County for in the Pipe-Rols relating to the Raign of King John I discover that Robert de Malavill was one of the Recognitores magnae Assisae in the fourth year of that Prince and then again in the seventh year of his Rule he was dignified with that eminent Place of Trust and he had Issue William de Malavil who was in the enjoyment of this Mannor at his Death which was in the Raign of Henry the third as appears by an escheat Roll marked with the number 56. And in this Family did the Right and Title of it lie involved untill the latter End of Edward the third and then the noted Family of Bures stept by Purchase into the Possession and John Bures as appears to me by an old Deed held it in the fourth year of Richard the second he was Son of William Bures who paid respective Aid for part of a Knights-fee which lay in Bromley in the twentieth year of Edward the third at making the Black Prince Knight and William Bures Son of John lies entombed in Halsted Church pourtraied at length in Brass and mail'd in Armor upon a fair Grave-stone being Marble with this Inscription Hic jacet Willielmus Bures Armigeri Dominus Manerii de Halsted qui obiit 1454. And this was he who was Sheriff of Kent in the eleventh year of Henry the sixth But after his Death it was not long in the Fruition of this Name for about the Beginning of Edward the fourth I find it in the Hands of Thomas Bourchier descended from the Bourchiers of Essex and he about the Latter End of that Prince passed it away to Stephen Petley Esquire who lies buried in Halsted Church And in this Family was the Title fixed untill the Beginning of King James and then the Fatality of Sale did alternate the Possession and annexed it to the Inheritance of Sir Thomas Watson who dying without Issue-male his only Daughter and Heir was espoused to Sir William Pope afterwards created Earl of Downe in Ireland by King James and so in her Right this Mannor became the Inheritance of his Son the Right Honourable William Earl of Downe who not many years since passed it away to Mr. Edward Ash whose Widow Mrs. ........ Ash holds it at this instant in Right of Dower Halstow in the Hundred of Milton hath nothing memorable in it but Berkesore alias Basser-court which was as high as any print of Antiquity can direct me to discover the Patrimony of the Church for King Stephen devoted it to find a supply of perpetual Lights before the Chest or Shrine ante Capsam those are the words of the Record of Anselme the eminent Arch-bishop of Canterbury and it hath been many years past held by the Darrels of Cale-hill as Lessees and is still by that Right enjoyed by Sir John Darrell of the same place The Church of Halstow as the Records of Christ-church instruct us was given by Boniface Arch-bishop of Canterbury to buy Books for the Chaunter of that Covent Hamme in the Hundred of Eastry was as the Records of Christ-church in Canterbury inform me given to the Prior and Monks of that Covent in the year 934. by one Eylfleda but how it was rated in the Conqueror's Time when if not all yet at least the principal part of this County was surveyed the Pages of Doomesday Book are silent In brief the Moity of this Mannor for one Half of it was alwaies under the Jurisdiction of Lay-proprietaries being by the Donation abovesaid made parcel of the Spiritual Patrimony remained treasured up in the Revenue of the Church as in an unviolable Exchequer until both the Covent of Christ-church and all its Demeasne was surrendered into the Hands of Henry the eighth and that Prince in the thirty fifth year of his Raign granted that part of it which belonged to the Priory of Christ-church to Sir Thomas Moile who not long after passed it away to Sir Robert Oxenbridge Knight from which Family in our Grand-fathers memory it went away by Sale to Bois of Betshanger The other Moity of Hamme belonged to the Criolls of Walmer of which Family I shall speak more at that Place Simon de Crioll as I discover by old Deeds held it in the Raign of King John and Henry the third and transmitted it to his Son Nicolas de Crioll who held it at his Death which was in the one and thirtieth of Edward the first and from him did it by the steps of several Generations descend to Sir Thomas Crioll who was slain at the second Battle of Sr. Albans tamely and in cold Blood that is he was beheaded by Queen Margaret wife to King Henry the sixth in the thirty eighth of that Prince's Raign because he had been an eager Partisan of the House of Yorke and being thus infortunately cut off left that great Estate he was possest of in this County to two Daughters and Co-heirs one of which was matched for his second wife to John Fogg of Repton Esq Son and Heir of Sir William Fogg and he had Issue by her Thomas Fogg Serjeant Porter of Callis Esquire a Place of eminent Trust and Concernment in those Times And he ended in two Daughters and Co-heirs Anne first matched to Mr. William Scott Brother of Sir Reginald and secondly to Mr. Henry Isham and Alice first wedded to Edward Scott of the Moat in Sussex Esquire and after to Sir Robert Oxenbridge of the County of South-hampton but the Moity of this Mannor of Hamme upon the dividing the Estate into equal Portions fell to be the Inheritance of Edward Scott in Right of Alice his wife and his Descendant in our Grand-fathers Remembrance alienated all his Interest and Concernment here to Bois of Betshanger whose Successor Mr. John Bois of Betshanger Esquire is now entirely possest of this Mannor as namely of that Moity which came over to this Family by Purchase from Oxenbridge as well as of that which devolved to this Name by Purchase from Scott Harbledowne in the Hundred of Westgate though at present but an obscure Village and not of much Eminence was in Time of more ancient Date famous for three memorable Places First for an old Chappel situated upon the Margin of that Precipice which overlooks that way which leads to Canterbury In which Oratory as Tradition informs us was preserved the Slipper of Thomas Becket taken from one of his Feet after his being destroyed at his own Church at Canterbury and which as Report insinuates was bespattered with his Blood this being curiously enchased with Diamonds so much did those Times dote on this then reputed Saint and Martyr was let down for Passengers who travelled to Canterbury to offer up their Orizons at his Shrine to adore with a kiss nor was it returned but full fraighted and laden with the Benevolences of devoted Pilgrims The second was Polres which anciently had and still keeps the Repute of a Mannor John de Polre Son of John de Polre payd respective Aid for it in
the Beginning of Henry the eighth and then it was conveyed to Diggs a Family which had some Interest in it as appears by the Book of Aid in the twentieth year of Edward the third and some Descents before and from this Name not long after the same Alienation carried it off to Hales of the Dungeon in which Family it hath remained so constant that it is the instant propriety of Mr. ..... Hales a yonger Branch of that Family Hartlip in the Hundred of Milton hath divers places of Account in it First Gore Court which was in Times of an elder Aspect the Inheritance of a Family of that Appellation and I find that Henry at Gore held it at his Decease in the one and thirtieth year of Edward the third and remained with the Demeasne of this Name until the Beginning of Henry the fifth and then it was transmitted by Sale to Werdecre or Werdegar and here it fixt until the seventeenth year of King James and then William Werdegar Son of George Werdegar passed it away to Sir Nicholas Tufton whose Son and Heir John Earl of Thanet is now the Owner of it Juliana de Leybourne had some Estate here at Gore Court which at her Decease in the three and fortieth year of Edward the third escheating with the Remainder of her Estate to the Crown was by that Prince in the fiftieth year of his Government settled upon the Abby of St. Mary Grace on Tower-hill which he had before founded in the twenty fourth year of his Raign and lay involved in the Patrimony of that Cloister until the general suppression and then it was granted by Henry the eighth to William Werdegar whose Successor sold it with that part of it which was alwaies of secular Interest to Sir Nicolas Tufton Popes-hall in this Parish had Owners likewise of that Sirname who likewise were entituled to some Estate at Gaesden in Tenterden and continued Lords of this Seat until the latter end of Henry the seventh and then it was by Richard Pope Gentleman transmitted by Sale to Christopher Bloer by whose Daughter and Heir called Olympia Bloer it devolved to be the Inheritance of Mr. John Tufton Ancestor to the Right Honorable John Earl of Thanet now Possessor of it Ealgar or Ealdigar now vulgarly by melting away the L called Eager Court or Eagar Croft was anciently as appears by several old Deeds without Date the Patrimony of William de Elmested but continued not long in this Family for in the thirteenth year of Edward the first I find it folded up in the Inheritance of Roger de Northwood and in this Name the Title was resident until the Beginning of Henry the sixth and then it was transplanted by Sale into Norton of Borden from whom in the fourth year of Edward the fourth part of it was passed away by Sale to Champneys and in the eighth year of that Prince the Remainder was by the same Fatality brought to confesse the Signory of the above-mentioned Family from whom Thomas Rider held it in Lease in the Reign of Henry the seventh and in the seventeenth year of that Prince passed away all his Interest and concernment in it to Mark Harris but the Propriety of this place continued still in Champneys And from him did part of it in the twenty fourth year of Henry the eighth passe back again by Sale to Norton and the Remainder in the thirty second year of that King's raign was by the same conveyance wholly remitted to the above recited Family and made its aboad here untill the fourth and fifth year of Philip and Mary and then John Norton by Sale conveyed his Right in it to Gilbert Fremlin and he in the fifteenth year of Queen Elizabeth alienated all his Concernment in it to John Palmer Esquire Father of Sir Anthony Palmer and Grandfather of Dudley Palmer Esquire the instant Possessor of it There is a Mannor in this Parish vulgarly and corruptly called Grayney but in old Deeds Graveney as being indeed the Patrimony of a Family of that Sirname of which Stem was Stephen de Graveney whom as private Record informs me held it in the raign of Edward the first and in his Descendants I find it successively constant and fixed untill the Reign of Henry the sixth And from that Prince's Rule I must make a leap to the Government of Henry the eighth and then I find it in the Tenure of John Mayney of Biddenden Esquire great Grandfather of Sir John Mayney of Linton Knight and Baronet the present Lord of the Fee Hartley in the Hundred of Acstane made up a part of that Patrimony which came within the Circle of that Revenue which owned for Proprietaries the Lords Montchensey whose capitall Seat was at Swanscamp where I shall treat more largely of them but it seems they had a special regard to this Mannor for Warren de Montchensey obtained a Charter of Free-warren to Hartley in the thirty seventh year of Henry the third and left it enobled and secured with this Franchise to his only Son William de Montchensey who dying without Issue Joan his Sister and Heir by marching with William de Valence Earl of Pembroke entituled him to this Mannor and she held it at her Death which was in the first year of Edw. the second from whom it devolved to her Son Aymer de Valence who dying without Issue-male in the seventeenth year of Edward second Isabell de Valence his Heir Generall united it to the Inheritance of her Husband Lawrence de Hastings afterwards Earl of Pembroke from whom it came down to his Grandchild John de Hastings And he deceasing without Issue in the year 1389 left it to his Kinsman Reginald Grey and he brings a pleading for this and other Land against John le Scroope in the fifteenth year of Richard the second and in the second year of Henry the fourth as appears by the Book of Dover in the Exchequer he was peaceably fixed in the Possession and was a person of considerable Rank and importance in those Times for he bore a pair of gilt Spurs at the Coronation of the abovesaid Prince But no eminence of Birth or Dignity can chain the Possession of a place to a Family when the Title leans upon the Wheel of an inconstant and ebbing Estate For the Revolution of Sale about the latter end of Henry the sixth carried it from this Name to Penhale and John the Son of Emma Penhale as appears by the Book of Dover in the Exchequer held it in the second year of Edward the fourth but the Propriety was not long constant in this Family for about the latter end of Henry the seventh I find it in the Tenure of Cressell but it was not long permanent in this Family neither for about the Beginning of Henry the eighth it was by Sale transplanted into Ballard and here the Possession rested untill the latter end of Edward the sixth and then it was alienated to William Sydley Esquire Ancestor to Sir Charles
Burwash-court from whom it is now devolved by Descent to his Successor Mr. ...... Boughton The Abbot of St. Augustines to adde more eminence to this Mannor not only obtained a Charter of Free-warren to Plumsted in the thirty sixth year of Henry the third but likewise by Grant procured a Market to be held here weekly on the Tuesday and a Fair yearly three Dayes at St. Nicolas videlicet the Eve the Day and Day after both which were allowed before the Judges Itinerant in the seventh year of Edward the first Plumsted had anciently Laws and Ordinances for the better securing the Mounds and Banks of the Mersh against the Eruptions and Inundations of the Thames which almost were of the same Resemblance and Complexion with those of Romney Mersh A Scale of several Statutes are delivered to us by Rastall in his Abridgement which concerned the Inning and preserving of Plumsted Level The first was enacted in the twenty second year of Henry the eighth Cap. 3. and was printed The second was made in the fourteenth year of Queen Elizabeth and was never printed The third was ratified in the twenty third of Queen Elizabeth Cap. 13. and printed The fourth and last was confirmed in the twenty seventh year of Queen Elizabeth Cap. 27. and likewise printed Burwash-court is an eminent Seat in this Parish made more illustrious by being wrapped up in the Revenue of the Noble Family of Burgherst or Burwash Bartholomew de Burgherst died possest of it in the twenty eighth year of Edward the third Rot. Esc Num. 38. And left it to his Son Bartholomew Lord Burwash who in the forty third year of the above-said Prince coveyed it with much other Land to Sir Walter de Paveley Knight of the Garter in which Family it continued until the raign of Richard the second and then it was alienated to VVilliam Chichley Alderman of London who left it to his Son John Chichley by whose Daughter and Heir Agnes it came to be possest by John Tattershal of VVell-hall in Eltham who about the beginning of Henry the sixth conveyed it to Boughton in the Descendants of which Family it had a permanent aboad untill that Age that our Remembrance had an Aspect on and then it was passed away to Mr. Rowland VVilson of London and he upon his late Decease gave it to his Daughter and her Heirs who was first matched to Doctour ...... Crisp and now secondly to Colonel ...... Row of Hackney R. R. R. R. RAdigunds vulgarly called the Abby of St. Radigunds leads up the Van of this Register It was founded by Hugh the first Abbot who was before a Monk in the Priory of Christ-church in the raign of King Stephen as the Book of Christ-church and the Return into the Court of Augmentation made in the twenty ninth year of Henry the eighth do both inform me Their Rule was derived from Austin Bishop of Hippo their Habit Black whence they are sometimes styled Black-Canons and sometimes Canons of St. Austins The Revenue which appertained to this Cloister lay not fat divided from this place as namely at Alkham Sotemore Combe Hawking Padlesworth and Pising where they had a Mannor as appears by an Inquisition taken in the thirty fifth year of Edward the first Rot. Esc Num. 147. This upon the Dissolution lapsing with all its Revenue to the Crown King Henry the eighth exchanged Pising with Thomas Cranmer Arch-bishop of Canterbury but the Mannor of St. Radigunds it self remained annexed to the Royal Revenue until Queen Elizabeth in the thirty second year of her raign granted it to Simon Edolph Esquire descended from the Edolphs of Romney Mersh where they were very ancient in whose Successor Sir ...... Edolph the propriety of this place is still resident Raculver in the Hundred of VVhitstaple had a Monastery founded here for Monks to live under the Rule of St. Bennet But the Mannor it self was given with all its Train of Appendages as namely Pasture Glebe Mersh-land and the adjacent Shore and estimated at twenty five Mansions or Cottages bis denis senisque estimatum Cassatis those are the words of the Record by King Eadredus in the year nine hundred forty and eight to the Sea of Canterbury in the presence of his Queen Edgiva and Arch-bishop Odo and if you will descry what Estimate it had in the Time of the Conqueror Doomes-day Book will afford you a discovery Raculf Tempore Edwardi Regis se defendebat pro VIII Sullings est appretiatum XL. lb. II. lb. V. s. tres Minutes that was a Coin I believe equivalent to our now English Pence minus Though the Church be now full of Solitude and languished into Decay yet when Leland made his Perambulation it was in a more splendid Equipage If you please to hear him he thus describes it The old Building of the Abby Church continues says he having two goodly spiring Steeples In the entring into the Quire is one of the fairest and most ancient Crosses that ever I saw nine Foot in height it standeth like a fair Columne The Basis is a great stone it is not wrought the second Stone being round hath curiously wrought and and painted the Images of our Saviour Christ Peter Paul John and James Christ saith Ego sum Alpha Omega Peter saith Tu es Christus Filius Dei vivi The sayings of the other three were painted Majusculis Literis Romanis but now obliterated The second Stone is of the Passion The third Stone contains the Twelve Apostles The fourth hath the Image of our Saviour hanging and fastned with four Nails sub pedibus sustentaculum The highest part of the Pillar hath the Figure of a Crosse In the Church is a very ancient Book of the Evangelies in Majusculis Literis Romanis and in the Borders thereof is a Crystal Stone thus inscribed Claudia Atepiccus In the North-side of the Church is the Figure of a Bishop painted under an Arch In digging about the Church they find old Buckles and Rings The whole Print of the Monastery appears by the old Wall And the Vicarage was made of the Ruines of the Monastery There is a neglected Chappel out of the Church-yard where some say was a Paroch-Church before the Abby was suppressed and given to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury Thus far he But the greatest Honor which in elder Times did accrew to this Village was that King Ethelbert after he had founded the Abby of St. Austins removed his Residence from Canterbury and fixed his Pallace at this place which his Successors the Kings of Kent enobled by their presence but when this Kingdome was swallowed up in that of Mercia and Mercia afterwards in that of the West Saxons Reculver had the Grant of a Market procured to it on the Thursday by William Arch-B of Canterbury in the 7th of Edw. the second this Mansion of theirs found a Sepulcher likewise in their Ruines so that now we can trace it out no where but in Annals and
the twentieth year of Edward the third and when after some expiration of Time this Family began to find the common Sepulcher which wairs upon all Humane Glory Decay and Oblivion the Martins a Name of generous extraction in this Track stept in and by Purchase became Lords of the Fee and held it till the Name being contracted into Anne Sole Daughter and Heir of Jo. Martin by marriage with Roger Brent it was knit to the Patrimony of that Family and so for some years remained undissolved till the Union by Sale was broken and not long since passed over to Sir Thomas Bind where at present the Possession is wound up with the other Demeasne of that Family The Mannor of Beverley is a third place of Note in Harbledowne It was the Sear of the ancient Family of Beverley before they removed to Tancrey Island in Fordwich and having remained Proprietaries of it many Generations by Efflux and Descent it was guided down to William Beverley Esquite from whom the Title ebbed away and in whom the Name determined for he deceasing without Issue Male Beatrix was his only Daughter and Heir who was matched to Thomas Norton Esquire by which Alliance the Title of this place became inter-woven with his Inheritance and continued clasped up in it until the middle of the Raign of Queen Elizabeth and then it was conveyed to Merseday in which Family it had a setled Residence until some sew years since the Mutation of Sale brought it to one Mr. ....... Richardson for its Proprietary Lanfranck Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the year 1071. Founded an Hospital at Harbledowne for Lepers employed afterwards to the Use of aged people William Wittlesey Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the year 1371. founded a Chauntry here and dedicated it to the Honor of St. Nicholas which Foundation in the year 1402. Was by Arch-bishop Arundell fully ratified and confirmed Nether-Hardres in the Hundred of Bridge and Petham is eminent for two Places situated within the Precincts and Ambuts of it The first is Hepington which certainly was anciently the Chichs of the Dungeon in Canterbury for I have seen a Record wherein Nicolas Mesingham releases his Right in this and divers other Lands confining on Canterbury to Tho. Chich. But let it be granted it was theirs certainly the Title was very volatile and incertain for I find the Foggs when they expired to be next in Possession of it which was as high as the entrance into the Raign of Hen. the fourth And here for some Ages the Title fixt it self till at length the Fatality of Time passed it over by Sale to Hales one of whose Successors has lately sold the Mansion House to Sir Thomas Godfrey but still preserves the Propriety of the Mannor it self in his Name Lindeshore but vulgarly called Linsore is the second Place that Objects it self to a Consideration In the eighth of Edward the third an Original Fine represents it to be Thomas de Garwinton's and here many years the Possession was resident till Joan his Niece became by Reason her Nephew Thomas Garwinton Grand-child to this Thomas de Garwinton died without Issue the Heir General of this Family and she being married to Richard Haut a Cadet of the Hauts of Hautsborne alias Bishops-Bourne made this part of their Demeasne but this Name not long after concluding in Margery Haut Sole Daughter and Heir to Richard Haut she being made the wife of William Isaack of Blackmansbery in Bridge involved this in her Husbands Revenue to which after it had been some time united it was by Sale from this Family carried over to John Brent Esquire and this Name some narrow Distance of Time after resolving into a Daughter and Heir called Margaret who was married to John Dering this became part of his Estate and so continued till his Successor not long since sold it to Young of Canterbury Vpper or High Hardres call it which you please is placed in the Hundreds of Bridge Petham and Lovingborough and gave name to a Family which certainly was of Saxon-extraction being compounded of two Saxon words Erd which signifies Earth and Reys which signifies Rivulets or small Drils of water And more to establish this Opinion the Record of Doomes-day Book informs us that Rodbertus de Hardres held half a Sulling or Ploughed-land in Liminge in the twentieth year of William the Conqueror this man was Ancestor to Philip de Hardres who was one of the Recognitores magnae Assisae in the Raign of King John and his Son Philip de Hardres was a man of that Eminence under the Government of Henry the third that he matched with Grace Daughter and Heir of Stephen de Harengod and I have seen an old Deed which bears the form of a Latine Will wherein this Stephen settles his Mannor of Elmested and other Lands in this Track upon this Philip de Hardres which Deed though not dated certainly relates to the Time of his Decease which was in the one and fortieth of Henry the third Rot. Esc Num. 23. But though this Mannor gave Sirname to Hardres yet I find some others had an Interest in it or at least some part of it before it absolutely and solely came to confesse the Signory of this Name Oliver de Bohun obtained a Charter of Free-warren to his Lands at High Hardres in the first year of Edward the first which was renued to Nicolas de Hadlow or Hallow who had not long before purchased the Inheritance of the above said Family at this place in the one and twentieth year of the above mentioned Prince but about the latter end of Richard the second I find this Family quite dislodged from this place and the Sole Demeasne and Propriety wrapped up in the Family of Hardres one of whom by Name Henry Hardres was one of the Justices of the Peace for this County in the Time of Henry the fourth and Henry the fifth and from him is descended Sir Richard Hardres now Lord of this Mannor who by a Title riveted and incorporated into him by a Chain of many uninterrupted Descents does now claim the Signory of it Southcourt is another little Mannor in Upper Hardres which in elder Times was entituled to the Propriety of Garwinton a Family of signal Estimate and deep Root in this Track for in an old Pedigree of Isaac I discover that Thomas and William de Garwinton were in the List of those Kentish Gentlemen that accompanied Henry the third in his Expedition into Gascony in the thirty seventh year of his Raign which Design by the ill Conduct of his Affairs and worse Managery of his Arms was very ruinous and full of dysaster to that Prince But this Family about the eleventh year of Henry the sixth as I have shewed in Bekesbourne being extinguished without Issue the Heir General brought this Mannor to be possest by Haut from whom some two Descents after the same Fatality brought it to be enjoyed by Isaac in whom the Propriety was resident until
of this Family were extinguished and that there were none who were legally begotten for Sir Thomas Poynings was his natural Son that either in a direct or collateral Line could pretend a Title to his Estate it escheated to the Crown And Henry the eighth afterwards passed it away by Grant to William Taylor whose Sutcessor Mr. Thomas Taylor passed it away to George Taylor and he had Issue Mr. John Taylor who concluding in Anne his Sole Daughter and Heir she by a Match with Whitfeild annexed it to the Demeasne of that Name from whom again not many years since it came over by Sale to More who very lately hath alienated it to Mr. Thomas Taylor Esquire Mincing-court vnlgarly so called but Originally and in Old Records styled Minikens-court is likewife circumscribed within the Verge of Shadock herst It was parcel of that Income which did support in elder Times the Hospital of St. Jacobs in Tanington by Canterbury which was founded to be a Receptacle of Leprous Women and confirmed by Hubert Arch-bishop of Canterbury about the beginning of King John and to this Covent did it relate until the reign of King Edward the sixth and then though it had not been torn off from the Revenue of the abovesaid Hospital by the violent Hand of Henry the eighth yet it was alienated by that Prince and in the second year of his Rule it was granted to Robert Tatteshall Esquire to hold of his Mannor of East-Greenwich tantum per Fidelitatem Servitii and from him immediatly after it came over by purchase to Sir Edward Wotton And when Cardinal Poole visited Kent in the year 1557. he was found invested in it and from him did it by paternal Delegation devolve to his Successor Thomas Lord Wotton who setled it upon his eldest Daughter Katherine upon her Marriage with Henry Lord Stanhop Son and Heir to Philip Earl of Chesterfield and this Lady not long since hath alienated her Interest in it to Mr. Thomas Harfleet of Canterbury Stalesfeild in the Hundred of Feversham was a Limb of that vast Revenue which fell under the Jurisdiction and Signory of the Knights Templers and is registred under that Notion in that Book kept in the Exchequer styled Liber de Terris Templariorum And in Mr. Robert Glovers Church-Notes of Kent there is in this Church represented the Pourtracture of a Chevalier maled in Armour whose Face is only visible and that pourtracted with a long Beard which induces me to believe that it was the Effigies of some eminent Person of this Order for in all the Sculpture and Imagery of the Knights Templers both Ancient and Modern they are still delivered to Posterity under that Representation And Peter Auger falling under the Censure of a Knight Templer in the fourth year of Edward the second though Valett to that Prince because he nourished a long and diffused Beard was absolved and discharged by his Master by satisfying the publick that though he wore a long Beard he was no Knight Templer But to advance in my Survey After that fatal Tempest which was conjured up by the Magick of the Court of Rome and its Emissaries had in the second year of Edward the second shook this Order into a total Dissolution this Mannor which lay clasped up in their Revenue was united by Royal Concession to the Demeasne of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem and there it dwelt untill the general suppression in the reign of Henry the eighth dislodged it and threw it into the possession of the Crown where it lay involved until King Edward the sixth in the fourth year of his Government by Grant planted the Propriety in Sir Anthony St. Leger and he immediatly after passed it away to Sir Anthony Aucher who was afterwards slain bravely disputing the Interest of the English Nation at Calais against the Assaults of the French and his Successor about the beginning of King James alienated it to Salter from whom it is now come down to Sir Nicholas Salter who is entituled to the instant Fee-simple of it Darbies-court in this Parish gave Seat and Sirname to a Family which was known to the World by no other Denomination and certainly was a Family of generous Account in this Track for in very ancient Registers and Rols of Kentish Gentry I find this Coat to be borne by this Name videlicet Partie per Cheveron embattelled Or and Azure three Eagles counterchanged And of this Family was John Darby Esquire who was Sheriff of London in the year 1445. and built the South-Isle of St. Dionis Back-church near Lime-street where the Windows represent to our View the above-mentioned Coat as the best Index to the Memory of so munificent a Benefactor But to proceed Before the beginning of Henry the fourth the Propriety of this Mansion was by Sale conveyed from Darby to St. Leger where its aboad was of as brief a continuance for the Male-line failing in Thomas St. Leger Esquire who bought it by Joan his Daughter and Co-heir wedded to Henry Aucher Esquire it came over to be the Inheritance of that Family and in their Revenue was constantly fixed until the Age and Remembrance of our Grand-fathers and then it was alienated to Sir Michael Sonds of Eastry from whom by hereditary Right it devolved to Sir Richard Sonds of Throuley who in his Life-time passed it away to his Son and Heir Sir George Sonds now of Leeze-Court in Shelvich Knight of the Bath to whom the Possession of this Mannor at this instant is entituled Stamford in the Hundred of Folkstone is in it self a small obscure Village but made eminent by containing within the Limits of it Ostenhanger a Seat of as much Account and Eminence as any in the County The Demeasne which related to it was divided between the two noble Families of Crioll and Auberville Bertram de Crioll was Sheriff of Kent in the twenty seventh year of Henry the third and is written in the Pipe-roll of that year of Westenhanger a Name coincident with the other Sir William de Auberville lived at the Borough of Westenhanger when he founded the Abby of West-Langdon in the Time of Richard the first he had Hugh de Auberville who likewise as appears by the Leiger Book of that Covent being a liberal Benefactor to that Cloister was his Son and Heir and he had Issue Sir William de Auberville in whom the Male-Line determined and he had only a Female Inheritrix espoused to Nicholas de Crioll whether of a. Younger House or else a Younger Son to Bertram de Crioll above-mentioned I cannot discover Bertram de Crioll had Issue Bertram de Crioll who dyed possest of a great Proportion of Ostenhanger in the twenty third year of Edward the first as appears Rot. Esc Num. 48. And left it to Joan his Daughter married to Sir Richard de Rokesley who upon the Decease of her only Brother John de Crioll without Issue became his Sole Heir This Sir Richard de Rokesley was one of those
situation on the Salt Sea Wingham from its position between two Rivolets that incompass the Eastern part of it like wings Corniloe that is The Corney Hill loe that is Cumulus Bewsborough now called Bewfield and Whitfield from the French word Beau for white and fair Longport that is Long Town by Canterbury toward Sandwich Folkestone that is a Town Populous and full of Folk so was this for in it there were four Churches a Monastery and some out-Chappels Lovingboroe however different in Orthography This name be now from Lyminge it must be found there or no where else And because Opinion without proof is but discourse and descant Harken to the Evidence at Lyminge which Edmerus a Monk of Christ-Church in Canterbury calls Lovingborough and the Records of that Church Nonnesborough was the first house of vailed Virgins in England called Nunnes and though the name of Lyminge was forlet and forlorn and Nuneborough passed currant and in short space one liquid being changed into another N. into L. Loneburgh and that by a second mutation in Lovingborough you have the disquisition and true result Stowting so called from some old Fortresses and Roman ramperes there Heane in British signifieth old Birchholt Franchise or Barony is by that addition known from a former Hundred where the name is Etymologized Street that is A place where the Romans Praetorian way lay from Lyme to Cant. now called Sonestreets began in place of which we call the viaregia Worth signifies a place made strong and Teneable by fortifying Ham that is Home Capitale Messuagium Langport ut ante St. Martine A place of Account heretofore by Romeney New Church that is of later foundation Aloe bridge written antiently Alulphs bridg that is the Bridge of Alulphus some Saxon. Oxney the Oxens water Ackridg that is The Ridg of Okes which in old English are called Akes Addesham from the old English and that is the old ham and so is this in Records Addington of like Radix onely Ham implies an open place as Ton an inclosed one from Tinan the Saxon word to hedg and inviron Alkham written Healkham the Town in a Corner from Healk in Saxon a Corner Allington is derived from the River Aigle contracted into Ayl Aldington here antiquity gives the Name for Aud we say Ald and now call it it Allington Allhallows from the Churches Dedication which some call All Saints but the first is in the Hundred of Hoo the second in Shepey Apuldore written in Saxon Records Apuldre that is the Town fruitful in Apples Ash from that kind of Tree Ashhurst a wood of Ashes Aylesford from the Ayl River so called after past Maidstone which imparteth its name to Aynesford originally written Anglesford The English mens Ford. Badelesemere that is in old Eng. the Circuite of Bad unfertile Pasture Badchild written in Saxon Bekenceld the chill or unhealthy water Bapchild in Saxon Beckchill the unhealthy chill water a small stream they called a Becks and Chill implieth cold and Aguish Berfreiston the Friers Court-Town Bereham derived from Bere a Court and Ham a Village Barming woody Pasture or rather Berme-Ing the moist pasture Berme importing moisture Becksbourne for distinction from the other Bornes taking its Name from the Family of Beke that held part sometime call'd Livingebourn from Arch-Bishop Livinus that built a Pallace here for himself and his Successors Beausfield from the fair open prospect which it hath to Sea and Land Bekenham from the Beke or small stream arising there Belsington The fair Prospect or rather the Town by the watry pasture from Eyle in Saxon importing watry Benenden from the Saxon word Binan within or two-fold The Parish hath several Dennes in it Bethersden written anciently Beatrixden that is Beatrix's Valley Betshanger originally Vitalshanger from one Vitalis owner of it near the conquest hanger because seated on the hanging hill Berested I find it near the Conquest to be of the possession of the Crevequers of Leeds and I might deduce it from Bury or Bere old English for the Lords Court or dwelling and then it fignifies the place where the Court is as Berewick is the way to the Court if you consider the Soil you may call it Barren Sted Bexley contracted from Bekesley Beke signifies a stream and Ley pasture Bicnor and Bicknore from Becn and Nor Becn signifies a sign or symboll and Nor the North from whence the Saxon word Beacnan to beckon or give some sign Becn signum seu symbolum Becnan signum dare Bidborough that is by the Borough of Tunbridge called Southborough the Saxon th being turned into d. Biddenden in old English Bithanden by the Denns for so is the situation of it in the weld of Kent Birchington The Town where the Birch grew Berling that is The Court lying on the Pasture Bishop borne the Borne belonging to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Blackmanstone written Bleachmanstone that is Man 's bleak Town Bobbing it is probable is deduced from an old Dutch word called Boban which signifies to extend or stretch it self out and Ing a Meadow Bocton that is the Town held by Book or Charter Boughton and Malherbe ill Pasturage Bocton that is Boughton Aloulph from Alulphus a Saxon owner of it Bonington the Town bounded with the Lawnds from the Saxon word Bonna importing the bound Borden from the Breed of wild Bores on the Chesnut hills thereby Burham the Ham by or in the Borough Burmarsh written anciently Burghmersh the Marsh by the Borough Borefield The Bores field Boughton Montchelsey from Montchensy the old Lord of Swanscomb was Lord of this place also Boxley that is the Pastures full of Box trees Brabourne from Bradebourne East and West the Broad Bourne Bradhurst that is the Broad Wood. Bradsted vel locus latus Bredgare the broad way Brenset from the brakish and brinish water Brooke from its being seated near some Brook Brookeland that is Land by the Brook or water Course Bromefield where the Fields are troubled with Broome Buckland that is Bockland Boc is a Book or Charter by which Land was granted Canterbury written Canterberig The Kentish-Men's Berg or Fortress Capell that is de Capello Chart-ham that is the Town held by Charter Great and Little Chart written anciently Cert which in Saxon signifies a Charter Chalk de Calce Challoke that is De Quercis Nudatis Charleton that is Ceorlton in Saxon The Grange or lusty Husband-mans Town from this Radix Churle cometh Charing written anciently Cering extracted from the Saxon word Cerran to turn there being divers wents and wandrings at this place Chellesfield The Chill and cold place Chepsted that is the Market place Locus nundinarius Cheriton that is from the growth of Cheries there Chevening from its lying under that great hill which runneth to Guldeford in Surrey which our Ancestors called Chevins Chidding stone in Sax. Ced-ingston that is the Town on the Brow of the Lawnd Ced in Saxon importing the Brow or Descent Or it is possible from Cedwine some