suddain did so vigorously lay at the corner of the Gyants target that his Club bossed with Iron fell to the ground w ch whil'st he stretched out his arm to take up the Palmer with his sword cut of his hand whereupon the Danes grew much dismayed and on the other sidâ— was there as great rejoycing by K. Athelstan and the English and yet notwithstanding did Colbrond hold out the Combate till the evening of that day that by loosing so much bloud he fainted so that Guy with all his strength fetching a blow cut of his head The victory therefore thus happily obtained occasioned the Danes with great confusion to hasten a way and the valiant Guy to give thanks unto God repairing forthwith to the Cathedral where he was honourably received with solemne Procession by the Clergy and others and offered his weapon to God and the Patron of that Church before the high Altar which my Author saith even to his time was kept in the Vestry there and called by the name of Colbrond's Ax but this being done reassumed his Pilgrims habit Whereupon the K. became most importunat with him to discover his name but he utterly refused so to do except to himself and that upon his oath not to reveal it unto which condition the K. assenting they walkt out alone in a by-path to a certain Crosse at some distance from the Citie and as soon as they came thither humbly bowing himself to the K. and saying that he was Guy Earle of Warwick the K. embraced him in his arms kissed him and promised him large rewards if he would live in his Court but he with much thankfulnesse refusing to receive any besought the K. that he would not disclose what he had said in regard his resolution was to continue in that Pilgrims state and so they there parted with tears From whence the Earle bent his course towards Warwick and coming thither not known of any for three dayes together took Almes at the hands of his own Lady as one of those xiii poor people unto which she dayly gave relief her self for the safety of him and her and the health of both their Souls And having rendred thanks to her he repaired to an Heremite that resided amongst the shady woods hard by desiring by conference with him to receive some spiritual comfort where he abode with that holy man till his death and upon his departure out of this World which hapned within a short time succeeded him in that Cell and conâ—â—nued the same course of life for the space of two years after but then discerning death to apprâ—â—ch he sent to his Lady their Wedding Ring by a trusty servant wishing her to take care of his burial adding also that when she came she should find him lying dead in the Chapel before the Altar and moreover that within xv dayes after she her self should depart this life Whereupon she came accordingly and brought with her the Bishop of the Dioces as also many of the Clergy other people and finding his body there did honourably inteâ—re it in that Heremitage and was her self afterwards buried by him leaving her paternal inheritance to Reynburn her onely son Which departure of our famous Guy hapned in the year of our Lord Dccccxxix and of his own age the seventieth To whom succeeded the Noble Reynburn Earle of Warwick through his Mothers right who haveing been stolen away in his Child-hood and carried into Russia where he gave great testimony of his singular valour in sundry Warlike feats whilst he continued in those forreign part upon his return into Engl. wedded the beautifull Lady Leonetta daughter to K. Athelstan but afterwards dying beyond the Seas was buried in a certain Island near unto Uenice and left for his successor Wegeat alias Weyth the humed a person of great courage and much honoured for his skill in martial affairs This Wegeat was a benefactor to the Monastery of Evesham by giving thereunto six messuages lying in Whitlaxford and Grafton in this County and had issue Vsa commonly called Huve the humed a most deveut man and a special friend to the Monks of Evesham for in the year Dcccclxxiiii by the consent of K. Edgar he gave them the whole Village of Whitlaxford now called Wixford and little Grafton and bequeathing his body to sepulture in that Monastery departed this life about the beginning of the reign of S. Edward the K. and Martyr To whom succeeded Wâ—lgeat who obtained a grant from those secular Canons which were possest of the Abby of Evesham upon expulsion of the Monks for 5. hides of Land in the same Whitlaxford upon an easier rent than had wont to be given conditionally that upon his death the Monastery might repossesse the same Land with all the stock that then should happen to be upon it Notwithstanding which the Monks could not get it again of a long time after till that Abbot Egelwyne purchased it a new of Earle Wigod a potent man in the dayes of K. Edw. the Conf. This Wolgeat was in special favour with K. Ethelred but for his wicked courses and oppressions had all his Lands and honour taken from him in the year M. vi Whether he had ever restitution of them or in whose hands the Earldom was thereupon put is uncertain but true it is that Warwick with a great part of the Countrey became shortly after viz. An. M. xvi much wasted by Canutus the Dane at which time the Nunnery near to the Church of S. Nicholas as also the Abby were burnt to the ground When or by whom those Religious houses were founded I never yet could finde nor any mention of them before this It seems the Abby stood on the Northwest part of the Town for the Lane there called Abby-lane argueth as much And the said house of Nuns took up all that which is now S. Nichols-Church-yard with a great part of the ground whereupon the Hospital of S. Iohn Bapt. was afterwards built the Chancel of S. Nicholas Church being the Quire thereof I now come to Wigod the hereditary successor of Wolgeat who being a potent man and a great Warriour as also a special benefactor to the Monks of Evesham lived in the times of K. Ethelred K. Edmund and of the Danish Kings and had to wife the sister of Earle Leofrik founder of the Monastery at Coventre To him succeeded Alwyne contemporary with K. Edward the Conf. and Will the Conq. This is he that in the Conq. Survey is called Alwinus Vicecomes the reason whereof I conceive to be either because that he did exercise the power and Authority of the Earle of Mercia scil Earle Leofrike his Uncle here in Warwick-shire as his ancestors had done for which respect my Author reputes him and them Earls as I have already shewed and hath ranckt them in that degree or else that he had the custody of the County to the Kings immediate use
Alfward of Kynfarton Wawen of Wotton and many other eminent persons Which Charter was first confirmed by the said K. Edw. who added these further priviledges thereto viz. that the lands so given as before is exprest should be free from taxes for setting forth souldiers as also for building of Bridges or Castles and all payments to the King Bishop or any other person Next by Pope Alexander who at that time by his Apostolick authority added that it should not be subject to any Diocesan Bishop nor judiciary power of what order or dignity soever and that the Monks here serving God should have liberty to elect their Abbot out of themselves or any other congregation where they pleased Whose Bull bears date in the year from our Saviours incarn MXLIII 1 Edw. Conf. and afterwards by VVill. the Conq. and other succeeding Kings By which great immunities and priviledges 't is easy to be seen in what glory this Monastery then stood Nor can we doubt but that the people had it in very high esteem considering that it was as well the chief of all the Religious Houses in these parts as the onely one of Monks in this County and also honoured with an extraordinary Relick viz. the Arm of the famous S. Augustine Bishop of Hippo plac'd in a silver Shrine whereupon were graven these letters Hoc brachium S. Augustini Egelnodus Archiep. rediens à Roma ad Papiam emit C. talentis argenti talento auri But the particular lands that were by the Conq. Survey recorded to belong thereto in this County and certified under the title of Terra Ecclesiae de Coventreu are not directly the same that be contain'd in the foundation Charter though more in number the names whereof I will here onely recite for as I come to the several places I shall speak at large of them Filunger Graneberge Surland Dirbingerie Bilveie Condone Cobintone Sucham Sowa Ulchetone Icetone Edburberie Herdewiche Hunitone Cedeleshunt Cestretone Wasmertone Neweham and Radewei Howbeit in some of these they had not the whole Lordship Having thus manifested how amply it was endowed with lands and priviledges the next thing that I am to observe is how the government thereof came into the Bishops hands which hapned in the time of K. VVill. Rufus in this sort Shortly after the Norman Couquest there was one Peter consecrated B. of this Diocess then including Chester as well as Coventre and Lichfield in whose time Lamfrank Archb. of Cant. held a Synod at London wherein it was decreed that Episcopal seats should not be in petty towns by vertue whereof this was removed from Lichfield to Chester To which Peter who dyed and was buryed at Chester succeeded Rob. de Limesy of whom I have formerly made mention which R. upon the death of Lewynus Abbot of Coventre obtain'd from the K. the custody of this Monastery and by the authority of a Bull from Pope Paschal the first removed his seat from Chester hither Hereupon the B. setling at Coventre and having the government of this Monastery as I have said the name of Abbot became thenceforth utterly supprest and extinct in regard that the Episcopal dignity therein overtopt it So that the succeeding Priors for so were they called which had the rule were but as substitutes to the Bishops in whom the Abbacy virtually was But this B. was neither a friend to the Monastery nor to the Monks as it seems for besides his scraping so much silver from one beam as I have already intimated he suffered the buildings to decay for want of repairs pill'd the Church of many rich ornaments and as for the Monks he kept them to poor and miserable commons not regarding their regular living nor any thing that might advance learning among them to the end that being thus brought low and in ignorance their thoughts should not soar so high as to consider the redress of these his so great injuries Of the other Bishops which successively resided here at Coventre this being their Cathedral as well as Lichfeld I shall onely recite the names their stories being already written by Godwyn viz. Rob. de Peche Rog. de Clinton Walter Durdent Ric. Peche and Gerard de Puella all which in their several times successively did stile themselves Coventriae episcopi onely and had a fair palace at the Northeast corner of S. Michael's Churchyard being very near to the Monastery But the first who bore the name and had the office of Prior here was one Lawrence of whom I find frequent mention in K. Steph. and H. 2. reigns whose successors I shall insert elswhere and therefore will now proceed with the relation of such memorable passages as concern this Monastery and of the further enlargement or diminution of its possessions according as they hapned in order of time In which progress the first thing I find observable is that in 7 Steph. the times being then turbulent Rob. Marmion whose seat was the Castle of Tamworth being a man potent in Arms and a great adversary to the E. of Chester possest himself thereof turn'd out the Monks and fortified the Church with the buildings belonging therunto making deep trenches in the fields adjacent which he so covered that they could not be seen to the end that they might be an impediment to an enemy whensoever any approach should be made but it so hapned that as he sallyed out with some forces upon the E. of Chester's drawing near and not remembring whereabouts those places had been digg'd he fell with his Horse into one of them himself and by that means being surprized by a common souldier had his head presently cut off whose destruction in that kind is by our Historians observed to have been as a just judgement of God for prophaning this sacred place After this viz. in 15 Steph. I find that the Monks of Coventre granted unto those of Daventre in Northamptonsh the Church of Ashby with 3 yard land thereto belonging and the Church of Haddon with two yard land excepting the tithes and such other benefits which were due to the Church of Winwyk whereof it seems these were originally members In consideration whereof the Monks of Daventre were to pay yearly to this Monastery 1 pound of Incense before the feast of the Nat. of our Lord. Which grant was made in the time of Prior Laurence and begot much love and mutual affection from these Religious Houses to each other for shortly after was there an agreement made betwixt them that if any Monk of Coventre should be by the consent of his Prior and Covent sent to Daventre out of their great affection to that House he ought to be freely received and reside there in that regular way as if he were one of the same Covent untill he should be recalled by the Pr. of Cov. and in case he did depart this life during such his abode there all solemnities to be perform'd for him
Martii 1624. Carolus Rex Will. Clerke in art Magr. 11. Iulii 1625. Smite FOllowing the before specified rivulet I come next to certain pasture grounds called by the name of Over-Smite and Nether-Smite where antiently two villages bearing that name stood the depopulation whereof hath been very antient it seems for the vestigia of the towns are scarce now to de discerned In the beginning of the Conq. time this place was held of the King by E. Alberic of whom I have made mention in Clifton but at the time of the general Survey it with the rest of E. Alberic's lands was in the K. hands and committed to the custody of Geffrey Wirce so often before mentioned but in that Record it is written Smitham and then contained 6 hydes the woods being half a mile in length and as much in breadth and all valued at vi l. whereof in Edw the Conf. time one Harding was owner Howbeit by the Conq. or K. H. 1. it was disposed of unto Rob. E. of Mellent and Leic. as it seems and by him or his son to Nigel de Albany whose son Roger de Moubray gave the Church to the Canons of Kenilworth at the request of Samson de Albeneio the then Incumbent which grant Ric. Peche B. of Coventre confirmed as Rog. de Clinton his predecessor had done and very soon after viz. in K. Stâ—ph time granted the whole Lordship of Smite to Ric. de Camvill and his heirs to be held by the service of one Knights fee. Ordinis Cisterciensis Monachus Which Richard being a devout and pious man and much affecting the Cistertian Monks whose Order had then been but newly transplanted into England and finding that part thereof which is situate in the valley to be full of woods and far from any publick passage as also low and solitary and so consequently more fit for Religious persons gave unto Gilbert Abbot of the Monastery of our blessed Lady of Waverley in Surrey and to the Covent of that place all this his Lordship of Smite there to found an Abby of the Cistercian Order Whereupon they presently began to build and out of their own Covent planted some Monks here dedicating the Church thereof to the blessed Virgin also and calling it the Abby of Cumbe in respect of its low and hollow situation the word Cwmm in the British signifying vallis or convallis as doth also Cumbe and Combe in the Saxon Consonant whereunto the Vulgar in Yorksh. and those Northern parts term a large hollow vessel of wood such as they use to steep Barley for Malt in a Cumbe to this day Which pious and bountifull gift was confirmed by the said Roger de Moubray about the later end of K. Steph. time who acquitting the Monks of the service of that Kts. fee due to him from Ric. de Camvill as aforesaid granted to them a very large compass of woods lying towards Bilney as the bounds of them do more fully shew with dead wood for their use in his wood called Burchlei where he also allowed them pasturage for Cattle and to be quit of paunage for their Hogs And afterwards ratified in H. 2. time by Rob. E. of Leicester of whom Rog. de Moubray held the said Kts. fee in Smite at the desire of him the said Roger the above specified Ric. de Camvill and the Monks who thereupon joyntly allowed that the said Earl should be reputed the principal Founder of this Abby and that they would perform for him and his heirs such duties both in his life time and at his death as for their chief Founders And now having briefly spoke in Coventre of the beginning and increase of a Monastick life by reason that Monastery was not onely the greatest but the most antient Religious House of Monks in this County it will not be improper I conceive because this is the first that was here founded for those of the Cistercian Order before I proceed further to point at the beginning of that Rule and when it was first propagated in England First therefore for its original I shall deliver the substance of what an approved Author hath thereof In Burgundia est locus qui dicitur Molismus c. In Burgundy saith he is there a place called Molisme where in the time of Philip K. of France Robert an Abbot having built a Monastery and thither gathered a Covent of devout Monks after a time searching diligently into the strict Rules of S. Benet would have perswaded his disciples that they ought to live by the labour of their hands leaving Tithes and Oblations to the secular Clergy abstaining also from any breeches either of cloth or leather but they inclining to the custome observed in the Western Monasteries which were instituted by S. Maure the disciple of S. Benet and of S. Columbanus and of later time by S. Odo Abbot of Cluni said they would not recede from the same Whereupon the said Robert departed from them with one and twenty which were of his mind seeking long for such a place where they might live and observe S. Benets Rule as strictly as the Iews did the Law of Moses And at the length Odo D. of Burgundy favouring their devout purposes bestow'd on them certain lands in a place called Cisteaux in the Bishoprick of Chalons where the said Abbot Robert with the rest for some time inhabited by example of whose strict and holy life in that wilderness many began to do the like But in time the Covent at Molisme wanting a Pastor to govern them complained to Pope Urban shewing unto him the inconveniences that they sustained by reason thereof who having a paternal affection to both places commanded Abbot Robert to go back thither substituting some one of those Monks at Cisteaux to supply his room as Abbot there whereupon he constituted one Alberic to whom afterwards Stephen an Englishman of great piety succeeded This plantation at Cisteaux was in the year 1098. as the same Author affirmeth with whom agreeth an antient Chron of the Church of Durham further manifesting that this Abbot Robert was an Englishman his sirname Harding and a Monk of Shirburne who in his younger years forsaking his habit went over into France for advancement of his knowledge in learning and coming to the Monastery of Molesme before mentioned was there shorn a Monk the second time and shortly after became Abbot Which Monks increased so much by the great conflux of men to Cisteaux that from thence almost 500 Abbies of that Order were sprung within the compass of 55 years so that in a general Chapter held there by the Abbots and Bishops that were of that Rule it was ordained that from thenceforth there should be no more erected of that Order for their Monasteries were built in desarts and woody places by their own proper handy-work unto many whereof they gave special holy names as Domus-Dei Clara-vallis Câ—ria-Dei and the like But
not certain of the time when she dyed neither do the particular of all the lands which the Earl her Husband and she had any where appear inasmuch as there are but part of them pointed at in Domesday-Book Those in this County which that Record mentions to have been held by her in Edw. the Conf. time were Coventre Alspath Atherston Hartshill and Ansley Kinesbury Ansty and Folkshull Salford and Bickmersh all which except the two last were fermed of the Conq. by one Nicholas at the time of his generall Survey And of these Coventre was certified to contain 5. hides there being then a Mill and Woods extending to two miles in length with asmuch in breadth all valued at xi l. Leofricus Comes Leicestriae tempore Ethelbaldi Regis Merciorum Algarus primus Algarus secundus Leofricus secundus Leofwinus Comes Edwinus occisus per Wallenses Normannus occisus cum Edrico Streona Leofricus Comes Merciorum fundator Abbatiae Coventre obiit an 13. Conf. Goditha soror de Thoroldi vice-E Comitis Linc. Algarus Comes Merciorum obiit 1059. Algitha 1. nupta Guitfrido Regi Wall 2. Haraldo fil Godwini Comitis Regi Angl. Edwinus C. Merc. occisus suorum inâ—idiis 5 W. C. Morkerus Co. Northumb ob in carcere 2 W. Rufi Lucia 1. nupta yvoni Talboys Comiti Andeg. 2 Rog. fil Geroldi cogn Romara Gulielmus de Rolmara Comes Linc. temp H. 1. Ermenilda .... Matilda .... Ranulphus cogn de Bricasard consobr Ri. Co. Ceâ—â— post cujus morteÌ„ Comitat. Cestr. adeptus est Ranulphus dictus de Gernoniis Comes Cestriae Hugo cognom de Kevilioc Co. Cestriae Ranulphus cogn Blundevile Co. Cestriae obiit s. p. Matilda ux Davidis Comitis Angus Gallovidiae Huntend cujus propars fuit totus Comitatus Cestriae Ada ux Henr. de Hastings Henr. de Hastings Isabella ux Rob. de Brus Rob. de Brus Rex Scotiae Matilda ob s. p. Margar. ux Alani de Galloway Dervogil ux Ioh. de Baliolo Christiana uxor Will. de Fortibus Comitis Albamarliae 25. H. 3. Ioh. cogn Scot Co. Cestr. qui dedit proparté suam Regi H. 3. ob s. p. Mabilia ux Will. de Albincio Comitis Arundeliae Will. Co. Arund ob s. p. Hugo Co. Arund ob s. p. Mabilia ux Rob. de Tatshall Isab. uxor Joh. fil Alani Nichola ux Rog. de Somery Cecilia ux R. de Montâ—lâ— Agnes ux Will. de Ferrariis Comitis Derbiae Hawisia uxor Rob. de Quincy filii Sacri Comitis Winton Ricardus sepultus in Prioratu de Coventre Ricardus Co. Cestr. obiit s. p. Otwellus periit naufragio cum fratre Robertus Abbas S. Edm. Geva uxor Galf. Ridel Hugo-Comes Cestriae temp temp W. Conq. To the before specified Leofrik succeded his son Algar but leaving his story to another work as not so proper for this place all that I shall further say of him is that he was not onely E. of Chester after his fathers death but likewise of Mercia and that departing this life in an 1059. he had sepulture in the Monastery here at Coventre Nor of his issue will it be pertinent for me to say more than that Lucia at the length sole heir to her father and grand-father had to her third husband Ranulph the third E. of Chester of that name who by Maud his mother being also nearly allyed to the famous E. Leofrik and this Marriage as the descent sheweth had title fair enough to the lands and honour of her grand-father father and brothers had not the Conq. sword disposed thereof otherwise But it seems that though the same Ranulph was the next heir in blood likewise to Hugh commonly called Lupus E. of Chester after the decease of Earl Richard without issue yet did he not obtain the possession of that Earldom whereof this City was afterwards reputed part but by purchase from King H. 1. viz. giving up all the inheritance of her the said Lucia and not onely so but a round summe of money which was not all payd of a good while after for I find that in 5. Steph. Ranulph Earl of Chester his son was certified to be indebted to the King a thousand pounds de debito patris sui pro terra Hugonis Comitis as the Record expresseth Having thus stated the succession of this Earldom from the noble Leofrik I shall pass by the story of those Earls and onely take notice of what relates to them as touching this place where they had an eminent seat bearing the name of a Castle in those elder times Wherein I find that Ranulph the first before specified caused the Chappell 's of Allesley Ansty Shulton Wykin all hamlets then within the precincts of Coventre to be built and that Ranulph his son commonly called Gernons who was a man of great action in that turbulent time of King Stephens reign taking part with Maud the Empress and her son Henry Duke of Normandy afterwards K. by the name of H. 2. to whom he was by affinity near allyed having wedded Maud daughter of Rob. Consul E. of Glouc. one of the base sons to K. H. 1. brother by the fathers side to the said Empress being repuls't at Lincoln hafted to his Castle here at Coventre of which finding the K. forces possest he presently rays'd a strong Fort to besiege them whereof the K. being advertised he made all the speed he could to relieve it but in that attempt many of his men were slain and himself wounded yet after a while having gotten more strength and adventuring again he routed the Earl who escap't not without divers wounds Some great injury had this Earl done it seems to Walter Durdent B. of Chester for which he dyed excommunicate for it appears that E. Hugh his son with Maud his Countess gave the village of Stivichale adjoyning to Coventre with a mill next to the Park and some other grounds thereabouts to the said B. and his successors for his absolution and the health of his soul in recompence of that damage Which Hugh being one of those that rose in rebellion against K. H. 2. in 18. of his reign on the part of young Henry so animated his tenants here at Coventre that they took up Armes on his behalf for which they were put to fine in 21. H. 2. But that he was a munificent friend to the Monks of this place what I have said in my Story of the Priory will manifest It seems that the Coventre-men for their disloyall actions before pointed at had their libertyes seised on by the K. which were not fully restored to them till after the death of the said Hugh for I find
and appointed them a certain form for praying slender diet and a new rule of abstinence And that except in case of sickness they should wholly forbear flesh Which sort of Monks increased exceedingly yet differing in some particulars from their first rule did in time subdivide themselves into several companies according to their particular fancies whence grew the Cluniacenses Camalduenses Vallis-Vmbrenses Montolivetenses Grandimontenses Cistercienses Silvestrenses Celestines and Heremitanes of S. Hierome Which Monks of S. Benet's rule as their tradition is do wear a black coat loose and divided down to their heels with a cowl or hood for their head that falling over their shoulders is shorter than others use and under all have a woollen white coat as also a hair shirt with boots to the knees their heads being shaved with a razor below the midst by reason whereof the top of the head so shaved is called Corona And now that I am thus come to speak of their shaving it will not be amiss to shew upon what occasion this custome was taken up by the Monks Dum beatus Petrus Antiochiae praedicaret saith my Author whil'st S. Peter preacht at Antioch the Gentiles by way of contumely towards the name of Christians shaved the very top of his head which afterwards was held a great honour to the religious and those of the Clergy But further of such shaving see P. Stellartius de coronis tonsuris lib. 3. cap. 1. And here might I adde somewhat touching the usage to the Monks of this order in the time of their sickness especially towards the point of death as also of washing the body being dead with the ceremonies of burial were it proper for this place but I will conclude with inserting the form of their admission into the Monastery Ego frater A. promitto stabilitatem meam conversionem morum meorum obedientiam secundùm regulam S. Benedicti Abbatis coram Deo omnibus Sanctis ejus in praesentia domini Abbatis N. ad monasteriam S. Mariae Coventriae And shall refer my Reader to Clem. Reinerus his Apost Bened. in Anglia for further satisfaction in the particulars of their rule Ordinis Benedictini Monachus Touching the beginning of a Monastick life here in England if we look after the particular persons who in times of persecution fled to woods caves and deserts for preservation it will be hard to point out the first that so retired themselves but if we consider their first being gathered into any Covent then certainly those of Glastonbury in Somersetsh and Bangor in Chesh. will have the preheminence in the later whereof as Beda testifieth there were so great a number that being divided into 7 parts each having a several Ruler every part was no less in number than 300 all which lived by the labour of their hands Howbeit these cannot be said for ought I know to have lived under any other Rule than the Esseans in Palestine of whom Polydore speaketh And therefore to come unto those times that the Order of Benedictine monks was first transplanted into England we are not to look higher than Austin the Monk who about the year of Christ 595. as saith mine Author was sent into England by Pope Gregory whereupon Episcopal Sees were established in sundry places and Monasteries built for Monks observing the rule of S. Benedict so that shortly after there were none in England but of that order which first began to be exercised in the Abby of Glastonbury whereas before that time they lived after the manner of the Egyptian Covents saith he And which was so famous in antient time especially through England that before the Norman Conquest there was scarce a Monastery of any other as I have specially observed Having thus pointed at the original of a Monastick life and of this distinct Rule I shall now go on with the story of this particular Monastery That Earl Leofrike was its Founder I have formerly intimated And now touching this great and famous work I will begin with the observation made thereof by our most antient and authentick Historians Quod monasterium saith R. Hovedâ—n speaking of this inter caetera bona opera quae in sua vita gessit ipse meaning Earl Leofrik uxor illius Dei cultrix S. Mariae semper Virginis amatrix devota nobilis Comitissa Godiva de suo patrimonio à fundamentis construxerunt id terris sufficienter locupletaverunt ornamentis variis ita ditaverunt ut in nullo Monasterio totius Angliae tanta copia auri argenti gemmarum lapidumque pretiosorum inveniretur quanta tunc temporis habebatur in illo Nay Will. Malmesb. addeth further that it was enrich'd and beautâ—fied with so much gold and silver that the walls seemed too narrow to contain it insomuch that Rob. de Limesie B. of this Diocess in the time of K. W. Rufus scrap'd from one beam that supported the Shrines 500 marks of silver And touching its dedication and number of Monks take this from an approved writer Anno domini MXLIII constructum fuit monasterium Coventrense à memorandae recordationis duce Leurico uxore ejus Godiva dedicatumque eodem anno ab Archiepisc. Dorobernensi Edzio quarto Non. Octob. post Paschaâ— Abbate Lefwino cum XXIIII monachis in eodem instituto Here the noble Founders before recited were both buryed yet not in the Church as afterwards was frequent but in the two porches Of which excellent Lady it is recorded that she bestowed all that vast treasure she had been storing up during her whole life upon this place and even at the point of her death gave a rich chain of pretious stones directing it to be put about the neck of the blessed Virgins image so that those that came of devotion thither should say as many prayers as there were several gems therein And for the endowment thereof did the said E. Leofrik by the advice and license of K. Edw. the Conf. and Pope Alexander at the dedication of the Church to the honour of God and his blessed Mother as also of S. Peter the Apostle and the holy Virgin S. Osburg and All Saints give besides the one half of this town in which the said Monastery was situate xxiiii Lordships for maintenance of the Abbot and Monks there serving God with food and raiment viz. Honynton Newnham Chadshunt Ichenton Episc. Oluâ—ton Sutham Greneburgh Burthingbury Merston upon Avon Herdwyk Wasperton Chesterton Sotham Ruyton and the one half of Sow all in this County Merston in Glocestersh Salwarâ— in Worcestersh-Eaton upon Dee in Chesh. Kyldesby and Wynwik in Northamptonsh Burbach Barwell Scraptoft and Pakinton in Leicestersh with the liberties of Sac Soc Tol and Theme Whereunto were witnesses the King himself Edzi Archb. of Cant. Aldred B. of Worcester Wolsy B. of Lich. Manni Abbot of Evesham Godwin Abbot of Winchcomb Alfric Abbot of Pershore Of Earls Godwyn Harold Siward and Ordgar of Devensh with
as for a Monk of Dav. And the like were they of Cov. to perform to those of Dav. touching such as should be sent thither from Dav. And that if any of either Covent did happen to dy elswhere one Priest of each Monastery his death being known should celebrate 3 Masses for him his service with Placebo and Dirige to be also perform'd in the Covent with the corrody belonging to a Monk for that day and his name registred in the Mâ—rtyrologe And when any of the Priors of either Monastery should dy a Trentall to be sung in the other Covent over above the services before recited And moreover every year a Mass of the Holy Ghost to be celebrated as well for the living in each Monastery as for the dead And lastlyâ— that in all things both spiritual and temporal where each might assist other they should effectually afford their aid About this time was it that Ranulph sirnamed Gernons E. of Chester bearing a great respect to these Monks gave them liberty to have 2 carts going to and fro twice every day except Festivals into his woods about Coventre to fetch thence whatsoever they might need in order to the repair of their buildings fuel for their fire or trowse for their hedges And being fully assured that the Chappel of S. Mich. here in Cov. and all the rest within the town and without with the tithes oblations and rights to them belonging situate within his fee did justly belong to them he made them his Charter of Recognition and confirm'd them to this Monastery for the health of his soul as also for the souls of his father mother and all his progenitors After which viz. in 12 H. 2. upon return of the Certificats touching Kts. fees the Prior of this House signified that he had 7. and a third part with two fifths and a tenth de veteri feoffamento and as much in demesn as countervail'd ten Kts. fees And in 29 H. 2. was there an exchange of land made betwixt these Monks and Hugh Keviliok the succeeding Earl for license whereof they gave xx marks to the King About which time the said E. granted to them a free and ample Charter as well of protection as confirmation of their possessions forbidding all his tenants from hindring their Market or medling ought therein without the good liking of the Monks And to the end that posterity should not be ignorant which were the metes and bounds betwixt both their fees that is to say of the Priors part and Earls part he by the same Charter fully describes them including the lands of the said Monastery within these following limits viz. beginning at S. Mich. Churchyard and from thence directly going to the Broad-gate of his own Castle leaving the houses of Will. de Repyndon and Will the son of Ric. Forthwy tenants to the Monastery on the North part and the E. fee on the South And so passing down to the river of Smythesford and from thence ascending the brook to the Mill of Ger. le Vinter of Hull and Radeford even unto Cundealm modo Coundon and so coasting aside betwixt the grounds of Rob. Scot of Ailewardsiche near Blakemore being the lands of R. Beaufiz and Anketill Locard on the one part and the E. wood called Haselwood on the other part and thence by the brook of Endemere to the high-way leading from the midst of Harnall near to Stoke as far as the gibbet and thence descending by Bisseleis to the brook called Goseford and so along that brook and the ditch hard to the land of Will. Hakun and thence to the walls of the said Monastery To which Hugh succeeded Ranulph sirnamed Blundevill in the said Earldom of Chester and seignory here who ratified to these Monks the recognition and confirmation made by E. Ran. his grandfather of the Chappell of the S. Mich. and all the rest viz. Ansty Shilton Wykin Bilney Whitley Pinley Stoke Stichall Eccleshall Folkeshull Karesley Whaberley Spenne and Bisseleâ—e within his fee in all which he solemnly invested them on the feast-day of S. Abdon and Sennes in the month of July 3. R. 1. by his gold Ring which with his said Charter he offred upon the Altar To which Chappell of S. Mich. he likewise conferred the Tithe of all his lands and possessions here in Coventre and that under the penalty of a curse upon his officers servants and heirs in case they should not make due payment of them accordingly And besides this did he give to the said Monks in exchange for one cart of those two which E. Ran. his grandfather by his Charter granted them to have going too and fro in his woods for necessary Housebote Firebote and Heybote as I have formerly signified 280. acres of land being part of his wood and wast in Eccleshale and Kersley according to 25. foot the perch the metes bounds whereof are in this his Charter perfectly set forth Which wast he gave them liberty to inclose reduce into tillage or otherwise to use for their best commodity But I now come to that sad misfortune which befell these Monks about this time the story whereof is briefly thus Hugh Novant a Norman by birth having been been brought up to learning in the university of Oxford and consecrated Bishop of this Dioces towards the later end of H. 2. raign at the same time that he had the Bishoprick confer'd upon him by the K. had he also a grant of the Priory in such sort as Rog. de Clinton his predecessor enjoy'd it viz. in demesn with the Barony wherein he received homage of the Freeholders and found the Monks all necessaries according to his own pleasure but during the life of the said King Henry did he not possess what was so granted to him Whereupon he came to K. Ric. 1. his son and successor and purchas 't a confirmation of his fathers grant And besides all this obteyn'd a render of the House by Moyses the then Prior at Reding in the presence of Baldwin Archbishop of Cant. the Bishops of London and Rochester and many other persons of note After which the said B. holding a Synod in the Church of this Monastery wherein some things were agitated tending much to the prejudice of the Monks as it should seem though the particulars are not recorded he so much incens't the Monks that they rush't in upon him and with a Cross of that Church broke his head whereupon complaint being presently made to Will B. of Ely Chancelour of England and at that time not onely the Popes Legate but Governor of the Realm in the absence of K. Rich. then on his journey to the Holy-Land that the Monks had shed his blood even before the Altar he forthwith decreed that they should be expelled and secular Canons plac't in their room which judgment the proud B. soon put in execution and by strong hand turning them
the name of Kenilworth was then in two parts the one called Optone certified to contain three hides being then held immediatly of the King by Albertus Clericus in pure Almes upon which were resident two Priests the woods whereof conteyned half a mile in length and four furlongs in breadth This being that part of Kenilworth which now the Inhabitants call the High-town and situate upon the ascent on the North part of the Church But the other which in the same Record is written Chinewrde and possest by Rich. Forestarius did then contain no more than three virgats besides the woods which were certified to be half a mile in length and four furlongs in breadth Haec duo membra saith Domesday-book jacent ad Stanlei manerium Regis That the name originally did proceed from some antient possessor of it whose habitation was there is not to be doubted the syllable Wrde which should be Wrâ—e id est Worthe and signifieth a mansion or dwelling place manifesting as much but whether his name was Kenelm or Kenulph for antiently it was written Kenilworth or whether it were the above mentioned Rich. Forestarius who had his seat there which Richard in some very antient authorities that I have seen is called Rich. Chineu I cannot positively determine and therefore will not insist longer on conjectures Certain it is that it continued in the Kings hands till H. 1. time and then was given to Geffrey de Clinton a Norman who doubtless had his first abode in England at Clinton now vulgarly called Glinton in Oxford-shire and thence assumed his sirname This Geffrey if we may credit our Countrey-man Rous was grandson to Will. de Tankervile Chamberlain of Normandy and Maud his wife daughter to Will de Arches whose descent is derived from Wevia sister to Gunora Dutchess of Normandy but of the certainty thereof I much doubt considering that an authentique Historian his Contemporary renders him to have been of very mean parentage and meerly raised from the dust by the favour of the said King Henry from whose hands he received large possessions and no small honour being made both Lord Chamberlein and Treasurer to the said King and afterwards Justice of England which great advancements do argue that he was a man of extraordinary parts It seems he took much delight in this place in respect of the spacious woods and that large and pleasant Lake through which divers petty streames do pass lying amongst them for he it was that first built that great and strong Castle here which was the glory of all these parts and for many respects may be ranked in a third place at the least with the most stately Castles of England Neer unto which he also founded at the same timeâ— a goodly Monastery for Black Canons of which Order it will not be amiss to take a brief view before I go on with my discourse of this particular Monastery The most received opinion is that these Canons Regular had their first institution from S. Augustin Bishop of Hippo wherefore I will succinctly deliver the occasion and ground thereof This Augustin was born in the City of Tagaste in Africa and betaking himself to the study of Philosophy in his younger years grew to be an excellent Schollar and a famous Rhetorician for which he became so eminent that being sent for to Millain there to teach Rhetorique by the preaching of S. Ambrose then Bishop of Millain he was reclaimed from the Heresy of Manicheus wherewith he had been tainted And afterwards coming to Hippo at the solicitation of a great person was by Valerius then B. of that place ordayned a Priest in which City he shortly instituted a Covent of Clerks and lived according to the Rule constituted by the holy Apostles instructing them in the Evangelique perfection viz. love of Poverty Obedience and Chastity After which upon the death of Valerius he became B. of Hippo but notwithstanding being desirous to continue his Religious Course of life he founded a Monastery of Clerks within the precincts of his Church Divers sorts of Religious persons have taken him for their Law-giver viz. the Heremites called Augustines Canons Regular c. making all profession under his Rule Their habite as Polyd. Virg. affirmeth is a white coat and a linnen surplis under a black cloak with a hood covering their head and neck which reacheth to the shoulders having under it doublet breeches white stockings and shoos or slippers and when they walk out a black corner'd cap or a broad Hat their Crowns being shaven but not so much as other Monks Thus much as to the Order With this Monastery so founded by the said Geffrey de Clinton I will now proceed in regard it was so signall a Monument of his piety reserving my story of the Castle till anon By his Foundation Charter it appeares that he gave to the Canons of this House for the redemption of his sins as also for the good estate of King Henry whose consent he had thereto and of his own wife and children all the lands and woods of this Kenilworth excepting what he had reserved for the making of his Castle and Park Together with the Mannors of Salford Itlicote and Neunham in this County The Church of Wotton with a hide of land thereto belonging Two hides in Lilenton with the Churches of Clinton in Oxford-shire and Barton in Northhampton-shire Granting further unto them of pasturage viz. that wheresoever his own Cattell Hoggs should be whether within his Park or without there also might theirs have liberty to feed And their tenants Hoggs to have the like freedom in all other except his inclosed woods and Park as his own tenants had Adding by another Charter the gift of a full tenth of whatsoever should be brought to his Castle viz. either to his Cellar Kitchin Larder Granary or Hall-garth as well of all bought or given either in Corn Hay Hoggs Muttons Bacon Venison Cheese Fish Wine Hony Wax Tallow Pepper and Cumin though they had been tithed elswhere before as of his own proper revenue Together with all his Lambskins throughout every his Mannours as well those as should be kill'd to eat as of others that might dy casually Canonicus Regularis S â— Augustini To these large and munificent gifts he added the Mannour of Hichenden in Com. Buck. which he had by the bounty of King Henry and the Church of Stone in Stafford-shire which he procured of one Enisan within whose Lordship it lay by the consent of Nich. de Stafford it being founded in his fee. But that which I call here the Church of Stone was a small Monastery founded in memory of Wolfade and Ruffin slain by King Wolpherus their father in respect that they became Christians being converted from Paganism and baptized by that holy man S. Chad B. of Lichfield near a thousand years since And besides these particulars did he likewise give
to the said Canons liberty to fish with boat and nets one day in every week viz. Thursday in his pool here at Kenilworth But other particulars of him worthy of Note have not I seen any except that false accusation of Treason made against him at Woodstock where K. Henry kept his Easter in 30. of his raign To him succeeded Geffrey his son and heir Lord Chamberlain likewise to the King as his father was and possest of a great estate for by the certificate of William E. of Warwick in 12. H. 2. it appears that he held of him no less than XVII Knights fees de veteri feoffamento Which Geffrey wedded Agnes daughter unto Roger Earl of Warwick with whom he had in marriage ten of those 17. Knights fees id est a discharge from any service for them except in some speciall cases As also Shrivalty of this County to hold to him and his heirs in such sort as he the said Earl had held or might hold it of the King and was a great benefactor to this Monastery of Kenilworth not onely by confirming all his fathers grants thereto but adding these particulars viz. the land at Newton at the buriall of his father The Mannour of Pakinton with the Church and Mill there The greatest part of Leminton with the Church and Mill. The Mill of of Guy-Cliff The Cell of Bretford with lands at Wridfen and Wotton The Churches of Wilmeleghton now called Wormleghton Herberbury Radford and Budbroke all in this County with the Church of Stivecle in Buckingham-shire confirmed to them by William Pipard All which were likewise ratified by Henry de Clinton son to the last specified Geffrey who also gave thereunto the town of Tachebroke with much more land at Wridfen in consideration whereof the before specified Canons allow'd to him every day during his life two manchets such as two of the said Canons used to have and four gallons of their better beer according to wine measure which he was to have whither he were at Kenilworth or not from the time he should enter into a religious life in case he did so do except on those dayes he had entertainment in the said Monastery After whose death Amicia de Bidun his wife released unto these Canons all her right of dowrie which she had in the lands so given by her said husband I will now onely enumerate the principall grants made by divers other persons to this Monastery for as much as of such that were in this County I speak more largely as I discourse of those particular places viz. Brueria now called Hethe near Wotton given by Odo de Turri The Church of Stoneley by K. H. 1. Divers lands in Molington by Iulian de S. Remigio As also the Church of Yftele with a yard land in Couley neer Oxford The Church of Hethe in Oxford-shire by Lescelina daughter to Geffrey the Founder and wife to Norman de Verdon which Bertram de Verdon her son confirmed granting besides a meadow at Asho called Rugenhale and another at Bretford The Churches of Brailes and Wellesburne by Roger Earl of Warwick Of Locksley by Rob. fil Odonis with certain lands also there Of Whitnash by Raph de Mara and Lesceline his wife Of Hampton in Arden and Smite with the Chappell of Brinklow by Roger de Moubray Of Langford in Derby-shire by Nich. de Gresley and Margaret his wife which Margaret in her minority with her whole patrimony was long under the care and tutelage of the before specified Geffrey the Founder Of Chesterton by Will. Croc. Of Fenny-Compton and one hide of land there by Gilbert le Bigoth Of Eatendon with divers lands there by Sewal fil Fulcheri ancestor to the antient family of Shirley yet lords of that Mannour And of Cherlton-Canvile in Com. Somerset by Rich. de Canvile All which with their severall Chappell 's were confirm'd to these Canons by severall Kings and Bishops as I shall have occasion more fully to manifest when I come to each of them Of Broke in Rutland which was a Cell to this Monastery given by Hugh de Ferrers and confirmed by Walcheline his brother Of lands in Newton by Ernald de Bois In Herdwic and Halford by Will. Giffard In Baginton by Hen. de Arden In Ludewell by Manasses Arsic In Tisho by Ric. de Bereford Cecily his wife and Raph de S. Edmundo Of half a yard land in Ricardscote in Com. Staff By Cecily the daughter of Rog. le Wayte Of lands in Herberbury by Henry Malory and others Of fire-wood in Berkswell by Nigel de Mundevill Of lands in Wolston by Rog de Frevill and Sibill his wife And to these were added the Church of Milverton by Walter Espigurnell and Celestina his wife in 16. H. 3. With the greatest part of Locksley Westcote and Morton and the advouson of the Church of Locksley by Peter de Mora about the 38. of H. 3. Afterwards viz. in 19. E. 2. Iohn Lok and Roger de Boyvill had license from the King to grant the Mannour of Patleshull in Stafford-shire to this Monastery In 20. E. 3. Thomas de Hampton to give five mess. with cxii acres of land in Radford thereunto And in 25. of the same K. raign Iohn the son of Iohn de Peto for granting xiv mess. two Carucats and five yard land in Loxley to it Many other small parcells in severall places were at sundry times given to these Canons by common persons the mention whereof I do purposely pass by for brevities sake Of all which the Prior and Covent of this House being thus possest in 12. E. 1. granted away the Churches of Fenny-Compton and Chesterton to the B. of Coventre and Lichfield and his successors for ever And of these their possessions as they had ample confirmations by severall Kings of this Realâ—e so were the priviledges very great which they enjoyed by those Charters viz. power to keep Court-Leet Assise of bread and beer authority to try malefactors within divers of their Lordships and freedom from suite to the County and Hundred-Courts as by the same Charters unto which I have pointed may be seen besides Free-warren in divers of their Mannours as I shall instance when I come to them in particular To these was added by King E. 3. that the Sub-prior and Covent should during the vacancy have the custody of the said House and all the Temporalties appertaining thereunto paying only to the King his heirs and successors for every whole year cxvii li. ii s. viii d. As to the appropriation of the particular Churches before recited to the use and benefit of this Monastery I shall take notice of them when I come to
To whose maintenance she charged 29 li. per annum to be payd out of Milburn-grange situat in this parish and thus distributed viz. 52 s. to each of the poor people at the Feasts of S. Iohn Baptist S. Michael the Nativity of our Lord and the Annuntiation of our Lady by even portions vi s. viii d. apiece yearly to the Church-wardens for the time being whom she constituted Supervisors of the said poor people as to their orderly coming to Church every Sunday and Holy day except there were urgent cause to the contrary x s. per annum to the Mayor of Coventry for the time being whom she also appointed to oversee the performance thereof And x s. yearly towards the repair of the Church here at Stonley as also xxii s. viii d. to a Preacher for to preach 4. Sermons there yearly All which Q. Elizabeth by her Letters Pat. bearing date 28. Iunii 19. of her raign confirmed Patroni Vicariae Incumbentes temp Inst. Prior Conv. de Kenilw. Ioh. de Wylmeleighton Diac. Non. Oct. 1307. Prior Conv. de Kenilw. Ioh. de Wylmeleighton Subdiac 19. Maii 1307. Prior Conv. de Kenilw. Ioh. Wake Cap. 17. Cal. Sept. 1337. Prior Conv. de Kenilw. Will. Aleyn de Shulton Pbr. 2. Non. Iunii 1348. Prior Conv. de Kenilw. Io. de Sutham Cap. 17. Cal. Oct. 1349. Prior Conv. de Kenilw. Henr. de Mollington Diac. 3. Cal. Maii 1350. Prior Conv. de Kenilw. Will. Payn Pbr. 5. Cal. Sept. 1361. Prior Conv. de Kenilw. Ioh. Scarburgh Pbr. 8. Iulii 1398. Abbas Convent de Stonley Ioh. de Coventre Monachus 13. Aug. 1401. Prior Conv. de Kenilworh Will. Clifton Cap. 23. Oct. 1417. Prior Conv. de Kenilworh Ioh. Hull Cap. 5. Iunii 1421. Prior Conv. de Kenilworh Ioh. Morecock Cap. 28. Martii 1425. Prior Conv. de Kenilworh Nich. Blake Cap. 19. Iunii 1428. Prior Conv. de Kenilworh Ioh. Westhouse Pbr. 1. Nov. 1442. Prior Conv. de Kenilworh Will. Loveles 5. Novemb. 1445. Prior Conv. de Kenilworh Tho. Canke Pbr. 22. Ian. 1450. Prior Conv. de Kenilworh Ric. Whyngar Pbr. 14. Ian. 1494. Prior Conv. de Kenilworh Will. Wall Pbr. 27. Martii 1494. Prior Conv. de Kenilworh Ric. Mawdesley Cap. 1. Martii 1537. Tho. Reyley Civis Cov. ratione concess Pr. C. de K. Ioh. Hessam Cap. 21. Oct. 1545. Eliz. Regina Henr. Belingham Cler. 23. Ian. 15â—8 Cloud THis being now only known by the Bridge over Avon betwixt Babnell and Starton hath its name from the rock on the Southern side thereof Clude in the Saxon signifying as much In the Conq. time there were two Priests in Stoneley which had each of them a Chappell viz. one at Flechamsted and the other here at Cloud Of these he that served here was called Edmund the Hermite in regard that antiently here had been an Heremitage Unto which Edmund for his maintenance certain parcels of land lying in Starton were given by Will sirnamed Hasteler brother and heir to one Simon Cook to K. H. 1. which Edmund was buried in the Chappell here afterwards burnt by theeves After whose death neither the King nor any Lord of Starton presenting thereto the Prior of Kenilworth as Rector of the Church of Stoneley entred upon the lands belonging to it and appropriated them to the use of that Monastery As for the Bridge before specified it was built by one of the said Heremites out of the Almes bestow'd upon him by good people Which falling in time to decay the Prior of Kenilw. in 26. E. 3. was presented by the Hundred for not amending it for as much as his Predecessors time out of mind had used to repair the same as then was alledged but the Prior proved that no certain person was obliged to repair it in regard it had been built by the Heremite as above said And moreover that there being another Bridge neere at hand there was no necessity to keep up this whereupon he was acquitted Starton A Little below Cloud lyeth Starton taking its name from the Stoure or streame as I guess Which being a member of Stoneley continued therewith in the Crown till K. H. 1. granted it unto his Cook called Simon sirnamed Hasteler de Arderne and his heirs by the service of a soar-Sparhawk yearly From whom it descended to Will his brother who gave to Edmund the Heremite then Priest at Cloude those parcells of land before mentioned To which Will. succeeded Geffrey sirnamed Arderne and to him Rhese who past this mannour to Walter Marescall Earl of Pembroke in exchange for lands in Ireland Which Walter soon convey'd it to Sir Geffrey de Langley Knight of whom I have spoke in Pinley and Maud his wife and the heirs of their two bodyes and for want of such issue to the right heirs of the same Geffrey reserving the said Rent of a Soar-sparhawk to be yearly payd to the King his heirs and successors at the feast of S. Michael the Archangellâ— and to him the said Earl and his heirs a pair of Gloves or a peny for all services King H. 3. by his Charter dated 12. Martii 29. of his raign confirming the grant Soon after which viz. in 30. H. 3. the said Geffrey obtained a Charter of Free-warren in all his demesn lands here but the next year following sc. 31. H. 3. he past away this Mannour to the Monks of Stoneley and their successors in Fee-ferm for xx li. per annum undertaking to pay the Soar-Sparhawk to the K. And afterwards releasing the said xx li. Rent to the Monks obtained the Kings confirmation of his grant the Soar-Sparhawk being afterwards paid by his heir The particulars which the said Monks had here were in 7. E. 1. certified to be two carucats of and and one Water-mill in demesn with six villains and seven Cottagers holding by severall Rents and Services All which with liberty of Free-warren renew'd to them by another Charter in 12. E. 1. they enjoyed till the dissolution of their House in 27. H. 8. But then coming to the Crown it was in 33. of the same Kings raign granted to Charles Brandon D. of Suff. which D. by his deed bearing date the last day of the same month passed it unto Matthew Wrottesley and Anthony Foster who in March 3. E. 6. sold it to Thomas Marrow of Rudfyn Esq. of whose grand-child Samuel it was purchased by Sir Thomas Leigh Knight Citizen and Alderman of London 17. Iunii 7. Eliz. and so continueth to his posterity together with Stoneley unto this day There is a fair Bridge of stone over Avon lying neer Starton now commonly called Starebridge but formerly Kingsbrigge This in 51. H. 3. being in decay the King directed his Precept to the
a Knight in 49 E. 3. marryed Isabell the daughter and heir of Urian S. Pere Which Walter dyed 6â— H. 4. seized of the Mannour of Honyngham as tenant by the curtesy of England after the death of Isabell his wife leaving Walter his son and heir of full age whose descent I have placed in Wylie whereby may be discerned that Ioyce one of the sisters and coheirs to Sir Hugh Cokesey Knight son to the last Walter marryed to Iohn Grevill and had issue Sir Iohn Grevill Kt. that dyed seised of this Mannour 20 E. 4. leaving Thomas his son and heir 26. years of age Which Thomas assuming the name of Cokesey resided at Milcote in this County where I purpose to speak historically of him and dyed in 14 H. 7. Whereupon Rob. Russell and Rob. Winter had livery of all his lands as his cosyâ—s and heirs whose alliance to him that descent in Wyllie doth plainly shew Which Rob. Winter upon partition of that inheritance had it seemes this Mannour in Honyngham but conveyed the same to Iohn Vnderhill of Nether-Etyndon within a short space for I find that the said Iohn by his feoffment bearing date x. Iunii 5 H. 8. Wherein he recited the said grant from Rob. Winter past it into the hands of Iohn Acard gent. and others to the use of himself and Susan his wife during their lives the remainder to Thomas Vnderhill his son and Anne his wife daughter of the said Robert and the heirs of the said Thomas Which Thomas had issue Edward his son and heir who sold it to Ric. Newport gent. in 36 H. 8. From whom it descended to Iohn Neuport that dyed seized thereof 28. Apr. 8 Eliz. leaving Will. his son and heir then 6. years of age That which is now the Church being antiently but a Chapell dedicated to S. Margaret and belonging to Wapenbury was therewith appropriated to the Priory of Monks-Kirby in this County by G. Muschamp Bishop of Coventre in King Iohn's time and afterwards with Wapenbury came to the Monastery of Sulby in Northamptonshire as I have already manifested In 26 â— 8. the Glebe and Tithes thereof were valued at C s. over and above xl s. yearly allowed by way of stipend to a Priest that served the Cure who had neither Institution nor Induction Offchurch THis hath been a town of no small note in the Saxons time if we may believe Tradition for in one part of the Lordship is a place called the Berrye which signifies no less than burgus or curia and accordingly 't is said that Offa K. of Mercia in the Saxon Heptarchy had here a Palace as also that by reason of his sometime residence here the Church first and so consequently the Village had this name Whether it were so or not I will not stand to argue but that it was part of the possessions belonging to Earl Leofrike and by him given to the Priory of Coventre at the foundation thereof in 1 Edw. Conf. I am fully satisfied though it be not particularly named in that Charter of his nor in the Conquerours Survey amongst the lands belonging to that Monastery For K. H. 3. by his confirmation made to the Monks of Coventre in 51 of his reign of all the lands they then possest and that were de dono praedicto as the words are which do relate to Earl Leofrike the Founder mentioneth Ofechirch amongst the rest Having therefore thus manifested that these Monks were so antiently owners of it I will now descend to what I find afterwards observable thereof which is that in 20 H. 3. Geffrey de Wilnhale held the x part of a Kts. fee in this place of the Prior of Coventre and that in 41. H. 3. the said Prior with his Covent had Free-warren granted to them in all their demesn lands here Which Prior in 7 E. 1. was certified to hold this Lordship of the K. in Capite as a member of his Barony wherein he then had 3 carucats of lands in demesn 3 watermils 28 servants holding 14 yard land and a half at the will of the Lord performing divers servile labours as Plowing Harrowing Mowing Reapingâ— c. for the Monks As also that he had a Court-Leet Gallows Assize of bread and beer with some other priviledges After the dissolution of which Monastery the Capitall messuage here with all the demesn-lands belonging thereto were inter alia by the Ks. Letters Pat. dated 25. Apr. 34 H. 8. granted to Sir Edm. Knightley Kt. and dame Ursula his wife and to the heirs male of his body and for default of such issue to Valentine Knightley his brother the heirs male of his body but for lack of such issue to remain to the right heirs of Sir Ric. Knightley Kt. father of the said Sir Edmund c. Which Sir Edm. dying without issue male 12. Sept. the same year the said Capitall mess. and lands by vertue of the entail before mentioned came to Valentine Knightley his brother who in 4 Eliz. obtained another grant from the Crown of the said Mannour with the Mills c. being at that time a Kt. Of all which he dyed seized 8 Eliz. leaving Ric. his son and heir then of full age but did settle this Lordship as it seemes upon Edw. his younger son for the said Edw. had it and lived here and since his death Robert his son and heir who now enjoys it The Church dedicated to S. Gregory appropriated to the before specified Monastery of Coventre by R. Molend B. of Cov. and Lich. 5. Non. Martii An. 1260. 44 H. 3. having a yard land and a half belonging thereto was in An. 1291. 19 E. 1. valued at x marks and a half and the Vicaridge at â—x s. which Vicaridge being antiently endowed with 2. yard land and a half as also a competent house and croft had a piece of medowing called the Halemedo in recompence of the Tithes due from the Water-mill and the 3. holmes of medow-ground belonging to the said Mill and in 26 H. 8. was rated at vii li. vii s. vi d. over and above viii s. yearly allowed for Procurations and Synodalls Patroni Vicariae Incumb temp Instit. Priorissa Conv. de Coventre Magr. Ric. de Fillingley 14. Cal. Martii 1298. Priorissa Conv. de Coventre Rog. de Lodbroke Diac. 8. Cal. Apr. 1317. Priorissa Conv. de Coventre D. Nich. de Bramham Pbr. 5. Cal. Iulii 1319. Priorissa Conv. de Coventre Thom. de Poleye Diac. 2. Cal. Apr. 1328. Priorissa Conv. de Coventre D. Hugo de Ryby Cap. Id. Apr. 1359. Priorissa Conv. de Coventre Rob. Bilney 18. Cal. Oct. 1361. Priorissa Conv. de Coventre Ric. Gibben Pbr. 11. Cal. Apr. 1367. Priorissa Conv. de Coventre Ioh. White 11. Martii 1393. Priorissa Conv. de Coventre Ioh.
and suit of harness with all that belong'd thereto To his son Iohn his second coat of Maile Helmet and harness and appointed that all the rest of his Armour Bows and other warlike provision should remain in the Castle of Warwick for his heir constituting these his Executors viz. Alice his Countess Sir Iohn de Hastings Iohn Hamelin Piers le Blund Parson of Hanslape Adam de Herewynton Richard de Brumesgrave Henry de Sidenhale Simon de Sutton Parson of Luffenham William de Wellesburne Parson of Berkeswell with Roger Caumpere Parson of Kibworth and departed this life 12. August next following in his said Castle of Warwick by poison as some thought but had sepulture in Abby of Bordsley before specified Before his death he obtained a grant from the King that his Executors when it should fortune him to depart this life might have the custody of his lands during the minority of his heir being answerable for the value of them to the Exchequer at Michaelmass and Easter every year saving that his Castles of Elmeley and Warwick should not be disposed of to any without the Kings speciall license which grant was confirmed to Iohn Hamelyn and the rest of the Executors in December following his death Neverthelessâ— so much was the K. wrought upon by them whose miscarriages afterwards gave the discontented Nobles opportunity to work his own ruine as that notwithstanding the grant before recited made to those Executors about two years after he passed the custody of them by a new Patent to Hugh le Despenser the elder in satisfaction of a debt of 6770 li. due to him from the said King as was pretended But before I proceed to speak of Thomas Earl of Warwick son and heir to the said Guy I have a word or two to say of the Countess his mother and the rest of her Children which is that she was the daughter of Raph de Tony of Flamsted in Hertford-shire widow of Thomas de Leybourn and at length heir to Robert her brother In November following the Death of her husband she had assigned to her in dowrie the Mannours of Hanslape in Com. Buck. Lygthorne Beausale Haseley Claverdon Berkswell with the third part of the Templars Mannour in Warwick and Shirburne and divers Knights fees all in this County And the next year following gave a Fine of 500. marks for license to marry with William La Zouch of Ashby in Com. Leic. to whom she was accordingly wedded but dyed in 18 E. 2. The other children of Earl Guy were Iohn a martiall Knight Emma the wife of Roul Odingsells Isabell married to ...... Clinton Elizabeth to Thomas Lord Astley and Lucia to Robert de Napton Which Iohn was a man of singular note in his time for in 22 E. 3. the King in consideration of his great services made him a Banneret and gave him Cxl li. per annum out of the Exchequer for his better support In 25 E. 3. he was Governour of Caleis In 26 Iohn Darcy to whom the King had granted the Constableship of the Tower of London for life for the great affection he bore to this Iohn de B. past over his interest in that Office to him which the King also ratified but within two years through the sinister suggestions of some he became much offended with him and put him out of that place constituting Barthol de Burghersh in his stead and after his death Robert de Morley but at the length it appearing to the King that those suggestions were false he received him again into favour and in consideration of his speciall services restored unto him the custody of the said Tower of London by his Letters Patents bearing date 25. Ian. aâ— the town of S. George neer the Castle of Beaufort in France and the same year constituted him Constable of Dovor-Castle Warden of the Cinque-ports for life and Admirall of the Seas for the North and West coasts He was also one of the Founders of that noble Order of the Garter instituted by King E. 3. and departing this life without issue 2. Dec. 34. E. 3. lyeth buryed betwixt two pillars on the South part of the Cathedrall Church of S. Paul in London before the Image of our Lady where he had a fair Monument lately demolisht which was through mistake usually called Duke Humfrey's Tombe I now return to Thomas the succeeding Earl born in Warwick-Castle having to his Godfathers Thomas Earl of Lancaster and Henry his brother with Thomas de Warington Prior of Kenilworth This Thomas was very young at his fathers death but who had the custody and tuition of his person during King Edward 2. reign I find not Most likely it is that Hugh le Despenser the great favourite at that time having a grant of his lands as abovesaid had also the charge of his person but in 1 E. 3. the Castle of Warwick with the rest of his lands were committed to Roger Mortimer of Wigmore till he should arrive to his full age and in 3 E. 3. the King being minded to afford speciall favour to him as the very words of the Writ do importâ— accepted of his homage though he was not then of full age commanding that he should have livery of all his fathers lands and the next year following admitted him to the office of Shiriffalty for Worcester-shire which was of his inheritance as also to that of the Chamberlainshâ—p in the Exchequer with power to appoint whomsoever he should think â—it for the execution of them in such sort as in his Ancestors times had been used 'T is not to be doubted but as this Earl was descended from an antient race of worthy Progenitors and by many noble heirs so were his vertues no less eminent than the chiefest of them for from the time that he came to mans estate even till his death which hapned in 23. of King Edw. 3. raign was he scarce ever cut of some notable and high imployment whereof in order I will briefly make recitall In 5 E. 3. he had the goverment of the Isles of Gernsey Serke and Aureney In 6. he was joyn'd in Commission with Raph Lord Basset and William de Shareshull a great Lawyer and afterwards Chief-Justice for conservation of the peace in this County and Worcestershire In 7. to attend the King in his expedition for Scotland at which time Edward de Baliol King of Scotts did homage to King Edward for the Realm of Scotland with the adjacent Isles In 9. he had the custody of the Marches of Scotland committed to him All which was whilst he lived a batchelour For I find that in 12 E. 3. the King in satisfaction of a great summe of money that he owed to Roger Lord Mortimer for the time that he was his Lieutenant of Ireland
14. E. 4. as some say but others that it was on Ship-board when his father fled towards Caleys The younger Richard in the Monastery of Tewksburie An. 1476 who lived scarce a year being poysoned as 't was thought Which Edward being about three years of age at his fathers death was Knighted at York by K. R. 3. in the first year of his Reign with Edw. the onely son to that King but both he his sister were attended with a very hard fate For Edward that bore the title of E. of Warwick onely being at the age of 8. years committed prisoner to the Castle of Shiriff-Hutton in Com. Ebor. by the said K. Rich. 3. where he remained all his Reign was immediatly upon the victory obtained at Bosworth-field by Henry Earl of Richmund thenceforth K by the name of H. 7. by special Warrant removed to the Tower of London and there shut up in a more close and streight condition for no other offence than being the onely male Plantaginet at that time living and so consequently the most rightfull Heir to the Crown and being at length charged with privity of Perkin Warbeck's escape out of the Tower strange inferences were raised by which they made advantage to take away his life whereas the truth is that K. Henry being upon Treaty with Ferdinand K. of Spain for a marriage in the behalf of Prince Arthur his eldest son and the Lady Kath. daughter to the said Ferdinand and finding that the Spaniard thought K. Henrie's title to have no sure foundation whil'st this branch of Plantaginet was extant had a minde to dispatch him out of the world for the fairer effecting whereof a Commission was granted to Iohn Earle of Oxford then high Steward of England to arraign him for that pretended offence which was accordingly done 21. Nov. 15. H. 7. care being taken to perswade him that by confessing himself guilty he should be sure to find mercy from the K. With which fair promises being caught he pleaded as they directed him and so betraying his life into the hands of those that so â—agerly sought it had judgement of death past upon him and accordingly was beheaded on Tower-Hill the 28. day of the same moneth of November After which viz. 25. Ian. 19. H. 7. the better to countenance what was done he was attainted in Parl. so that all the favour he had was that being thus put to death his body should be sent to the Monastery of Bisham and buried with his Ancestors Which cruel dealing we may well think hath been some cause of Gods judgements upon H. 7. posterity as well as upon that noble Lady Katherine who became so sensible thereof when King H. 8. her second husband prosecuted the divorce betwixt them that she expressed as some have said that it was the hand of God for that to clear the way to her marriage the innocent E. of Warwick was put to unworthy death And if it be seriously considered what afterwards befell the said Earle of Oxford and his family we have cause enough to doubt that God was no whit pleased with his activenesse in this bloudy scaene for having within a short time lost the Kings favour and been fined at 30000. li. for a very small offence he spent the rest of his life in discontent and dyed without any lawfull issue After which it was not long that the possessions of that great Earldom became totally wasted and the very Monuments of his noble ancestors in the Abby of Colne torn in pieces in that hideous storm raised by K. H. 8. son and successor of him to whom this Earle had been so obsequious As for the Lands whereof this our Earle of Warwick dyed seized I do not finde that they were any other than the Mannours of Wyke in Com. Midd. Stanford in the Vale of White-horse in Berks. and of Snitterteld in this County Of his sister Margaret born at Farley-Castle in Wilts 14. Aug. An. 1473. 13. E. 4. and married c to Sir Rich. Pool Knight I finde that she had issue Henry Pool Lord Mountagu Reginald Pool Cardinal Geffrey and Arthur with a daughter called Vrsula wife to Henry Lord Stafford Son and Heir to Edw. Duke of Buck. which Marg. in her widowhood sc. An. 1513. 5. H. 8. petitioned in Parliament as Sister and Heir to Edw. Earle of Warwick attainted 19. H. 7. that she might inherit his estate and dignity and so be stiled Countesse of Salisbury which was granted but of her fathers inheritance she had very little that ever I could finde and that also by attainder in Parliament taken away unheard in 31. H. 8. for privity to the conspiracy of Henry Marq. of Exeter as was pretended After which she enjoy'd her life but a short time being barbarously put to death on Tower-Hill 27. Maii 33. H. 8. drag'd to the block by the hair of the head in the lxviii year of her age After the before specified Edward Plantaginet till 1 E. 6. there was no Earl of Warwick but then Iohn Dudley son of Edmund by Eliz. daughter of Edward Grey Visc. L'isle Aunt and heir to Elizabeth Grey Countess of Devon daughter and heir of Sir Iohn Grey Visc. L'isle having been advanced to the dignity of Visc. L'isle 12. Martii 34 H. 8. was through the great favour of King Edward or rather of Edward Duke of Somerset then Lord Protector created Earl of Warwick 16. Febr. 1 E. 6. as descended from Margaret the eldest daughter to Richard Beauchamp sometime E. of Warwick Howbeit before I proceed to speak further of this Iohn I shall crave leave to say something of his parentage That he was the son of Edmund Dudley of whom I shall say more by and by and he the son of one Iohn Dudley is plain enough but as I am not sufficiently satisfied that the said Iohn his grandfather was a younger branch of the Barons of Dudley in Stafford-shire though with his own hand in a descent of those Barons he exprest him so to be viz. second son to Iohn Sutton first of that name that had the title of Lord Dudley so shall I be as tender in affirming that to be true which I have seen under the hand of a very good Genealogist in his time and which he alledgeth to have received from a person of credit id est that the same Iohn his grandfather was a Carpenter and indeed born in the town of Dudley though not of the name other than travailing for his living he hapned to be entertained at the Abby of Lewes in Sussex and was by the Monks called Iohn of Dudley and so growing in favour with the Abbot there marryed and continued Carpenter to the House And that having a son called Edmund who for his pregnancy in learning was taken notice of by the Abbot and
Thursday the first Mass of the Holy Ghost by Note as also the high Mass of the day On Friday the first Mass of the B. Virgin by Note and the high Mass of the holy Cross the same day by Note also On Satturday the first Mass of S. Iohn the Evangelist by Note and the high Mass of the glorious Virgin Mary And that every Priest in his severall Mass should specially pray for him the said Sir William and all the persons before recited both living and dead as also that in his Memento for the living speciall mention being made of them as aforesaid they should pray for the good estate of the Church and Kâ—ngdom and all the Benefactors to the said Chantrie And lastly that after his decease they should in the first place remember him next his Father and Mother Brother and their wives aforesaid and afterwards the rest before expressed with the Benefactors to the saâ—d Chantrie and after them whom they should think fit and then all the faithfull deceased Which Ordination so made bears date at Fulbroke in this Conntie 21 Iunii anno 1332. 6 â— 3. and was ratified by the before specified Bishop the sixt of Iuly following The Priorie BUt as this worthy person became advanced to further honour and riches so was his heart much enlarged for works of pietie for within the space of fâ—ur years next following having obtained Lâ—cense from the Kingâ— for the Foundation of a Monastery of Canons-Regular of S. Augustin's Order and for amortizing of the Churches of Maxstoke and Long-Ichinton thereto with xx li. lands per an of his own proper estate he began the fabrick thereof whereby the Chantrie before mentioned became dissolved and was incorporated to that Religious House And being then newly created Earl of Huntendon procured from the said King a most ample Charter of Liberties and priviledges thereto constituting by his own Charter most solemn and exact Rules for the government of those his Canons In which Charter having declared his Dedication thereof to the honour of the holy and individuall Trinity the blessed Virgin S. Michaell th'arch Angell and all Saints he expresseth his said Foundation and endowment to be for the good estate of himself and Iulian his wife as also of Edw. 3. then K. of England Laurence de Hastings Roger Bishop of Cov. and Lich. Henry Prior of Coventre Richard Dean of Lichfield as also of the Monks of Coventre and Canons of Lichfield during this life and for the health of his soul together with the souls of the said Iulian K. Edward the rest as aforesaid after their departures out of this world the souls of Iohn de Clinton his father Ida his mother Iohn his brother and their children living dead and moreover for the souls of all the Kings of England Lords Hastings Bishops of Cov. and Lich. Priors Deans Monks and Canons of the places before recited his Parents Benefactors and of all the faithfull deceased Appointing that there should be therein an elective Prior with a Covent of xii Canons besides there living religiously and regularly according to the Rule of S â— Augustin wearing both in Summer and Winter for their upper garment a black Cope and Hood with a Surplis under the said Cope and such other garments as all other Regular Canons then used And that upon the death of the Prior the Covent should within five or six days proceed to the election of another without seeking for any License of him his heirs or successors Likewise that none should be admitted as a Canon in this Monastery but a Free-born man and so reputed as also of good conversation competently learned for the state of such a Canonâ— having a fit voice to sing being xviii years old at least and fit to receive the Order of Priesthood when he should come of meet age and at the end of the first year after such his entrance that should read or cause to be read openly in his presence all and singular the things contained in the said Charter of Foundation promising his faithfull observance of them And further declared that whereas he had endowed the said Monastery with Lands and Rents to the value of CC li. per an lying within the precincts of Maxstoke and Long-Ichinton before specified when there should happen to be x. marks yearly increase of that revenue either by himself or any other Benefactor or through the industry of the said Prior and Covent within one month after another Canon might be added to their number and so still more Canons as their revenues should proportionably augment And likewise that no yearly Pension should be granted to any one by the Prior except for the certain advantage of the House whereof the Bishop of the Dioces to be Judge As also that the Accounts of all the Officers belonging to the Monasterie should be yearly exhibited to the Prior and Covent or three persons by them nominated and openly read before the whole Covent to the end that every one might thereby know the true state of the House and by Indenture to be then deposited in their Treasurie And hereunto did he adde that after his departure out of this life his Anniversarie should be yearly celebrated by the said Prior and Covent with Placebo and Dirige as also solemn Mass in the Quire and the whole Office of the Dead for the health of his soul with the souls above specified and all the faithfull deceased And that upon the same day there should be a Dole to an C. poor people viz. of Maxstoke and other places to each a Loaf weighing L s. and every day at dinner time over and above the accustomed Bread allowed to the poor one white Conventuall Loaf and a mess of meat out of the Kitchin together with a flagon of Beer assigned to one of the poorest people in Maxstoke or from some other place according to the discretion of the Prior or his Almoner for the health of the said Founder's soul and the souls of the persons above named and all the faithfull deceased And that the Mass of the blessed Virgin the Chapter-Mass and the Mass of the day should be daily celebrated at the houres and in the places accustomed in other Monasteries so that in all those Masses except on the greatest Festivalls mention should be made of him and of Iulian his wife as also of the said King Edward and the persons before recited during their lives in this world and afterwards in such sort as is usually done for the dead And moreover that every Prior before his installation should cause all the particulars contained in the said Charter of Foundation to be openly read promising his faithfull observance of them to his utmost power And after Mattens of the blessed Virgin finished in the Quire and the Mass of the same and at the end of every houre the Pâ—iest celebrating the Mass and the performer of the Office with the same voice that he
the same unto one Robert de Wycheford and his heirs reserving the Rent of a pair of gilt Spurs to be yearly paid to himself and his heirs at Easter and performing the service of half a Knight's Fee which service the said Robert de Wycheford at the request of the above specified Robert de Grendon then granted unto Walter de Mancestre and Erneburga his wife and the heirs of their two bodies lawfully begotton but for want of such issueâ— to return to the said Robert de Wicheford and his heirs So that after this the possession thereof continued to the heirs of the said Walter de Mancestre together with Mancestre as by severall authorities appeareth at length being divided by the coheirs was broken into such small parts as is evident by what came to the Fildings which was Prilley's and to Lewes which was Rowley's and Arblaster's that it is not worth while to trace the succession thereof any farther Nun-Eaton FOllowing Tame further I observe no place if â—ote bordeâ—â—ng on it before I come to Tameworth where Anker ioyns therewith I must now therefore ascend to the entrance of Anker into this Hundred which is in Nun-Eaton-Parish This place hath its name from the Rivulet nigh whâ—ch it stands Ea in our old English signifying Waâ—er Before the Norman invasion one Harding possest it but after the Conquest it was disposed of to Earl Alberic Progenitor of the Veres Earls of Oxford which Earl deceased before the generall Survey made by that King so that afterwards it with the rest being seised into the King's hands was committed to the custodie of â—effrey de Wirce of whom in Monks-Kirby I have spoken Howbeit the number of hides that it contained are omitted in the Record but 't is saâ—d thereby that there were xxvi carucates of land one Mill of xxxii d. xx acres of Meadow and Woods of two miles in length and a mile and half in breadth the whole being valued at C s. By the said generall Survey I find also that R. de Olgi held three hides of land in this place with Woods of a mile in length and as much in breadth which were the inheritance of Alwine in Edward the Confessor's days and valued by the before specified Survey at iv li. But the direct time when this Lordship was given to Robert Earl of Mellent and Leicester is hard I think to be found yet certain it is that he had it before the death of King Henry the first which Robert had issue Robert sirnamed Bossu Earl of Leicester who in King Stephen's time founded a goodly Monasterie here for Nunns of the Order of those at Font Ebraud in Normandie id est Benedictines wherein Amice his Countess became one and was buried Which Monasterie he plentifully endowed with lands whereof this whole Lordship of Eaton was part excepting what the Canons of Leceister then had in Stockingford and that which the Nunns of Casa Dei in France held in Atleberge and in this town As a do certain lands in Kenetberie in Com. â—erks to the then value of xxv li. per annum And with all his Lands Rents and Fishing in Welle excepting the â—ithe of the Eeles whâ—ch the said Robert Earl of Mellent his Fatherâ— had formerly given to the said Canons of Leicester Confirming the grants of what others at that time had made thereto viz. of two Carucates of land in Waltham Com. Leic. with pasturage there for CCC Sheep by Isabell his daughter and Simon Earl of Northampton her son Of two yard land and a hâ—lf lying in Swinford Com. Leic. by Ric. Mallore and in Leicester ii s. Rent out of a House which one Guy Breadleas then held of the said Richard as also of all the lands lying within this Lordship whereof the said Richard was possest And of what Robert Fitz Iocelin had bestowed thereon scil all his lands lying here in Eaton betwixt the Water and the Wood and beyond the Water two yard land and vi s. Rent which William de Neumarch held of Iocelin his Father with all his Woods Hereunto did King Hen. 2. adde his Confirmation and besides that of his own gift conferred upon these Nunns the Church of Chauton in Hantshire ratifying the grants of sundry other persons which I shall briefly here enumerate viz. the Mill of Ingepenne in Berkshire with the Meadows and Croâ—ts hereto belonging given by Gervase Paganell The Village of great Hodenhull by Richard de â—â—â—toke the Church of Merton by Robert de Craftâ—â— both in this Countie Certain lands here in Eaton by Geffrey de Turvill Twentie shillings yearly Rent issuing out of the Mill at Haringworth in Northamptonshire by Ada mother to the King of Scotland Half the town of Burton now called Burton-Hastings in this County with the advouson of the Church and Chapell of Stretton id est Stretton-Baskervill thereto belonging by Geffrey l' Abbe and Emme his wife whose inheritance it was The Church of Maple-Derham in Hantshire by William Earl of Gloucester and Hawise the Countess his wife as also Nutfort Mill and divers lands lying within the Lordship of Pimpre by the said Hawise One yard land at Calcote by Robert Archer and Margaret his wife and besides all this gave them sundry ample Liberties and Priviledges which for brevities sake I forbear to recite Whereunto Pope Boniface the eight added the Appropriation of the Churches of Burtlei in Rutland and Cleybrooke in Leicestershire with a speciall Indulgence from payment of Tithes for any of their lands which they should till or stock with Cattell at their own charge Having now therefore so plentifull an endowment they obtained a grant of a weekly Mercate here upon the Tuesday in 10 H. 3. to endure till the King should be of age but this Mercate in 17 H. 3. was altered to the Satturday After which within a short space they rebuilt their Church towards the Fabrick whereof the King gave them ten Oaks out of Kenilworth-Woods and xv more within a year following out of Cank-Forest And in 23. of his reign granted unto them a Charter for an yearley Faire here for four days beginning on the day of the Invention of the Holy Cross scil 3. Maii. Other grants of most note from severall persons in succeeding times for which I have seen any authorities were these viz. two yard land lying in Hodenhull and Estanescote now called Ascote by Nicholas de Muton In Wibtoft one Messuage and Cxx. acres of land by Gâ—lb de Houby The advouson of the Church of Cleybrooke in com Leic. by Iohn the son of Ernald de Boys The third part of the Mannour of Skendelby by Iulian de Gaunt for maintenance of a Priest to celebrate divine Service in the Church of this Monasterie for the health of her soul and the souls of her Ancestors One Messuage here in Nun-Eaton by Robert
Paramour a Londoner After which it was not long ere that Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester coveting that fair Lordship obtained Paramour's title and so justling out Robinson past this with Shuttenton unto Queen Elizabeth in exchange for other lands so that ever since it hath been in the Crown Tamworth FOllowing the stream of Anker a little lower I come to its confluence with Tame that gives denomination to Tameworth the most eminent Town for situation and antiquitie on this side the Countie of which but the one half including the Castle is in this Shire the Villages of Bole-Hall Glascote Stretford Wilnicote Stanidelf and Amington lying Southwards of the River and Pericroft on the North being members thereof A place this is participating chiefly of the commodities which the Wood-land affordeth being almost inviron'd by it and watered with delightfull Rivers whereby the bordering Meadows are plentifully inricht yet not wanting a spacious Champaine near at hand for farther profit and pleasure so that divers of the Mercian Kings invited doubtless by these advantages had here a Pallace-royall as their severall Charters do manifest Of which Kings the first that I find mentioned was Offa who granting lands in Sapie to the Monks of Worcester concludeth thus Hanc autem praescriptam vicissitudinem terrarum meae donationis pro Domino libertatem ego Offa Rex sedens in regali Palacio in Tamoworthige secundo die Nativitatis Domini in die Festivitatis beati Stephani Martyris concedens donavi Anno ab Incarnatione Christi DCCLXXXI Indictione quarta The next was Coenulf whose Charter thus ends Actae est haec donatio anno DCCCXIV Indict septima in vico celeberimo qui vocatur Tomoworthig c. After him Berthuulf in the year DCCCXLI and lastly Burtherd in the year DCCCLIV And as these authorities do shew that it was by those Kings thus honoured so is there not want of other to manifest the large extent and strength thereof witnesse that vast Ditch to this day called King's Ditch which stretching forth in a streight line from the River Anker somewhat below Bowl-Bridg then making a right angle keepeth on its course paralell to the River for the space of neer four hundred paces and so returning by another right angle runs into Tame below Lady-Bridg whereby the ground within the precincts thereof is of a quandrangular forme Which Ditch though much filled up in most places appears to have been at least xlv foot broad as by measure I have observed But such mischief shortly after did the Danes make by their severall invasions that this place was wasted and continued desolate till that renowned Ladie of the Mercians Ethelfleda daughter to King Alfred and Sister to King Edward the elder after her husband's death scil in the year of Christ DCCCCXIV restored it to its antient strength and splendor raysing a strong Tower upon an artificiall Mount of Earth called the Dungeon for defence against any violent assault thereof upon which Mount that building now called the Castle hath of later times been erected for the body of the old Castle stood below towards the Mercate-place and where the Stables at present are And here it was that the said famous Ethelflede departed this life xix Cal. Iulii anno DCCCCXVIII viz. five years before the death of King Edward her Brother but in the Abbie-Church of S. Peter at Gloucester of hers and her husband's Foundation she had sepulture The next observable thing which in course of time I have met with that concerns this place is that there was a Monasterie here for by the Testament of Wulfric Spot Founder of Burton-Abble in Com. Staff about the year of Christ DCCCCXLIX it appears that he gave thereunto certain lands in Langandune scil Langdon in Com. Staff But whether it was of Monks or Nunns or by whom founded I never could as yet see good testimonie From these antient times therefore whereof so little light by Historie is to be found I shall now descend to those after the Norman Conquest and for my more methodicall discoverie of such things as are most memorable purpose first to speak of the Burrough by it self for by that name it was heretofore called and then of the Castle and its possessors Of the Burrough there is not any particular extent in the Conqueror's Survey nor farther mention of it than that ten Houses therein were at that time belonging to the Mannour of Colshill in this Hundred which was in those days part of the King 's demesn neither can I discover any thing of note for a long time after relating thereto besides the Aid and other advantages which upon sundry occasions it yielded to the King from the beginning of King Stephen's reign that part which is in this Countie answering two marks for an Aide in 15 H. 2. and in 21 H. 3. iv li. xvi s. for the Ferm thereof yet was it antient demesn of the Crown id est belonging thereto in the days of King Edward the Confessor or King William the Conqueror And till about the later end of King H. 3. reign continued in the King 's immediate hand but then was it let to Philip Marmion Lord of the Castle for life at the Rent of xxxiv li. vi s. ix d. per annum Howbeit afterwards the King had it again Whereupon in 11 E. 2. it was granted to Baldwin Frevile during pleasure reserving the old accustomed Ferme viz. iv li. xvi s. Which Lease to Frevile soon determined For the King having the same year given to the Inhabitants thereof License to take Toll of all vendible commodities to be brought thither for the space of three years scil for every Quarter of Corn a half penny c. towards the charge of Paving the Town the next year following made a new grant thereof I mean all this while of that moytie in Warwick-shire unto the Inhabitants of the Burrough their heirs and successors reserving to the Crown the antient Ferme as above is exprest and xx s. yearly increase payable to his Exchequer at the days and termes when the other used to be received as also excepting all Tallages Aids and Customes as had formerly been payd out of it in the times of his Progenitors And in 14. of his reign the time being expired for taking Toll towards the Pavement of the Town by the former Patent renewed it for three years more yet this did not compleat the Pavement as appeares by the sundry other Patents granted to them afterwards aswell by King Edward 3. as this King E. 2. for the same purpose which in the margent I have cited But besides this for Paving did the same Inhabitants obtain a Charter from the King in 10 E. 3. for two yearly Faires here the one upon S. George's day viz. April 23. and three days after the other on the Feast-day of S. Edward and