon Furney. [Glouc. 26.].

The documents bequeathed to the Library among the manu- scripts of Bishop Tanner were most unfortunately immersed during their transit from Norwich to Oxford in 1731. This accident is referred to in the preface of theiVb^i^m, ed. 1787, as follows :

' The author's collections also bound up in volumes marked WiUoughhy, Jackson, Appleton, Bristol, &c., and frequently referred to in the following book, suffered in the unfortunate fall of his books into the water, and were thereby some of them unbound, and perhaps may not yet be put together again.'

Their present condition shows too plainly the effect of this immersion. By great care, however, they have been restored, and present a most valuable series of documents relating to the coun- ties of Norfolk and Suffolk, and to its abbeys and priories. The Bishop's acquisition of these charters, and his fear of losing them, is shown by the following extract from one of his letters to Browne Willis dated Norwich, 17 Aug., 1724:

PREFACE. XV

I was last week abroad upon an expedition into Suffolk in quest after some Books and papers w^^ I have bid a great sum of money for and hope they will not be snap'd out of my hand, and tho' they may come pretty dear, yet I have more set my mind upon the getting of them than the best Bpk. or Deanery. I have not set a step after any of those things, but shall many a one after these.'

The ecclesiastical documents comprise the deeds of appro- priations, either separate or inroUed, of between thirty and forty churches of the diocese of Norwich, as well as the foundation charters of several chantries within the same diocese.

The roll of Mayors and Bailiffs of Norwich from 26 Hen. VI to 21 James I, contains, entered under the several years, notes of remarkable occurrences which happened in that city. A few of these notes have been printed at pp. 234-5.

Of the priory of the Holy Trinity, Norwich, this collection contains many evidences, including manor court rolls of Eaton from 1283 to 1520, and accounts of the keepers of the refectory, cellarer and precentor.

The evidences of the Abbey of St. Bennet of Hulme, prin- cipally of the 12th century, include a most beautiful example of a chirograph executed or penned between the years 1133-1140; and accounts of the cellarer, chamberlain^ pietancier, precentor, and sacrist, as well as to rolls of evidences concerning the appro- priation of the various churches possessed by that abbey.

Of the possessions of the Abbey of St. John, Colchester, in the county of Suffolk, the evidences are numerous. Beginning with a charter of King Stephen, they chiefly relate to the manor of Wickham Skeyth, held by the abbey until its dissolution. The series belonging to the villages of Askeby, Somerleyton, and the two Waldingfields in Suffolk, is most complete, and will illus- trate the history of those places from the 13th to the 17th centuries.

The collections of Gough and Bawlinson comprise also those of Martin and Thoresby, which had been acquired by Gough by pur- chase. Thoresby^s charters relate principally to Yorkshire. A de- scription of some of the more curious of them will be found in his Ducatus Leodiensis, and but few are now missing from his col- lection. They contain some early charters of Kirkstall^ Nostell, and Gisborne [Guisborough] monasteries. Of the rolls, the original subsidies for Skirack wapentake, York, of 37 Hen. VIII and 7 James I, as also the Bede-roll of Abbot Norreis, of Lilleshull, are valuable and in a good state of preservation. The documents of honest Tom Martin, of Palgrave, were acquired by Gough; in which are some few charters and papers relating to the Paston family. These have been used by Mr. Gairdner in his new edition of the Paston papers. Also a very fine collection of muniments belonging to the town and abbey of Bury St. Ed- mund's, from early in the 12th to the i6th centuries. In

xvi PREFACE.

addition to the above collections, there are many single docu- ments which deserve notice.

The roll for the county of Huntingdon contains the returns of the Juries under the commission dated the 12th of March, 7 Edw.I, for part of the hundreds of Leightonstone and Norman cross. In the Botuli Hundredorum, vol. ii. p. 591, the heading to these returns will be found which, in the present roll, has unfortunately been torn away. In Leightonstone hundred the villages men- tioned are, Wodeweston_, Keston, Spaldewyk, Eston, Upthorp, Stowe, Little Catteworth, Berwam Leighton, Kenebolton Stoule, Stowe, Wormedich, Akirman, Lwyneshed, Covington GrafFham, Great Catteworthe, Great Gidding, Wolle, Wynewyk, Thirningg' Gidding and Elyngton. Of these the returns printed by the Commissioners, with some few minute omissions and alterations in arrangement, are duplicates of those entered on the roll. The hundred of Norman cross at the foot of the seventh membrane and the returns are wholly unlike those printed by the Com- missioners, and contain much additional matter as to the value and tenures of manors, but omit the minute details concerning the Villani and CoUariu It commences with ' Botilbruge q est hamelett' de Overton Lungevile,' which, as well as the village of Overton Lungevile^ is omitted in the roll printed by the Com- missioners. That record is stated to be much defaced, and the returns for Folkesworthe (p. 6'^'^ illegible. The return for that parish in this roll is as follows :

FowKEWORTHE. Galfrid' de la Huse tenet capitale manerium de Fowkeworthe de Comite Oxonie. Et idem Comes de Comite Glovernie. Et Comes Glovernie de domino Rege in capite. Et est unus feodus milit'. Et Comes Oxonie percipit inde scutagium. Et mesuagium illius manerii ut in gardinis, herbagiis, et aliis exitibus, annuis valet per annu. ij. s. Et habet ibidem sexaginta acras terre que valent per annum xl. 5. prec' acr' viij. d. Item habet unam prati que valet per annum iiij. s. Item habet duos villanos, quorum uterque tenet dimid' virgatam terre, redd' in denar' in comrauni v. 8. Et operantur in anno et valent operac' v.s.

Libere tenentes. Item Ricard' de Wyminttone tenet dimid' virgatam terre ad terminum vite, redd' inde eidem Galfrid'. iiij. s. iiij. d. Item Hug' fil' Simonis tenet dimid' virgatam terre per cartam, redd' inde eidem Gal- frido yj. d. It' Robertus Discy tenet unum mesua- gium et tres virgatas terre et dimid', redd' duo Abb' de Thorn eye ad pietanciam. vj. s. It' Ricard' de Hotot tenet unura messuagium cum tofta, redd' dicto Galfrido. ij. d. Item Ricard' fil' Will' tenet uuum messuagium et unam virgatam terre cum

PREFACE.

pertinentiis, redd' dicto Galfrido. ij. d. It' Amabilia Bollok tenet unum mesuagium et j. virgatam terre cum pertinentiis, redd' per annum eidem Galfrido. iij. d. It Ricard' Bernak tenet unum mesuagium et dimid' virgatam terre cum pertinentiis, redd' eid' Galfrido. ij. d. It' dns Johes de Fowleworthe tenet vj. acras terre cum pertinentiis, redd' dicto Gal- frido. oh. It. parsona de ead' tenet unum mesua- gium et croftam cum pertinentiis, redd' per anii j. d. Summa iij li. vij s. viij d. oh.

The difference between these returns and those printed by the Commissioners is very marked, as is shown by the following inquisition for the village of Haddon :

[From the Roll^

Haddon. Dicunt abbas de Tomeya. tenet manerium de

Haddon . de done diii Edgar' quondam Reg' Anglie et situs dicti manerii prout includitur in gardis herbag' et aliis exit' . valet per annum v. s. Item habet ibidem ij caruc' ter' et dimidiam et valet per ann vj. li. v. s. prec'. Caruc' . L.s. Item habet ibidem vj. acras prati que valent per ann. xxiiij. s. Item habet ibidem pastur' seperalem que valet per anii v. s. . Item habet ibidem xxiiij. villanos qui tenent xxj. virgat' terre inter se. Reddendo per ann pro omnibus servic' et operac' xvj. li. xij. s. prec' virgat' xvj. s. Item habet ibidem xiij cotar' qui tenent cotagia. Reddend per ann. pro omnibus servic' et operac' xij. s. \].d.

Libere tenentes. Galfridus de Haddon tenet j. virgatam terre per cartam Reddendo eidem abbati iiij. s. Item Robertus le Fraunthome quondam tenuit j. virgat' terre Reddendo per anii. eidem abbati iij. s. Item idem Abbas habet advocationem ecclesie . et habet Regale . quo "VVarenf nesciunt.

Summa xxv. li. xs. vjc?,

[From the Rotvli Hundredorum, vol. ii. p. 644.]

Haddone. Abbas de Thorneie tenet manerium de Haddone in

liberam puram et perpetuam elemosinam de done domini Reg' Edgar' quondam Reg' Anglie. Et habet ibidem quoddam gardinum quod continet dimid' acr' terre. Et ad totam villam de Haddone per- tinent vj. hid' terre et dimid', et dimid' virgat' quar' quehbet hida continet v. virgatas. Et quelibet virgata continet xxiiij acras terre. De quibus hidis diet' Abb' tenet in dominico ij hidas et ij virgatas terre et dimid' que continent ut supra. Item habet ibidem vj acr' prati. Item habet ibidem pastur' separalem que continet unam acr' terre. b

xviii PREFACE.

Libere Teiientes.

Galfr' le Heyr de Haddon tenet uiiiim mesuag' et unam virgatam terre per cartam, redd' dicto doiniuo Abb' per annum iiij. s. Et faciendo sect' ad comitat' Huntingd' et ad hundred' de Noemanecros et faciendo j bedrepam in autumpno cum ij hominibus et hoc ad prandium dicti Abb' et unum lovebone cum duobus hominibus ad prandium Abb' et arrabit tempore quadragesimali unam rod' terre tm. It Rob de Fraunchome quondam tenuit unam virgatam terre que virgata diet' Abb' Thorneye modo tenet de dono dicti Kob' in liberam puram et perpetuam €lemosinam. Of the Cotar and Yiilani full particulars are given.

The roll contains the returns for the following' places in Normancross hundred : Botilbruge, Overton Lungevile, Over- ton Waterwyle, Alewolton, Flectone, Cestretone, Aplyngtone, Wassinggele, Morebourne, Fowkeworthe, Stiltone^ Caldekote, Dentone, Glattone, Hulina, Conytone, Saltreia, Lodinkton, Wawtone, Nebton, Sibeston, Stibington, Silestone, Walmesforde, Haddon, Wodeston, Stangrund, Fareshened, Kingesdelf (marsh) Jakele, Witlesmere.

Of some historical importance are two wardrobe account orders, under the hand of Queen Mary, to Sir Edward Waldegrave, Kt., the one dated at Hampton Court lo April, i and 2, the other from Greenwich i Oct., 2 and 3 of her reign. In these accounts are met with two historic personages attached to the Queen's person as fools. The one, Will Somers, who was the great favourite of her father ; the other, Jane the fool, being the only person on record, according to Sir F. Madden, who, as a female, was maintained on the