Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/205

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the Knights of Malta.
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body hold so much land as in England, nor was the transfer of their possessions by any means so honestly carried out in other countries. Even in England very extensive Templar estates fell into secular hands, and although twenty years had elapsed since their suppression, the accounts show that the grand-prior had not been able as yet to obtain their restoration. He enumerates them at the end of his report, giving the names of the spoilers who were still standing between the Hospital and its own. They are as follow:—

The mauor of Strode, value £50 Held by the CounDeneye £66 13g. 4d. tess OX remeroke. ,, ,, ,, Hurst and Neusom, £120j Flaxflete cum Cane, £100, held by Randolph Nevill. A water mill at York, £13 6s. 8d., held by the king. The manor of Carleton, £13 6s. 8d., held by Hugh le Despencer. Normanton-in-the-Vale, £10, held by Lord do Roos. ,, ,, ,, Lydleye, £66 13s. 4d., held by the earl of Arundel. Penkerne, £20, held by the earl of Gloucester. ,, ,, ,, Gutyng and Bradewell, £133 6g. 8d., held by Master Pancium. Bristelesham, £66 13g. 4d., held by the earl of Salisbury. Bulstrode, £50, held by the abbess of Burnham. ,, ,, Sadelescombe, £66 13s. 4d., held by earl Warrenne.

Such was the mode of life carried on in the commanderies of the English langue during the first half of the fourteenth century. It will not be too much to assume that in other countries a very similar system was pursued. Certain differencee must, of course, have been made to suit the habits and character of the people. Although the liberty of the English peasant in those days was but limited, it was far greater than