of King Richard and before up to now. That is, cleared their own woods on their manors of Wirral, cultivated wastes and heaths, ploughed waste lands, took wood from their own woods and made buildings in any place, and dug marl-pits and ditches, without paying any amercements or fines to the present King or Henry his father or to any Earls or Lord of Chester at any time. And this can be proved.

Therefore

The Court cannot decide without an inquisition. the Sheriff is commanded to bring 12 men, etc. The Jury attend viz. Hamo de Mascy Peter de Dutton Patrick de Haselwell John de Boydel Richard de Sandbache Knts. Robert de Brescy Roger Trussel Richard le Roter Alex. de Banvile Roger Dunvil Hugh de Thornton and David de Barton.

They find that the Abbot and his predecessors had these liberties from time immemorial on all their manors in the forest of Wirral without payment of amends fines or amercements.

CASE 2.

G by the grace of God Abbot of Chester grants to William son of Walter de Rodestoc all the land contained in these limits: viz. from the crosses of Roger to the tract through the wheat field, and from the little forest to the lake which is opposite, to have and to hold in fee from us etc. Rendering yearly to the Abbot of St. Werburgh and to us one pound of cummin or two pence on the Feast of St. Werburgh in the summer for all services and exactions. And that he be allowed to appoint whom he will as his successor.

Witnesses.—William son of Dunning, Master Hugh, John Clerk of the Church of St. Mary, Robert son of Pigot, Patrick Clerk of the Court, Richard de Rod Clerk of the Lord the Abbot, Anketil of the Abbey and many others.

CASE 3.

Omnibus etc. Sciatis. Philip de Orreby and his heirs are bound to render annually to Richard de Tagesbrok 12s., viz. at the Feast of St. Martin 6s. and at Easter 6s. for the half of the Mill of Alvendeley with appurtenances which half the Lord Abbot of Chester inherited (?) from Richard de Perepunt and gave to the said Richard son of Roger for his service, until said Philip and his heirs have either made an exchange to said Richard son of Roger for the said rent in land, or have paid his debt in some other way.

Witnesses.-Lord Hugh by the grace of God then Abbot of Chester, Warin de Vernon, William de Venables, Roger de Meigwaring, Hamon de Mascy and others.

CASE 4.

Sciant etc. Roger de Esseburn grants to Walter the Tailor [permentarius] a certain burgage in the town of Liverpool and one acre of land pertaining to it, viz. that burgage which Roger holds of the house of St. Werburgh at Chester, to have and to hold etc. for ever. Rendering 2 silver shillings at the Feast of the Purification B.V. M. for all services exactions and demands.

And said Walter and his heirs have acquired against the Lord the King all other things pertaining to said Burgage as other burgages do in the same town.

Witnesses etc.

CASE 5.

Omnibus, etc.-William the Abbot and the Convent of greeting. Be it known that all strifes and contentions arisen between us on the one hand and Peter, Parson of Campeden, on the other, concerning the tithes of the Farm of Cumba have been separated in this manner, viz. that we each year shall receive in full the tithes coming from our farm of Cumba and for them in name of pension annually at the Feast of St. Giles two marks and a half from the Church of Campeden, with this exception, that if we should afterwards acquire other land within the Parish of the Church of Campeden we should give full satisfaction to the Church of Campeden for the tithes of that land, notwithstanding that it had devolved to us.

And that this writing may stand good between the Churches I have placed my seal etc.

In the year 1257 from the Incarnation.

On the Ides of June at Campeden.

Case concerning Brewing.

Pleas at the Court of Chester, Tuesday next after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. 4 Ed. II. (Tibotot.)

Shotewik.

Robert de Hide John Cadugan Henry son of William of Shotewik and Richard of Shotewik were attached to answer to the King because they had brewed and sold against the order and proclamation of assize, in contempt of the King. They came and denied the contempt.

Then came the Abbot and said that he as well as his predecessor was accustomed to have amends from all his tenants in Shotewik for the breaking of the Statute about brewing, from the time of the foundation of his house ever since, and thence to

make correction in his court. He said that Robert and the others were his tenants in Shotewik, from whom he ought to take amends, and in this year he did take amends from them for this fault in his Court of Shotewik, and punished them for it, as it seemed good to him ; and he pleads that this liberty be not taken from him.

As the Justiciar does not know whether the Abbot ought to have these rights of amends and of correction or not, or if his predecessor had them, twelve men are to come to enquire into the case.

Afterwards at the Court on the Tuesday next after the Feast of St. Nicholas, the Abbot and the twelve men attended.

The Jury find that the Abbot and his predecessors have had these rights since the foundation of the Abbey of St. Werburgh, and that he exercised them in the case of Robert and the other tenants.

Judgment. That the Abbot may practise and enjoy this liberty.

Case concerning Right of Cutting Wood.

Pleas at Chester on the Tuesday the Feast of St. Urban the Pope. 4 Ed. II. (Tibotot.) [May 25th, 1311.]

Thomas Tochet and Stephen Bukhorn were attached to answer to the Abbot on a plea why they took his chattels and unjustly detained them. The Abbot pleads that on the Tuesday next after the Feast of St. Lucy the Virgin 4 Ed. II. at Tatenhale in the wood of Tatenhale they took his chattels : viz. one axe on the Wednesday, two axes on the Friday following, on the Wednesday next after Christmas day and on the Thursday following two axes; and they kept them, for which he claims damages of 2OS. Thomas appeared by attorney, and Stephen in person. The attorney says that Thomas did not take the goods. Stephen says that he is the forester of said Thomas Tochet at Tatenhale, and that on the said days and year in the said place he found one John the Abbot's "carectarius" cutting down trees in the wood belonging to his master Thomas of Tatenhale, with the said axes concerning which the Abbot now pleads. He took the axes away from John who was doing damage in his master's wood, as seemed right to him; so he pleads that the detention was just.

The Abbot says that this is no excuse, for he himself has and ought to have by right of his church a certain right of woodcutting [presicuum] in the woods of Tatenhale, viz. carting one cartload of dead wood on each of certain days each year to his manor of Salghton; and he found his church seised of this. He and all preceding Abbots were seised of this right of wood

E

cutting said John was within his rights in cutting the wood. Therefore he demands a verdict.

And Thomas by his attorney separated himself from Stephen, did not deny the Abbot's right, and disclaims the detentions by said Stephen. But because there is a doubt about fraud and collusion between them, contrary to the Act, twelve men are to come and enquire etc.

The Jury find the Abbot's case proved and that there was no fraud.

Judgment. That he shall get back and keep the said Chattels and shall recover damages from Stephen of 12d. Stephen to pay

costs.

Case of Custody of a Minor.

Wyrvyn.-Pleas at Chester held on the Tuesday the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle. 5 Ed. II. (Tibotot.) [Dec. 21st, 1311.]

Raynold son of James of Poole [Pulle] was summoned to answer to the Abbot of St. Werburgh on the plea that he should give up to the Abbot custody of the land and of the heir of Matilda daughter of John le Halte, which custody belongs to the Abbot because she held her land from him by military service. The Abbot pleads that John le Halte held from the Abbot one meadow and four bovates of land in Wyrvyn by homage and oath and service of one eighteenth part of one military fee by scutage, which scutage amounts to 40s., viz. of two shillings, of two pence, of one halfpenny and of the third part of one farthing, more or less: rendering thence 4d.: of which services the Abbot was seised by hand of said John as by hand of his true tenant and by right etc. in the time of the late King, taking thence revenue [expletum] to the value of [ ]. John died "in his homage" and was succeeded by Matilda his daughter and heir, and by her hand also the Abbot was seised of said services, and she died "in her homage." Therefore the custody of the land and of the heir by reason of the heir being a minor, belongs to the Abbot by right. Of which custody said Raynold has deprived him, for which he claims damages of £20 &c.

Raynold's defence is that he cannot give up the custody of said heir and land because he has no right in said custody, nor ever claimed any such right, nor did he ever take said custody by force from the Abbot, because the Abbot is seised of said custody. And the Abbot cannot deny this.

Judgment. That the Abbot receives nothing from his suit, but pays costs. Raynold is dismissed "sine die."

ABBEYSTEAD IN WYRESDALE, AND

SOME

ITS ENDOWED SCHOOL

By W. O. Roper, F.S.A.

Read 12th March 1903

OME seven or eight miles south of Lancaster the London & North-Western Railway crosses the river Wyre, and the traveller sees to the eastward a broad valley surrounded on three sides by lofty fells. On the north side the fells, commencing with the steep ascent of Clougha, gradually rise to the summit of Wards Stone, nearly two thousand feet above the sea. On the south are the Bleasdale Fells, while to the east are the line of hills which divide Lancashire from Yorkshire. Through these hills comes the old main road from the West Riding to the sea-the road which comes from the line of the Roman Track from Ribchester to Overburrow, the road which brought many a band of soldiers through the Trough of Bowland to the west coast, the road over which the aged Abbot of Whalley passed from his trial at Lancaster for taking part in the "Pilgrimage of Grace" to die in front of his own Abbey, the road which brought the Lancashire witches to the scaffold at Lancaster, the road which is now a comparatively deserted highway. In these eastern hills too rises the river Wyre, one branch, known as the Tarnbrook Wyre, emerging from the peaty ground behind Wards Stone, the other branch, known as the Marshaw