Calendar of royal documents: Miscellaneous (nos. 97-104)

Miscellaneous (nos. 97–104)

97. Writ of Queen Matilda, informing Richard [de Belmeis I], bp. of London, and the sheriff and barons of London, that she has conceded to Abbot Gilbert the tenement on the abbot's wharf which Hugh of Buckland held of her in London, with sake and soke and customary rights, for the souls of King Henry and herself, and their children. [c. Dec. 1113 × 1 May 1118]

WAD, f. 492v.

Pd: Gilbert Crispin, 155, no. 38.

Cal: Regesta II, no. 1180; Farrer, Itinerary, 80, no. 376.

Date: Abbot Gilbert d. 6 Dec., either 1117 or 1118 (Heads, 77). Queen Matilda d. 1 May 1118 (ASC 'E', 185). Attested by the queen's brother David, as earl of Huntingdon, a title acquired c. Christmas 1113 (ASC 'H', 183). Hugh of Buckland was still living in May 1114 (Chron. Mon. de Abingdon II, 147). He is said to have d. c. 1115 (Regesta II, xx).

98. Notification by the Empress Matilda, 'Lady of the English', generally addressed, that she has conceded to William of Darnford the manor of Deerhurst (Gloucs.) as Abbot Gervase and the chapter granted and confirmed to him by charter. [April 1141 × 1147]

WAD, f. 317.

Pd: Regesta III, no. 259.

Date: The empress finally left England ante 4 March 1148 (Regesta III, xliv). The first attestation is prob. that of Robert, earl of Gloucester, who d. 31 Oct. 1147, according to the annals of his foundation, Margam (Ann. Mon. I, 14). The Tewkesbury Annals and the Waverley Annals agree that he d. 1147 (ibid. I, 47; II, 232). The empress adopted the style 'Lady of the English' after 7 or 8 April 1141 (Regesta III, xxix, following Historia Novella, 52–4). If Abbot Gervase was involved in the transaction, the probable year of issue would be 1141, in the course of which the empress visited Devizes in March, and again post 14 Sept. (Regesta III, xliv).

Note: Cf. Harvey, WA, 344–5. Gervase's grant survives only in a spurious form (271). The empress's writ was acquired by Westminster when Abbot Walter de Wenlok recovered this manor (Flete, 116; Barbara Harvey, Documents Illustrating the Rule of Walter de Wenlok, abbot of Westminster, 1283–1307, Camden Soc. fourth series 2 (1965), 239n).

99. Grant by David earl of Huntingdon to the chapter of £1. 10s. worth of land which Aldwin, the queen's chamberlain, holds in Tottenham (Mddx.), to provide lights, love–feasts and pittances on the anniversary of his sister, Queen Matilda, and the anniversary of his parents [Malcolm III, king of Scots, and Queen Margaret]. Westminster [May 1118 × ante 23 April 1124]

WAD, ff. 157v–158.

Pd: Acts of Malcolm IV, no. 6.

Date: David became king of Scotland shortly after the d. of his brother, King Alexander, on 23 April 1124 (Acts of Malcolm IV, 124 and n. 1; cf. Symeon of Durham II, 275, where the date given is a misreading of the MS, which has vij. Kal. Maj.). Queen Matilda d. 1 May 1118 (ASC, 186). David's itinerary was within England for almost the whole of this period, down to the middle of 1123, at least (Acts of Malcolm IV, 113).

Note: Aldwin, chamberlain of Queen Matilda, attested charters of hers (Regesta II, nos. 675, 971), and had some jurisdiction in Waltham (ibid., nos. 1090, 1108–9), near to Tottenham.

100. Notification by David I, king of Scotland, to his dapifers, barons and officers, that he has granted and conceded to the abbey the land which Aldwin the chamberlain held in Tottenham (Mddx.), and which Adam his son held after him. He makes this grant to sustain an anniversary for the soul of his sister, Queen Matilda, and for those of his parents, ancestors and successors. Adam and his heirs may hold this land of the abbey, but if they default on the rent, the convent may treat the land as demesne. London June [1141]

WAD, f. 157.

Pd: Acts of Malcolm IV, no. 13.

Date: King David is unlikely to have been in London on any later occasion than his visit of June 1141 (Acts of Malcolm IV, no. 13n.; cf. Regesta III, nos. 328, 377, 393, 429, 629, 899, which confirm David's presence in southern England in June-July 1141; cf. also Symeon of Durham II, 309).

Note: The inclusion of the phrase fidelibus suis Francis et Anglis, implies that a Westminster scribe, rather than a clerk of David's household, drew up this charter. Prob. too, an English scribe, or else the WAD copyist was responsible for David's incorrect title, since the style 'King of Scots' was usual (cf. Acts of Malcolm IV, 69).

101. Writ of David I, king of Scots, instructing Eustace Fitz John that he has granted and conceded to the abbey the land which Adam son of Aldwin the chamberlain holds in Tottenham (Mddx.), for the soul of his sister, Queen Matilda, and of his ancestors and successors. Eustace and his officers are forbidden to intrude into that land, and he must restore anything he took from it after he was seized of Tottenham. London [c. June 1141]

WAD, f. 157.

Pd: Acts of Malcolm IV, no. 14.

Date: Cf. notes to 100.

Note: Eustace Fitz John received from David's son Henry, in 1139 × 1141, a grant of Tottenham with its appurtenances, except for the land previously granted to Robert Foliot (Acts of Malcolm IV, no. 12).

102. Writ of Earl Henry, son of King David of Scotland, informing his dapifers and officers in England, especially those in Tottenham (Mddx.), that he has conceded to the abbey and convent the land in Tottenham which his father conceded for the soul of Queen Matilda, to support her anniversary annually. Aldred and his wife, who hold that land, are to occupy it in peace, answering only to the convent. Henry's officers are to make no further demands on them. [5 Feb. 1136 × ante 12 June 1152 (? Feb. 1136 × early 1139)]

WAD, f. 157v.

Pd: Acts of Malcolm IV, no. 36.

Date: Earl Henry d. 12 June 1152 (Acts of Malcolm IV, 124; cf. Symeon of Durham II, 327; Chronica de Mailrose, ed. J. Stevenson, Bannatyne Club (Edinburgh, 1835), 52, 74). He received the honor of Huntingdon in place of his father on 5 Feb. 1136, and finally lost it in the latter part of 1141 (Acts of Malcolm IV, 102). Since Henry names Aldred (Aldwin) as the tenant in Tottenham, this writ appears to be earlier than the related mandates of King David, issued in June 1141 (100–101), and prob. also than Henry's grant of the land to Eustace Fitz John, 1139 × 1141 (Acts of Malcolm IV, no. 12). But it is possible that the copyist's error over the tenant's name represents a misreading of Adam, in which case Henry's restoration postdates David's.

Note: The style of the earl's father indicates the work of an English scribe or copyist (cf. 100).

103. Charter of Malcolm IV, king of Scots, conceding and confirming to Abbot Laurence and the convent the land which Aldwin the chamberlain, and afterwards Adam his son, held in Tottenham (Mddx.), as King David his grandfather granted and confirmed by charter, to provide an annual anniversary for the souls of Queen Matilda, King David and Earl Henry and his wife, and all Malcolm's ancestors and successors. If Adam and his heirs default on their rent, the convent may treat the land as demesne. [c. 1158 × ante 24 Jan. 1162 (? Spring or Autumn 1159)]

WAD, f. 157r-v.

Pd: Acts of Malcolm IV, no. 154.

Date: Attested by William bp. of Moray, who d. 24 Jan. 1162 (Acts of Malcolm IV, 125), and by Walter (de Bidun), Malcolm's chancellor, who was not in office after 1162 (ibid., 125), while Abbot Laurence was elected c. 1158 (Heads, 77). While most of the witnesses were members of the Scottish court, Robert earl of Leicester also attests, and the writ was therefore prob. issued in England. In 1159, Malcolm joined H II on the Toulouse expedition, and was on the Continent between 16 June and c. mid Oct. He had travelled south through England in late May × early June, and prob. returned through England in late Oct. × early Nov. (Acts of Malcolm IV, 114–5).

Note: The phrase fidelibus suis Francis et Anglis occurs in the address (cf. no. 100).

104. Notification by William I 'the Lion', king of Scots, that he has confirmed to the abbey and convent, for the soul of Queen Matilda, his grandfather's sister, the land of Tottenham (Mddx.) which was held by Aldwin the chamberlain, and afterwards by his son Adam. [1165 × 1173 (? 14–15 June 1170)]

WAD, f. 157v.

Pd: The Acts of William I, King of Scots 1165–1214, ed. G. W. S. Barrow, with W. W. Scott (1971), no. 52.

Date: Outer limits assigned (ibid.). William was at Westminster 14–15 June 1170, for the coronation of the Young King (ibid., 96).

Note: The phrase Francis et Anglis occurs in the address (cf. ibid., 76–7, and no. 100), reinforcing the probability that an English scribe worked on the document.