The English register of Oseney abbey / by Oxford, written about 1460. Ed., with an introduction and indexes, by Andrew Clark.

[XI. Of Medley (near Oxford)]

[68.]

Note that Oseney and the Wyke were held of Oxford town, at a quit-rent of 13s. 4d.

HIT is to be remembrid howe we haue Midleye and þe Wike and oþer pertinences of þe yifte of þe Burgesis of oxon|forde, paying to þe same for þe yifte and warantiȝyng j. marke of [folio 18a] siluer, þe which truly marke þe saide Burgesis asseyned to þe priory of ffrideswith [to [Added from the Latin.] be paid by our hands, for the penalty laid on them] for þe deth of clerkes sumtyme hangid of [i.e. by them: 'ab eisdem.'] þe same.

[[NOTE.—Two things, widely apart in time, are to be distinguished in this memorandum. First, is the conveyance (reason not stated) of Medley to Oseney by Oxford town in 1147, the quit-rent (no. 69) being 6s. 8d. Afterwards, this quit-rent was doubled (no. 70), on fresh warranty being given. A sufficient reason for this warranty is found in the claim made for possession of Medley by St. Frideswyde's priory (Wigram's Cart. S. Frid., i. 36-8), which the town staved off (1191) by agreeing to pay 8s. yearly to the priory. In 1209 happened the 'sus|pensio clericorum,' for which the town was laid under interdict. In 1214, the town submitted and agreed to pay a sum yearly to the University through St. Frides|wyde's and Oseney; changed in 1219, to through Einsham. The assignment of the 13s. 4d. quit-rent to St. Frideswyde's by the town is no doubt part of the 1214 arrangements. Wood's City of Oxford, i. 330, wrongly dates the affray in 1144, to make it coincident with the original conveyance of the island.]]

[69.] Mydley: of the gyfte of the Citiȝens of Oxford.

1147. Grant to Oseney, by Oxford town, of Medley island, quit-rent 6s. 8d.

BE hit i-knowe to all true men of holy church both present and to be that we, Citesyns of oxonforde, of þ^e commune of þe Cite and þ^e yelde of marchauntes, for þ^e stabulnese of all þe

reame and state and welth of our Kyng ande quene and of here Soones also and for owr helth and of all our and for þe Sowles of our fadurs and modurs and of our aunceturs, yefe and graunte, in-to perpetuell almes, to þe church of god and of Seynte Marye of Osney and to þe chanons þere seruyng god, our Ile þe which is i-callid Midley, with all thynges to hit perteynyng In londes & medes and in pastures, with all þe same liberteis and customs þe which þere owr aunceturs had with ffre grauntyng of Kynges, and we after them, so naþeles that euery ȝere þe same chanons pay dj. a marke of Siluer for that same tenure or holde ['or holde' is an alternative rendering of 'tenura.'] where we shall commaunde. This yevyng and grauntyng we haue i-maade with þ^e commune assent in portemannet ['portmanmot.'] , and this we made in þ^e chapiter of Oseney Afore þ^e chanons of þe same place, and In þ^e presence of William Chenet our Aldirman, and ['et per eum et postea cum ipso super altare cum textu obtulimus.' Does 'cum textu' refer to the oath on the gospels, as in nos. 154, 219?] by hym and afterwarde with hym vppon þe Auter with texte we offerid hit. Of this ȝifte and graunte Witnisse Edwarde [Should be Everard.] Abbot of Thame: þese witnesses, et cetera.

[70.]

About 1192. Confirma|tion to Oseney, by Oxford town, of Medley, as in no. 69, but with 6s. 8d. added to the quit|rent be|cause of warranty now given.

BE hit i-knowe bothe to men that be nowe and to be þat we, Citisens of Oxonford, of þe commune of þe Cite and of þe Marchaundis yelde, for owr helth and of our and for þ^e Sowles of our kennesfolkes and of our aunceturs, graunte, and with our present charter conferme, to þe Church of Seynte marye of Oseney and to þe chanons þere seruyng god, þe yifte þe which our aunceturs maade to þem of þe Ile of Midley with his pertinences, so that Euery yere at þ^e fest of Seynte Mighell þ^e same chanons paye dj. j. marke for þis tenure where we shall commaunde þem, as witnesseth þ^e charter of our aunceturs þat þey maade to þem of þ^e yifte of þe same Ile. ffurþermore, for|asmoche as we haue i-take in our hande, for vs and for our heyres, to warantiȝe þ^e forsaide Ile to þ^e same chanons in Euerych place and ['et versus omnes homines.'] to all men, þey for this warantiȝynge shall paye to vs and to our heyres Euery ȝere at Estur a-noþer dj. marke, þ^e which þey shall take ['tradent.'] to whome we wille bidde; and we and our heyres feyȝhtfully shall warantiȝe to þem þe

forsaide tenement by þe seruice of þ^e forsaide marke yerly for all thynges and all seruices. This our grauntyng and con|firmacion we haue i-made with þ^e commune counsell of þe Cite, and with þe communall Seele haue i-confermed hit. And þese ben þey þe which þis grauntyng and confermyng haue i-made Nigell that tyme Deene of Oxonforde, John Kepeherme and Henry fiȝt Sigrim þen Aldirman, laurence Kepeherme and thomas of tadmarton, þen pretores or pletoures [Latin is simply 'tunc pretores.'] , petur ffiȝt Geffrey, and other [Latin is 'etc.'] , and all þ^e commune of þe Citisyns of þe Cite of oxonford.

[71.]

About 1155. Confirma|tion to Oseney, by Henry II, of no. 69.

HENRY, Kyng of Inglonde, Duke of Normandye and of Gien, and Erle of Aungie, to Robert [Robert de Chesney, bp. of Linc. 1148-66.] , Bisshoppe [folio 18b] of lincolu, and to þe Barons of oxonfordeshire and to þ^e Citisyns of oxon|forde helth. Knowe ȝe me to haue i-grauntid, and to haue i-confermed, to þe church of god and of Seynte Marye of Osney and to þabbot and Couent þere seruyng god, for my helth and of myne, þat ȝifte þ^e which þe Citisyns of Oxonforde haue i-maade to þe church of Seynte Marye of Osney and to þe chanons þere seruyng god [of] þ^e Ile ['de insula.'] þ^e which is i-callid Midleye, so þat Euery ȝere þe forsaide chanons paye dj. a marke of Siluer for þat tenure where þe same Citisyns wille com|maunde, as þe charter of þ^e forsaide Citisyns witnesseth. Wherefore I will and ['et firmiter precipio'; 'or charge' is an alternative rendering.] Surely commaunde or charge þat þe chanons holde well and In peece, and frely and worschipfully, nowe þe saide Ile ['iamdictam insulam.'] , as Euery [Read 'ever': 'unquam.'] oony man hit best or worschip|fulliste helde. Witnisses Thomas [Thomas Becket, chancellor 1154-62.] owr chaunceler, Richard of Hum, Gocell, of [Joscelyne de Bailol.] Bayll.: at Sausburye.