The english register of Godstow nunnery, near Oxford : written about 1450 / edited with an introduction by Andrew Clark.

ASTHALLEIGH, by Burford.

[NOTE.—It is not clear to me whether the first and second deeds in this series do, or do not, refer to the same yardland. If not, there is no further notice of the first yardland. This Asthalleigh, or Asthallingleigh, occurs in the Hundred Rolls and in old Gazetteers as a hamlet in Asthall parish, i.e. on the Windrush, about three miles east of Fulbrook, which is a hamlet of Burford. Thomas Warton, in his History of Kiddington, mentions a place with a similar name, Asterley or Asteley, as a decayed parish merged in Kiddington. For Reginald of St. Valerie see pp. 38, 39. In 1540, at the dissolution (Monast. iv. 372), Burford Hospital was still paying the 12s. quit-rent for this property.]

[folio VIb(18b)] A chartur of Reynold fiȝt wydo to h. of seynt w.

About 1200. Sale to Henry of St. Valerie, by Reginald of St. Va|lerie, son of Wido, of Robert son of Ord|rich's yard|land, subject to yearly quit|rent of 12d. Purchase|money, £3 6s. 8d.

THE sentence of thys chartur is, that Reynold of seynt Walery, the sone of Gwyd, yaf & grauntyd to henri of seynt walery for homage & hys seruice that yerd of londe in the fraunchyse of Estallingleye, with all hys pertinences, the whych Robert the sone of ordrich held. Furthermore the seyd R. wyllid the forseyd H. to haue & hold, of hym & hys heyrys, to hym & hys heyrys, the fore-sayde londe frely & vtturly vndur a yerly rent of xij. d to be payd to opichi ['Operichi' in the Latin.] & hys heyrys at Estallingleye at to termys of the yer, that is to sey, at cristmas [These strange half-yearly terms are faithfully translated from the Exchequer MS. 'Natale Domini: Festum Sancti Michaelis.'] vj. d, at Michaelmas vj. d, for all seruice and demaundis that longyn to hym or to hys heyrys, sauynge the seruice dewe to the kynge also muche as longythe to that yerdlonde. And, for the seyde Reynolde of seynt walery & hys heyrys warantysyd the seyd londe with hys pertinences to the seyd H., he [folio VII(19)] yaf to the forseyd R. for thys yft & graunt v. Marke of syluer in gerssum. And þat thys yft shuld not be dowtfull to no man, he sett to hys seele: & is with-out date.

[folio VIb(18b)] a chartur of R. of seynt walery to h. of seynt w. of þ^e lond in estallingley.

About 1200. Sale to Henry of St. Valerie, by Reginald of St. Va|lerie, of a yardland, subject to 1d. quit|rent to St. Frides|wyde's priory, and to Alan of Ful|brook's and his wife's life|interests.

THE sentence of thys chartur is, that Reynold of seynt Walery hathe grauntyd & yaf, Also hathe confermyd with hys chartur, to henry of seynt walery, for hys homage & seruice, j. yerd of lond in the town of astringley [Sic.] with all hys pertenencys, that lond the whyche Aleyn fulbroc held of hym. The forseyd yerd-londe he willid to be holde & hadde of hym & hys heyrys to the forseyd henry & hys heyrys or assynys, frely, quietly, pesybly & hoole fro all accion, exaccion & all seruice, savinge the ryall, paynge ther-of yerly to the prior of seynt Frideswyth j. d in the day of seynt Michael: & for thys graunt, yeft & confirmacion the forseyd henry of seynt walery yaf to the forseyd R. of seynt walery vj. Marke of syluer byfore handys. And the seyd alane of fulbruc & hys wyfe shull holde the forseyd yerd-londe all the days of her lyfe, and aftur her decease the fore-namyd yerdlond shal turne hoole to h. of seynt walery or to hys assinis. And, that thys graunt, yeft & confirmacion shuld be sure afturward, the seyd R. put to hys seele: & is with-out date.

[folio VII(19)] a chartur of henry of seynt walery of j. yerde londe in Estallingeley.

About 1210. Grant to Godstow, by Henry of St. Valerie, of the serf Alan, his family, and his land (as in no. 280).

THE sentence of thys chartur is that Henry of seynt walery yaf grauntyd & confermyd with hys wrytynge to the churche of God & of seynt Iohn Baptist of Godstowe & to the holy Mynchons there seruinge god, for the helthe of hys sowle & of the sowlys of hys aunceturs & of hys hyerys, Alan of Estallingeleye with hys chyldryn that comyn of hym; j. yerdlond in Estallingleie, the whyche the same Aleyn holdyth, the whyche he bowht of Roger of seynt walery, the forseyd h. of seynt walery wyllyd the forseyd holy mynchons to hold & to haue to hem in-to free & perpetual almys, doynge to the kynge & to hys heyrys seruice that he owyd to do to hem, as hyt is conteynyd in the chartur of the same Roger: and that hyt myht byde sure, he put to hyt hys seele: & is with-out date.

A confirmacion of h. of seynt w. of þ^e same.

1220, April 1. Confirma|tion to Godstow, by Henry of St. Valerie, of Alan's yardland (probably no. 281), possibly on extinction of the life|interests in no. 280.

THE sentence of thys chartur is, that Henry of seynt walery yaf grauntyd & confirmyd with hys wrytynge to the church of god & of our lady seynt mary & of seynt Iohn Baptiste of God|stowe, & to the holy mynchons there seruynge god & to serue for euyr, for the helthe of hys sowle & of the sowles of hys aunceturs & heyrys, in-to free pure & perpetual almys, j. yerd|londe at Estallingleie with hys pertinences the whyche he bowht of hys forseyd lorde Reynold, that is to say, the yerde-lond that alyn of the leghe helde, & what so euyr thynge that he hadde or myht haue in the same yerdlonde, he wyllyd the forenamid minchons to haue & to holde of hym & hys heyrys, in all places & in all thynges, with alle fredoms & free customs, hole, frely & in rest fro all rent custome seruice & exaccion, sauynge the seruice that is dewe to hys forseyd lorde Reynolde of the same yerd-londe. Furthermore he & hys heyrys warantiȝid to the fore-seyd holy mynchons the fore-seyd almys agaynist all men & women: and for to make hyt sure he put to hys seele. The date is of the yere of grace a thowsand. CC^o. xx^o. the fyrst day of aprile.

[Exchequer-MS. folio 182] Agreement between Alice of Gorges, abbess of Godstow, and Robert son of Walter as to arrears of a rent-charge.

1300/1, Feb. 27. Agreement between Godstow, and Robert, son of Walter, to postpone distraining for arrears of a quit|rent till after the expiry of his lease. Fee paid, 6s. 8d.

ROBERT, son of Walter of Asthall, claims to hold a messuage and yardland, with a croft and meadow, of the fee of Godstow in Estallyngleye, under a ten years' lease from Alice, widow of Walter le fere, and by payment (in quarterly instalments) of a quit-rent of 12s. yearly to Godstow. But in the time of Walter le fere deceased arrears (1288-1300) of this quit-rent were incurred to the amount of £6 12s. Robert now bargains to remain undisturbed during his lease, on condition of duly paying the quit-rent, and not to be held liable for arrears incurred [Rawl.-MS. folio 148] afore [The English Register begins again after a lost leaf.] the makyng of this presente writyng to be made. And that nother they ne none by them or in ther name

myght ne ought to distreyne the said Robert his heires or his assignes, nother in no wise yeve occasion for ony maner arreragis of the forsaid rente, duryng his termes of x. yeres, in the forme aforesaid. Natheles, full power reserued to them in all wise to distreyne euery tenemente [In error for 'tenant.'] , after the forsaid terme of the forsaid x. yere fully I-complete, for the forsaid arreragis for all the tyme behynde afore the makyng of þis present writyng tille hit were I-satisfyed fully therof to them, For the which graunte, pease to be had, and respite hangyng the terme of x. yere of the aboue arreragis, the forsaid Robert yaf to them half a marke of siluer be-fore handes. Into witnesse of the whiche thynge, & cetera.

[folio VII(19)] A couenant I-made by þ^e abbas of Godestowe to the prior of borford.

1338. Grant by Godstow, to St. John Baptist Hospital, Burford, of a yardland (probably no. 280), subject to a quit-rent of 12s.

THE sentence of thys conuencion is, that Margerye Dyne, abbesse of Godstowe, & the couent of the same place grauntyd & yaf licence, for hyr & hyr successours, to the prior of the hospital of seynt Iohn of borforde & to the couent of the same place, & to her successours, for to appropur a yerde-londe with the pertinens in Estallingleie, the whyche Iohn of Cornewayle helde of the seyd abbas & Couent, so that the for-seyd prior & couent of the same place & her successours pay ther-of yerly, to the fornamyd abbas & Couent, xij. shillings, at iiij. termys of þ^e yer, for all seculer exaccion & demaunde. I-yef at Godstowe the xij. yere of kynge Edward.