A Fourteenth-Century Court Roll of the Manor of Ambree, Rochester

( 89 ) A EOURTEENTH-CENTTJRY COURT ROLL OE THE MANOR OE AMBREE, ROOHESTER. BY A. A. ARNOLD, P.S.A. EX-CHAPTER CLEEK. AMONG the possessions of the Prior and Convent of the Monastery of St. Andrew at Rochester was the manor or reputed manor of Ambree. It derived its name, no doubt, from the circumstance that the rents were collected, the Courts of the Manor assembled, and all their business was done at the Alms-bench or Almonry of the Monastery. "Apud le Ameribenche"* occurs in some law pleadings, 3 Henry VII. (A.D. 1487), as referring to the Courts of this manor, and on the outside cover of the book containing the Court Roll or extracts, which is the subject of this Paper, it is styled "The Manor of the Church of Rochester vocata Le Almerye." There may have been other variations in the name, but in the end it came to be simply " The Manor of Ambree." It is more than once so referred to in Fisher's History of Rochester (1772),f and in the records of the manor for the last few centuries that name only is used. The building known as the " Almonry," in which these Manor Courts were held, stood near the south-west corner of the Cathedral against the south wall of the western end of the nave, and had adjoining to it on its western side the Porter's Lodge and Gatehouse. After the dissolution of * The Prior claimed that one Patrick Stanes wrongfully withheld a house which he held of him hy fealty, at a certain fixed rent, and by the service of making suit in the Priors' Court. The words are: " per fidelitatem et reddi turn viginti denariorum et servicium faciendi sectam ad curiam ipsius Prioris vocatam Celeres Court tenendam apud le Ameribenche infra prioratum Ecclesie predicte." (Thorpe's Registrum Roffense, p. 585.) _t See Pisher's History of Rochester, pp. 210 and 239. VOI<. XXIX. B 9 0 A POURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL the Monastery and the constitution of the new body, the Dean and Chapter, by King Henry VIII., the Almonry was used as the official residence of one of the Canons,* and was appropriated to the fifth Canonry (afterwards annexed by Act of Parliament to the Provostship of Oriel College, Oxford), and continued to be so used until the latter end of the eighteenth century.f The old Almonry had by that time been demolished, and a new residence provided for the Provosts of Oriel in or near the Cathedral precincts and close to the Vines. The Porter's Lodge and Gatehouse had been removed some years earlier, according to an order of the Dean and Chapter, which ran as follows: " July 1744. Ordered that the old gate House and Porter's Lodge adjoining, being both very ruinous and dangerous, be taken down, and that the Provost's house be made good at the West end thereof by a strong and substantial wall." Although the Almonry had been so turned into a Canon's residence, it continued to be used as the meeting place for the Courts of this manor ; one of the last Courts so held in it met there on the 24th July 1766, and as the roll of that Court is preserved the heading of it can be given. It is as follows:— MANNOB OE AMBE.EE 1766. The Court Baron holden for the said Mannor belonging to the Reverend The Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Rochester Lords of the said Mannor on Priday the 24t h day of July in the Sixth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third hy the Grace of God of Great Britain Prance and Ireland King Defender of tlie Paith and so forth and in the year of our. Lord Christ 1766 at the Prebendal House belonging to the Reverend Chardin Musgrave Doctor in Divinity Provost of Oriel College Oxon within the Precincts of the said Cathedral Church and within the said Mannor being the accustomed place the Reverend $ one of the Prebendaries of the said Cathedral Church being then and there present—by Joseph Brooke Bsqre Steward to the said Dean and Chapter. * Pisher, p. 97. t See Mr. T. Shindler's The Registers of Rochester Cathedral (1892), p. 69. | A. blank }s lgffc for -the naine of the Prebendary, hut it was not inserted, OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 91 The manor was certainly peculiar in some respects, and although it seems always to have had a Court Baron, and. that such Cqurts exercised the usual privileges and duties, issuing distresses against the tenants in default, ordering enquiries, appointing guardians for infants, and so forth, yet there was no manor house-and no demesne lands, and the rents which were collected seem to have been only partly payable to the Prior as lord of the manor, or to the Prior and Convent for the common use of the Church; other parts were payable to various officers of the Monastery—the Chamberlain, the Sacrist, the Cellarer, etc.—and in the Custumale Roffense there are long schedules set out shewing the rents so payable and the various purposes to which they were to be applied. It would appear also from entries in the Roll of this Court, hereafter noted, that a separate Court and a separate Court Roll were in existence for the Cellarer's portion of the income,* and the Custumale distinctly states that the Sacrist also could hold a Court for the collection of his portion " si sibi placuerit."f The absence also of any mention of the manor in the Dotation Charter granted by the King to his newly appointed Dean and Chapter is a significant circumstance; and although the Manor itself appears to have passed to them, it must have been under the general words contained in that instrument which carried with them, besides the various manors and estates distinctly named therein, other possessions in Rochester of the former body, the Prior and Convent of the Monastery. But however this may be, it is certain that the Dean and Chapter continued to act as the lords of this manor, and they held their Courts and received the profits of it from the time of their foundation in 1542 until they surrendered all their estates in 1866$ to the Ecclesias- * See the entries hereafter in the Court held on festival of SS. Peter and Paul 22 Edward III. (June 1348), where the records of the Cellarers' Court are twice referred to thus: "prout ut patez in curia celerarii tenta anno, &c." and " prout ut patez in rotulo curie celerarii anno, &c." t Omnes suprascripti sunt libere tenentes, et heredes eorum releviahunt terras suas post mortem parentum suorum. Item omnes suprascripti debent sectam ad curiam Sacriste de tribus septimanis ad tres septimanas si sibi placuerit. (Thorpe's Custumale Roffense, p. 13.) % The Order in Council bears date the 9th August 1866, » 2 9 2 A POURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL tical Commissioners for the purpose of re-endowment. Prom the last-mentioned date the Commissioners have been thelords of this manor. The tenements, houses, etc., which were within the manor, and paid their quit-rents, and the owners of which rendered their services to the Manor Court, were scattered all through the city of Rochester, including Strood. There were also some payments made to the " redditus de Frindesbury," but it is doubtful what this expression means. According to the Manor Roll of 1766, already quoted from, there were at that time rather more than a hundred separate holdings which paid rent, most of the rents being of very small amount. The rental for the year, if it was all collected, adds up to £13 19s. 8d. As many of the holdings became subdivided the number would be continually on the increase, and probably in the fourteenth century the number was considerably less than it was in 1766. The fourteenth century, or rather part of it, is the period comprised in the document which we have now to deal with, which is the Roll of the manor from December 1316 to April 1363, with the exception of three years from 1319 to 1322 (13th to 16th Edward IL), the records for which are unfortunately missing. The book consists of twenty-six quarto leaves of parchment or vellum, all of which, except the first two leaves, are covered, rather closely, on both sides with the records of this Manor. The first two leaves have each only one side written over. There are thus 'in all just fifty pages of manuscript.' The parchment leaves measure 11 inches in length by 7^ in width; the whole is bound with Oak boards covered with, I think, sheep skin, and there are the marks in the binding, where a clasp, or something which had the effect of keeping the book closed, was placed. There is a small strip of the leather binding near the top of the outside cover where the upper surface of the rough skin of the binding had been cut away, and some words had been written on it, giving the title of the book, of which now only the words "Roff. RR E. 2 & E. 3 " are decipherable; the figures are, I think, Arabic, op THE MANOR OP AMRREE, ROCHESTER. 9S not Roman. The preceding words may probably have been "Rot. Cur. Prioris Ecclee ," but they are very faint and obscure >now. About the centre of the cover there is a label of paper affixed by gum or paste, in a much later hand, probably of the eighteenth century, with this inscription:— Liber Rotulor Curialium Manerii Eccles' Roffen vocat le Almerye Temp. R R Edvardi 2dl & 3" AD 1318—1364 E dono* Morell Thurston. Inside the book there is written on p. 3 the title:— " Manerum De Rochester "f 1318 to 1364. I t is evident that when the book was bound the first leaf was misplaced, which accounts for this title being written on page 3 instead of on page 1, and also for the earliest date being assigned to 1318, whereas the second entry on page 1 bears date the festival of St. Lucy 10 Edward IL, * Nothing is known of the donor, Morell Thurston. t Just above this title, " Maner'um De Rochester," and squeezed in between it and the top of the page, is this note, which is, I have little doubt, in the handwriting of Dr. John Denne (Archdeacon of Rochester 1728 to 1767) : "Titulorum inscriptiones, foliorum numeri, et plurima e notis ac indicibus marginalibus in hoc MSSto manu Martini Cotes exarantur." This Martin Cotes was the officer in the Cathedral body whom we now call the Chapter Clerk; he was appomted to that place in 1575, and flourished for many years. One of his notes in the margin of this roll is dated 1592. He was very much addicted to the annotation of doouments, and most of those in the Rochester archives which are of the Elizabeth period are more or less marked with his notes and initials. One of the earliest registers of Chapter leases and grants is entitled the "Martin Cotes" Register. Curiously enough his name also is, I am told, one of those which was scratched on the painted work of the arcading on the south side of the Cathedral Choir (see Mr. St. John Hope's Paper on the Cathedral and Monastery, Archmologia Cantiana, Vol. XZIII., p. 302). I t was also mentioned in the short but very interesting_ History of the Cathedral which appeared some few years ago in Kelly's Directory, where it was said that these soratchings were the work of " Chapter Clerks and others." The " exarantur" in Archdeacon Denne's note seems to point to this tendency of the worthy in question, and may be aptly construed hy the word " scribbled," but nevertheless some of the notes have proved to be very useful. The title written as above," Maner'um de Rochester," is in Mr. Cotes' handwriting, but not the figures 1318 to 1364, whioh I think are the Archdeacon's. Mr. Cotes was also Town Clerk of Rochester in 1589, and signed in that capacity some bylaws made in that year (Rochester Custumale, p. 74). 9 4 A POURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL •that is to say, December 1316. The writing is uniform from beginning to end, and is apparently the work of one and the same hand, so that it evidently could not have been written from time to time at the various Courts, but was compiled afterwards from the memoranda and entries then made of the several presentments and other business transacted at such Courts. There is no preface or heading to the manuscript, and we may suppose therefore that the earlier pages are lost; it begins and ends abruptly. Judging from comparison with other manuscripts it would appear that the date of this is the latter end of the fourteenth century, but a facsimile of one of the pages (fol. 4) is inserted, so that our readers may judge for themselves. To those who are familiar with the ordinary records of Manor Courts the question will at once occur why the MS. does not follow what is known to have been the settled procedure at Manor Courts of the usual type at this period. There is no record here of the swearing-in of the Jury or Homage, who would be a certain number of the most substantial and intelligent of the freeholders present (of this manor all the tenants were freeholders, there were no copyholders). Then from this jury were selected and sworn certain persons called the "affeerors," whose business it was to value the amerciaments made by the Court. These proceedings must have taken place at each court, they were certainly performed in the Court of 1766, and are recorded on that roll, which, it is fair to presume, only followed the uniform practice from the beginning. The next step was the taking the essoins, or the excuses offered for the tenants of the lord who had been summoned and were not able to attend the Court. These essoins are to a certain extent • recorded in our manuscript, and generally afford the only indication of the date when the Court was held. After the essoins it would be expected that we should find entries of proceedings in the various suits and proceedings which were already pending, or were then, for the first time, instituted for some offence or matter in dispute. It would appear that these proceedings were o£ three categories, and'were OP THE MANOR OP AM-BREE, ROCHESTER. 95 taken in the following' order : firstly, the pleas and actions of the tenants against one another—these included actions for debt, for all kinds of trespass, for defamation of character, and indeed for almost every kind of quarrel or dispute; secondly, the complaints of the lord of the manor or his officials against such of the tenants who since the preceding Court had been guilty of any default, who was in arrear with his rent, or had not given his proper attendance, or suit, at the Courts, or for offences against the community of the manor generally, damaging the roads or water-courses, or trespassing on the lord's or the other tenants' rights; and thirdly, the report of action taken in cases which had already been before the Court, and in which distresses or other steps had been ordered. In this record there is no mention made of any such proceedings, except in one or two casual instances; but the absence of such entries may, I think, be accounted for either by the fact that the Court of this manor was held within a city governed by a local jurisdiction, the seat also of a bishopric, where there were both civil and ecclesiastical tribunals, which were not only able to take cognizance of all such matters of dispute within their jurisdiction, but may have claimed the exclusive right to do so. Then again the area of the manor was so essentially different from that which would usually have been expected. Instead of a large parish or country district constituting the area of the manor, here there were only some scattered houses and lands, the owners of which had probably few interests in common, and may not even have been neighbours; or again it is quite possible that the extracts in this Roll may be a selection only of those which appeared in the original Court Roll, and may have been collected and kept merely for the preservation and maintenance of the rights of the lords of the manor, to record who the real tenants were, and to facilitate the collection of their rents and reliefs—for indeed the convenience or opportunity for receiving these monies would seem to have been the chief, if not the only, aim which the lords of the Court had in view, for all the entries in the manuscript, with very few 9 6 A POURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL exceptions, deal exclusively with transfers of the tenements held of the manor, by sale or otherwise, the collection of reliefs on such alienations, and with the tenants' defaults. The exceptions are principally the appointment of guardians to infant tenants, and one or two complaints of torts committed against officials of the monastery. There are some expressions used in the text about which, perhaps, a brief explanation should be added. In those paragraphs which relate to the essoins of the absent tenants no particulars are given, but merely the statement " A B de co'i per C D," enumerating the tenants who were so absent and the persons who appeared for them, and nothing more. This expression has been translated by the words "of the common essoin," meaning that the tenants who were summoned and did not attend gave the ordinary excuse of illhealth (de malo veniendi) or something of the kind, and where it occurs I have simply translated the " de co'i" by the words " of the common essoin."* There is another expression frequently occurring in the Roll, viz., in misericordia, or in the contracted form in m'c'dia or m'ia. In these cases the words in mercy etc. are used in the translation; the full form which the words imply would be ideo ipse est in misericordia, or in misericordia remanet, meaning that the , defaulter is amerced or fined, and submits the amount of the fine to the mercy of the Court; the amount- of the fine is often written above his name, or in the margin against it, in the record. The Courts of this manor of Ambree appear to have been held at uncertain intervals. The date is generally given at the end of the paragraph recording the essoins; * In The Court Baron, by P. "W. Maitland and W. P . Baildon (Quaritch, London, 1891), one of the publications of the Selden Sooiety, the point is dealt with. A form or precedent of the date of 1307 is quoted, in whioh the expression occurs, and from this it is gathered that the words in our MS., " Henry Poteman de co'i per William Grillingham," might be translated that Henry Poteman (essoins himself) of the common (suit) by W. Gillingham, and means that H. P. is excused attendance (seota) on the ground of the common essoin,' infirmity (de malo veniendi)), W. G., a suitor present, answering.for him: so the full expression, of which de communi is the abbreviated form entered on the roll, would be "H. P. essoinat se de communi seota per W. G-." In the statement of the usual course of proceedings at the Manor Courts, Mr. Maitland's book above referred to, in the Chapter Modus tenendi curias, has been consulted, and followed. OP THE MANOR OF AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 97 in several cases, however, the date is appended to an item not of essoins but of admittance or of fealty and relief; in these lat ter cases i t may be that the roll from which our MS. was copied contained the usual entry (after the title) of "Esson—Null'," and the copyist did not trouble himself about them. It seems also tolerably clear that the copyist was not copying his roll verbatim, but was abstracting and selecting, as I have before suggested, and probably omitted many entries. I have indicated as far as I could the dates of the several Courts. [folio 1] [Text.] Willielmua Gaffer le Chapman de Southgatfe venit et fecit domino ieodalitatem pro tenemento quod adquismtf de patfre suo et vndit relevium suum quod est xd et posuit se pro pluribws defaltiows. Henricus Poteman de communi per Willielum Gyllyngham Willielmus Chose per Ricardum Robyn Emma Panton per Sampson "Webbe in Curia tenta die Marti s nroxima post iestum Lucie Virginis anno Begis ~Eidwordi decimo. Margareta que fuit uxor Johannia le Taylour venit et fecit domino ieodalitatem de tenemento que te3 (tenet) de domino et solvit -relevium quod fuit aretro de tempore dicti viri sui et est relevium. viiid. Blias Lovelok venit et v&dit relevium suum de tenementis que clamat tenere de domino per uxorem suam et fecit domino ieodalitatem et est relevium xxd; [Translation.] William Galfer the Chapman of Southgate came and made fealty to the Lord for a tenement which he had acquired from his father, and he paid his relief which is IOd., and he submitted himself for several defaults. Henry Poteman of the common essoin by William Gillingham, William Chose by Richard Robyn, Emma Panton by Sampson Webb, at the Court held on Tuesday the next after the festival of Lucy the Virgin in the year of King Edward the tenth. Margaret, who was the wife of John the Tailor, came and made fealty to the Lord for the tenemeut which she holds of the Lord, and pays the relief which was in arrear from the time of her said husband, and the relief is 8d. Elias Lovelock came and paid his relief for the tenement which he claims to hold of the Lord through his wife, and he made fealty to the Lord, and the rehef is2(W. December A.D. 1316. 98 A PoURTtiE NTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL January A [Text.] Walterus hanckyn modo* heredea Johannis hanckyn venitf et vadii relevium suum de uno messuagio quod sibi accidit post mortem Johannis iratris sui et fecit domino ieodalitatem et est relevium iiijs die veneris proxima post iestum conversions sawcti Pauli Aposfoli anno decimo. Petrus atte Sole venit et vaditf relevium suum de uno messuagio perquisite de T&icardo Spyndlere et iecit domino ieodalitatem et est relevium xA. WillieZmws Spysur venit et feci£ dowtino ieodalitatem pro tenemento que clamat tenere de domino. JD. 1316-17. [Translation.] Walter Hanckyn [late the heirs of John Hanckyn] came and paid his relief for one messuage which fell to him upon the death of his brother John, and made fealty to the Lord, and the relief is 4s., on Priday the next after the festival of the conversion of St. Paul the Apostle the tenth year. Peter atte Sole (or Pond?) came and paid his relief for a messuage purchased of Richard Spindler, and made fealty to the Lord, and the relief is 10^. William Spysur came and made fealty to the Lord for a tenement he claims to hold of the Lord. WiilieZmws Mathew venit et feciiS domino ieodalitatem et vndit relevium suum de uno messuagio perquisite de Johanne Asketyn et est relewiwm iid. William Mathew came and made fealty to the Lord and paid his relief for one messuage purchased from John Asketyn, and the relief is 2d. May A. Elena relictfa Henrici Walter de communi per Johonnem filiwm suum Johannes de Thotynton de communi per Robertum fruntayn Willieftnws Chose de communi •per Robertum le Wodyere die Mercurii pr.ox.ima: post festum •invencionis sancte crucis anno supra dicto. D. 1317. Elena relict of Henry Walter of the common essoin by John her son, Johu de Thotynton of the same by Robert Puntayn, William Chose of the same by Robert le Woodyer, on Wednesday the next after the festival of the invention of the Holy Cross in the year aforesaid. [This is the end of the first page of the manuscript; the second page and the first page of leaf 2 are blanks.] * Modo heredes, etc. These words probably refer to the last entry, that is, to the preceding tenant's name. In the translation the names of such tenants are put in brackets. OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 99 Manerium De Rochester. [folio 3 or folio 2vo.] [Text.] Warinus Coman modo heredes Johannis Leghey venit et vadiif relevium suum de uno messuagio perquisite de patre et matre sua et iecit domino ieodalitatem et est releyiwm xa et debet continuare sectam de tribus septimanis in tres septimanas.* [Translation.] WaiTen Coman [late the heirs of John Legh] came and paid his relief for one messuage purchased of his father and mother and made fealty to the Lord, and there is a relief of IOd., and he is due to continue suit (of court) from three weeks to three weeks. November A.D. 1317. Walterus Hanckyn de communi per "Robertum Smyth, Symon nlius Radulphi Pakyn de communi per Willielmum Clericum die Jovis uroxima ante festum Sancte Catharine anno regni Regis Edwardi filius [sic] Regis Edwardi ximo. Walter Hanckyn of the common essoin by Robert Smith, Simon son of Ralph Pakyn of the same by William the Clerk, on Thursday the next before the festival of St. Katharine in the year of the reign of King Edward, son of King Edward, the 11th. Thomas Goldyng modo Johannes King venit et vaditf relevium suum pro uno tenemento adquisite de Adam Tegletore et fecit domino ieodalitatem et est relevium via. Thomas Golding [late John King] came and paid his relief for one tenement acquired from Adam the Tyler and made fealty to the Lord, and the relief is 6d. March A.D. 1317-18. Ricardus Robyn de communi per Henricum Poteman die Luna proxima ante festum sancti Benedicti Anno regni Regis 'Edwardi filii regis Edwardi undecimo. Willielmus Mathew venit et v&ditrelevium suum de tenemento adquisite de Johanne Asketyn et fecit domino ieodalitatem die et anno supradicto et est rele- AofcCcO ^cpr Ccitrfr^ &*$£ •{£*> 9&Bc4rU $?.m-<#a4Jctt'$£<> fo&) &tr<& veftH, 9»*i.^? .S ~#S??ci&in0 ^ft»t*t*tyw/9c <5i)4>4c»*i. cVfO&tf3 A&Stf? AkJfW^C C«9(M> 4jrt.RtvMw> ^ o w ^ 9«s" Ofavtig jjffi autPfcfi3D{2lu&f!5fy izrflAeinci fafy, $iC(T 0.-itn4 fit^9«£ xtrySiffime .s^frronufH vn*®o§vf>& lege (V*-fit|* I B W ^ a^ww^ /V- -Utrevx eiS ycV9(*> 9a ffrcnfcfittvv % 9ic £0 iStm -^vt-j tr ?ni *- <£ »(|2c.s -^c,^. ^.oP^^f. » / r-ji£_fbitij •*+ £~f#y REDUCED COPY OF COURT ROLL OF THE MANOR OF AMBREE, ROCHESTER, 12 EDWARD II. OP.THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROOHESTER, 101 [Text.] Johanwe Cord ewaner et fecit domino ieodalitatem die et anno supradiciis et est relevium vid.* Simon Alius R&dulphi Pakyn modo Johawnes Chauuce venit et vadit relevium suum de uno messuagio cum una placete sibi et heredibus post mortem dicti R&dulphi patris sui et de uno messuagio adquisite cum Albrede quondam uxoris Alexandri de Bradfelde de quibas unumquodqwe tenementum debet per &nntcm. iiij8 et fecit domino ieodalitatem et est relevium viiis.f [Translation.] and made fealty to the Lord the day and year aforesaid, and the relief is dd. Simon son of Ealph Pakyn [late John Chance] came and paid his relief for one messuage with one place (fallen) to him and his heirs on the death of the said Ealph his father, and also for a messuage acquired with Aubrey (Albreda), formerly the wife of Alexander de Bradfield, of which tenements each one of them owes per annum 4s., and he made fealty to the Lord, and the relief is 8s. October A.D. 1318. Kobertus ffuntayn de communi per Johannem Wester/i«m Eicardns Bobyn de eodem per Warinum Choma» die Martis proxima ante festum Apostelorwm Simouis et Jude anno supr«- dicte. Thomas Syii venit et fecit domino ieodalitatem die et anno supradicris. October WillieZmws Coman modo heresies S. Lege ut supra anno ix$ cognovit se teneri ad redditum de Prendesbury et fecit domino ieodalitatem die Mercurii in festo Sancte Luce Ev«ngeliste auno regni Eegis Edwardi filii Eegis Edwardi duodecimo iijd ob. Eobert Pountayn of the common essoin by John Westerham, Eichard Eobyn of the same by Warren Coman, on Tuesday the day next before the festival of SS. Simon and Jude in the year aforesaid. Thomas Syn came and made fealty to the Lord the day and year aforesaid. A.i). 1318. William Coman [late the heirs of S. Legh], as in the above 9th year, acknowledged himself to be held to the rent of Erindsbury, and made fealty to the Lord on Wednesday on the festival of St. Luke the Evangelist in the 12th year of the reign of King Edward the son of King Edward, 3-Jd.. * " Ad oilioium [or oflioinam] oelerarii nuper Thorn. Cole (?) modo Rio. "Langeford modo Beliota Durfey modo Robertus Quykerell." The above note is added in the handwriting of Martin Cotes. He also writes the note in the margin, " redditus per ann. vi1'." (The words in these notes are here extended.) t "Ad offioiuin oelerarii, in Strode.—Martin Cotes." £ This refers to an earlier entry in the Roll, before our MS, begins, 102 A POTJRTEENTH-CENTTJRY COURT ROLL [Text.] Isolda filia Osberti Marsehal modo Petrus Marchal [sie] venit et vadit relevium suum de quodam messuagio quod ei accidit juxte Eppellane post mortem dicti Osberti et fecit domino ieodalitatem et est relevium iiij8 viii3.* WillieZmKs Eowe modo Gilbertus Gyldewyne venit et fecit domino ieodalitatem et cognovit se esse tenentem de tenemento quod haiet ex hereditate Agnete uxoris sue et postea venit et sanavit defaltwm.f February A. Elias Chunceler modo Willie/ mas atte Chambre ut supra anno xii% venit et posuit se in gratia domini de pluribzw defectis die Jovis proxima post iestum Sancte Agathe anno supradicto et cognovit facere sectam de tribws septimawis in tres septimanas. [Translation.] Isolda (Iseult) the daughter of Osbert Marshal [late Peter Marshal] came and paid her relief for a certain messuage which has fallen to her next to Epellane on tho death of the said Osbert, and made fealty to the Lord, and the relief is 4s. 8d. William Eowe [late Gilbert Goldwin] came and made fealty to the Lord, and acknowledged himself to be the tenant of the tenement which he has from his heirship of his wife Agnes, and he came afterwards and purged his default. D. 1318-19. Elias Chancellor [late William atte Chambre] as above, iu the 12th year came and submitted himself to the Lord's grace for several defaults, on Thursday the day next after the festival of Saint Agatha, in the year aforesaid, and he acknowledged (his duty) to make suit from three weeks to three weeks. [folio 4oo.] April A.n Elias Chauncellor de communi per 'Willielmum de Gyllyngham die Martis proxima ante festem Sancti Marci Evangeliste anno Edwardi Alius [sic] Eegis Edwardi XII. 1319. Elias Chancellor of the common essoin by WilliiimdeGHllingham, on Tuesday the next before the festival of Saint Mark the Evangelist, in the 12th year of Edward the son of King Edward. * " Ad offloium sacristto redditus p. ann. iij' iiij** modo Laurence Bere.— Martin Cotes." Eppellane is the narrow street or alley leading from High Street to the Castle. The finger, pointing to that word, in tho margin, shewn on the facsimile is the work of Mr. Cotes, as is the addition ubovolt, " modo Laurence Bere, ad oflioinam [or offloium] sncristo." On tho right hand margin he has also written tho word " Barnardo.*' Eppollnno is derived from " cpaulo" (shouldor), un it formed tho opatilomont or shoulder to tho bridge over tho Castle ditch, + Martin Colon adds hero •• " xiv1, ad ofllniuni oolwnvii, modo Robertus CHovor," and in tho margin " modo EobtUH CJlovor." % This figure nbould hiivo boon xi, soo ante, OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 103 June A.D. 1319. [Text.] Elias Chauncellor de covimuni per Ricai'dum Eobyn die Sabbati in crastino Apostelorum Petri et Pauli anno Regis Edwardi filius "Regis Edwardi XII. [Translation.] Elias Chancellor of the common essoin by Eichard Eobyn, on Saturday the morrow of the Apostles Peter and Paul, in the 12th year of King Edward the son of King Edward. Johawwes Jarm venit et iecit domino ieodalitatem de tenemento suo in Boffa de septemdecem denarios redditus de Prendesbury et idem fuit districtus pro pluribus vadimoniis per deialtum qui venit et cognovit suum et sanavit. John Jarm came and made fealty to the Lord for his tenement in Eochester of seventeen pence rent of Erindsbury, and the same was distrained for several recognizances by default. And he came and acknowledged and purged it. Hugo le Marchall venit et fecit ieodalitatem de tenemento suo in Boffa quod fuit WillieZmi Wondean quod tenementum solvit ad redditfws de Frendesowr;/ vi8 iid. Hugh Marshall came and made fealty for his tenement in Eochester, which was William Wondean's, and this tenement pays to the rents of Erindsbury 6s. 2a". WillieZmws &lius Henrici Poteman qui est infra etatem modo Johannes Glover de Estgate producitur ad islam curiam per Agnetem matrem suam et vaditf relevmm suum de tenemento quod sibi accidit post mortem dicti Henrici et est relevium iii8 iiijd et custoditas tenementi predicti consuetudine Gavelikend traditur predicre Agnete usqwe ad plenam etatem herefltis et invenit pleggias, etc. William son of Henry Poteman, who is under age [late John Glover of Eastgate], is produced at this Court by Agnes his mother, and pays his relief for the tenement which fell to him upon the death of the said Henry, and the relief is 3s 4d, and the custody of the said tenement is, according to the custom of Gavelkind, delivered to the aforesaid Agnes until the full age of the heir, and she finds pledges. Eohertus de Levesham Vicarius Sancti Nicholai RoEensis venit ad islam curiam et fecit domino ieodalitatem et solvit reddi-fus pro tempore suo, etc. Eobert of Lewisham, Vicar of St. Nicholas, Eochester, came to this Court and made fealty to the Lord and pays the rent for his time, etc, 104 A POTJRTEENTH-CETSTURY COURT ROLL November [Text.] WillieZnws Spicer modo ,Eohertus Spicer venit et vadit relewiwm suum de quodam tenemento adquisite de Emma filia Luce le parmenter et fecit feodalitatem die Jovis proxima post iestum Sancti EdmwMo'i Regis anno xiii. Idem "WillielmtiiS venit et vadit releyiwm suum de quodam tenemento adquisite de Agnete Powys et fecit ieodalitatem et est relevium vid et facit sectam. Johajmes filiws Johannis de Westerham modo Nicholaus Heryng venit et vadit relevium suum de tenemento adquisite de Sibilla ma£re ejus et iecit feodalitatem et est relevmm iis die et anno supradiciis* A.D. 1319. [Translation.] William Spicer [late Eobert Spicer] came and paid his relief for a certain tenement acquired from Emma daughter of Lucy le Parmenter, and made fealty on Thursday next after the festival of Saint Edmund the King in the thirteenth year. The same William came and paid his relief for a certain tenement acquired from Agnes Powys and made fealty, and the relief is 6d., and he makes suit. John son of John of Westerham [late Nicholas Heryng] came and paid his relief for a tenement acquired from his mother Sybil and made fealty, and the relief is 2s., the day and year aforesaid. [The entries from here for three years and upwards are missing.] [folio 5] WillieZmws Gillyngham modo E. Mereworth venit et vadit relevium suum de teneme«te adquisite de Eogero Chaundeler et iecit domino ieodalitatem et est releviwm ii8 et antea iacit sect- William Gillingham [late R. Mereworth] came and paid his relief for a tenement acquired from Eoger Chaundeler and made fealty to the Lord, and the relief is 2s., and beforehand he makes suit. December A.D. 1322. Dominws Johannes Claver perpetuus Yicari-ws altaris Sancti Nicholai Eoffensi venit et fecit ieodalitatem pro tenementis suis que tenet (tez) de domino Die Jovis proxima post iestum Sancti Thome apostoli anno xvi0. Sir John Claver, the perpetual vicar of the altar of St. Nicholas, Eochester, came and made fealty for his tenements which he holds of the Lord, on Thursday next after the festival of Saint Thomas the Apostle in the 16th year. '* This is the last item on the reverse side of folio 4 of the MS., but the second entry on the next page, folio 5, deals with the 16th year of Edward II. ; so it is manifest that one or more pages of the MS. are missing in respect of this period (three years). OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 105 December A.D. 1323. [Text.] Elias Chauncelor de communi per Eobertum ffontaigne die Jovis in crastino Sancti Andree aposteli anno Regis Edwardi filii Edwardi septimo decimo. Johannes de Westerham modo Nicholaus Heryng ut supra anno [sic]. Bobertus ffontaigne ponit se pro plwribws deialtihus in misericordia Domini. JohflTOpes Goldfynch venit et vadit releuiwm suum de uno meswagio acquisite de heredibus Johannis de Cordewanere et fecit ieodalitatem et est relevium vid.* [Translation.] Elias Chancellor of the common essoin by Eobert Eountain, on Thursday on the morrow of St. Andrew the Apostle in the 17th year of King Edward the son of King Edward. John de Westerham [late Nicholas Heryng] as above in the [sic] year above. Eobert Fountain submits himself for several defaults to the mercy of the Lord. John Goldfinch came and paid his relief for one messuage acquired from the heirs of John Cordewainer and made fealty, and the relief is 6d. December A.D. 1323. Agnes Poteman de Communi per Rogerum Poteman die Jovis in crastino Sancti Thome Aposteli anno regis Edwardi filii regis Edwardi septimo decimo. Vicariws Boffewsis ponit se pro defectom curits misericordia domini iijd WillieZmus Spicer iijd pro eodem WillieZmws Twyne iijd pro eodem Walterus Meller iijd pro eodem WillieZmus Meller iijd pro eodem Eicardus Cokelyng iij" pro eodem. Henricws Stynell venit in plena curia ex parte Alicie uxoris sue et Dionisie sororis ejusdem Alicie vadit relefiwin suum de hereditate capte post Aliciam mafrem eandarwm et fecit ieodalitatem et est relevium iis. Agnes Poteman of the common essoin by Boger Poteman on Thursday on the morrow of St. Thomas the Apostle in the ? rear of King Edward the son of £ing Edward aforesaid the 17th. The Vicar of Eochester submits himself for defaults of Court 3a". in the Lord's mercy, William Spicer for the same 3d., William Twyne for the same Bd., Walter Meller for the same Bd., William Meller for the same 3d., Bichard Cokelyng for the same Bd. Henry Stynell came and in full Court on behalf of his wife Alice and Dionysia, sister of the said Alice, pays their relief for their inheritance taken after their mother Alice and made fealty, and the relief is 2s. * "Modo Thorn. Bedlo (?) in Southgate," and in the left-hand margin "M. Manninge 1591.—Martin Cot§s," yoii, XXIX, I 106 A POURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL [Text.] Cristina que fuit uxor Kicaral Pistoris ponit se pro deiectis in misericordia domini ijd, Henricus Wolmonger pro eodem tenens tenementum quod fuit Alani Tanner iijd , Alionara* que fuit uxor WillieZmi Coman ponunt se in misericordia domini iijd. Eobertus Nicholaus et Thomas filii Eoberti ffaber de Strode veniunt [folio 5vo.] in plenam curiam et vadunt relevium suum de herecZiiate eorum post predictom Robertum patrem eorum et fecit [sic] ieodalitatem die et anno supradicto et est relevium va. [Translation.] Cristina, who was the wife of Eichard Baker, submits herself for defaults in the Lord's mercy 2o\; Henry Woolmonger, for the same, as holding the tenement of Alan Tanner, 3d.; Alionara [Eleanor], who was the wife of William Coman, submit themselves in the Lord's mercy 3d. Eobert, Nicholas and Thomas, sons of Eobert Paber of Strood, came into full Court and pay their relief for their inheritance after the death of their said father Eobert, and made fealty on the day and year aforesaid, and the relief is 5s. Johannes Varme iija ponit se pro plwribws deialtibus in misericordia domini Johawwes Hampton iijd pro eodem Johawwes Lynk iijd pro eodem Elena Walter pro eodem iijd. April A.D. 1324, John Varm submits himself for several defaults to the Lord's mercy 3d., John Hampton the same 3d., John Lynk the same 3d., Elena Walter the same 3d. Laurentius Stynell et Dionisia filia Alicie Spyeer per gratiam haoendam ut dictws "Laurentius iaeeat sectam vid . Laurentius Stynell de communi per "Shilipum Heryng de Boffe die Jovis proxima post fesiwm Sancti Ambrosii Anno Regis Edwardi supradicto. Heres Johannis Chose venit et iecit ieodalitatem et ponit se pro plwn'bus defect's in misericordia domini vid , Thomas Grys pro eodem et iecit domino ieodalitatem iiid , Ricardus Eoper iiid qui relaceavit se de lege ideo in misericordia. Laurence Stynell and Dionysia daughter of Alice Spicer for the favour had that the said Laurence may do suit 6a'. Laurence Stynell of the common essoin by Philip Heryng of Eochester on Thursday next after the festival of St. Ambrose in the year of King Edward aforesaid. The heir of John Chose came and made fealty and submits himself for several defaults in the Lord's mercy 6d., Thomas Grys for the same, and made fealty to the Lord 3d., Eichard Eoper, who had relieved himself in law, 3d., so in mercy. * This lady had in the previous year, 1322, made the grant of an annual rent of 12d. for a light on the altar of the Virgin Mary " in Ecclesia Cathedralis Roffensis de nova construota,"—Thorpe's Registrum "Roffense, p. 546, OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 107 September A.D. 1324. [Text.] [Translation.] Johannes de Hampton de John de Hampton of the comcommuni per Simonem filiuw mon essoin by Simon his son, suum, Johannes Godewyn de John Godwin of the same by eodem per Robertum Woodyere Eobert Woodyere, on Tuesday die Martis proxima iestum ex- next after [?] the festival of the altacionis Sancte Crucis anno exaltation of the Holy Cross in .ffiegis octavo decimo. the King's reign the 18th. Thomas Gurneye vadit relevium suum de quodam tenemewte adquisite Eicarrfi Eobyn et fecit ieodalitatem et est relevium xiiid. Simon Eoger (Eastgate) pistor vadit relevium suum de quodam messuagio et quodam curtilagio adquisifo's de WillieZmo Swetyng et iecit ieodalitatem, etc., et est relewiwm iiijd. Johawwes Bere (Eastgate) vadit relevium suum de una deywerke terre acquisite de WillieZmo Swetyng et iecit feodaZitatem et est relevium ii". Cristina relicta EicaroJi Pistoris modo Hugo Cart vadii relevium suum de medietate unius messuagii acquisitfi de Bernarde filio Johannis le Taillour et iecit ieodalitatem, etc., et est relevium iiij8. Walterus Miller venit et ponit se pro deialtihus in misericordia domini iijd. [folio-6] Thomas Gorneye de communi perEieardum Bofiyn, WillieZmws Twyner per WillieZmwm Gillingham Cristina Baker de eodem per Eobertem Wodier Die Sabbati in crastino Sancti Andree anno Supradicte. Thomas Gurneypaid his relief for a certain tenement acquired of Bichard Eobyn and made fealty, and the relief is IBd. Simon Eoger, Eastgate, the Baker, paid his relief for a certain messuage and a certain curtilage acquired from William Sweting, and made fealty, etc., and the relief is 4o.] April A, Johannes Godewyn de comniuni per Bobertum Wodyer BycaraW Eobyn de eodem per Thomam Gurneye die Martis proxima. post iestum. Sanctoruon Tiburcii et Waleriani anno Regis Edwardi xviij. D. 1325. John Godewyn of the common essoin by Eobert Woodyer, Eichard Eobyn of the same by Thomas Gurney, on Tuesday next after the festival of Saints Tiburtius and Valerian in the year of King Edward the 18th. May A.D. 1325. Johawnes Godewyn de communi per Bobertum Woodyer die Sabbati proxima ante iestum Sancti Dunstani anno Regis Edwardi filii Edwardi xviij. Adam Bryde venit et feeit feodaZitetem pro medietate tenementi quondam Edwardi Steriyng et preceptum est distringere tenentes alterius medietatis ejusdem tenementi pro ieodalitate detenta et plwribus deialtihus, etc. Walterus Molendinariws ponit se pro plwribus defaltiJws in misericordia et pro secta respectata usqwe iestum Sa»cti Miehaelis vid. John Godewyn of the common essoin by Eobert Woodyer on Saturday next before the festival of St. Dunstan in the year of King Edward son of King Edward the 18th. Adam Bryde came and made, fealty for the moiety of a tenement formerly of Edward Sterling, and it is ordered to distrain the tenants of the other moiety for the fealty detained and for several defaults. Walter Miller submits himself for several defaults in mercy and for suit kept back up to the Festival of St. Michael, Gd. June A.D. 1325. Bogerus Carpentaria venit et feei£ ieodalitatem pro tenemento quondam Hugonis Blire et pacificavi£ pro secta sua usaue iestum Sancti Michaelis et est de fine vid. Eoger Carpenter came and made fealty for a certain tenement formerly of Hugh Blire, aud settled for his suit up to the festival of St. Michael, and there is a fine of 6d. * " Ad officinam celerarii.—M. Cotes," 110 A POURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL [folio 7] May A.D. 1325. [Text.] Elias Chauncelor venit et ponit se pro plwribus deialtis in misericordia. Distriwyas Johannem Adam pro feodaZitete et relewio, etc. Bryannum Miller pro feodalitate et relewio, etc. Henricwm Newman Baylol* pro deialtihus tenentis. Ad hanc sic pluribus heresies Simon Potyn pro feodalitate et releyio, etc. Videlicet de domo quod fuit Elene Tebaudef de releyio xx3 de tenemento quod fuit Johannis Parson vs de Beaureper viiid de domo quod fuit Adami Potyn vi8 viiid de terra que fuit Anicie Potyn retro grangiam eorum xxijd et de redditibus de Priendesbury iis viid ob. [Translation.] Elias Chancelor came and submits himself for several defaults in mercy, etc. Distrain John Adam for fealty and relief, etc. Bryan Miller for fealty and relief, etc. Henry Newman, Baylol,* as tenant for defaults. At this Court also the heirs of Simon Potyn for fealty and relief, viz., for the house which was Ellen Thehaud's,f for relief 20s., for the tenement which - was John Parsons' 5s., for Beaurepere 8d., for the house which was Adam Potyn's 6s. 8d., for the land which was Annice Potyn's behind their grange 22d., and for the rent of Erindsbury 2s. 7id. July A.D. 1325. Helyas Chaunceler de communi per W&rinum Coman Adam Bryde de eodem per Badulphum de Sancto Dionisio Johannes Goldfynch de eodem per Henricwm de Wynch die Lune proxima post iestum translacionis Sancti Thome Marfiris anno Regis Edwardi filii Regis Edwardi decimo nono. Johajmes Adam venit et vadit relevium suum de quodam quondam Juliane Pealke in Eastgate et iecit ieodalitatem et est relevium vid. Elias Chancellor of the common essoin by Warren Coman, Adam Bryde of the same by Ealph St. Denys, John Goldfinch of the same by Henry de Wynch on Monday after the festival of the translation of St. Thomas the Martyr in the 19th year of King Edward the son of King Edward. John Adam came and paid his relief for a certain tenement (?) formerly of Juliana Pealke in Eastgate, and made fealty, and the relief is Gd. * " Baylol" may possibly be a variation of Boley Hill. f Hodie "le Herte att hope.—Martin Co|;es." This inn is still existing, and still the "White Hart" (see Archmologia Cantiana, Vol. XXI., p. 315 et seq..). OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. Ill [folio Ivo.] [Text.] Henricws Cissor venit et vadit releyiwm de medietete uniws messuagii adquisitfi de Cristina relicta EicartZi Pistoris et fecitf feodaZitetem et estrelewiwm iiij8. Impositum est WillieZmo Molendamario qwod invenit rentaZe domini etillud detenuit ad dampnum et in contemptu domini xx8 qui non dedicit et ponit se in gracia domini viid. Compertum est per cartam communi sigillo signatwm quod tenementum Thome le Gom now debet sectam. Johawnes Godwyne de communi per Eobertum Woodyer Thomas Gurneye per Warinum Coman Die Martis prox post iestum sancte ffidis Virgiw-is anno Regis xix. Tota curia onerata est ad certificandwm domino quid sit (?) tenementum quondam Ade Potemani de Eastgate quod teneme«- tum oneratum est de ijd per annum ad altare beate Marie Magdalene in crypto. Johannes de Hampton de communi per Eobertum Wodier Minardus Pistor de eodem per Ricardum de Hoo (and others present) Die Sabhati proxima ante festum sancti Martini anno Eegis Edwardi filii Eegis Edwardi Decimo nono. [Translation.] Henry Cissor came and paid his relief for a moiety of one messuage acquired of Cristina, relict of Eichard the Baker, and made fealty, and the relief is 4s. I t was charged against Wil- Ham the Miller that he find the Lord's rental, and that he detained it to the damage and in contempt of the Lord 20s., and that he had not enquired and he places himself at the mercy of the Lord 7d. I t was found by writing, signed with the common seal, that the tenement of Thomas le Gom does not owe suit. John Goodwin of the common essoin hy Bobert Woodyer, Thomas Gurney by Warren Coman on Tuesday next after the festival of Saint Paith the Virgin in the King's 19th year. The whole Court is charged to certify to the Lord which is the tenement formerly Adam Poteman's, which tenement is charged with 2d. a year for the Altar of the Blessed Mary Magdalene in the crypt. John de Hampton of the common essoin by Eobert Woodyer, Meynard the Baker hy Eichard of Hoo (and others) on Saturday next before the festival of St. Martin in the 19th year of King Edward, son of King Edward. October A.D. 1325. November A.D. 1325. 112 A POURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL [Text.] Ad hanc totam curiampetitEegistrarius de veredicto suo duorum denariorum de redditus pertinenterwm ad altare beate Marie Magdalewin cryptaBoffensetenementwm dicte Eoberti Wodier heres Henrici Poteman solvit [Translation.] To this whole Court the Eegistrary seeks for their verdict of the two pence of rent belonging to the altar of the Blessed Mary Magdalene in the crypt of Eochester, and whether the tenement of Eobert Woodyer the heir of Henry Poteman pays it. Pebruary A.D. 1327.* Eogerus pphete iijd, Johannes Goldfynch iijd , Jacobus Chapeler iijd nosuerunt se pro deialtihus in misericordia domini Die Jovis proxima post festem purincacionis beate Marie anno xx0.* [folio 8] May A, NiehoZaus ffaber de communi per JLenricum Kyng Adam Bryde de eodem per Ricardum ffuntaigne die Jovis proxima post festem sancti Augustini Anglorum aposteli anno Regis Edwardi tercii post conquestum primo. July A Ad hanc curiam veniunt Johannes et Simon filii et heresies Johannis Hampton et vaiunt relevium suum de tenemeate tarn infra villa que extra que eis accedit per decessum Johannis paifris eorwm et i'ecerunt ieodalitatem, etc., et est reliewm xd. Eoger Proffit 3d., John Goldfinch 3d., James Chapeler 3d., submitted themselves for defaults to the mercy of the Lord on Thursday next after the festival of the purification of the Blessed Mary in the 20th year. D. 1327. Nicholas Paber of the common essoin by Henry King, Adam Bryde of the same by Bichard Eountain, on Thursday next after the festival of St. Augustine the apostle of the English and in the first year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. .D. 1327. To this Court come John and Simon, the sons and heirs of John Hampton, and paid their relief for a tenement, as much within the City as outside it, which Fell to them on the decease of John their father, and they made fealty, and the relief is IOd. * As the festival of the Purification of the Virgin Mary falls on the 2nd Pebruary, and the reign of King Edward II. was terminated on the 20th January preceding that festival, it would seem that his abdication or resignation was not known, or the official notification of it had not yet reaohed Rochester. This seems to shew that the abdication was not published at the time. Although the new King's reign dates from the 26th January 1327, King Edward II.'s death, or murder, did not take plaoe until the following September. OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 113 November A.D. 1329. [Text.] NicAoZaus filiws Eoberti ffaber de communi per WillieZmwm Sacristam de Strode die lune in festo Sancti Edmimdi Regis anno Eeyis Edwardi tercii a cowquestu tercio.* Treceptum est sicut plures Eliam Chaunceler, Walterum Hanckyn, Symon Pakyn, Heredes Symon Potyn, Johannem Chose, Willielmum Spycer, heredes Petri atte Sole, Thornaw Goldyng Magistrum de Strode. [Translation.] Nicholas son of Eobert Paber of the common essoin by William the Sacrist of Strood, Monday on the feast of St. Edmund the King in the 3rd year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. I t was ordered as many times before (to distrain) Elias Chancelor, Walter Hankin, Simon Pakyn, the heirs of Simon Potyn, John Chose, William Spicer, the heirs of Peter-atte-Sole, Thomas Golding the Master of Strood. March A.D. 1330. Salomon Potyn vadit relevium de terra et tenemento que sibi here«Zitario accederiwtf post mortem Symonis pateis sui die Veneris proxima post festem Sancti Gregorii pape anno Eegis Edwardi tercii post Conquestum quarto et est releyiwm videlicet de una placeta quondam Aveline modo Henrie Sharston quod est in venella Salutationisf id ob. qr de eodem de domo que quondam fuit Elene Tebaud modo B. Cranbroke xxs in toto xxs id ob. qr. Distringas Henricwm Newman pro ieodalitate et relievo detentis de uno messuagio sibi dimisso per Salomone Potyn quod fuit Eicardi Sprugere in Chaldegatelane nunc heredes Henrici Newman. Solomon Potyn paid relief for the land and tenement which had fallen to him as heir, on the death of Simon his father, Priday next after the festival of St. Gregory the Pope in the 4th year of King Edward the 3rd after the Conquest, and the relief is as follows: for one place formerly Aveline, late Henry Sharston, which is in the Salutation Lane, one penny one halfpenny and one farthing, and of the same for the house which formerly was Ellen Tebaud's, late E. Cranbroke's, 20s., in all 20s. If d. Distrain Henry Newman for fealty and relief kept back for a messuage given over to him by Solomon Potyn, which was Eichard Spruger's in Chaldegate Lane, now it is the heirs of Henry Newman. * There are only four entries on the Roll for the three years 1st to 3rd Edward III. (A.D. 1327—30). t The name of this lane in the MS., as contracted, is Sal'ois, and it may signify Salvatorisy or Salvationis, or Salutationis, but I can find no authority for either. In one of Mr. Pepys' visits to Rochester he mentions the " Salutation " tavern (see extract from his Diary in Archmologia Cantiana, Vol. VI., p. 68). 114 A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL [folio 8vo.] [Text.] Distringas Ceciliam Potyn pro feodaZitete et reletiio detents de una placete que vocata Beaurepere item pro ieodalitate et releaio detents de 1 shopa vocata Parsonstenement item pro una acra terre .que quondam fuit Benedict Potyn item pro feodalitate et relevio, etc., detentis de terra Syred et de terra Peyntoure et de terra que fuit Luce Pwrmenter (?) per tenentem Walkstan. Distringas Johawwem Potyn pro feodaZitete et rele«io detent s de ij shoppas, etc., Parsonstenement et de tenemente Sterlinge et de teneinento Baylol.* Distringas Magis^rwm de Strode pro feodaZitete detenta de tenemento quondam WillieZmi Batemaw. Eicardus Panton de communi per Bobertwm Wodyer die Lune in festo SawcZi Edwardi Eegis Anno re^is Edwardi tercii post conquestum quinto. [Translation.] Distrain Cecilia Potyn for fealty and relief kept back for one place called Beaurepere, also for fealty and relief detained for a shop called Parson's tenement, also for one acre of land which was formerly Benedict Potyn's, also for fealty and relief detained for the land " Syred," and for the land Peyntour, and for the land which was Lucy Purmenter's through the tenant Walkstan. Distrain John Potyn for fealty and relief detained for 2 shops, etc., Parson's tenement, and for the tenement Sterling, and for the tenement Baylol. Distrain the Master of Strood (Hospital) for fealty detained for the tenement formerly William Bateman's. EiehardPanton of the common essoin by Eobert Wodyer on Monday the festival of Saint Edward the King in the 5th year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. October A.D. 1330. Thomas Gornay de communi Thomas Gurney of the com: per Maynardwm Baker Die Lune mon essoin by Maynard Baker prox ante fesiwm omnium Sane- on Monday next before the torum Anno Regis supradicte. festival of All Saints in the aforesaid year of the King. March A.D. 1331-2. * This name occurs before as a place of abode. It may be a variation of "Boley Hill." ,, ' OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 115 [Text.] Eobertus Sadeler nunc Eohertus [sic] Sadeler unus heres Johannis Yarm venit et iecit ieodalitatem et vadit relevium suum per se et patre sue de uno messuagio in civitate Eoffense que ei accedit post mortem dicti Johannis et est releuiwm id * June A, xvuj" Elias Chaunceler de Strode de communi per Henricum Wynch Die Lune in festo Sancti Botulphi Abbatis anno Eegis Edwardi Supradicto. Eicaroiis le Bere venit et iecit ieodalitatem et vadit relevium suum de uno messuagio adquisite de EicartZo le Vygnariof in Southgate et est relevium xiiijd. [folio 9] Henricus Tayllor modo heredes WillieZmi Tayllor vadit releyiwm suum de quinque acras terre perquisites de Boberto Betlyscombe et est relevium iis vid. [Translation.] Eobert Sadeler, now Eobert Sadeler, the sole heir of John Yarm, came and made fealty and paid his relief for himself and his father for one messuage in the City of Eochester, which fell to him on the death of the said John, and the relief is 18d, D. 1332. Elias Chancellor of Strode of the common essoin by Henry Wynch on Monday on the festival of St. Botolph the Abbot the year of the King Edward aforesaid. Eichard le Bere came and made fealty and paid his relief for a messuage acquired from Eichard the Vinedresser in Southgate, and the relief is 14rf. Henry Taylor [late the heirs of William Taylor] paid his relief for five acres of land purchased of Eobert Betlyscombe, and the relief is 2s. 6d. Pebruary A.D. 1332. Johannes Bere de commwwi per Maynardwm Baker die lune proxima post festem Sancti Valentini anno Eeyis Edwardi tercii post conquestwm Sexto. John Bere of the, common essoin by Maynard Baker Monday next after the festival of St. Valentine in the 6th year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. September A.D. 1332. John Baker of the common essoin by Henry Tayllor, Elias Chanceler of the same by E. Per.eworth on Saturday next before the festival of the Nativity of the Blessed Mary in the year of King Edward the 6th; * " Ad officium celerarii modo relicta Rioardi Langeford alias Barbour modo Robertus Quykerell.—Martin Cotes." Joha»«es Baker de communi per Henricwm Tayllor Elias Chanceler de eodem per E. Perewych die Sabbati proxima ante iestum. "Nativitatis Beate Marie Anno Regis Edwardi Sexto. t The word in the text is " Vygn°o." 116 A POURTfiENtfH-CENTURY COURT ROLL Pebruary A.D. 1334. [folio 9«o.] [Text.] Eicardus Kembelof venit et feci* ieodalitatem domino de tenemewte sibi aceideritf post mortem Bicaroi patris sui et vadit relevium suum xiis die Sabbati proxima post iestum Sancti Mathie aposteli Anno Regis Edwardi tercii octavo. [Translation.] Eichard Kembelof came and made fealty to the Lord for a tenement fallen to him upon the death of his father Eichard, and' the relief is 12d., on Saturday next after the festival of St. Mathias the Apostle in the 8th year of King Edward III. October A.D. 1334. Osbertus Warewyk venit et iecit ieodalitatem et yadit relevium suum de terre et tenemento que perquisite de WillieZmo Gosselyn et est relevium ij3 vid Die Mem*rii in vigilia apostelorum Simonis et Jude anno supradicto. Johawwes Spycer venit et iecit ieodalitatem et vadit rele-yiwm suum de uno messuagio sibi accesso post mortem Godolene matris sue et est releziiwm vid. [folio 10] Eobertus filius Eoberti Coteler venit et feci£ feodaZitetem et vadiZ relevium suum pro se et Elena uxore sue de una acra terre perquisite de John Seynt Denys et est releuiwm xvid.* Osbert Warwick came and made fealty and paid his relief for land and a tenement which he purchased from William Gosselyn, and the relief is 2s. 6d., on Wednesday on the vigil of the Apostles Simon and Jude in the year aforesaid. John Spicer came and made fealty and paid his relief for one messuage fallen to him on the death of Godolene his mother, and the relief is 6d. Eobert son of Eobert Coteler came and made fealty and paid relief for himself aud Elena his wife for one acre of land purchased of John St. Denys, and the relief is lGd. October A.D. 1335. Eogerus Seman de communi per WillieZmwm Coker die Lune proxima post festem S««cZi Luce Evangeliste Anno Eegis Edwardi tercii post conquestum nono. Eoger Seman of the common essoin by William Coker on Monday next after the festival of St. Luke the Evangelist in the 9th year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. * " Modo Robert Sprigge reddit ad offioinam saoriste.—Martin Cotes." OF THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 117 December A.D. 1335. [Text.] Preceptem est dislringere Willielmum Poteman ad j d domino de tortuhus Die lune proxima ante iestum Sancti NichoZi A nno Regis Edwardi tercii post Conquestum nono. Impositum fuit WillieZmo Poteman quod ipse et manipwZi sui inerunt assueti eundi ad ouile Celerarii Boffensis de die et de nocte et ab inde as portaveruwt Stramina que jacebawt in dicte onili contra voluntatem dieZi celerarii ad dampnwm xls , etc., et predicZus WillieZmws venit et cognovit tortum predicted et nonit se in gratia domini. [Translation.] I t was ordered to distrain William Poteman for one penny to the lord for misdeeds (torts), on Monday before the festival of St. Nicholas in the 9th year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. I t was charged against William Poteman that he and his people are in the habit of going to the Stable (or donkeyshed) of the Cellarer of Eochester hy day and by night, and from thence carrying away the Straw lying in the said Stable against the will of the said Cellarer to his damage 40s., and the said William came and acknowledged his misdeeds aforesaid and submits himself to the Lord's grace. Corpus Christi, A.D. 1336. Agnes filia Eoberti atte Scole venit et iecit ieodalitatem et vadiZ relevium suum de uno teneme«Zo perquisite de Clement Chaundeler Die lune proxima post iestum Corporis Christi anno decimo hi8 viijd. Agnes daughter of Eobert atte Scole came and made fealty and paid her relief for a tenement purchased from Clement Chandeler Monday next after the festival of Corpus Christi in the 10th year 3s. 8a". September A.D. 1336. Eobertus Coteler de communi per Eobertum Sadeler et Bogerws • Seman de eodem per Johannem Adam die Martis proxima post iestum exaltatio «is sancte Crucis anno supradicto. Elias Lovelok modo Eicardus Boteler venit et fecit feodaZitetem et vadit relevium suum de quodam tenemento perquisite de Elionora Coman et est relevium irjB iiijd, Eobert Coteler of the common essoin by Eobert Sadeler, and Eoger Seman of the same by John Adam. Elias Lovelock [late Eichard Boteler] made fealty and paid his relief for a certain tenement purchased from Eleanor Coman, the relief is 3s. 4>d, 118 A POURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL [folio 10w.] November A.D. 1336. [Text.] Bicaro'us Bere Bogerws Seman Eobertus Coteler Brianus Meller ponunt se pro defaZZiows curie in misericordia Domini die SabbaZi proxima prius fesZ«m sawcte Katharine anno sttpradicZo. [Translation.] Eichard Bere, Eoger Seman, Eobert Coteler, Brian Meller, submit themselves for defaults of Court to the Lord's mercy on Saturday next after the festival of St. Katharine in the year aforesaid. January A.D. 1336-7. Petrus atte Dene venit et feciZ ieodalitatem et vadit relevium suum de uno tenemento perquisite de Bicardo Sheaskyng et est relevium viijd Die Veneris proxima post iestum Epipha«ie anno quo supra. Peter atte Dene came and made fealty and paid his relief for one tenement purchased of Eichard Shaskyng, and there is a relief of 8a". on Priday next after the festival of the Epiphany in the above year. Bogerws Seman Eobertus Coteler Briarmus Meller ponunt se in misericordia domini pro defal tibus die et anno supradiciis. Eoger Seman, Eobert Coteler, Brian Meller, place themselves in the mercy of the Lord for defaults the day and year aforesaid. Monday after Eeast of the Ascension, A.D. 1337. Elias Chaunceler de communi per Thomam Leuegor Eobertus ffuntayne de eodem per Stephanum Visage Die Lune proxima post fesZwm Ascensionis Domini anno Regis Edwardi tercii post Conquestwm undecimo. Elias Chauncelor of the common essoin hy Thomas Lewegor, Eobert Pountain of the same by Stephen Visage, on Monday next after the festival of our Lord's Ascension in the 11th year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. Lucia Sheppestere venit et feciZ ieodalitatem et vadit relevium de tenemento perquisite de WillieZmo Spicer et est relevium vd anno regis Edwardi tercii undecimo. Lucy Sheepster came and made fealty and paid relief for a tenement purchased of William Spicer, and the relief is 5d., in the 11th year of King Edward III, OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 119 October [Text.] Eogerus Seman de communi per WillieZmum Poteman Die Lune proxima ante iestum Sanctorum Simonis et Jude anno Regni Regis Edwardi tercii post conquesZwm undecimo. [folio 11] Distringas Thomam Brice pro feodaZiZaZe et relevio de i. acre terre perquisite de Johanne Day apud Crowlane.* A.D. 1338. [Translation;] Boger Seman of the common essoin by William Poteman on Monday next before the festival of Saints Simon and Jude in the 12th year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. Distrain Thomas Brice for fealty for one acre of land purchased of John Day at -Crowlane. December A.D. 1337. Thomas Brice venit et fecii feodaZiteZem, etc., de uno acre terre perquisiZo de Johanne Day et est relevium xvid Die Lune proxima ante fesZwm Natale domini anno undecimo. BadwZ^us Baker modo Adam Chaundeler venit et feciZ feodalitatem et vadit relevium suum de una Shoppa quam perquisiwiZ de Galfredo Chaundeler juxta Chethamhage et est relevium xivd.f Johannes Vicariws Sancte MargareZeJ vadit relevium de Ricardo Pantone et est relevium ivd. Willielmus hwyte vadit rele- •vium de eodem tenemento perquisiZo de dicto Johanne Viearie et fecit ieodalitatem et vadit relevium ivd. Thomas Brice came and made fealty, etc., for one acre of land purchased of John Day, and the relief is 16d., on Monday next before the festival of the Nativity of our Lord in the 11th year. Ealph Baker [late Adam Chandler] came and made fealty for a shop which he purchased of Walter Chandler next to Chatham hage, and the relief is 14a". John, Vicar of St. Margaret's,J paid his relief for Bichard Panton's (tenement ?), and the relief is id. William Whyte paid relief for that tenement purchased of the said John the Vicar and made fealty, and paid the relief U. * This is apparently the land on which, or part of which, the house known as " Restoration House " now stands. + " Custodes pontis.—Martin Cotes." j There seems to have been a keen dispute between the Prior and Convent and the Vicar of St. Margaret's over this tenement, and this admission is referred to in subsequent proceedings ordered against the Vicar at the Court held after Easter, 21 Edward III,, and at subsequent Conrts, 120 A POURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL [folio llvo.] [Text.] Cristina relicta Galfredi ChaundeZer modo Adam Clement veniZetfeciZfeodaZiZaZemde tenemento quod teneZ (ten3) ad terminum vite per feofrmentwm Radulphi Baker senioris et vadiZ relevium xiiiid. [Translation.] Cristina the relict of Walter Chaundeler [late Adam Clement] came and made fealty for the tenement which she holds for the term of her life by the feoffment of Ealph Baker the elder, and paid the relief 14d. July A.D. 1338. Maynardus Baker de communi per "Willielmum Poteman, Isabella Semaw de eodem per Johannem Drynkwyn [sic] Die SabbaZi proxima ante fesZwm sancti MargareZe anno Beyis Edwardi tercii xii0. November Johannes Yr [sic] de Leedes venit et vadiZ relevium de uno messuagio perquisiZo de Thome '- le peyntor in Suthgate et fecit ieodalitatem et est relevium iiijd die Jovis proxima post fesZwm omniwm sanctorum anno xii. Maynard Baker of the common essoin by William Poteman, Isabella Seaman of the same by John Dryukwine, on Saturday next after the festival of St. Margaret in the 12th year of King Edward III. A.D. 1338. John TJr (or the younger ?) of Leeds came and paid relief for a messuage purchased of Thomas the Painter in Southgate and made fealty, and the relief is 4d., on Thursday next after the festival of All Saints in the 12th year. [folio 12] Pebruary A.D. 1339. Walterus Meller de communi per Briannum Meller die veneris proxima post fesZwm sancte Sc&olastice Virginis Anno tercio decimo. Johawwes filiws Boberti Day modor heres Bieardi Lyndestode de tenure de ffrendesbury venit et feciZ ieodalitatem et vadit relevium suum de quodam tenemento quod perquisteiZ de Boberto paire suo et est relevium iijd ob. Walter Meller of the common "•essoin by Brian Meller on Priday next after the festival of St. Scholastica the Virgin in the 13th year. John son of Eobert Day [late the heirs of Eichard Lynstead] of the Erindsbury tenure came and made fealty and paid his relief for a certain tenement purchased of his father Eobert, and the relief is 3id. [folio 12w.] May A.D. 1340. Johannes Chose de communi per Johawwem nlium Eoberti die Veneris proxima post fesZwm sawcZi Joham«is ante portam Latinam anno regis Edwardi tercii post conquestwm xiiij0. John Chose of the common essoin by John the son of Eobert on Wednesday next after the festival of St. John before the Latin gate in the 14th year of King Edward the 3rd after the Conquest, OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 121 [Text.] Cecilia filia Joha«wis Baker que est infra etatem vadiZ relevium suum de uno messuagio perquisiZo* de, Johanne patre suo et est relevium xd et venit Radulphus Baker et petit nutrituram dicZe Cecilie et concessum est et per ple^ium Johannis de sancto Dionisis et Gilberti Godewyn et predicZus Radulphus iecit ieodalitatem. [Translation.] Cecilia daughter of John Baker, who is under age, paid her relief for a messuage purchased from John her father, and the relief is IOd., and Ealph Baker came and seeks the guardianship of the said Cecilia, and it is granted to him hy the pledges of John St. Denys and Gilbert Godwin, and the said Ealph made fealty. July A.D. 1340. Johawnes Chose de communi per Johannem Horstede Die Mercurii in VigiZia Sancte Margarete Virgi«is Anno Regis Edwardi tercii post conqwesZwm xiiij0. January A.: Eobertus Sadeler venit et feciZ domino ieodalitatem et vadit relevium pro se et Johanna uxore sua de uno tenemewZo sibi accesso post mortem Juliane filie Johawnis Jarm Die Mercurii proxima post festum Gonversionis Sa«eZi Pauli anno xv et est relevium xvd ob.f January A, Rreceptum est distringere Jacobum Lapyn et Johcwwiem Potyn WillieZmwm Eowe, Johannem Chose, Johannem Hylke, Henricwm Newman, [folio 13] Johawnem atte Chambre et alios ut pat3 in curia tenta die SabbaZi proxima post iestum sancti Hillarii Anno Regis Edwardi tercii xvi0. John Chose of the common essoin of John Horsted on Wednesday in the Vigil of St. Margaret the Virgin in the year of King Edward III. after the Conquest the 14th. 1341-2. Eobert Sadler came and made fealty to the Lord and paid the relief for himself and Joanna his wife for one tenement which fell to her on the death of Juliana, daughter of John Jarm, on Wednesday next after the festival of the Conversion of St. Paul in the 15th year, and the relief is 15|d. D. 1342-3. I t is ordered to distrain James Lapyn and John Potyn, William Eowe, John Chose, John Hylke, Henry Newman, John atte Chambre and others as is shewn in the Court held on Saturday next after the festival of St. Hillary in the 16th year of King Edward the 3rd. . * " Perquisito." It is apprehended that this word, which has been translated " purchased," applies to the acquisition of property by any other means than that of descent, and therefore if this young lady, as is probable, took this messuage under her father's will, or by deed of gift, she may be said technically to have it by " purchase " ; being an infant she could not have bought it in the ordinary way. t Mr. Martin Cotes adds here, " Le Dolphin." It afterwards became the " Crown and Sceptre." The house was near the bridge, and was taken down when the present bridge was built, VOL. XXIX. K 122 A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL .. Pebruary A.D. 1343. [Text.] [Translation.] Joha»wes Cokelyng de com- John Cokelyng of the communi per Johareraem Bussel die mon essoin'by John Eussell on SabbaZi in crastino sa«cZi Valen- Saturday the morrow of St. tini Anno Regis Edwardi tercii Valentine in the 17th year of post conquestum xvij0 incipi- King Edward the third after ente.* ' the Conquest now beginning. Dominws Johannes Claver Sir John Claver came and venit et feciZ ieodalitatem et made fealty and paid his relief vadiZ relevium suum de uno for one messuage which he purmessuagio quod perquisiuiZ de chased from William Spicer, WillieZmo Spisur juniore. et de. junior, and for one acre of land uno acre terre juxZa Crucem next to the Cross of St. William, SancZi WillieZmi et est relevium. and the rehef is 3s. 4d. and 6d. iij" iiijd et vid.f April A.D. 1344. Johannes Goldefynch de com- John Goldfinch of the communi per WillieZmwm de Dene mon essoin by William de Dene Die SabbaZi proxima post fesZwm on Saturday next after the fes- SawcZi Georgii MarZiris anno tival of St. George the Martyr Ee^is Edwardi tercii post Con- inthe 18th year of King Edward questum octavo decimo. the third after the Conquest. [folio 13w.] February A.D. 1345. Johomwes SeyndenysJ de com- John St. DenysJ of the commwii per Radulphum Drynk- mon essoin by Ealph Drinkwater * The "incipiente" is added by another hand, The regnal year began on the 25th January. The three last items (with one more not copied) make up all the entries from January 1341 to February 1343. t Mr. Martin Cotes adds here, " Magister Collegii de Cobham." This enables us to identify the land with that which is desoribed in the artiole on Cobham College {Archceologia Cantiana, Vol. XXVII., p. 97), and in the note there, and to " locate " the position of the cross raised to St. William our Roohester Saint. It must have stood near the Chapel at Upper Delce, some of the ruins of whioh still remain, and close to the new Hospital of St. William. The author of the History of Rochester (Pisher, p. 5) says: " A curious gentleman informs me that in a oopy of ah ancient Court Roll which "he onoe perused mention was made of two Crosses in this City, one in honour of St. William, but he oould not discover where it was ereoted," There can be little doubt but that our MS. is the Court Roll which this curious gentleman perused, and Mr. Martin Cotes' note upon it enables us, for the first time, to clear up the question as to the site of the oross. • t At about this time King Edward III. directed an inquisition to be made by certain " upright and lawful men of the oity " as to whether it would be desirable to grant the Prior liberty to extend the walls of the monastery to the east and south. The inquisition was made (April, 18 Edw. III., A.D. 1344) by the following citizens, many of whose names appear in this record as tenants of this manor: John, Potyn, John St; Denis, Henry Newman, Henry Taylor, Roger Perewinch, John Nasshenden, Robert Corby, Thomas atte Warde, John Legh, Adam Chaundeler, John Hampton and Thomas the Tavorner. {Archmoi logia Cqnljqnal Vol. XXIV., p. 18.) OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 123 [Text.] water Die Jovis proxima post iestum purificacionis beate Marie Virgireis anno Regis Edwardi tercii post conquestum decimo nono. Johannes Webbe veniZ et vadiZ relewi-wm suum de teneme«Zo perquisiZo de Thome Idde et feciZ ieodalitatem et est relevium viijd. [folio 14] Mabilia que fuit uxor NichoZai Massonn venit et vadiZ relevium suum de duobws domiJws perquisiZis de Alicia Hegemaw et feciZ feodaiiZaZem et est relevium iiijd. Domiwus Johannes de Borstalle venit et vadiZ relevium suum de terre et tenemento perquisiZis de AgneZe que fuit uxor de Thome Hobedy et feciZ feodalitatem et est releeiwm xd. Rreceptum est bedello quod haoeat omnes disZrictws, etc., sub pena ij8. Ostenswm est in ista curia quod Vicariws Sancte MargareZe juxZa Eoffiam teneZ quondam tenementum Emme Pantoni ideo preceptum est distringere dictum Vieariwm conZra proximam curiam, etc. Ostenswm est in ista curia qwod tenementum quondam Adame Cokelyng qwod tenementum debet redd-iZwm per annum celerario RoSensi et sectam" curie "et relevia quod advenit qwod minister domini Eegis usurpatiiZ [Translation.] on Thursday next after the festival of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the 19th year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. John Webb came and paid his relief for a tenement purchased of Thomas Ide and made fealty, and the relief is 8d. Mabel, who was the wife of Nicholas Masson, came and paid her relief for two houses purchased of Alice Hegeman and made fealty, and the relief is 4d. Sir John of Borstall came and paid his relief for land and tenement purchased of Agnes, who was the wife of Thomas Hobeday, and made fealty, and the relief is IOd. I t is ordered for the Beadle that he have all distresses, etc., under the penalty of 2s. I t is shewn in this Court that the Vicar of St. Margaret next Eochester holds a certain tenement formerly of Emma Panton's, so it is ordered to distrain the said Vicar against the next Court, etc. I t is shewn in this Court that the tenement formerly of Adam Cokelyng, which tenement owes a yearly rent to the Cellarer of Eochester and suit of court and reliefs, that it has happened that the officer of our Lord K % November A.D. 1345. 124 A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL ' [Text.] sibi iiij8 de reddiZws de illo teiiemento annuatim ex quodam sinistro colore videZicet1 qwod tempore quum idem Adam occidit quemdam hominem per infortuniam et Dominws Eex [folio 14i>o.] haouit de illo anno amerciamentum et vastum secundum* consuetudinem regni et sic deniceps usque nunc de anno in annwm recepeverit illud porcionem videlicet iiij8 nummi unjuste per qwod celerariws predictus de reddiZw sue defraudatwr ad dampnum, etc., Ideo comsulendwm est qwali&et solucio dictorwm iiij8 sit injuriose capta, etc. [Translation.] the King has usurped to hiviiself 4s.' of' the rent of that tenement year by year under this doubtful pretext, namely, that at the time when the same Adam killed a certain man by misadventure and our Lord the King had for that year the fine and waste according to the custom of the kingdom, and so thenceforth up to now from year to year he has received that portion, viz., 4s. of money unjustly, by means of which the aforesaid Cellarer is defrauded of his rent, to his damage, etc., so it has to be considered what measure of payment of such 4s. unlawfully taken shall be made, etc. 4th April A.D. 1346. Juliana Clerkys de communi per Banulphwm Perwywch, Elias Chaundeler per Willielmum de Dene quarto die mensis Aprilis anno Regis Edwardi tercii post conquestem vicesimo. Juliana Clerke of the common essoin by Balph Perewynch, Elias Chandeler by William le Dene on the 4th April in the 20th year of King Edward the third after the Conquest, Eobertus Webbe venit et vadiZ reletiwm suum de uno messuagio cum pertinentibus quod perquisivit de Johanne Webbe de Wikham et fecit feodaZiZaZem et est releyiwm viijd. Ad hanc curiamf firater E. Wyleby Celerariws EofEensis produxiZ registrum MonasZerii EofEensis in quo continebatwr carta cujusdem dimissionis cujusdem tenewewZi in CivitaZe Eofiense ex parte Boreali cui- Eobert Webb came and paid his relief for one messuage with the appurtenances, which he purchased from John Webb of Wickham, and he made fealty, and the relief is 8d. At this Court Brother E. Wyleby, the Cellarer of Eochester, produced the register of the Monastery of Eochester, in which was contained a deed of a certain demise of a certain tenement in the city of Eo- * " And according to the lawe of God (whioh judgeth him not worthie of death that ignorantly killeth another butprotecteth him in the cities of Refuge) oure law saveth unto such a one his life and lands, but yet taketh his goods and. giveth him a pardon without any speoiall suit to the Prince for it," (Lambarde's Direnarcha, p. 2S4.) t " Modo Stephenson of London,—Martin Cotes." OF SHE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 12& [Text.] dam Joh«M«i de Waleton* dicto conventui per Priorem et Conventum monasterii supradicZi Eewdendo [sic] annuatim celerario Eoffensi qui pro tempore fuerit x8 ad quatwor annuales terminos prineipales [folio 15] et usuales per equales poreiones pro omnibws demandaZis secularises salvo servicio domini Eegis et salva domino Priori et conventui secZa curie et relevia que acciderkt prout in dicZo registro continewtwr Quod vero tenementum Salomon Leghe tenet in villa predicZa prout testificaraZwr et computatum fuit per tenentes in plena curia presentibws [sie] tunc Johannes Potyn, Johannes Hampton, Henriews Tayllour, Johannes Jordon, WillieZmus hwyte, Johannes Adam et alii. Johawwes Derenthf venit et vadiZ relewiwm suum de uno messuagio et 1 acre et dimidia terre in Southgate ex opposiZo cimiterii SawcZe Margarete quod perquisieiZ de quodam Eieardo de Bere et fecit ieodalitatem et est relewiwm xiid. November WillieZniws Notion disZricZws est pro sex paribus% Sotulariorum pro ieodalitate et relevio detenZis de tenemereZo quondam Ade Potteri. # Walton in Suffolk, where there was a subordinate Priory or cell belonging to the Monastery of Rochester, and in some sort of subjection to it. The ruins of this Priory are still to be seen at Walton (now better known as Felixstowe). The arms of the See of Rochester as well as those of the Bishop of Norwich, in whose diocese it is, can still be seen above the niche on the porch of Felixstowe Churoh. . t " Mo'do Joh. Hadde tenet, modo Stnythley, modo tenet Thomas . . . . (?), J. Lee 1592 habet.—Martin Cotes." % Distraining for six pairs of shoes sounds at first like a joke, but the record is serious enough, and at the next Court this tenant appears and mikes fealty. [Translation.] chester in the North part thereof , to a certain John of Waleton* of the Convent there, by the Prior and Convent of the aforesaid monastery, rendering every year to him who for the time being shall be the Cellarer of Eochester 10s. at the four annual principal and usual terms hy equal portions in full of all secular demands, saving service to our Lord the King, and saving to the Lord Prior and Convent the suit of Court and the reliefs which may fall due, as in the said Begister is contained, which tenement indeed Solomon Leghe holds in the aforesaid city, as is witnessed and adjudged by the tenants in full Court then present, John Potyn, John Hampton, Henry Taylor, John Jordon, William White, John Adam and others. John Derenth came and paid his relief for one messuage and one acre and a half of land in Southgate opposite the Cemetery of St. Margaret, which he purchased of a certain Eichard de Bere, and he made fealty, and the relief is 12d. A.D. 1346. William Notion was distrained for six pairs of shoes for fealty and relief, kept back for the tenement formerly Adam Potter's. 126 A POURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL March A.D. 1347. [Text.] Joha«mes Nesshenden venit et vadiZ relevium suum de tenemento perquisiZo de Elia Lovelok et estreleaiwmiijsiiijd [folio 15vo] die Martis in festo Sancti Cutberti anno vicesimo primo. Rreceptum est disbringere Adam Chaundeler pro ieodalitate et relevio detentis de quadam sboppa quam Eadulphus Baker perquisi#iZ de Galfredo Chaundeler juxZa Chethemhage quia idem Adam modo teneZ (ten3). [Translation.] John of Nashenden came and paid his relief for a tenement purchased of Elias Lovelock, and the relief is 3s. 4d., on Tuesday on the feast of St. Cuthbert in the 21st year. I t was ordered to distrain Adam Chaundeler for fealty and relief detained for a certain shop which Ealph Baker purchased from Walter Chaundeler, close to Chatham hage, because the same Adam now holds it. Tuesday after Octave of Easter, A.D. 1347. WillieZmws Notton venit et William Notton came and vadiZ releuiwm et feciZ feodaZi- paid relief and made fealty for tatem de tenemento quondam the tenement formerly Adam Ade Potteri. Potter's. Compertam est per totam curiam quod dominus Johannes de Folkestone Vieariws Sancte MargareZe debit sectain de tenemento quondam Ade Panteoni qwod tenementum situatwm est inter tenementum suum et tenementum quondam NichoZai Meller quod quidem tenementum WillieZmus hwythe modo tene3 qui quidam Vicari-ws feciZ feodalilatem et relevium pro eodem tenemento Pantoni prout. pate3 in curia tenta in Vigilia Sancte Johannis BapZiste anno Regis Edwardi tercii post conqwesZwm XII* Qwawdo precepturn est distringere dicZwm dominum Vicariam super dicZwm tenementum et eciam super tenementum proprium pro ieodalitate et relevio detentis pro MagisZrum HospitaZis de Strode Contra proximam. I t was held,by all the Court that Sir John de Folkestone, Vicar of St. Margaret's, owes suit for the tenement formerly Adam Panteon's, which tenement is situate between his own tenement and the tenement formerly of Nicholas Meller's, and this tenement is the same which William Whyte lately held, and he the same Vicar made fealty and relief for the same tenement of Panteon's, as appears in the Court held on the eve of St. John the Baptist in the year of King Edward the third after the Conquest the 12th, Wherefore it is ordered to distrain the said Sir Vicar upon the aforesaid tenement, and also upon his own tenement, for fealty and relief detained for the Master of the Hospital of Strode against the next Court. See above, p. 119, and note there. OP THE' MANOR OF AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 12? [folio 16] [Text.] [Translation.] Johannes Potyn venit et vadiZ John Potyn came and paid relewiwm suum de terre et tene- his relief for the land and tenemento que sibi hereditariiacci- ment which fell to him as heir derint post mortem Salomonis upon the death of his brother fraZris sui. Solomon. 23rd June A.D, 1347. Henricws Tayllor de communi per Johannem Cokelyn juniorem Elias Chaundeler per Johannem Chose Die SabbaZi in Vigilia SaMcZi Johannis BaptisZe anno Beyis Edwardi supradicZo. Eobertus Simond pistor venit et feciZ feodaZiZaZem de uno messuagio cum edificiis qwod perquisiviZ de Eoberto Funtayn Sellerario in venella jwxta Chathamhagh et est relevium [sic] ei emit sectam suam ad unwm annwm. Ad hanc preceptum est distringere dominium Joha««em Vicariwm SawcZe MargareZe pro pluribws defaltiJws curie pro tenemento Emme Pantoni et .pro ieodalitate et relewio detentis in,quo manet unde MagisZerHospitaZis de Strode feciZ sectam. [folio 16wo.] Johannes Kyngeston de communi per Eobertum Sadeler, Juliana de Grean de eodem (and others) die Sab&ati proxima post fesZwm SawcZi Mathei aposZoii et Evangeliste anno Regis Edwardi supradicZo. Eobertus Simon pistor venit et vadiZ relevium suum et iecit ieodalitatem de tenemento perquisite de Eicardo Sheaskyng de Strode et est relevium viijd. Henry Taylor of the common essoin by John Cokelyn the younger, Elias Chaundeler by John Chose, ou Saturday on the eve of St. John the Baptist in the aforesaid year of King Edward. Eobert Simon the baker came and made fealty for the messuage and buildings which he purchased from Eobert Fountain, sellarer, in the lane next to Chatham hagh, and the relief is , and he pays for his suit of court for one year. At this Court it is ordered to distrain Sir John the Vicar of St. Margaret's for several defaults of Court for the tenement of Emma Panteon's, and for fealty and relief detained (for the house) in which he dwells, for which the Master of the Hospital of Stroud made suit. John Kingston of the common essoin by Eobert Sadeler, Juliana de Grean of the same (and others), on Saturday next after the festival of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, in the year of King Edward aforesaid. Eobert Simon the Baker came and paid his relief and made fealty • for the tenement purchased of Eichard Sheaskyng of Strood, and the relief is 8d. September A.D. 1347. 12S A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL [Text.] Ad hanc sic pluriSws preceptum est distriwyere domiwum Johanwem Vicariwm SawcZe Margarete pro pluriows defaltiSws curie de tenemewZo de Emme Panton et pro ieodalitate et releyio detentis de tenemento iu quo manet unde MagisZer HospitaZis de Strode feciZ sectam. WillieZmus Taylor venit et vadiZ relevium suum de tenemento perquisiZo de Dionysia quondam uxore Walteri Meller et feciZ ieodalitatem in crastino SawcZi Thome AposZoli anno supradicZo. Distri^yas vicarium Sancte Margarete ut supra unde Magister de Strode tenetwr facere sectam. DisZrittoas Johawwem de Nesshewden pro f eodaZiZaZe et releuio detentis de tenemento quondaw Johannis Potyn supra qwoddam tenementum idem Johawmes Nesshewden situatum [sic] quondam pistoriwm in venella juxZa Johanne Cosynton. [folio 17] Johannes Seyndenys venit ad istam curiam efc feciZ domino feodaZiZaZempro tenemewZo quondam Prioris SawcZi Gregorii Gantuariensis et quia nescitwr an debeat alia servicia Respitum ad proximam in crastino SancZi Thome AposZoli an«o xxi. [Translation.] At this Court as often before it was ordered to distrain Sir John the Vicar of St. Margaret's for several defaults of Court for the tenement of Emma Panton's, and for fealty and relief, detained for the tenement in which he dwells, for which the Master of the Hospital of Strood made suit. William Taylor came and paid his relief for the tenement purchased of Dionysia, formerly the wife of Walter Meller, and made fealty on the morrow of St. Thomas the Apostle in the year aforesaid. Distrain the Vicar of St. Margaret's as above for that tenement, whence the Master of Strood is held to make suit. Distrain John de Nesshenden for fealty and relief detained for the tenement formerly of John Potyn's, upon which tenement of the said John Nesshenden there was formerly situate a bakehouse in the lane next to John Cosynton's. John St. Denys came to this Court and made fealty to the Lord for a tenement formerly belonging to the Prior of St. Gregory, Canterbury, and since it is not known whether it owes other services it is respited until the next Court on the morrow of St. Thomas the Apostle year xxi. December A.D. 1347. OP THE MANOR OF AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 129 March A, [Text.] Elias Chaundeler de communi per Eobertum Drynke water WilleZmus Tayllor de Strode per Henricwm Morel (and others) Die Martis proxima ante iestum Sancti Gregorii pape anno Regis Edwardi tercii post conqwesZwm vicesimo secundo. WillieZmus hwyte venit ad hanc curiam et pro tenemento suo quod tenementum juxZa vicariwm Sancte Margarete quod perquisifliZ de eodem pro pluribws defalti&ws ponit se et fuit dicZwm tenementum quondam Emme Panton quod ipsa adquisivit de NichoZao Meller misericordia iiid. ,D. 1348. [Translation.] Elias Chaundeler of the common essoin by Eobert Drinkwater, William Taylor of Strood by Henry Morel (and others named), on Tuesday next after the festival of St. Gregory the Pope in the 22nd year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. William Whyte came to this Court and for his tenement, which tenement is next to the Vicar of St. Margaret, which he purchased from him, and for several defaults submits himself, and it was the aforesaid tenement formerly of Emma Panton, which she herself acquired from Nicholas Meller, in mercy 3d. April A.D. 1348. Johawwes Chose de communi per Banulphwm Perewywch Cristina Lymmyng de eodem per Johannem Earn (and others) Die Martis proxima post iestum Tiburcii et Valerianus anwo supradicZo. [folio 17»o.] WillieZmus hwyte venit ad istam curiam et in presencia Henrici Tayllor et Johannis Hampton feciZ domino feodaZitatem de tenemento suo quondam tenemento juxta vicariam Sa«cZe Margarete qwod perquisiviZ de domiuo Vicario et ponit se in gracia domini ut patez in curia precedente et fuit dictum tenementum quondam Emme Panton q-wod ipsa perquisifliZ de NichoZao Meller. John Chose of the common essoin by Ealph Perewynch, Cristina Lymming of the same by John Bam (and others named) on Tuesday next after the festival of Tiburcius and Valerian in the year aforesaid. William Whyte came to this Court and in the presence of ' Henry Taylor and John Hampton made fealty to the Lord for his tenement, formerly the tenement next to the Vicarage of St. Margaret's, which he purchased of Sir Vicar, and submits himself to the grace of the Lord, as appears iu the preceding Court, and it was the aforesaid tenement, formerly Emma Panton's, which she acquired from Nicholas Meller. 130 A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL June A.: [Text.] Johannes Jordon de commwwi per Eobertum Drynkewater (and others) Die Martis proxima post festom AposZolorwm Petri et Pauli Anno xxii. Compertum est in ista curia qwod WillieZmus filiws Joha«»is Pistoris te?*e3 tenementum qwod quondam fuit Galfridi Chapman in Southgate situatwm inter tenementum Alicia de Hampton ex parte horeali et tenementum [folio 18] Cecilie Tebaud ex parte australi ideo precepZwm est distringere super dictam tenementum pro ieodalitate et relevio detenZis. TestificaZzwre est per tenentes in ista curia qwod Joham«es hwyte teneZ medietaZem cujusdem tenementi quod quidem tenuit Johannes Goldfynch quondam adquisiviZ de Johanne Cordwaner et qwod dicZws Johannes Goldefynch releviavit pro dicto tenemento integro xiid prout ut pate3 in curia celerarii tenta anno Regis patris nunc xvij0 Ita preceptum est distringere predictum Johcmnem hwyte, etc. Compertum* est per totam curiam qwod WillieZmus Poteman debeZ facere sectompro tenemewZo suo extra Eastgate in quo manet et compertwm est in Eotulo curie celerarii tente anno Eegis nwnc viii0 decimo et xii0 Ideo prece^- tum est distringere super dicZwm "tenementum ' ad respondendwm domino ad proximam pro secta etc. Inquirendum quis tene3 .ienementum Eicardi Sheaskyng 1.1348. [Translation.] John Jordon of the common essoin by Eobert Drinkwater (and others named) on Tuesday next after the festival of the Apostles Peter and Paul in the 22nd year. I t was held in this Court that William son of John the Baker holds the tenement which formerly was Walter Chapman's in Southgate, situate between the tenement of Alice de Hampton on the North side and a tenement of Cecilia Tebaud on the South side. So it is ordered to distrain upon the said tenement for fealty and relief detained. I t is borne witness by the tenants in this Court that John Whyte holds a Moiety of a certain tenement which one John Goldfinch formerly acquired from Johanna Cordewaner, and •ifor which the said John Gold- ' finch ,paid relief for the entirety 12d., as appears in the Court of • the Cellarer held in the 17th year of the King that now is. Therefore it is ordered to distrain the said John Whyte, etCi I t was held by the whole Court that William Poteman owes it to make suit for his tenement outside Eastgate, in which he dwells, and so it was held in the Eoll of the Cellarer's Courts held in the 8th, the 10th, and the 12th years of the King that now is. So it is ordered to . distrain upon the said tenement to answer to the Lord at. the next Court for suit, etc. It is to " Modo, ut estimo, W. Nicholl de Eastgate.—Martin Cotes." OP THE MANOR OF AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 131 [Text.] qwod debet seetom ut pate3 in rotwZo curie celerarii anno Regis Edivardi filii, etc., xvi et xix"10. [Translation.] be enquired who holds the tenement of Eichard Sheaskyng which owes Suit as appears in the Eoll of the CeUarer's Court in the 16th and 19th years of King Edward the son, etc. July A.D. 1348. Johannes hwyte venit et vadiZ relevium suum pro tenemento .perquisiZo de Johanne Goldf ynch in Venella versus Curtheylle* et feciZ feodaZiZaZem et est relevium vid. WiilieZmws Poteman venit et vadiZ relevium suum pro tenemento in quo [folio 18t>o.] manet in Eastgate et didixit sectam et quod computatum est per curiam et per rotulwm curie qwod pater ejus et mater iecerunt sectam ideo in misericordia. InquisiZio capta ad certifieandum domiwum qwid est illud tenementum quod WiilieZmws Spycer adquisiwiZ de Emma filia Luce Permynter dicit qwod est illud tenementum angulare qwod est ex parte orientaZi in Venella per qwam ita [sie] ad Bundespette. Item de inquisitiowe captenda pro quo tenemewZo Magister HospitaZis de Strode tenetwr facere sectam Compertum est per antiquos rotulos qwod debet sectam de tenemento WillieZmi Bateman juxZw EccZesiam SawcZi Clementis.f * Courthill, or Courthill Terrace, is just above the site on Boley Hill where the anoient Court of " pie-powder " was held, and ho doubt took its name from that oiroumstance. The privilege was granted to the City hy the Charter of Edward IV See Mr. Gomrae's article on Boley HiU (Archmologia Cantiana, Vol, XVII., pp. 181 et sea.). This name, Courthill, used in the year 1348, goes to prove the correctness of Mr. Gomme's theory that the Court was in existence long before the grant of the oharter. '• t " Modo John Kirkby tenet, reddit ad officium Sacriste p. annum viiia.— Martin Cotes." John Whyte came and paid his relief for a tenement purchased from John Goldfinch in the lane towards Courthill, and made fealty, and the relief is 6d. William Poteman came and paid his relief for the tenement in which he lives in Eastgate, and to ascertain as to his suit, and so it was found by the Court and by the Court Boll that his father and mother made suit. So in mercy, etc. An inquisition was held to certify the Lord which is the tenement which William Spicer acquired from Emma, daughter of Lucy Permynter, and it says that it is that corner tenement on the East side of the lane by which the way (iter) is to Bundespette. Item as to the inquisition taken for what tenement the Master of Strood Hospital is held to make suit, it was found by the ancient rolls that he owes suit for the tenement of William Bateman's close to the Church of St. Clement. 132 A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL •. '[Text.] Johawnes Mildenacre venit et vadiZ relewiwm suum pro una acre terre juxZa crucem SawcZi WillieZmi et feciZ ieodalitatem et est relevium vid. [foho 19] February Eobertus Symon pistor vadiZ releuiwm suum de uno tenemento perquisiZo de Simone Pakyn et feciZ ieodalitatem et est relewiwm viiid die Jovis proxima post fesZwm SaweZi Mathie AposZoli anno Regis Edwardi tercii post conquestwm vicesimo tertio intrante. Johawna filia Thome Coraan que est infra etatem vadiZ releviwm de tenemereZo que sibi hereditarie accidit post mortem Cristine Comam maZris sue et quia est infra etatem committitur nutritura Johanni Gyllyngham qui desponsawiZ Agne- Zem sororem predicZe Cristine cur hereditas dicZe Johanne non potest descendere* et est relewiwm l d ob. qu1'. [Translation.] ; John Mildenacre came and paid his relief for one acre of land close to the cross of St. William, and made his fealty, and the relief is 6d. A.D. 1349. Eobert Simon the Baker paid his relief and made fealty, and the relief -is 8d., on Thursday next after the festival of St. Mathias the Apostle in the 23rd year of King Edward the third after the Conquest. Johanna, daughter of Thomas Coman, who is under age, paid relief for a tenement which fell to her as heir on the death of Cristina Coman her mother, and because she is under age she is committed to the guardianship of John Gillingham, who married Agnes, sister of the said Cristina, wherefore the inheritance of the said Johanna cannot descend (to him ?), and the relief is lfd. [folio 19i>o.] March A.D. 1349. Cristina et Alicia filie Alicie de Hampton et Alicia Johanna et Isabella filie Johannis Legh vad-wwt releoiwm de quadam domo lapidea (or lapidis ?) ubi quondam massit Johannes Hampton Senior et de tenemereZo Hugonis Marescalli qwod sibi hereditariis accideriwt post mortem Joharane uxoris Johannis et quia predicZa Isabella est infra etatem venit Salomon Legh et clamat nutritwram dicZe Isabelle et concessa est per pleggiam Henrici Morel et est re-. Cristina and Alice daughters of Alice de Hampton and Alice Johanna (or Joan) and Isabella daughters of John Legh pay their relief for a certain house of stone where formerly John Hampton the elder lived, and for the tenement of Hugh Marshall which had fallen to them as heirs on the death of Joanna the wife of the said John, and since the said Isabella is under age Solomon Legh comes and claims guardianship of the said Isabella, and it * Agnes presumably was dead, and therefore in the event of Johanna's death) while, still under age, the property would not devolve upon his wife, or. upon him in her right; he therefore was a proper person lor the guardian ship. OP THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 133 [Text.] levium vii8 et ixa et swnt catella dictarwm Alicie Johanne et Isabelle xxs et fecerunt feodaZiZa- Zem pro teneme«Zis predicZis que sibi hereditariis acciderinZ post mortem Johanwe filie Johannis Hampton. [Translation.] is granted by the pledge of Henry Morel, and the relief is 7s. and 9d., and there are chattels of the said Alice Johanna and Isabella 20s., and they made fealty for the saidtenements whichhad fallento them as heirs upon the death of Joanna daughter of the said John Hampton. Sabina daughter of Thomas Bryce, who is under age, paid relief for an acre of land which fell to her as heir on the death of her mother Ellen, and the said Alice de Hampton came and says that the guardianship is hers, and she made fealty and the relief is 16d. Now John Finch holds it. Elena daughter of William Gillingham pays relief for an acre and a half of land close to Goldvineyard which fell to him upon the death of his brother William, and made fealty, and the relief is 3s. John Boton of Strood came and paid his relief for a certain tenement of William Knight's which fell to him as heir on the death of his father John upon the Quay of Stroodmill, and the relief is 4s., and he made fealty to the Lord. D. 1349. John Sprot pays relief for himself and Johanna (or Joan) his wife for a tenement which fell to the said Joanna his wife on the death of Simon Pakyn, and the said John made fealty, and the relief is 4s. Sabina filia Thome Bryce que esZ infra etatem vadiZ relewi-wm de una aera terre que sibi hereditarie accedit post mortem Elene maZris sue et venit dicZa Alicia de Hampton et dicit quod est de nutritwra sua et feciZ feodaZitatem et est relewiwm xvid. Nunc tene3 Johannes fEynch. Elena filia WillieZmi Gyllyngham vadit relevium de 1 acre et dimidia terre juxZa Galdewynzarde que sibi accidiZ post mortem WillieZmi fraZris ejusdem et feciZ ieodalitatem et est relevium iij8. [folio 20] Johawnes Boton de Strode venit et vadiZ relevium suum pro tenemenZo quondam WiZ/ieZmi Kynht qwod sibi herediZario accidiZ post mortem Johannis paZris sui supra cayam de Strodemelle* et est relevium iiij8 et feciZ domino ieodalitatem. July A, '••• Johannes Sprot vadit relewiwm pro se et Johanna.uxore sua de quodam tenememZo qwod accidiZ Johanne u#ore sue post mortem Simonis Pakyn et dicZus Johannes feciZ ieodalitatem et est relevium iiij8. . * This refers, no doubt, to the late Mr. Horsnaill's water-mill at Strood, which was near to the end of Rochester Bridge; it continued tp be used as a corn-mill within living memory. 134 A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL [folio 20vo.] March A, [Text.] Johannes filiws Johannis Potyn venit et feciZ ieodalitatem et vadit relewwm de diversis tenementis que sibi hereditario acciderinZ post-mortem Johannis patris sui et feciZ ieodalitatem et est relevium xx8 iid ob et memorandwm quod non releviavit hie pro tenemento quod fuit Ade Potyn quia Mabilia Potyn tene3 illud tenementum ad terminum vite. Magota filia et heres Johannis atte Chambre qwe est infra etatem vadit releyiwm de tenemento que sibi accediZ post mortem patris sui Johannis et est relefliwm xd. Eobertus filiws Eo&erti Sadeler vadit releuinm de terris et tenementis que sibi acciderint post mortem Booerti patris sui et domini WillieZmi Sadeler avunculi sui et feciZ ieodalitatem et est relewiwm iiij8 xd. DisZrin^as Mahiliam Potyn pro ieodalitate facta domino de tenemenZo quondam Ade Potyn in qua manet quod haouit de dono Salomonis Leghe et eciam pro releyio vid et viiid debita pro eodem tenemento de hoc quod idem Salomon perquisiyiZ idem tenemewZwm de Johanne Potyn' in feodo. [folio 21] June A. Alicia qwe fuit uxor Elie Channceler de communi per Bartholomeum Slium Johannes Crys de eodem per Simonem Lym- ' mynge, NichoZaus Eobyn de ,D. 1350. [Translation.] John son of John Potyn came and made fealty and paid relief for divers tenements which had fallen to him as heir on the death of his father John, and made fealty, and the relief is 20s. 2|d., and be it remembered that he did not pay relief here for the tenement which was Adam Potyn's, for Mabel Potyn holds that tenement for the term of her life. Magota daughter and heir of John atte Chambre, who is under age, pays relief for the tenement which fell to her on the death of her father John, and the relief is IOd. Eobert son of Eobert Sadeler paid relief for the land and tenements which have fallen to him on the death of his father Eobert and of Sir William Sadeler his uncle, and made fealty, and the relief is 4s. IOd. Distrain Mabel Potyn for fealty made to the Lord for the tenement, formerly Adam Potyn's, in which she lives, which she had of the gift of Solomon Legh, and also for the relief, 6d. and 8d., which are owed for the same tenement for this reason that the same Solomon purchased the* same tenement of John Potyn in fee. ». 1350. Alice who was the wife of Elias Chancellor of the common essoin by Bartholomew her son, John Crys of the same by Simon Lymmynge, Nicholas Eobyn of the OF THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 135 [Text,] eodem per Johannem Sport WillieZmus Poteman perBadwZ^wm Drynkwater Die Saboati proxima ante iestum Sancti Barnabe AposZoli anno Eegis Edwardi tercii post Conquestam vicesimo quarto. Maria Eussel venit ad hanc curiam et feciZ domino feodaZitatem de ii acras terre et dimidia apud Prest felde* melle qnod tene3 ad terminum vite sue et dat domino de fine pro secte sue usque iestum sancti MichaeZis anno supradicZo iijd. Johannes Peyteneye de Lynne qui desponsavit Johannam filiam et heredem Johannis Nesshendene vadit relevium de terris et tenemenZis suis que tene3 de domino in Boffa videlicet de tenemento Lovelok iij8 iiijd et pro Coquina que fuit quondam Johannis Potyn viid et pro tenemento Le Gom xd ob. et feciZ domino ieodalitatem—modo tene3 Eicardus Boteler. Thomas Southwyk venit ad hanc curiam et petit nutrituram Margarete filie Johawne atte Chambre et facta inquisitione in curia si nutritura dicZe Margarete p^edicZo Thome pertineat ComperZum est quod sit et concessa est per pleggiam WilZieZmi [folio 21yo.] Poteman etEooerti Sadeler et feciZ feodaZiZaZem et est relevium dicte Margarete xd. * Priestfield, one of the earliest possessions of the Church of Rochester, was granted by King Ethelbert A.D. 600 (see Textus Roffensis, fo. 177, Hearne's edition, p. 152), and it remained with the Churoh for over 1300 years until 1905, when it was sold by the Dean and Chapter to the Trustees of Watts' Charity. Originally the field extended from the village of Borstal on the south nearly -to St. Margaret's Church on the north, and until recently a windmill stpod near .the Rochester end, [Translation.] same by John Sprot, William Poteman by Balph Drinkwater, on Saturday next before the festival of St. Barnabas the Apostle in the 24th year of King Edward the 3rd after the Conquest. Maria Eussel came to this Court and made fealty to the Lord for 2 acres of land and a half at Priest field Mill which she holds for the term of her life, and she gives the Lord for a fine for her suit up to the festival of St. Michael in the year aforesaid, 3d. John Peyteneye of Lynn, who married Johanna (Joan) the daughter and heir of John Nesshenden, paid relief for his lands and tenements which he holds of the Lord in Eochester, namely, for the tenement Lovelok 3s. 4d., and for the kitchen, which was formerly John Potyn's, 7d., and for the tenement Le Gom 10-J-d., and he made fealty to the Lord. Now Eichard Boteler holds it. Thomas Southwick came to this Court and solicits the guardianship of Margaret daughter of John atte Chambre, and inquisition being made in Court if the guardianship of the said Margaret belongs to the said Thomas ; it is held that it does, and it is granted by the pledges of William Poteman and Eobert Sadeler, and he made fealty, and 136 A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL [Text.] Et disZrin^as tenementum dicte Margarete pro eodem contra proximam Et Radulphus Drynkwater qui ha&uit prius nutrituram dicZe MargareZe erat quietus, etc. [Translation.] the relief of the said Margaret is IOd. And distrain the tenement of the said Margaret for the same against the next Court, and Ealph Drinkwater, who had the former guardianship, was discharged. 5th March A.D. 1351. Johanna Drynkewater de commwni per Thomam Meller et Eobertus Chamherlayn per Willielmum Poteman, WillieZmus Tayllor per Henricwm Morel in curia tenta quinto die mensis March Anno Ee^is Edwardi tercii post conquestwm vicesimo quinto. de Southgate et ejus veniwnZ ad Johannes Alicia uxor istam curiam et fecerwnZ domino fidelitaZem* pro tenemento perquisiZo de Boberto Sadeler de Boffa et de Thoma Hood et Eicardo Noble et vadwn Z relevium suum quod est ij8 xd. Ad hanc preceptum est Mabiliam Potyn pro ieodalitate f acienda de tenemento quondam Ade Potyn perquisiZo de Salomon Legh et eciam pro releyio vi8 viijd aretro de eodem tenemento eo quid idem Salomon perquisiwiZ de Johanne Potyn et nondiim reZewiavit, etc. Joan (Johanna) Drinkwater of the common essoin by Thomas Meller and Eobert Chamberlain by William Poteman, William Taylor by Henry Morel, in the Court held on the 5th March in the 25th year of King Edward the 3rd after the Conquest. John de Southgate and Alice his wife came to this Court and made fealty to the Lord for the tenement purchased of Eobert Sadeler of Eochester, and from Thomas Hood and Bich ard Noble, and they pay the relief, which is 2s. IOd. At this Court it is ordered to distrain Mabel,Potyn for fealty to be made of the tenement formerly Adam Potyn's purchased of Solomon Legh, and also for the relief 6s. 8d. in arrear for the same tenement which the said Solomon purchased of John Potyn, and has not yet paid relief, etc. Monday, 5th March A.D. 1352. Johannes Chose de communi per' Henriewm Morel, Juliana Great, Johannes Eeygner, Johanna Weker, etc., Die Lune quinto die March anno Eegis, etc., vicesimo sexto. * This is the first instance in whioh the word "fidelitas" is used for " fealty"; previously the word " feod'" for feodalitap is invariably employedv John Chose of the common essoin by Henry Morel, Juliana Grean, John Eeygner, Joan Weker, etc., Monday, 5th March 26th year of King Edward III. OF THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 137 [folio 22]. [Text.] Johannes Elmer venit et feciZ ieodalitatem et vadit relevium suum pro terris que perquisivit cum [sic] Simone Kingestone et releavit pro tribus rele-wiis viii8. WillieZmus Poteman, NichoZaus Eobyn, Johannes SouthgaZe et socii sui haoent diem contra proximam ad certificandwm domino qwi ohierint tenentes, etc.* [Translation.] John Elmer came and made fealty and pays his relief for the lands which he purchased of Simon Kingston, and he paid relief for three reliefs 8s. William Poteman, Nicholas Eobyn, John Southgate and their colleagues have a day until next Court to certify the Lord which tenants have died, etc. Saturday, 14th April A.D. 1353. Johannes Potyn de communi per Radulphum Hakeneyman, WillieZmus Poteman de eodem •per Johannem SkyDner, Juliana Clerkes de eodem, etc., Die SahbaZi xiiij die Mensis Aprilis anno Beyis Edwardi tercii vicesimo septimo. . Johannes Skynner venit et feci* domino ieodalitatem et vadit relevium pro uno messuagio adquisiZo de Adame filio Johannis Bishopp de Hoo et est releyiwm vd et tanZwm debet de reddiZw •ad officiMmt celerarii per annum ad quatuor anni terminos et debet sectam ad hanc curiam per eodem tenemenZo, etc. , [folio 22»o.] ' ' ' . "Preceptum est distringere "WiliieZmum Poteman, NichoZawm Eobyn, Johannem Southgate, Eobertum Sadeler, Johannem Sheaskyn, Johannem Chaunce et Adam Sokelyn quod fuit ad pro&vmam ad audiendwm in diem suum de eo quod non venerint • ad istam curiam ad certificandwm dominum qui obierint tenentes * The great sickness now prevailing probably prevented any court being held from March 1351>for a year, and then, again for another year, t Or "officinam." . John Potyn of the common essoin by Ealph Hakeneyman, William Poteman of the same hy John Skynner, Juliana Clerk of the same, etc., on Saturday the 14th April, 27th Edward III. John Skynner came and made fealty to the Lord for one messuage- acquired from Adam son of John Bishop of Hoo, and the relief is 5d.; and so much he owes for rent to the cellarers office by the year at the four terms of the year, and he owes suit to this Court for the same tenement. .• It is ordered to distrain William Poteman, Nicholas Eobyn, John Southgate, Eobert Sadeler, John Sheaskyn, John Chance and Adam Sokelyn, because it was at the next (that is this) Court on their day to hear of that which they have not come to this Court to certify the Lord, viz., which tenants of the Lord TOi, XXTX. fc 138 . A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL .. [Text.] domini post pestilenciam* et de ^quibws tenementis et per quas servicia, etc., sicut diem haouerunt in curia proxima precedents [Translation.] ' I have died after the pestilence, and of what tenements and hy what services, etc., as they had their day in the Court next preceding this. 8th June A.D. 1354. EadtjZphus Hakeneyman de communi per Walterum Grene, Johannes Drynkewater de eodem per Thomam Colyn, Juliana Clerkys de eodem per Henricnm Morel Die SabbaZi viii die mensis •Junii anno Regis Edwardi tercii vicesimo viii0. Willielmus Poteman et soeii sui ut patet in curia precedenti veniunt et certificant dominwm de tenentibus qui obierint post pestilenciam in tenuria domini, etc. Primo. Camararius Prioris tenet [sic] tenementum in Eastgate quid fuit Eogeri Carpenter quod debet per annum xviiid. Item Dominws Eobertus Bonchos Vicarins SancZi NichoZai tenet tenementum quod fuit Johannis Adam in Eastgate qui debet per annum pro eodem iiijd. Item Thomas Incler tenet partem ejusdem tenemenZi quid fuit Johannis Potyn et debet per annum inde ijd. Ealph Hakeneyman of the common essoin by Walter Green, John Drinkwater of the same by Thomas Colyn, Juliana Clerk of the same by Henry Morel, on Saturday the 8th of June in the year of the King, etc., 28th. William Poteman and his colleagues, as set forth at the preceding Court, come and certify the Lord as to the tenants who have died after the pestilence, those of the Lord's tenants. 1st. The Prior's Chamberlain holds the tenement in Eastgate, which was Eoger Carpenter's, which owes by the year 18d. Item Sir Eobert Bonchose, the Vicar of St. Nicholas, holds the tenement which was John Adam's in Eastgate, which owes by the year for the same 4d. Item Thomas Incler holds the part of the tenement-which was John Potyn's, and owes by the year out of it 2d. t * There were various " pestilences " about this time. Stow (Summary of -the English Chronicle, edition 1565, p. 117) writes: " A.D. 1348. In the end pf this year, about August, the pestilence began in divers places of England, and specially at London, and so continued till that tyme twelvemonth." This was the great sickness known as " The Black Death." In the following year he records it again, and a few years later he gives this account (p. 120): " 1361. This yere men and beasts perished in England in divers places with thunder and lightning,, and fiends were sene in man's likenes and spake unto men as they travelled by the way. 1362: This yeare was great death and pestilence in Englande? which was (jailed the Second Moftalitie." OF THE MANOR OF AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 139 [Text.] Item Tenementum quod fuit Katerine ffort in Eastgate jacet non manucipatus et quedam Sabina filia defuncti infra etatem existit ideo, etc., et debet per annum iiijd. Item Alicia relicta Johannis Kylle tene3 1 deywerke terre in Eastgate que fuit ejusdem Johannis et debet per annum ijd. Item Juliana Gurnard obiit post pestilenciam que tenuit [folio 23] unam domum in Eastgate et debet per annum xviiid. Item Johannes Perk qui tenwit tenementum in Strode quod fuit Petri atte Sole cujns heredes sunt infra etatem et nemo sequitur ideo, etc. Item Johannes Geneyt de Strode ohiit cujws tenementum tene3 Alicia relicta defuncti et sicut heredes infra etatem et debetur ipde per annum vid ut creditur ad hue. Inquirendum ad proximam de aliis tenentibus qui obierint, etc., ut in curia precedenti, etc. - Johannes Potyn de communi per Walterum Grene, Radulphns Hakeneyman de eodem per Cristianam Brice, Dominus Eobertus Bonchos per Johanwem Skynner die SabbaZi proxima post festwm annunciaZionis beate Marie Virginis anno Regis, etc., Edwardi tercii vicesimo octavo, [Translation.] Item the tenement which was Katherine Fort's in Eastgate lies undisposed of, and one Sabina, daughter of the deceased, is living under age, so, etc., and it owes hy the year 4d, Item Alice the relict of John Kylle holds one day-work (of land) in Eastgate which belonged to the said John, and owes by the year 2d. Item Juliana Gurnard died after the pestilence, and she held one house in Eastgate, and it owes hy the year 18d. Item John Perk, who held a tenement in Strood which was Peter's atte Sole, whose heirs are under age, and no one sues, so, etc. Item John Geneyt of Strood died, whose tenement Alice the relict of the deceased holds, as the heirs are under age, and there is owed for it by the year 6d. so far as at present is believed. Inquiry to he made at the next Court as to other tenants who have died, etc., as in the preceding Court. John Potyn of the common essoin hy Walter Greene, Ealph Hakneyman of the same by Cristiana Brice, Sir Eobert Bonchose by John Skinner, on Saturday next after the festival of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the 28th year of King Edward the third. £ 2 March A.D. 1354. 140 . A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY.COURT .ROLL , [folio 23vo.] [Text,]. Bogerus atte- Hede venit et feciZ ieodalitatem et vadit relevium pro una pecia terre adquisiZa de WillieZmo Kyng qwe quondam . fuit Johannis Newport et est relevium xxd. [Translation.] Eoger atte Head came. and made fealty, and paid relief for a piece of land acquired from .William King and formerly was John Newport's, and the relief is 20d. July A.D. 1355. Johanna Drynkewaterys de communi per Johannem Colyn, Mariona Eussel de eodem per Cristiannam Bryce [and others] die lune proxima ante fesZwm translacionis SancZi Thome martius anno Edwardi Eegis tercii, etc., vicesimo nono. Johannes le Sextyh pro herediJws WillieZmi hwyte ponit se pro defalfiZSns curie in misericordia iid. Johannes Hale et Eobertus Shewer veninnt et- fecernnt domino ieodalitatem [folio 24] et vadwnt r'elewiwm de tenemento adquisiZp de Johanne Tresgettonneret est relewiwm xxd. Joan [Johanna] Drinkwater of the common essoin by John Colyn, Marion Eussel of the same by Cristiana Bryce (and others named), on Monday next before the festival of the Translation of St. Thomas the Martyr in the 29th year of King Edward III. John the Sexton for the heirs of William Whyte submits himself for defaults of Court in mercy 2d. John Hale and Eobert Shewer come and they made' fealty to the Lord and pay relief for the tenement acquired from John Tresgettoner/ and the relief it 20d. February A:D. 1356. Radulphus Hakeneyinan de Communi per Cristianam Bryce Die SabbaZi proxima post fesZwm SancZi ValenZini anno Be^is Ed-- wardi tercii, etc., tricesimo. Johannes Otemongejri feciZ domino ieodalitatem et;.vadit relevium de 1 domo adquisiZa de Thome Incler commitata ? cum Margeria uxore sua et est rele.r yium ijX ....'.... Ealph Hakneyman of the common essoin by Cristiana Bryce, on Saturday next after the-festival of St. Valentine in the 30th year of King Edward III. John Otemonger made fealty and paid relief for a house acquired of Thomas Incler with Margaret his wife, and the. relief is- 2d. OF *HE MANOR OP AMBREE,' ROCHESTER. lit [Text,] '. •••••.• Petrus le Marchal* feciZ feodaZiZaZem et vadit relevium pro i forga juxta appellane adquisiZa de heredibus Lynnyng et est relewiwm iij8 iiijd. [folio 24t>o.] Adam Cosyn vytheler venit et feciZ feodaZiZaZem et vadiZ relevium suum de uno messuagio et domo jacentiows apud Cornehelle et vadiZ relevium pro adquisiZione sua et adquisiZione Eicardo Borgsalder et est relevium ij8 viiid pro uuo relewio et ii8 viiid pro alio relewio et reclamavit tantwm .quantum solvuit de reddiZw per annum ad officinm Sacriste quod est ij8 v'iijd. Adam Cokelyng senior de communi per Johannem Coke-', lyng (and others) die Martis \3eptim0 die mensis March Anno Eegis Tricesimo primo. Eobertus filiws et unus heredum NichoZaie Eobyn venit et feciZ ieodalitatem et vadit relevium pro tenemento sibi et Johanni, Odoni, Hamoni et Johanni? fraZribus et co-herediows suis hereditarie accesso post mortem predicZi patris sui et vadiZ relewiwm pro se et participienZibws suis quod est ijs iiijd. [folio 25] Johannes Benedon venit et feciZ feodaZiZaZem domino pro parte unius tenementi in Boffa jwxZa Chetham lane adquisiZa de Johanne filio Eoberti ffuntayne et vadiZ releyiwm quid est xviiid ob. qur. ." . [Translation.] Peter le Marchal made fealty and pays relief for a forge next to Appellane acquired of the heirs of Lymmyng, and the relief is 3s. 4d. Adam Cosyn, victualler, came and made fealty and paid his relief for one messuage and a house lying at .CornhiU, and pays relief for his acquisition thereof and for the acquisition by Eichard Borgsalder (the Borsholder?), and the relief- is 2s. .and 8d. for one relief and 2*. and 8d. for the other relief; and he claimed back so much as that he paid for the year's rent to the office of the Sacrist, which is 2s. 8d. Adam Cokelyng, the elder, of the common essoin by John Cokelyng on Tuesday 7th March, 31st year of King Edward III. Eobert, son and one of the heirs of Nicholas Eobyn, came and made fealty and pays relief for the tenement fallen to him and to John, Odo, Hamo, and John [sie], his brothers and coheirs, by inheritance on the death of their said father, and paid relief for himself and his co-parceners, which is 2s. 4d. John Benedon came and made fealty for part of one tenement in Eochester next to Chatham lane, acquired of John, son of Eobert Funtayn, and pays the relief, which is 18fd. • Tuesday, 7th March, A.D. 1357. * " Modo Laurence Bere tenet ad officium sacriste' p. ann. 3" iiij'1," and (in the margin on the right) " Barmede.—M. Cotes." . . • - .. 142 A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY COURT ROLL Feast of the Ascension A.D. 1357. [Text.] Eobertus Spicer feciZ domino ieodalitatem pro uuo messuagio jwxZa Boundeslane quondam vocaZo Cheldegateslane et pro uno messuagio quondam Cresseny adquisiZo de WillieZmo Spicer et vadiZ relevium vii8 id et feciZ sectam. Eobertus Spicer feciZ feodaZi- ZaZem domino pro 1 pecia terre juxZa crucem SancZi WillieZmi adquisiZa de WillieZmo Spicer et vadiZ relewiwm qwod est vid.* Johannes le TJssher feciZ feodaZiZaZem domino pro 1 pecia terre vocata Forgesland adquisiZa de Waltero Grene et vadiZ relevium pro adquisiZione sua et pro adquisiZione predicZi Walteri qwod est duplex relevium ixs.f [Translation.] Eobert Spicer made fealty to the Lord for one messuage next Bounds lane, formerly called Cheldegate Lane, and for one messuage, formerly " Cresseny," acquired from William Spicer, and he paid the relief 7s. Id., and made suit. Eobert Spicer made fealty to the Lord for one piece of land next the Cross of St. William acquired of William Spicer, and pays the relief, which is 6d. John Usher made fealty to the Lord for one piece of land called Forgesland acquired from Walter Grene, and pays relief for his own acquisition, and for the acquisition of the said Walter, which is a double relief, 9s. A.D. 1358. Johannes Southgate feciZfeodaliiatem domino pro terris jnxZa crucem SancZi WillieZmi adquisiZis de WillieZmo Barbour et vadiZ releyiwm pro adquisiZione de WillieZmo et pro adquisiZione WillieZmi de Boberto Spicer xij8 anno xxxij. [folio 25«o.] Eobertus Spicer venit et f eciZ feodaZiZaZem domino et vadiZ releui«m suum pro uno messuagio adquisiZo de Johanne Westerham qwod quondam fuit NichoZai Mason et reliviavit pro se et pro predicZo NichoZao Mason et pro Johanne Westerham et pro adquisiZione Simonis de Stenynton et est relietwm pro se viijd. * " Ad officium (or officinam) oelerarii quondam J. Potanger (?) modo p. J. May clico (olerico).—M. Cotes." t " Ad officium celerarii redditus p. ann. iiis vid nuno per Sydmyson, q. terre.—M. Cotes." t John Southgate made fealty to the Lord for land near the cross of St. William acquired from William Barbour, and paid the relief for his purchase from the said William and for the purchase by William from Eobert Spicer 12s., in the 32nd year (of King Edward III.). Eobert Spicer came and made fealty to the Lord and paid his relief for one messuage acquired from John Westerham, which formerly was Nicholas Mason's, and paid this relief for himself and for the said Nicholas Mason and for John Westerham, and for his purchase of Simon Stenynton, and the relief is for himself 8d. 6P THE MANOR OP AMBREE, ROCHESTER. 143 [Text.] • Thomas Godet et Johanna uxor ejus et Maria soror ejusdem Johanne filie et heredes Henrici Morel fecerwnZ domino feodaZiZaZem et vadwnZ releyiwm suum pro se et predicZo Henrico que aretro fuit " Allen for the Ship, the Sovereigne . . . 0 0 2 The Maior & Citizens of Eochester for ye almshouself • . 0 0 10 John Spice for tenem'8 in Mr Eivers yard . . 0 1 2 *. This, I think, was the house in High Street, Strood, long occupied by the late Mr. Humphrey Wickham. t The " Dolphin," afterwards oalled the " Crown and Sceptre," stood at the corner of Bridge Lane, and was removed for the approaches to the new bridge. t The " Three Daws " had ceased to be an inn in 1766; it then belonged to Mrs. "Winifred Lutrerback. § The " George," a very old inn in the High Street, and still flourishing. In 1766 it belonged to James Best, Esq. || Probably the mill called Priestfleld Mill in the fourteenth-oentury MS. • if These buildings are described in the Roll of 1766 as " Mr Watts Charity house and lands in Love Lane," and paid- the yearly quit-rent of 10