for another Charter in the British Museum (Cotton Charters XI, 73)1 tells us that he had the year before been appointed, in conjunction with Ricardus Giffard and Rogerus filius Reinfridi, "Justicia[rius] Regis", in which capacity he would, no doubt, be present at this trial. Elias de Shillinghelde and his brother Daniel (2 and 3) come next this family doubtless held the Manor of Shelving Hill, in the parish of Woodnesborough,2 near Eastry. Adam de Cheringe and his son (4 and 5) were probably known a few years after by the surname of Brocton or Broughton, a manor in Charing, where, according to Philipot, Adam de Brocton lived in the reign of Edward I. Of Gervase de Hospringe and his grandson Hervey (6 and 7) nothing appears on record. William de Essechesforde and his brother Thomas (8 and 9) may well claim a home at Ashford, formerly known as Eshetisford and Esheford, as lying on the river Eshet or Eshe. Here the wealthy family of Crioll or Keriell held possessions from very early times; and it is fair to conjecture that the distinctive name of the family was here, as in the case of others, lost in that of the manor, and that the above William and Thomas were really Criolls. Of the next worthies, Fulco and Richard Peisforiere (10 and 11) or Paiforer, there is no need for conjecture.* The family seat was originally at North Court, in Easeling, and they subsequently possessed Colbridge Castle, in Boughton Malherbe, and other manors. of the family, Fulco and William, were created Knights Banneret by Edward I at Caarlaverock, and the former Two 1 The charter runs thus: "Hec est finalis concordia que facta fuit apud Oxoniam in curia Regis coram Ricardo Giffard & Rogero filio Reinfridi & Johanne de Caerdif Justitiis Regis (ad) proximum festum apostolorum Petri et Pauli postquam Dominus Rex cepit ligantiam Baronum Scocie apud (Eb)oracum inter Canonicos Osenie & Ingream & tres filias ejus scilicet Gundream & Isabell (am) & M (ar)garetam de terra de Oxeneford unde placitum fuerat inter eos in curia Regis scilicet quod Ingrea & tres filie sue prenominate clamaverunt predictis canonicis quietam terram illam in Oxeneford de se et de heredibus suis pro xx solidis quos canonici illis dederunt et omne jus quod in eadem terra habebant quietum illis clamaverunt.' This date is given in Eyton's Itinerary, p. 193, as Aug. 10, a.d. 1175. 2 Villare Cantianum, p. 367. ▲ Ib., passim. 3 Ib., p. 55. was Sheriff for the county in 1259, and again in the following year. Hugo Pincerna (18), of originally a Bedfordshire family according to Philipot, would seem to have been the first member of it to find a home in Kent, where his son, Thomas Pincerna, settled himself at Barham Court, in Teston, in the reign of King John; using for his seal1 a covered cup, with the scroll" Sigillum Thome Pincerne", the inference is drawn that he was chief butler to the King, and that in allusion to that office his descendants took the name of Le Boteler, corrupted into Butler, with whom Planché, in his "Corner of Kent", connects the name given to the Manor of Fleet in that parish, of Butler's Fleet. Henricus de Insula (19), though taking the name from the Isle of Wight, is more closely connected with Sundridge, where the family lived for many generations, occupying an important position in the county, which only ended in the unfortunate complicity of Sir Henry in the insurrection of Sir Thomas Wiat. Alanus de Rethling (20) was clearly a representative of an "illustrious family", as Philipot calls them, who for many generations held the Manor of Retling, or Ratling, in Nonington, from which they took their designation. The manors of Shouldon (Shoveldune) (22 and 23), Denton (Denintune) near Eleham (25), Betshanger (Betleshangre) (26), and Capell Court, in Ivychurch, also had their representatives. Robertus de Diua (or Diva) (29) owned a family estate in the parish of Estling. Ashford also supplied another witness in the person of Galfridus de Essechesford (31). Radulphus de Fishbourne (32) represented an ancient manor in Faversham. Henricus de Cramavilla (40), of a Gravesend family, and Johannes de Schamelsforde (41), of a manor in Chartham; Willelmus de Lille Cheriche (42) (Little Chart ?), Heilgarus and Adam de Sturry (Stureia) (44 and 45), and a number of smaller estatesmen whom it is impossible to identify and follow in the list. This array of mediocrities seems to be broken through by the name of Willelmus de Orlanston and his brother 1 Villare Cantianum, p. 336. Simon (56 and 57), representing an important manor in Romney Marsh.1 An ancestor of theirs had accompanied Richard I to the Holy Land, and was with him at the Battle of Acre, while a descendant, also called William, was a Conservator Pacis in the reign of Edward III and High Sheriff in the year 1328. Henricus de Shornes (60), too, seems to represent an influential family, probably one of the Nevils, who at that time held this manor. The list closes with 29 men of Thanet. At the head of these stands Adrianus Miles (94), who was probably one of the Crioll family who were then paramount lords of Thanet; while Ernoldus Vicecomes (97) is said by Philipot2 to have been Sheriff in the 22nd of Henry II, the same year in which Robert Fitz Bernard held that office, and in which this trial took place; but Kilburne does not include him in his list of Sheriffs, and Philipot himself adds, "of what family is not yet discovered". In bringing this account to a close, it may be well to mention that Philipot says the original of this trial was in his time in the hands of his friend Le Neve, then Norroy Herald. None such is now to be found in the archives of the College of Arms. It is supposed to have disappeared in the general dispersion of his papers; and possibly this charter, for which we are indebted to Lord F. Campbell, is that missing original. The Records of the Canterbury Cathedral Chapter throw no light on this trial, nor contain any allusion to it, which is easily to be accounted for by the jealous rivalry which existed between Christ Church Priory and St. Augustine's Abbey. 1 Furley's Weald of Kent, p. 717. 2 Villare Cantianum, p. 19. |