A Custumal of New Romney

( 188 ) A CUSTDMAL OF NEW ROMNEY. BY F, WILLIAM COOK, M.D., F.S.A, THANKS to the kind offices of our late President, Sir Reginald Tower we have received for permanent loan to our Library from l\'Ir. and Mrs. Mackeson-Sandback and Captain H. R. Mackeson, a mid-sixteenth centuxy MS. of the Custumal of New Romney. The careful restoration of the binding by the binders to the British Museum we also owe to him. The book is a valuable one, a good specimen of the law scrivener's art of the period with small coloured capitals throughout. It was translated from the Latin copy in London, from the original granted by Henry VI, by John Forsett for Symon Padyham, a bailiff of New Romney. Forsett being the Common Clerk of the town, or as we now term it Town Clerk. The book is bound in calf, very much worn, small folio in size with panels formed on each cover by a roller with scroll pattern ornament of the period. It consists of llO pages of :fine paper having the well-known water ma􀈖k of the hand with star on the forefinger, vide Heawood's list in The Library for 1929-1930. Size of paper 11. 3 inches by B. The lea.ves are stitched into an early printed -vellum fragment. At the end are several pages in good Elizabethan lawhand of notes by Judge Manwood on the Custumal of Sandwich, also the baptisms of William Southland's children, and stating that this book was to be given to the William Southland whose baptism is the:re noted. Also at the end there are two four-lined poems and dive:rs scribblings. The dates given are 1559 for the translation, 1564 on the title page as giving the ownership then to Symon Padyam, and 1583 the date of purchase by William Sou.thland. . . T􀈗ere are pedigrees of the Southla.nd family in the v1S1tations _ of 1619, 1663-B, and in Berry. The family seems to have rmgrated to Iokham and the last entries in Berry are A CUSTUMAL OF NEW ROMNEY. 189 of late seventeenth century date. The name does not appear in Musgrave's Obituaries. I have made a rough register of the book as follows :- Page 1. The Oustumal of the Cinque Ports. below: but now owned by Thomas Southland. Page 2, at top: Wrytten A.no Dmi 1564 Written by John Forsett late Co:inon Clerke of Newe Romney at the charges of Symon Padyham late Bayliff of Newe Romney aforesayd and for the use of the Sayde Symon Ano Dm1 1564 Symon Padyam owner of this booke Then follows William Southland's ownership statement: "As from the daie of or Lord God 1583 William Southland is owner of thys book both (i.e. bought) and paid for." This inscription is repeated several times in the book. Page 55. Confirmation by Elizabeth of Inspeximus by Mary who is described as " Defender of the Faith on erthe of the Churche of Englande & of Ireland Supreme head." Also that of Edward VI in the same wording. The whole being endorsed in a charmingly ornamented E with crown and Tudor rose. At the foot of page 7 4 " God save Queene Elizabeth " and then in large red letters done with a brush or split quill : " Translated out of latten in Englishe for all the ports by John fforsett aiio dm1 M.CCCCC LIX" - and copyed out for Symon Padyam ano dm1 MDL Xilij." Page 107. List of baptisms of William Southland's children. In top left corner a note of his writing it June 27th, 1585. "John Southland bap. 24. Sep 1570 in the parish church of Hope all Saints. (The now ruined church between Old and New Romney.) 190 A OUSTUMAL OF NEW ROMNEY. iv.lary Soutliland bapd 21 Sepr 1572 in the parish church of New Roll'.l.Iley. Elizabeth Southland bapd 17th April 1573 in the :parish church of New Romney. William Southland ba,p. 18th Octr 1578 in the parish chlll'ch of New Roroney. and unto the said William Southland I do geve this Booke J.lf wrget Southl,a;ruJ, baptized 26. Deer 1580 in Parish Church 9f New Romney. P. :me. Willym Southland " Pages 87-91. Five pages in good Elizabethan law-hand of notes on the Custumal of Sandwich by l\fr. Justice Manwood. Page 108. The end fly leaf. There a.re two four-line verses. Page 109. 1580. Notes of purchase and scribblings. P ages 86, 92 to 104, and 106, blank PLAT>: I. FORESHORE OFF MINNIS BAY, BIRCHINGTON, ROMAN l\fILLSTONB (!) IN HOLE NO. I.