Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/173

THE MUNIMENTS OF THE ABBEY OF WESTMINSTER. 11-3 Jiut the amusement lingered on, as among the papers in the i[iniimeut Room is a printed bill of the races held there in 1747, for which " a saddle, bridle, and surcingle, value two guineas," were the prize for the first horse, and "a whip at half a guinea" was given to the second best. In 1748 an action was brought bj the officers of the Abbey for nuisances in the fields, in which the rights of the Cha})tcr were involved, and this was settled by an arbitra- tion, ^Yllicll virtually set out the fields for building purposes, and the district has been gradually covered. The name of " Tliieving" or "Thieves" Lane for the street now called "Princes Street," the route by which robbers entered the Sanctuary, appears in deeds about the middle of the reign of Edward III. ; and the earliest notice of the word " Jerusalem " in connection with the precincts, is where the " Jerusalem Garden " is mentioned in a " Kitchener's " Account of the reign of Henry VII. lieturning now to the general collection of muniments, among the manorial documents will be found some of a special character, to a few of which I will direct attention. Under " ISabridgeworth," in Hertfordshire, is an entry of an indenture (25 Edw. III.) between the Abbot of Westminster and an Italian society of merchants, in which the Abbot agrees to acknowledge the debt of 80 florins incurred by Benedict de Chertsey, on condition that the said merchants procure the confirmation of the churches of Sabridgcworth and Kelvedon from the Pope. Under " Knightsbridge " is an agreement made in 31 ITenry II., between the Abbot and two brethren of Paddin^*-- ton, whereby the latter release all their rights in considera- tion of the receipt of 40 marks and four corrodies for themselves and their wives. Under " Stanes " is a voluntar}' surrender by Herbert Archdeacon of Canterbury to the Abbot of Westminster, of land there which his father had forcibly " extracted " from the Abbe}'. Under "London " we have a deed establishing the Guild of the Blessed ^lary and St. Dunstan, in 1441 ; and an indulgence by the Bishop of Laodicca, in 1260, of twenty days to those pra^'ing at the tomb of Matilda la Fauconore de la Wade in the church of St. ]rartin-le-Grand. Under " Westminster " are many documents relating to