eundemq. in eandem solempniter necnon et canonice instituisse. Saluo nobis et successorib3 nostris iure pontificali et parochiali. Et in huius rei testimonium sigillum nostrum presenti pagine fecimus apponi. Valete.

XIV. Carta Willmi de Stapelton* de decimis suis dandis
in foresta de Sadelword.

MNIBUS ad quos presentes litere puenerint, Willmus de Stapylton salutem in dño. Nouerit uniuersitas vestra quod ego Willmus fideliter iuraui in matrice ecclesia sancti Cedde, tactis sacrosanctis reliquijs eiusdem ecclesie, coram fidelib; parochianis tam clericis quam laycis quod ego ipse Willmus et homines meit omnes decimas nostras stabiliter et integre annuatim de omnibus rebus de terra mea de Sadelworth cum ptinentijs de foresta matrici ecclesie nostre sancti Cedde dabimus. Et quod eadem ecclesia nunquam erit perdens p me nec p heredes meos de decimis suis de terra mea. Siquis autem extraneus venerit forte in foresta mea, et p se voluerit iustificare ad rectas decimas dare, aut aliquo modo illas detinere presumpserit, ego Willmus cum auxilio matricis ecclesie illos ad decimas rectas dandas compellam. Et ego et heredes mei tenebimus hanc conuentionem factam imppetuum cum matrici ecclesia nostra sancti Cedde. Ut autem he fiant, sicut dictum est superius, Galfridus decanus de Whall. et vicarius sancti Cedde in Rached. concessu dni R. de Lascy eiusdem matricis ecclesie aduocati, et

* William de Stapylton of Thorpe Stapylton, near Leeds, according to Whitaker. Robert de Stapylton, clerk, is an attesting witness to a grant of lands by John de Lascy, constable of Chester, to Philip de Orreby, in Halton, in the county of Chester, about 1230, which proves their connection with the abbey of Stanlaw.

The patron saint of Rochdale and Saddleworth, evidently borrowed from the cathedral saint of Lichfield.

Probably tenants or retainers, and not villeins.

caritatis intuitu concessit michi et licentiam adhibuit ad faciend. celebrare diuinum officium imppetuum ad custum meum in capella mea facta* apud Sadelword, et ita quod matrix ecclesia nichil perdat ppter hoc, capellanus siquid qui ibi cantauerit erit in primo presentatus psone matricis ecclesie et iurabit obedientiam, et quod ecclesia sancti Cedde nunquam erit perdens p eum, nec aliquo modo sentiet detrimentum unde descrescat dum ibi seruiet. Hijs testib3, H. de Eland, Rob. de Liuersegge, Willmo de Deusbury, Joh. fratre decani, Henr. clerico de Rach., Hug. de Stapelton, N. clerico, Math. de Glohut, Henr. de Werld, Petro clerico, Martino, Thom. clericis, Henr. Brun, et multis alijs parochianis matricis ecclesie.

XV. Confirmatio Roberti de Stapelton de decimis et oblationibus suis in capella de Sadelword.

MNIBUS sancte matris ecclesie filijs hoc presens scriptum visuris vel audituris, Rob. de Stapelton salutem in dño. Nouerit uniuersitas vestra me diuine caritatis intuitu concessisse et hac presenti carta meo confirmasse p salute anime mee et antecessorum et successorum meorum Deo et beate Marie et sancte matrici ecclesie sancti Cedde de Rached. et eiusdem ecclesie rectorib3, scil. dño Abbati et conuentui Loci Benedicti de Stanlawe, et eorum pcuratorib3, omniodas decimas obuentiones et oblationes de tota terra mea in foresta de Sadelword cum omnib3 ptinentijs suis, et de toto feodo meo dicte ville de Sadelword ptinente, sicuti de iure ptinentes dicte ecclesie de antiquitate et de omnib3 hominib3 infra limites dicte foreste manentib3 qui decimas de iure debent dare de omnib3 reb3 suis.

* The date, therefore, of the erection of the chapel of Saddleworth, may be assigned to the early part of the thirteenth century. And see p. 54, ante.

+ Whether the limits of the forest included the whole of the present township of Quick has been questioned; and the district of Friar Mere still claims an exemption

Habend. et possidend. imppetuum libere quiete pacifice et integre secundum consuetudines dicte matricis ecclesie sine impedimento mei vel heredum meorum. Preterea concessi et confirmaui uniuersa que dñus Willus de Stapylton pater meus de dicta foresta de Sadelword in omnib3 iam xl annis elapsis et amplius dicte matrici ecclesie de Rached. sicut de iure ptinentia benigne concessit et carta sua confirmauit. Et ego prenominatus Robertus et heredes mei hec omnia prenotata et dictam confirmationem, sicut supradictum est, in omnib3 matrici ecclesie et rectorib3 suis fideliter tenebimus et sine fraude imppetuum manutenebimus. Et ut ista conuentio stabilis pmaneat presenti scripto sigillum meum apposui. Hijs testib3 dño A. de Stauf.* tunc temporis Archid. Cestrie, magistro Henr. de Lee offic. eius, dño Willo de Wygan clerico, dño W. vicar de Rach., dño Robto psona de Prestwyche, dño Rogero psona de Bury, Galfr. de Bucklegh, Ric. de Butterworth, Willo de Haword,† Henr. fil eius, Rogero de Berdeshull, Willo de Berdeshull, Mich. de Clegh, et alijs.

XVI. Cyrographum Roberti de Stapylton de xiij acris terre
pro capellano seruiente in capella de Sadelword.

n

OUERINT omnes presens scriptum visuri vel audituri istam puisionem esse factam inter dompnum Abbatem et conuentum Loci Benedicti de Stanlawe ex una parte, et dñum Rob. de Stapylton ex altera. Scil. quod dictus Rob. dedit concessit et hac presenti carta sua confirmauit tresdecim acras terre arabilis cum tofto uno ad edificia facienda in loco competenti

from the payment of tithes on the ground that it was not originally within the forest, and belonged to the abbey of Rupe as demesne. Urban III., in 1186, exempted the abbey from the payment of tithes.

* Adam de Stafford, archdeacon of Chester 1271 and 1279.

+ William de Haword, æt. 50, 28 Edward I., and father of Henry de Haword, æt. 18, 19 Edward I. and æt. 42, 21 Edward II. He lived to 19 Edward III. and ob. æt. 82, having married Joanna, daughter of John de Chaderton.

p certas diuisas* in villa de Sadelword ad sustentationem cuiusdam capellani in villa iugiter deseruientis, et pasturam ad x. vaccas cum secta trium annorum, et ad octo boues, et ad sexaginta oves cum agnis unius anni, et ad decem porcos liberos a pannagio, et ad duo aueria cum communi pastura eiusdem ville de Sadelword infra has diuisas, scil. det Cnouthull p viam de Cnouthull usq. ad Stanegge, et de Stanegge usq. ad Stabliclogh de Dighull, et de Stabliclogh de Dighull usq. le Brodeston, et de Brodeston usq. le Whitebrok en Haukeferd, et de Whitebrok en Haukeferd usq. Combesbrok, et de Combesbrok usq. in aquam de Thame, et de eadem aqua usq. ad diuisas de Qwyke, et de Qwyke usq. ad predictas diuisas de Cnouthull, et housebote et hay bote ad domos faciendas, et ad sepes claudendas, et ad comburend., in puram et ppetuam elemosynam p salute anime sue et uxoris sue et antecessorum et successorum suorum. Saluis sibi et heredib3 suis assartis suis factis et faciendis. Et salua sibi et successorib3 suis venatione sua et auib3 suis alias capientib3 et piscib3 suis et alijs dignitatib3 foreste. Dictus vero Abbas et conuentus cetera necessaria capellano qui ibidem iugiter deseruiet competenter inuenient. Ita quod nullus defaltus ibi sit quia capellanus assidue habeatur. Ad ista omnia fideliter obseruanda et ad maiorem securitatem ppetuo habenda dictus Abbas et conuentus p se et successorib3 suis ex una parte, et prefatus Robertus p se et heredib3 suis ex altera, alter alterius scripto ad modum cyrographi facto sigilla sua apposuerunt. Hijs testib3, dño Waltero archid. Cestrie, Willo vicar de Rached., Sym de Stauele, Ric. Blundel, Gilberto de la Qwyke, Ric. le Brun de Stauele, Ric. fil. G. de Biron, et alijs.

*These lands still continue to be a part of the endowment of Saddleworth church, and on the commons being enclosed in 1814, a large portion of common right was allotted to the incumbent.

+ Knothill and Stanedge, as hills, and Diggle and Thame, as brooks, are still well known in Saddleworth as natural boundaries. The other names are forgotten. The Roman road passes Knothill near Castleshaw.

XVII. Concordia facta inter nos et parochianos capelle de

n

Sadel word.

OTUM sit omnib; hoc scriptum visuris vel audituris, quod cum mota esset quedam altercatio inter dños Abbatem et 9 conuentum Loci Benedicti de Stanlawe ex una parte, et Rob. del Schagh,* Robertum de Qwyke, Ric. de Holyngreue, Ad. fil. Ricardi et ceteros parochianos capelle de Sadelword ex altera, super sustentationem capellani dicte capelle iugiter seruientis, eo quod p scriptum originale inter dictos Abbatem et conuentum et dñum Robertum de Stapleton quondam confectum non satis clareret, que partium capellano prefate capelle iugiter deseruienti vestimenta sacerdotalia et libros ecclesie necessarios inueniret, de consensu partium sub forma hic conquieuit, videlicet quod dicti parochiani donum dicti dni Rob. de Stapelton ratum habentes, insup corpus capelle de Sadelword+ calicem, campanas cum campanario, ambitum cymiterij et clausuram honeste de cetero sustentabunt, et quoties necesse fuerit reparabunt, vel etiam innouabunt. Dicti vero Abbas et conuentus

*These names are still found in Saddleworth. Shaw Mere and Quick Mere are two of the four divisions of Saddleworth, and Hollingreve is a large hamlet in Lords Mere. Quick and Hollingreve are entirely extinct as local surnames. Shaw is a name of common occurence, and the remains of Shaw Hall point to a family of high antiquity.

+ From which it appears that from the beginning the chapel was of respectable dimensions, and consisted of a nave, chancel, and tower, which latter contained a peal of bells. How different from the chapels which arose in Saddleworth in the eighteenth century! The rectors, being Cistercians, were liberal in providing books and vestments, which were expensive articles in the thirteenth century; whilst the Dominicans and Franciscans at this time had neither collectively nor individually any effects, and were disputing about the precise meaning of their rules. The expenses incurred in maintaining the fabric of the chancel would probably be about the same as at present. In 1814, when the greater part of the tithes were sold by Archbishop Manners Sutton, £7 per annum were reserved in perpetuity for the repairs of the chancel of this church and for other purposes.