[273.]

THABBOT hath in Bereforde of the yifte of Doyl|liuorum and confirmacion of bysshopys and of the chapiter of lincoln, ij. parties of all tithis of the Demayne of Syr Richard of seyton and of Raph Dyue and of Gilbert clerke and of Symond Smyth*. ['fabri.'] the which holde dj. a yerde londe of the Demayne, and of A crofte of Aliȝaundur Smyth*. ['fabri.']: and hit is to be knowe þat thabbot of Oseneye taketh all the tithe holy of ix. acris i-chose of all the Demayne of Richard Seyt

[274.]

KNOWE all men to the which this present writyng schall come that where A strife was i-mevyd, by the popys auctorite, afore the lordys Deene and chaunceler of Sarisbury, bitwene þabbot and couent of Oseneye, of the oone partie, and Hugh person*. ['rectorem,' in the Latin, is always Englished 'parson' in this book.] of Bereforde, of the other, vppon ij. parties of smale tithis comyng forthe of the Demayne of Syr Roger Verdun of Bereford*. [Name noted in the margin.], of þ^e which tithis the saide chanons by the same Hugh saide them-selfe i-spoylyd, At þ^e laste, the stryfe, of the consent of bothe parties, vndur this forme restid: þat is to say, the saide Hugh, as to the foresaide tithis, Page  207 of the saide chanons the ryȝght fully knowlegid-agayne*. ['recognovit.'], and þoo tithis ffrely and quietly to take to them he grauntid, and hee schall not let hem but that thaye mowe take the saide tithis, and þese hee byhete*. ['promisit.'] by goode feyth; And the sayde chanons, to the same Hugh, arrerages of the foresaide tithis, and expenses in the stryfe i-made, relesyd: And, of the consente of the parties, [there*. [Added from the Latin.] was reserved jurisdiction to the judges to compel the parties] to the kepyng of the saide composicion. And in-to witnesse of this thyng, to this [folio 60b] composicion were i-hanged the synes of the Jugges, also with the parties.

[275.]

KNOW thoo þat ben now and to be that I, Anneys of chayney, in my pure widowhoode, yafe and graunted, and with this my present charter confermed, to god and to the church of saynte marie of Oseneye and to the chanons þere seruyng god, In-to ffree pure and perpetuell almes, for the helth of the sowle of Symonde maydewell (sometyme my husbande) and for the helth of my sowle and of my ffadur and of my modur and of my aunceturs and of my successours, all that curtilage In bereforde*. [Name noted in margin.] that is i-callyd Westbecten*. ['Westleicton' in Christ Church MS.; 'Westlectune' in Cotton MS.], to make A howse to the tithis to be layde and to howses to be made the which, to whoome-so-euer they wille, they maye sett or lette, and ij. acrys of londe in the feldes of Bereforde, that is to saye; j. acre at the crosse and at the thorne bitwene Bereforde and Neunton*. ['Neutone' in Cotton MS.] vndur the hyȝgh-waye and butteth In-to the hygh|waye, and j. acre agaynste*. ['ex opposito illius acre.'] euen of the same acre In A-noþer felde [uppon] langdoune; and the tithe of ix. acres of my best corne in bereford, the which my aunceturs to whome-so-euer þaye wolde yafe hit, of the which the church of Bereforde receyueth no parte And*. [Read 'because that' 'eo quod.'] that the church of Blokesham j. acre of my demayne euery yere receyueth. I wyll also that the foresayde chanons and there tenauntes the foresaide tenement haue and holde and*. ['et possideant in perpetuum': i.e. 'yifte and' is brought in, in error, from below. An explanation of the many errors of this sort is that the translator began on the wrong line, and then went back to the proper place, without erasing his false start.] haue possession (yifte and) for euer, free Page  208 and quite fro all seruice. And, that this my yifte [and] graunte abyde sure and stabull for euer, þis present writyng with the puttyng-to of my seale I haue i-strenghtid hit, et cetera.

[276.]

KNOW þoo that ben now and to be þat I, Symonde maydewell, by the counesell and assent of Anneys my wyffe, yafe and grauntyd, and with this my charter confermyd, to god and to the church of Saynte marye of Oseney and to the chanons þere seruyng god, In-to free pure and perpetuell almys, for the helth of my sowle and of Anneys my wyffe and of my heyres and for the sowle of Willyam of chaney and of all myne aunceturs and successours, all that curtilage In Bereforde*. [Name noted in margin.] þat is i-callyd Westbecton*. ['Westleicton,' in Latin.], [to*. [Added from the Latin. The translator has run together two separate deeds.] build a house for the storing of their tithes, or to erect houses which they may let to whom|soever they please. I will also that the foresaid canons have, hold, and possess the foresaid tenement, free and quiet of all service. And that this, &c. These witnesses, Richard of Beauchamp, &c.

[277.]

KNOW þoo that ben now and to be þat I, Symonde maydewell, . . . yafe*. [Terms of introduction as in no. 276.] . . . to . . . Oseney . . . the] tithe*. [The English version resumes after the omission.] of ix. acris of my best corne In bereforde, the which myne aunceturs yafe to whoome þaye wold, of the which the church of Bereforde noo parte receyueth, in al so moche as the church of Blokesham receyueth oone acre euery yere of my demayne. [folio 61] And þat this my yevyng, et cetera.

[278.]

KNOWE all men to the which this wrytyng schall come that when, vppon ij. partes of all tithes more and lasse and*. [Read 'in' in place of 'and.'] all the oolde demaynes of the maner of Sayton, that in oolde tyme was i-founde and callyd maydewell, ande in the maner of Dyue, in the towne and feldes of bereforde*. [Name noted in margin.] seynte Myȝghell, of what-soo-euer and howsoeuer comyng forthe, bitwene the religiouse men Abbot and couent of the monastery of saynte marye of Oseneye of lincoln diocese, actors, of þe Page  209 oone parte, and syre Willyam Ropele, persone of þ^e church of Bereforde of the foresaide same diocese, gilty, of the other party, by A prouacion*. ['prouocacionem.'] and appele of the parte of the saide religiouse men to the pope, and for*. ['pro tuicione.'] tuicion to the courte of canturbery for*. ['ob quasdam causas suggestas rite et legitime interiectas.'] certen causes i-stered by custome & lawfully i-cast . . .

*. [[NOTE.—The book ends in the middle of a sentence. The substance of the composition is that Oseney is to have (a) of the old demesne-lands, two-thirds of the tithe-sheaves; (b) of the manor of Maidwell, the whole tithe of nine acres (as in no. 277), and half of certain specified small tithes (viz. of wool, of lambs, and of calves); (c) of the manor of Dyue, half of the same small tithes; while the rectory of Barford St. Michael is to have (a) the other third, or half, of said tithes, with the whole tithe of certain specified tilths; (b) the whole tithe of all novalia, meadows, mills, and foraria; (c) the whole tithe of milk of the manors of Maidwell and of Dyue; (d) the whole tithe of a dovehouse and of a specified placea in Dyue. This deed brings us to leaf 93 back of the Christ Church Latin Register.]]