Page:White - The natural history of Selborne, and the naturalist's calendar, 1879.djvu/334

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ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE.

to the bishop of Winchester some adjoining grounds, through which our stream passes, that the priory might be accommodated with a mill, which was a common necessary appendage to every manor; he also allowed access to these lands by a road for carts and waggons.—"Jacobus de Nortun concedit Petro Winton episcopo totum cursum aque que descendit de Molendino de Durton usq; ad boscum Will. Mauduit, et croftam terre vocat: Edriche croft, cum extensione ejusdem et abuttamentis; ad fundandam domum religiosam de ordine Sti. Augustini. Concedit etiam viam ad carros, et caretas," etc. This vale, down which runs the brook, is now called the Long Lithe, or Lythe. Bating the following particular expression, this grant runs much in the style of the former: "Dedit mihi episcopus predictus triginta quinque marcas argenti ad me acquietandum versus Judœos;" that is, "The bishop advanced me thirty-five marks of silver to pay my debts to the Jews," who were then the only lenders of money.

Finding himself still straitened for room, the founder applied to his royal master, Henry, who was graciously pleased to bestow certain lands in the manor of Selborne on the new priory of his favourite minister. These grounds had been the property of Stephen de Lucy; and, abutting upon the narrow limits of th convent, became a very commodious and agreeable acquisition. This grant, I find, was made on March 9th, in the eighteenth year of Henry, viz., 1234, being two years after the foundation of the monastery. The royal donor bestowed his favour with good grace, by adding to it almost every immunity and privilege that could have been specified in the law-language of the times.—"Quare volumus prior, &c., habeant totam terram &c., cum omnibus libertatibus in bosco et piano, in viis et semitis, pratis et pascuis; aquis et piscariis; infra burgum, et extra burgum, cum soka et saca, Thol et Them, Infangenethef et Utfangenethef, et hamsocne et blodwite, et pecunia que dari solet pro murdro et forstal, et flemenestrick, et cum quietancia de omni scotto et geldo, et de omnibus auxiliis regum, vicecomitum, et omn: ministralium suorum; et hidagio et exercitibus, et scutagiis, et tallagiis, et shiris et hundredis, et placitis et querelis, et warda et wardpeny, et opibus