Charters of the abbots: Gilbert Crispin (nos. 236-43)

Gilbert Crispin (nos. 236–43)

236. Grant by Abbot Gilbert to William Baynard of the berwick of Tothill in Westminster for one knight's fee, as it had been held by the thegn Wulfric Bordewate. He will hold it freely except for the aids, due as from the abbey's other knights, and for the tithes which are assigned to the almonry; after his death the land will revert to the abbey. 1083 [? error for 1086]

Anno Dominice Incarnationis millesimo lxxx°iij° (fn. 1) nos Gilbertus abbas et conventus Westmonasterii concessimus Willelmo Baynard quoddam berwicum de villa Westmonasterii nomine Totenhala, ad se hospitandum et tota vita sua tenendum pro servicio unius militis, cum omnibus rebus illi pertinentibus, ita bene et quiete sicut umquam Wlfricus Taynus, cognomine Bordewate, melius de ecclesia illud tenuerat. Consuetudines igitur et libertates quas nos in eodem habemus ipse Willelmus habebit, exceptis auxiliis nostris que inde sicut in aliis ecclesie terris de militibus nostris accipiemus, et exceptis decimis illius terre domui elemosinarie nostre constitutis. Hec vero sibi tenenda concessimus pro amore et servicio quod ecclesie nostre contulit eo tamen tenore ut post eius decessum terra illa predicta soluta ecclesie nostre maneat et quieta. Et super eo quidem affidavit nos predictus Willelmus quod nec terram prefatam vendet, nec in vadium ponet, nec alicui ad dampnum ecclesie nostre dimittet. Testibus: Roberto priore; Nicholao, Willelmo et Herberto monachis; Radulpho Baynard; Herlewyno fratre Grunzonis, et multis aliis.

MSS: (1) WAD, f. 79.

Marginalia: (1) Carta cirographata Gilberti Westmonasterii de berewicu de Totenhale concessa Willelmo Baynard ad terminum vite pro servicio unius militis. (2) Fiat rubrica. (3) vij.

(2) CAY, f. v (memorandum).

Pd: Gilbert Crispin, 38.

Cal: Bentley, 3, no. 13, from CAY.

Date: It is unlikely that Gilbert became abbot before 1085 (Gilbert Crispin, 38; Flete, 141; Heads, 77). The scribe made an error in copying the date, but, as he appears to have inserted the charter rather hastily this is not surprising. Note: See Harvey, WA, 354–5.

237. Grant by Abbot G[ilbert] and the convent to Robert son of Sweyn, of the land of Wheatley (Essex), which his father gave to the abbey for his soul, and which was confirmed by his mother on the day of his father's burial, in the presence of their barons Godobald, Turold and his brother William, and the abbot and convent, to hold at an annual rent of £3. [c. 1087]

G[ilbertus] abbas et conventus Westmonasterii concedunt Rotberto filio Suenonis ut ipse teneat de Sancto Petro et de abbate pro lx solidis per singulos annos terram, scilicet Wateleyam, quam pater suus dedit Sancto Petro pro anima sua, et de qua terra ipse Rotbertus cum sua matre fecit donacionem super altare Sancti Petri in eodem die quo sepultus est pater suus, videntibus baronibus suis Godobaldo, Turaldo et Willelmo fratre suo et multis aliis, in presencia abbatis et monachorum. Et tam diu sic eam teneat, donec pro predicta terra det cambium iii (fn. 2) libras quod abbas et monachi gratanter accipere debeant. Hii sunt termini denariorum: in Ramis Palmarum xxx solidos; in Festivitate Apostolorum Petri et Pauli xxx solidos.

MS: WAD, f. 502v.

Rubric: Telligraphus G[ilberti] abbatis et conventus Westmonasterii de terra in Watelya. Reddendo per annum 1x. solidos.

Marginale: Wateleya.

Pd: Gilbert Crispin, no. 8, p. 135.

Cal: Hart, no. 97.

Date: Prob. following on Robert's confirmation. Sweyn still held Wheatley 1086 (DB II, 43), although he was no longer sheriff.

238. Abbot Gilbert to Wymond, sheriff of Surrey, concerning the flight into sanctuary of Deorman de Clareton. [1086 × c. 1104]

Gisilberd abbod and ealle thage broth'a on Westmeynster gretad Wymond schearif on Suthreya Godes gretynge and ure. And we kythath that Theos Theorman of Clareton haefth gesoht to Criste and Sancte Petre and Eadwardes Kynges rste and eal thone haligdom that the innen thone halgan mynster ys. Nou biddeath we the for Godes lofan and for thaiere sokne that he gesouht haefth ther thu hine gemiltsie and forgif swa hwaet ge gilt he haefth. God the ge behealde. Amen.

MS: F, f. 259.

Rubric: Littera testimonialis Anglica Gilberti Abbatis Westmonasterii de eodem.

Pd: Monasticon, I, no. LXIV, 310.

Date: Wymond's tenure of office (Sheriffs, 135).

Note: On Westminster's sanctuary, see Honeybourne, 'Sanctuary boundaries'. The fugitive named in this writ has been identified as Deorman of Essex (Hart, no. 72 and note; cf. no. 109, which is also cal. in Regesta I, no. 399), but this argument is not convincing. This writ was evidently recorded in F as the oldest surviving documentation of the Westminster sanctuary, even though its grammar was scarcely intelligible by the time this cartulary was made. The copyist has consequently experienced some confusion over minims, and although he tries to distinguish between the various English letter-forms, there is occasional misrepresentation, notably of the letters thorn and wyn, thus causing more mistakes. (The various obsolete letters, as he reproduces them, are transliterated in the present text). Both F and WAD contain several English-language writs of William I (4–9; 42) and in recording these too, the cartulary scribes have experienced difficulties.

239. Writ of Abbot G[ilbert] informing N., sheriff of Essex, that R. has fled to sanctuary in Westminster Abbey. [1085 × 1117]

G[ilbert] abbod and alle tha brodera on Westmynstr' gretith N. schirerefan on Estsex' Godesgretyng' and owr', and we kythath the that this man R. hafeth gesoht Crist and Seint Petr' and Edwarde Kynges reste and alle thon halidom th'inne thone halighan mynstr' is. Now bidde we the for Godes lofan and for thaer' sokne th' he gesoht' haueth th' thu hine gemyltsie and forgif swa what swa he gilt hafeth. God the ge behalde. Amen.

MS: WAD, f. 79v.

Folio heading: De fugitivis visitantibus feretrum Regis Edwardi nondum canonizati.

Pd: Gilbert Crispin, 37.

240. Notification from Abbot Gilbert generally addressed, that Jordan has sought sanctuary. [1085 × 1117]

Gilbertus abbas et conventus Westmonasterii omnibus fidelibus Regis Anglie salutem. Sciatis quod iste Jordanus altare Sancti Petri et corpus Regis Edwardi requisivit, et ideo precamur ut libertatem sui corporis et pacem regis habeat. Valete.

MS: WAD, f. 79v.

Pd: Gilbert Crispin, 37.

Note: Presumably the last in the sequence of Gilbert's sanctuary writs, since English is now discarded.

241. Memorandum concerning a grant by Abbot G[ilbert] of the manor of Hendon (Mddx.) to his man Gunter in fee-farm for one week's farm every year. [1086 × 1107]

G[ilbertus] abbas Westmonasterii concessit Guntero homini suo et heredi illius manerium Hendon' in feudo firme pro una plenaria septimana firme quoquo anno. Testes: Milo Crispinus, Gislebertus Pipardus, Robertus prior et conventus monasterii in capitulo.

MS: WAD, f. 124.

Rubric: Carta G. abbatis Westmonasterii de manerio de Hendon'.

Pd: Gilbert Crispin, no. 13, p. 138.

Date: Miles Crispin d. 1107 (Gilbert Crispin, 17). Gilbert Pipard was his dapifer (ibid., 138–9).

Note: This grant was confirmed by Herbert (245). Gervase (263) and Henry II (124) issued confirmations for Gunter's son Gilbert. See also Harvey, WA, 352.

242. Grant in fee by Abbot G[ilbert] to William of Buckland of Cippenham and Burnham (Bucks.) for £2. 10s. a year and of Tetworth and of Tonge (Hunts.) for £3 a year for all service except the king's geld; also the courtyard in front of his house for 4d. He is to hold Chelsea (Mddx.) for life for £4 a year, but after his death it will revert to the Westminster demesne. When the king levies a scutage of £1, William will acquit the Abbey £1 from the fee of Tetworth and Tonge, and render £2 at Christmas and at Ascension for Chelsea, and £2. 15s. 2d. for his own fee at Annunciation and a week before Michaelmas. [1115 × 1117]

Hec est convencio inter G[ilbertum] abbatem et conventum Westmonasterii et Willelmum de Bocholanda, scilicet: G[ilbertus] abbas et conventus Westmonasterii dant et concedunt Willelmo de Bocholanda et heredibus suis in hereditate terram de Sipenham et de Burnham in feudo pro l solidis per singulos annos pro omni servicio preter commune geldum regis; et terram de Tetewrde et de Tunge similiter concedunt ei et heredibus suis pro lx solidis per singulos annos pro omni servicio preter commune geldum regis; et plateam que est ante domum suam similiter concedunt ei pro iiij^or denariis in feudo; similiter Celceiam tenebit in vita sua pro iiij^or libris quoquo anno pro omni servicio preter commune geldum regis. Et post mortem ipsius Willelmi remanebit Celceia in dominio ecclesie Westmonasterii. Et de feudo de Tetewrde et de Tunge, quando rex Anglie communiter accipiet xx solidos de milite, Willelmus de Bocholanda adquietabit ecclesiam Westmonasterii de xx solidis; et de Celceya in Nativitate Domini reddet xl solidos, et in die Ascencionis xl solidos; et de feudo suo in Annunciacione Sancte Marie lv solidos et ij denarios, et viij dies ante Festum Sancti Michaelis lv solidos et ij denarios. Hii sunt testes: Rotbertus episcopus Lincolniensis; Bernardus episcopus de Sancto David; Otuerus filius comitis; Clarebaldus medicus; Radulfus filius Algodi; Radulfus Diabolus; Ricardus de Rami Cur'; Ricardus de Magna Villa; Hugo de Monte; Asculius de Taneyo: Sagrinus; Osbertus de Bernivilla; Warinus de Hamesclape; Hugo de Midelton': de familia abbatis: Willelmus capellanus; Willelmus filius Fulconis; Gilebertus frater eius; Herbertus dispensator; Picotus; Rotbertus de Beslun; Willelmus camerarius; Willelmus Germinus; Ricardus filius Herberti; Oini et Tovius Ganet, et multi alii.

MS: WAD, f. 504.

Rubric: Telligraphus abbatis et conventus Westmonasterii de terra in Burnham et Sippenham.

Marginale: Burnham et Sippenham.

Pd: Gilbert Crispin, no. 37, pp. 154–5.

Date: Bernard became bishop of St Davids in 1115 and Abbot Gilbert died in 1117.

Note: See Harvey, WA, 338.

243. Grant by Abbot Herbert to the monks of Great Malvern (Worcs.) of the manor of Powick (Worcs.) for £24 annually. They may hold this manor so long as they are obedient to the mother church, and the abbot will have those customary rights which he holds in other manors similarly at farm. [1121 × 1136]

Herbertus, abbas Westmonasterii, et totus conventus ecclesie omnibus successoribus suis pacem, prosperitatem et perpetuam salutem. Notum vobis fieri volumus nos concessisse fratribus et monachis nostris de Maluernia manerium nostrum de Powica ad firmam pro x^ti xiiij^or libris per annum. Hec pecunia per iiij^or terminos reddenda est, scilicet: vj libre in Natale Domini; sex in Pascha; sex (fn. 3) ad Festum Sancti Petri; sex ad Festum Sancti Michaelis. Et tamdiu teneant quamdiu obedientes fuerint et subjecti [sue m] (fn. 3) atri ecclesie, et de hac obedientia fideliter servierint. Et illas consuetudines habeat abbas in eodem [mane]rio quas habet in omnibus aliis maneriis que similiter sunt ad firmam.

CYROGRAPHUM

MSS: (1) WAM XLIX.

22 × 5.4 cm; step in top left-hand corner; slit but no t.u. Endorsed: (a) Carta Herberti abbatis (13C). (b) Poywika (14C).

(2) WAD, f. 293r–v.

(3) F, f. 279v.

(4) CAY, f. lxix b. (memorandum).

Pd: Chaplais, 'Original Charters', no. 1, p. 100, with partial facsimile, Plate VII(a); Formulare, xxii (abridged) (from original); Monasticon, III, 441, n.a, gives abstract of text, taken from Formulare.

Cal: Bentley, 33, no. 254 (item 36).

Note: See Harvey, WA, 363. Lands adjoining Powick are said to have been given to Great Malvern by Abbot Gilbert and the convent, and perambulated by the Westminster monks Hugh and Warner (Monasticon, III, 447–8), reciting two confirmatory charters of H I, one of them clearly spurious. Their texts are known only from the Patent Roll of 50 Edw. III: cf. Cal. Pat. R. 1374–1377, 282). A late source alleges that Gilbert's donations, made 18 W I (1083–4), included the manor of Powick (W. Thomas, Antiquitates Prioratus Majoris Malverne (London, 1725), iv, citing Placita Coram Rege, 12 Ed. II). Gilbert, however, prob. succeeded only in 1085 (Heads, 77). See also Regesta II, no. 1490.