The Register: Royal charters

Royal Charters.

208. (C. p. 157; D. art. 1 and 85).—Henry [II], king of England, duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, count of Anjou, to archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices, sheriffs, ministers and lieges. He takes into his protection the abbey of Holmcoltran and grants the whole island of Holm Coltran and Rabi by the right bounds; also timber in Englewode forest for buildings, etc. and pasture for pigs without [paying] pannage, and bark from the trees they fell. Witnesses—Nycholas and Roger, king's chaplains. [Henry II, to whom king Malcolm ceded the land of Carlisle in 1157, visited Carlisle in the following year. This charter may have been granted on that occasion, dating 1158.]

209. (C. p. 157; D. art. 2).—Richard [I], king of England, etc. confirms to God and St. Mary of Holm Coltran, etc. the whole island of Holm and Rabi by the bounds which his father granted, i.e. by the beck under Kyrkebride between the outer dyke of the monks and the vill of Kyrkebride as it falls into the Wathepol [Wampool]; up by the same beck outside (deforis) the said dyke to Cockelayc following the junction of solid ground and moss; thence straight up to the middle of the moss between Waytheholm [Wedholme] and the island of St. Lawrence [Lawrenceholme]; thence across the moss and wood to Antrepot; down by the Waver to its meeting with the Cromboc [Crummock beck]; up by the Cromboc to the place where the stream from Wytheskeld falls into the Cromboc; up by that beck to Wytheskeld; straight west to the sike [Holme Dub] that goes round Midelrig [Mealrigg] on the north and west, and falls into Polneuton [Black Dub]; down by Polneuton to the sea; thence along the shore and up by the Wathepol to the place where the said beck under Kyrkebride falls into the Wathepol. They can have timber and stone for building from Englewode and the bark of the trees they fell, and feed for pigs without [paying] pannage, pasture for their stud of horses [haracium] between the Caldeu and the Alne [Ellen] and for their oxen when they drag building-material and other necessaries, without disturbance by the royal foresters, and right of way by land and sea everywhere; and their houses (maysurae) within the walls of Carlisle (Kardull) free of burgage and burdens. They are to be free of shires, hundreds and wapentac, thol, thale, theam and infanginthefe, wastes and essarts; but if they infringe these provisions they shall make reasonable amends. They shall be free of reguard of forest, escape, amercements, fines for murder [see p. 20], pleas and plaints, gelds, danegelds, assizes, seawake, castelwerk, tallage, cornage and all toll, passage, pontage, stallage, scutage, and aids to the king's sheriffs and serjeants, and all secular exactions owed to the king; and they shall have all their own liberties and free customs. All these he grants and confirms as his father's gift and his own in perpetual alms. Witnesses—B[aldwin], archbishop of Canterbury, H[ugh], bishop of Durham, H[ugh], bishop of Coventry [and Lichfield], etc. Given by the hand of William de Longo Campo, the king's chancellor, bishop elect of Ely, December 3rd, 1 Richard, at Canterbury [1189].

This was the tenor of the charter under the Great Seal, but because it was for a time mislaid and while the king was a prisoner in Germany it fell into other hands, it has been reissued. To this new charter the witnesses are—H[ubert], archbishop of Canterbury, M[auger] of York, etc. [H. 2 adds] Given by the hand of the Magister Rotulorum, acting vice-chancellor, November 11th, at Château Gaillard (Rupes Andeli), 10 Richard [1198]. [Canon James Wilson noted in his MS. that 'magister rotulorum' was probably a master in Chancery, not the officer now known as Master of the Rolls, who was then 'Custos Rotulorum.']

210. (C. p. 159; D. art. 36).—King John confirms [no. 209. For 'timber and stone for building' he substitutes 'reasonable necessaries.' He adds a confirmation of grants at Flemingby by Cospatric f. Orm, the fishery in the Derwent from Thomas f. Cospatric, the exchange by the same Thomas of Waytecroft for Kelton, and the grants of land in Kyrkebythore.] Witnesses— William, earl of Sar[um], G[eoffrey] fitz Peter, earl, etc. [H. 2 adds] Given by the hand of Simon, archdeacon of Wells, at Raveneswath, February 26th, in the second year of his reign [1201. In that year the abbot paid to Hugh de Nevill, for the Treasury, 50 marks and two palfreys for this confirmation (P.R.).]

211. (C. p. 161; D. art. 37).—Henry junior [III], king of England, lord of Ireland, etc. has inspected King John's charter and confirms it. Witnesses—Walter, archbishop of York, Walter, bishop of Carlisle, Hubert de Burgo, earl of Kent, justice, William, earl of Warrenne, Osbert Giffard, Richard de Argentoem' and Radulf f. Nicholas, king's seneschals, Henry de Capella, etc. Given by the hand of Radulph, bishop of Chichester, chancellor, at Westminster April 7th, 11 Henry [1227]. [A Latin footnote in C., apparently by Bishop Nicolson, adds—"Yes, this is Henry III, not Henry called the Young King, i.e. son of Henry II."]

212. (C. p. 161; D. art. 38).—King Henry senior [II] relieves Holm abbey of toll, pontage and passage, and of all charges on what they buy and sell for their own use. He imposes a penalty of £10 for troubling the monks. Witnesses—Rychard de Hum[ ], constable, Warin f. Ger[vase?], chamberlain, at Westminster [before 1189].

213. (C. p. 162; D. art. 39).—King John gives his protection to the abbey. The monks are not to be sued for any tenements in their demesne except in his court or in that of his chief justice. Witnesses—William, earl of Salisbury, Hugh de Nevill. At 'Gedewind,' Dec. 12th [the year given by State Papers relating to Scotland as 1200].

214. (C. p. 162; D. art. 40).—King Richard [I] gives his protection. Witnesses—Baldwin, archbishop of Canterbury, Earl William de Mand[eville], William Marescall. At Westminster, September 5th [1189].

215. (C. p. 163; D. art. 41).—King Henry junior [III] gives the abbey a charter [in the same terms as no. 212 and probably 1227].

216. (C. p. 163).—King Henry junior [III] grants special protection to the abbey of Holmcoltran. Witnesses—W[alter], archbishop of York, W[alter], bishop of Carlisle [see no. 218; probably 1227].

216a. (H. 2).—King Edward [I] has inspected and confirms the charter of King Richard to Holmcoltran [no. 209]. Witnesses —W[illiam Greenfeld], archbishop of York, primate of England, W[alter de Langton], bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, J[ohn Langton], bishop of Chichester, R[alph de Baldock], bishop of London, Henry de Lacy, earl of Lincoln, Thomas, earl of Lancaster, Hugh de Despenser, Radulph f. William, etc. Given by his own hand at Lanercost, February 7th in his 35th year [1307].