Episcopo ejusdemque ecclesie capitulo R. Dei gratia Abbas SANCTI WANDRIGESILI et ejusdem loci Conventus eternam in Domino salutem. Petivit a nobis dilectio vestra ut certificaremus vos quibus instrumentis vel cartis vel et privilegiis utebamur super ecclesia de WITCHURICHE et ecclesia de SORESTANE et de reditu de WIUELESFORD, quod libenter omnimodis exequi.

In privilegiis Summorum Pontificum INNOCENCII Secundi et EUGENII tercii sic continetur.

In Episcopatu SAR. Ecclesiam de WITCHIRCHE cum capellis et decimis et terra et hospitiis. Ecclesiam de WIUELESFORD cum decima. In MANEGESFORD unam hidam terre. Ecclesiam de SORESTANE cum capellis et decimis.

In largicione illustris WILLIELMI Regis ANGLORUM et ducis NORMANNORUM ad peticionem GUNTARDI Capellani sui.

Ita continetur.

Notum sit omnibus tam posteris quam præsentibus quod Ego WILLIELMUS Dei gratia Rex ANGLORUM et dux NORMANNORUM pro redempcione animæ meæ et salute conjugis et filiorum meorum FONTANELLENSI Monasterio in honore SANCTI WANDRAGESILI constructo, pro amore GUNTARDI capellani mei qui ibi monachus factus est, quatuor ecclesias in ANGLICA TERRA positas concessi cum decimis et omnibus suis costumis sicut antecessor GUNTARDI eas tenuit tempore antecessoris mei beate memorie EDWARDI Regis, quarum duæ de WITH CHIRCHE et BRIDETUNA sunt in comitatu DORSETE. Tercia vero SORESTANE est in comitatu WILTESYRE. Quarta autem TOUECESTRE est in comitatu NORHAMPTESIRE. Et ut hæc donacio etc.

CAMD. SOC. 8.

In autentico Venerabilis JoCELINI SAR. Episcopi ita

continetur.

JOCELINUS Dei gratia SAR. Episcopus universis Sancte Matris Ecclesie filiis ad quos præsens scriptum pervenerit salutem. Sicut injusta petentibus ex rigore justicie constat obviandum ita justis postulacionibus ex ratione novimus etiam parendum. Noverit itaque Universitas vestra nos concessisse et sigilli nostri munimine confirmasse Abbati SANCTI WANDRIGESILI et toti ejusdem loci conventui in perpetuum omnes ecclesias et ceteras possessiones quæ in diocesi nostra juris illorum dinoscuntur; videlicet ecclesiam de WITCHIRCHE Cum capellis et cæteris appendiciis. Ecclesiam de BRIDETUNA PORT cum capellis et cæteris appendiciis. Ecclesiam de BRIDITUNA cum capellis et cæteris appendiciis. Ecclesiam de UPAVENE cum capellis et cæteris appendiciis. Capellam de MANEGESFORD cum appendiciis suis. Ecclesiam de SORESTANE cum capellis et appendiciis suis. Omnibus igitur huic nostre concessioni et confirmationi renitentibus et adversantibus etc.

Venerabilis insuper ROGERUS SAR. Episcopus A. archidiacono de DORSETE et ROGERO et ERN. archidiaconis de WILTESIRA ita scripsit.

R. Episcopus SAR. A. archidiacono de DORSETE et ROGERO et ERN. archidiaconis de WILTESIRA salutem. Præcipio quod Abbas de SANCTO WANDRAGESILO teneat ita bene et honorifice et libere omnes ecclesias que in archidiaconatu vestro sunt cum decimis et omnibus consuetudinibus suis sicut unquam eas melius habere et liberius tenere solebat ; et nominatim ecclesiam de RUSTESHALE cum decima sua et ecclesiam de BRIDETUNA cum decima sua et ecclesiam de BRIDEPORT cum decima sua et ecclesiam de WITCHIRCHE

cum capellis et decimis suis pertinentibus et ecclesiam de SORESTANE cum tota decima ville et ecclesiam de WiuelesFORD cum decima et omnibus consuetudinibus suis. Et si quis eis inde injuriam fecerit etc.

Hæc sunt instrumenta quibus utimur. Valeat Sanctitas vestra. Et non dependet in literis istis nisi tantum sigillum Abbatis.

A small portion of the seal still remains attached to this instrument, which is in perfect preservation.

R. the Abbot and the Convent of Saint Wandragesil or Fontenelle in Normandy, grant to H. Bishop of Salisbury, and the Chapter of the said church, the two churches of Whitchurch in Dorsetshire, which is now called Whitchurch Canonicorum, and Soreston, now Sherston, in Wiltshire; together with whatever lands and tythe they had at Wivelesford. The time when this transaction took place is to be gathered from the names of the Abbot and the Bishop. Robert the Second became Abbot of Saint Wandragesil in 1193, and was succeeded by Rainaldus in 1194, and he by Robert the Third in 1207, who continued Abbot till 1219. This succession is from the Gallia Christiana. Hubert became Bishop of Salisbury in 1188, and was succeeded by Herbert in 1194, who was bishop to 1217. This determines it to belong to the period between 1193 and 1217.

We have in the reply of the Monks of Saint Wandragesil to the request of the church of Salisbury, that they would acquaint them with the title on which they held the two churches, important facts respecting them. Whitchurch and Sherston were churches of Saxon foundation, and had incumbents in the time of the Confessor. Guntardus had succeeded to them in both churches. This Guntardus is described as Capellanus Regis Willielmi. Being desirous to retire into the monastery of Saint Wandragesil, he prevailed upon the King to grant the two churches, together with two others which he also held, to the monks of that house. This must have been done before the date of Domesday Book, in which record we find that the Church of Sherston was held by the house of Saint Wandragesil.

The possession of these churches, together with what they had acquired at Wivelesford, was recognised by Roger Bishop of Salisbury, in whose diocese they were situated; by Josceline his successor, and by the Popes Innocent the Second and Eugenius the Third, whose Privilegia are quoted.

We obtain these facts from what is the express object of the instrument: but incidentally, information, which the topographer will find valuable, is given respecting Bridton and Towcester, where were Saxon churches held by Guntardus, together with Mangesford, Upavene, and Rusteshal.

V.

Impropriation of the Church of SOUTH REYNHAM to the Monks of ACRE lately settled at NORMANSBERGH; in the time of King Richard the First.

OMNIBUS Christi fidelibus ad quos præsens scriptum pervenerit, JOHANNES Dei gratia NORWIC. Episcopus salutem in Domino. Cum quanta possimus vigilancia solicitudinis Sancte Religionis profectibus et incrementis nos decet invigilare, et eam speciali provisionis studio fovere et protegere; ea propter volumus ad universorum pervenire noticiam, nos dilectis in Christo filiis Monachis de ACRA apud REYNHAM in loco qui dicitur NORMANNESBERGHE Deo servientibus et imperpetuum servituris, Dei causa et religionis intuitu in eodem loco de novo plantato, ecclesiam de SOUTH REYNHAM canonice concessisse et confirmasse in proprios usus suos ad eorum scilicet sustentacionem cum omnibus ad eandem ecclesiam pertinentibus, habendam imperpetuum possidendam ex donacione GODEFRIDI DE LESEWYs ejusdem ecclesie patroni: Salva possessione WILLIELMI DE LEKE Rectoris ecclesie illius quamdiu vixerit, et salvis quoque honore reverentia et dignitate debitis et consuetud. sancte NORWYCEN. ecclesie, et honesta et sufficienti sustentacione vicarii qui in prædicta Ecclesia ministrabit. Et ut hæc nostra concessio confirmacio stabilis perseveret imperpetuum eam præsenti scripto et sigilli nostri patrocinio communimus. Testibus etc.

This is from a contemporary copy.

The Charter by which Godfrey de Lesewys gave the Church of South Reynham in Norfolk to the Monks of Normansbergh, which was a cell to Acre, is in the Monasticon, N. E. vol. v. p. 69. This is the Bishop's licence for the appropriation of it. The appropriation was known to Blomefield (vol. iii. p. 31), who says that it was confirmed by Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury.

It is probably a Charter of John de Oxford, who preceded John de Grey in the see of Norwich, and cannot be earlier than 1175. The expression "in eodem loco de

novo plantato" seems to point to a period nearer to the date of this instrument than 1160, to about which time Tanner fixes the foundation of Normansbergh. I place it in the reign of Richard the First, as Hubert, whose confirmation would doubtless be nearly contemporaneous with this grant, did not attain his dignity till A. D. 1193.

VI.

Grant by JOHN Bishop of NORWICH to RALPH ROMAN of certain houses in LINNE which had belonged to ISAAC a Jew, of NORWICH, A. D. 1214. at the request of KING JOHN.

OMNIBUS sanctæ Matris Ecclesiæ filiis ad quos præsens scriptum pervenerit: JOHANNES divina miseratione NORWIC: ecclesiæ minister humilis in salutis auctore salutem. Ad notitiam vestram volumus pervenire nos ad preces Domini nostri JOHANNIS illustris Regis ANGLIÆ dedisse et concessisse dilecto nostro in Christo RADULFO ROMANO et heredibus suis domos quas ISAHAC Judeus de NORWICO habuit in LINNA, sicut prædictus Judeus easdem habuit. Reservato nobis et successoribus nostris in perpetuum annuo servicio quod prædictus Judeus pro jam dictis domibus Ut autem hæc nostra donatio valida perreddere consueverat. maneat in futurum et firma, eam præsentis scripti munimine et sigilli nostri appositione duximus roborandam. Hiis testibus; Domino R. de Tywa Archidiacono de Gipeswiz, Magistro Simone de Taneto, Johanne de Micleham, Elia Benardi clerico, et multis aliis. Data per manum nostram in Pictavia apud Tailleburgum pridie Kalendas Octobris anno Pontificatus nostri sexto decimo.

This eminent prelate, John de Grey, died "in territorio Pictaviensi," according to M. Paris (Ed. 1644, p. 175), “a curia Romana rediens." The grant before us must have been one of his latest acts, as no one has extended the period of his possession of the Episcopal dignity beyond the sixteenth year, and Godwin says that he died in the 15th year of his pontificate. The date usually assigned to his death is the kalends of November 1214; but the year, according to the English computation, would be 1215. The clause "ad preces domini nostri Johannis illustris Regis Angliæ" is warranted by similar expressions in other charters or records.

The character is fine, and the ink of remarkable blackness.