hijs, Rob. Archid. Cestrie, magro Willo Dured, Ernulpho capello, Petro de Bury, Henr. de Lond, J. decano de Mamecestr.,* Nich. de Croston, Stepho de Waleton, magro Pho Sampson, Rob. clerico de Budiford, Rob. de Nouant, Galfro Saluagio, Patricio de Prestecot, Hug. clerico de Wynewhik, Ric. de Prestecot, R. de Heyton, Philippo de Kynton.

VIII. Scriptum Alberti de Grellet de iiij parte ecclesie de
Eccles facta W. clerico.

NIUERSIS sancte matris ecclesie filijs tam futuris quam presentib3 clericis et laicis Albertus Grelli, salutem. Notum sit vobis me dedisse et concessisse et hac carta

*The Rural Dean of Manchester; an office, according to Dr. Whitaker, the historian of Manchester, of great antiquity in the Anglican Church. "The Rural Deans," he says, 66 were constituted at the same time with the parish priest, and Lancashire was partitioned into Rural Deaneries very early in the seventh century." There are very strong reasons, however, for supposing that Deans Rural did not exist in England at the period alluded to, nor have any authentic traces of their establishment been discovered until the eleventh century.

+ Albert de Greslei, the son of Robert de Greslei, who founded an abbey of Cistercians at Swineshed in Lincolnshire, A.D. 1134. He married Agnes, daughter of William Fitz-Nigel, baron of Halton, (ante, p. 1,) and received the thegn-lands of Manchester as a portion. He died circa 1185, and was succeeded by his son, Robert de Greslei, æt. 11, 28 Henry II.

de Longchamp, and had issue,

1. Thomas de Greslei.

2. Alan.

He married

daughter of Henry

He died A.D. 1230, 15 Henry III., and was succeeded by his son and heir, Thomas de Greslei, who was constituted, 43 Henry III., warden of the king's forests south of Trent. He died circa 1261, and was succeeded by his only son, Robert de Greslei, dominus de Manchester, who, 8 Edward I., married Hawyse, daughter and coheir of John de Burgh, son of Hubert, Earl of Kent. He had a son and daughter,

1. Thomas.

2. Joane.

mea confirmasse Willo clerico de Eccles quartam partem ecclesie de Eccles ex illa parte que fuit Haisolfi patris sui et Mathei fratris sui post decessum Haisolfi. Tenend. in vita sua libere et quiete cum omnib; ptinentijs que ad eam ptinet in purā et ppetua elemosynā p anima patris mei et matris mee et p meipso et uxore mea et pueris meis et p animab; omnium antecessorum meorum. Hijs testib3, Ric. capello eiusdem Alberti, Gilberto capello, Rob. capello Mamecestr., Jurdano clerico eiusdem ville, Helia clerico de Eccles, Ric. clerico de Leuer, Roberto de Biron, Hug. de Neuill, Uriano Basset, Rob. de Pōtewyk, Lesyngo de Leuer, Walto de Herlas, Henr. Hauteyn, Rad. de Roby, Willo clerico qui hanc cartam scripsit.

IX. Quieta clamatio Gilberti de Barton de ecclesia de Eccles.

MNIBUS sancte matris ecclesie filijs presentib3 et futuris
Gilbertus de Barton salutem. Nouerit uniuersitas vestra

me cōcessisse et hac presenti carta mea cöfirmasse Abbati et monachis Loci Benedicti de Stanlawe donationem dñi mei Johannis de Lascy, comitis Linc. constab. Cestrie, scil. de terris cum aduocatia ecclesie de Eccles cum omnib3 libertatib3 quas illis dimisi et vendidi pro hac quietatia quam p me fecit erga Aaron, Judeum Ebor, prout in mea carta illi facta continetur. Hanc autem cōfirmationem feci illis p salute anime mee et antecessorum et successorum meorum in puram et ppetuam elemosynam. Et ut hec mea confirmatio rata sit et imppetuu incōcussa presentem cartam sigilli mei munimine corroboraui. Hijs testib3, dño Thoma de sancto Nicho

Robert de Greslei died 1283, and was succeeded by his son,

Thomas de Greslei, who was summoned to Parliament from 1 to 4 Edward II. He died A.D. 1347, leaving his sister and heiress,

Joane, who married John de la Warre, the ancestor of the present Earl Delawar. This name is an instance of the great laxity of ancient orthography. It is spelt indiscrimately Greslei, Greslet, Grelli, Grelley, Grelle and Gredeley.

G

tunc archid. Cestrie, dño Johanni offic., Ric. de Standyssh, Ric. Biron, Galfr. Biron, H. tunc psona de Eccles, toto capitulo de Weryngton.

X. Restitutio dimidie bouate terre in Eccles.

NIUERSIS ad quos presens scriptum puenerit Willmus filius Willi clerici de Eccles salutem in dño. Noueritis me dedisse et omnino de me et heredib3 meis imppetuum quietu clamasse dñis meis Abbati et conuentui Loci Benedicti de Stanlawe et successorib; suis octo acras terre cum ptinentijs de terra ecclesie de Eccles p illa dimidia bouata terre de terra predicte ecclesie quam predictus Willmus pater meus de dictis Abbate et conuentu tenuit ad terminum vite p conuentionem, et unde cōtentio inter ipsos et me fuit post obitum patris mei antedicti. De quib3 videl. octo acris, quinq. acre et dimidia et una pticata iacent p se in le Bromhousefeld. Residuum vero octo acrarum quod deest in le Bromhousefeld iacet ex altera parte ecclesie de Eccles p plures pticulas inter le Hengendebank et aquam de Irwel p metas ibidem positas in confectione presentium. Quas quidem octo acras terre cum ptinentijs suis ita quiete volo dictis dñis meis et successorib; suis imppetuum remanere, quod ego et heredes mei nichil in eisdem de cetero exigere vel vendicare poterimus. In cuius rei testimonium sigilli mei impressio presenti scripto est appensa. Hijs testib3, dño Henr. de Lee tunc vic. Lanc.,* dño Galfr. de Bracebrugg tunc senesc. Mamecestr., Willo de Gryngel tunc receptore dicti loci, Henr. de Trafford, Dauid de Hulton, Rico de Workedel, Ric. de Bolton, Rob. de Schoresworth, Ad. de Hulm et alijs.

XI. Carta Willielmi de Eccles facta Johanni fratri suo
de xvj acris terre.

S

CIANT presentes et futuri quod ego Willmus clericus de

Eccles dedi et concessi et hac presenti carta mei cöfirmaui Johanni fratri meo sex decim acras terre et unū gardinū in villa de Eccles, illas scil. quas Hugo frater Willi tenuit et terram quam Willus fil. Alani tenuit. Tenend. et habend. libere et quiete integre et pacifice in puram et ppetuam elemosynam de me et heredib3 meis sibi et heredib3 suis vel assignatis suis. Reddendo inde annuatim unam libram thuris pro omni seruicio et exactione Deo et ecclesie de Eccles ad assumptionem beate Marie. Hijs testib3, Rob. de Hulton, Hug. de Haselu, Galfr. de Bur., Hug. de Eccles, Ric. de Bolton, Galfr. de Workedel, Ric. de Schoresworth, Ric. clerico et alijs.

XII. Carta Thome capellani de Flekho facta Willmo
clerico de Eccles.

NIUERSIS Cristi fidelib3 ad quos presens scriptum puenerit, Thom. capellanus de Flekho salute. Nouerit uniuersitas vestra me, anno decem nouenalis cicli septimo a translatione sancti Thome martyris tertio, cōcessisse et tradidisse Willo filio Willi clerici de Eccles quandam portionem quam habeo in ecclesia de Eccles a Rogero de Notton mihi assignatā. Tenend. de me ad firmā tota vita mea et vita ipsius. Reddendo inde sex marcas añuatim, scil. tres marcas in crastino diei pasche, et tres marcas in festo sancti Michaelis. Idem vero sustinebit omia onera dicte portionis in omib3 de quib3 mihi fideliter respondebit. Se et fide et sacramento corporaliter prestito et sub pena amissionis dicti beneficij

a me recepti mihi obligauit de cōseruanda mihi omniōda fidelitate tam in verbis quam in factis et de solutione dicte firme statutis terminis fideliter et sine difficultate facienda. Et quod nec dictam portionem nec decimas nec obuentiones vel terras ad ipsam ptinentes alienabit siue vendendo vel ad firmam ponendo nisi de pmissione mea et de voluntate mea. Si vero contra predictam obligationem in aliquo venire acceptauerit subiecit se iurisdictioni Abbatis de Cubermere et Archid. Cestrie quicunq. p tempore fuerit. Renunciando appellationi et fori priuelegio ut compellant eum a possessione dicte firme recedere sine omni contradictione et reclamatione. Idem vero W. assignauit mihi omnes obuentiones dicte portionis in matrice ecclesia de Eccles pcipiend. p firma mea a crastino diei pasche in quatuor annos sequentes. Saluis sibi obuentionib; de Saynte Marieden, et terra de Eccles. Elapsis vero quatuor annis dictas obuentiones in manu sua recipiet. Solutis tamen mihi prius eodem die trib3 primis marcis dicte firme et prestita cautione quam videro expedire de terminis sequentib3 fideliter obseruand. In huius rei testimonium et securitatem presenti scripto sigillum meum apposui. Hijs testib3, Magistro R. de Maidestan archid. Cestrie, Rob. canonico sancti Johis Cestrie, Ric. de Standish, Witt et Robto et Henro et Greg. capellis sancti Joħis Cestrie, Matheo et Henr. capellis sancti Nichi, J. cantore sancti Joh. Cestr. et multis alijs.

S

XIII. Carta Willi de Eccles facta Alicie sorori sue.

CIANT presentes et futuri quod ego Willmus de Eccles

dedi cōcessi et hac presenti carta mea cōfirmaui Alicie sorori mee p homagio et seruicio suo totam terram quam Joh. de Wordeley de me prius tenuit in villa de Eccles. Habend. et tenend. de me et heredib3 meis sibi et heredib3 suis, libere, quiete, integre, et pace cum omnib3 libertatib3 et aisiamentis dicte terre ptinentib3.

in