The survey and antiquitie of the towne of Stamford in the county of Lincolne with its ancient foundation, grants, priviledges, and severall donations thereunto belonging : also a list of the aldermens names, and the time when they were chosen : with the names of 10 Lord Majors (of the Hon. city of London) borne in the foresaid county of Lincolne / written by Richard Butcher, Gent. ...

CHAP. III. (Book 3)

The Antiquities, ancient Priviledges and ancient owners of the Towne of Stamford.

MAster Cambden in his learned Britania in the Coun∣ty of Lincolne describes the scituation,* 1.1 stctruure, and generall Priviledges, anciently used in this Town in these words. In limite ad Wellandum flu∣minū Stamford sed et è Saxo structili unde et nomen aedificatum oppi••um frequens et varijs immunitatibus 〈◊〉〈◊〉, muro{que} firmatum Geldum per duodecem hundredis, et dimi∣di•• dedit in exercitu navigio et Dane-gelt, ibi{que} fuerunt sex custodiae. With this in part agrees the Booke of Crowland which makes mention of Stamford and Stamford-shire.

Moreover Iohn Stow in his Chronicle reports,* 1.2 that in the time of King Athelstone before the conquest, there was a Mint for the coy∣ning of Money in Stamford-Baron; so that without doubt the

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limits of the Iurisdiction and liberties of Stamford have been farre beyond what now they are.

The ancient owners of this Town have been many, but all hol∣ding from the Crown in chief, the Tower roll makes mention that King Iohn gave the Castle and Town of Stamford to William Earl Warren, after the death of which Earle Warren, Henry the third sei∣sed the Castle and Towne, and gave the same to Edward his sonne who held them, and when he came to be King he gave the same to Iohn Earle Warren; Iohn Earle Warren ga••e amongst other things the said Castle and Town againe to the King after his death▪ the said Iohn dyed the 21^th of Edward the third seised of the said Castle and Town for life, the remainder to the King as appeares by the inquisi∣tion upon the Tower Roll taken after the death of the said Iohn in the 21^th yeare of the said King Edward the third. Edward the third, after the death of the said Iohn Earle Warren, gave the said Ca∣stle and Towne to William de B••hume Earle of Northampton, and to his Heires males, and in default of such issue, the remainder to the King.

The said William Earle of Northampton dyed without Heires Males, whereupon the reversion of the said Castle and Town did a∣gaine returne into the Crown and so continued till the first of Ed∣ward the fourth, in which said first yeare by Letters Patents, bea∣ring date the 1. of Iune, the said King Edward the 4.th granted the said Town and Castle to his Mother Sisley Dutches of York for the terme of her life, the remainer to the King and his Heires, after the death of the said Sisley Dutches of York, the same remained in the Crown till the time of Queene Elizabeth, at what time William Cecell then newly made Lord Burleigh, a man great in the State and also lately become great in possessions in and about Stamford, being trusted by the Townsmen for the obtaining of the Fee-farme therof for the use of the Corporation, he obtained the same for him∣selfe, in whose posterity it as yet remaineth to the great disadvan∣tage of the said Town.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cambden Britta•• 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.2

  Stow, pag. 131.