The history and antiquities of Boston, and the villages of Skirbeck, Fishtoft, Freiston, Butterwick, Benington, Leverton, Leake, and Wrangle; comprising the hundred of Skirbeck, in the county of Lincoln. Including also a history of the East, West, and Wildmore fens, and copious notices of the Holland or Haut-Huntre fen ... sketches of the geology, natural history, botany, and agriculture of the district; a very extensive collection of archaisms and provincial words, local dialect, phrases, proverbs, omens, superstitions, etc. By Pishey Thompson. Illustrated with one hundred engravings.

534 BENINGTON'.
Gilbert de Benington gave evidence in a dispute affecting the Abbot of Croyland in 1191.1 In 1203, Ralph, the son of Alan, acknowledged two acres and
three perches of land which he held, to be the property and to belong in free
eleemosynary to the Church of Benington.2 Ralph Fenn held land of the honour
of Richmond in 1236.3 In 1274, Ralph, son of - Hingley de Benington,
was a juror before the King's justices on an inquisition held at Stamford.4
The King's receiver (Richard de Clyfford) stated, in his Compotus for 1276,
that 51. 18s. 2d. was due to the King for rents, &c., upon the manor of Benington, &c., which belonged to Oliver de Batonica, and also from tenants holding
under the said manor.5 Queen Eleanor, mother of Edward I., claimed to have
her view of frank-pledge and liberty to hold a market weekly on Thursday,
with the power of pillory, ducking-stool, and gallows, and free warren in her
manor of Benington.6 The jury decided that the Queen held such manor in
right of dower, and that the reversion of such manor belonged to the King: this
decision was made in 1281, 9th Edward I. In this year Luke Peche and Ralph
de Rochford held the fifth part of one fee, and owed " scutage and relief; " and
John de Bacon held one fee in Benington of the honour of Richmond, and
rendered yearly 10s. In 1283, Alice, widow of Richard Manger of Benington,
failed to recover from Ralph, vicar of the church of Benington, and Henry de
la Chambers, certain property in Benington, which she claimed in right of
dower.7 Gunchard, son of Hugh, and Andrew de Edlington, held land in
Benington about the end of the thirteenth century. This parish passed into the
possession of the Earls of Chester in the early part of the thirteenth century,
when Ralph Brundevill, Earl of Chester, married the heiress of the house of
Richmond. Ralph was divorced from his wife on pretence of adultery; she
afterwards married Guy de Thours, a nobleman of Brittany. The Earl of
Chester afterwards married Clementina, daughter of Ralph de Fougeres, and at
his death left her Benington for her jointure.
Benington was assessed at 41. is. 4d. to the none paid in 1297, upon live
stock and farming produce; the tax being 9s. 01d., which was paid by four
persons as follows:ROGER, the son of JOHN, was assessed for 1 horse, 3s.; 2 oxen, 8s.; 1 genet,
3s.; 1 quarter of wheat, 3s.; 1 quarter of maslin, 2s. 6d.; 1 quarter of beans,
is.; hay and fodder, Is.; and 1 cart, 10ld. Total assessment, 11. 2s. 4d.; tax,
2s. 5!d.
GILBERT DE GASTO was assessed for 1 horse, 5s.; 2 oxen, 8s.; I cow, 4s.;
1 quarter of wheat, 3s.; 2 quarters of maslin, 5s.; 2 quarters of beans, 4s.;
hay and fodder, 2s.; 1 cart, Is. Total assessment, 11. 12s.; amount of tax,
3s. 6-d.
RALPH, son of John, was assessed for 2 oxen, 8s.; 2 quarters of maslin, 5s.;
1 quarter of beans, is.; hay and fodder, Is. Assessment, 15s.; tax, is. 8d.
WILLIAM [VILLE was assessed for I ox, 4s.; 1 horse, 3s.; 1 quarter of maslin,
2s. 6d.; ~ quarter of beans, 12d.;:f quarter of oats, 9d.; hay and fodder, 9d.
Assessment, 12s.; tax, is. 4d.
Thus Benington was assessed at the end of the thirteenth century, or 550
years ago, for only 3 horses, 1 genet, or small horse, 7 oxen, 1 cow, 2 quarters
of wheat, 6 of maslin corn, I a quarter of oats, 41 quarters of beans and pease,
and 2 carts; and for hay and fodder, 4s. 9d.8
About the year 1300, "certain unknown malefactors broke by night into the' PETRUS BLESENSIS, P. 458. 5 Pipe Rolls, 4 Edward I.
2 Abbrev. Placitorum, p. 18. 6 Placita de quo woaranto, p. 399.
3 Additional MSS. No. 6118. 7 Chancery Proceedings, 11 Edward I.
4 i2lundred Rolls, vol. i. p. 348. s Subsidy Roll for the year.