Grange. All these are in the parish of St. Lawrence. Then follow eighty-four messuages and gardens, two closes, a barn and three water mills, all in the parish of All-saints; together with the fishery of the river and of the flood gates, from Evesham mills to "Offenham, otherwise Twyford Bridge:" all these messuages, mills, fishery, lands and tenements, being described as having recently belonged "to the said late dissolved monastery of Evesham." A few messuages and gardens are hence excepted to the king; some of which, till redeemed within these few years, continued to pay chiefrents to the crown: and "all advowsons and rights of patronage of the rectories of the churches and ecclesiastical benefices in Evesham," are excepted in like manner.

Notwithstanding the formal recital of payment from Sir Philip to the crown, at the commencement of the last grant, such payment seems only to have been entered into by recognizances, and to have been subsequently released. For in the fourth of Edward VI. the king, by letters patent tested at Westminster 13th January, "in consideration of the true and faithful service heretofore done" by sir Philip Hoby, acquits and discharges him, his heirs and executors, from the sum of £1100 due to his late royal father, and for payment of which, the said grantee with sir Thomas Speke, knight, were bound by recognizances dated 4th November, in the thirtyeighth of Henry VIII.; and king Edward further releases Sir Philip from other payments contracted during his own reign and that of his predecessor, for property of late pertaining to this abbey, in Offenham, Hudicote-Bartram, and other places. 345

In addition to the grants already noticed, we find from the governing charter of the borough, that Sir Philip had also held the office of bailiff of the hundred and liberty of Blakenhurste, "parcel of the possessions of the late monastery of Evesham." Though the office is by this charter transferred to the mayor and corporation; and in 1615 it was let by them to a deputy-bailiff at £8, and in 1623 at £10 yearly; these payments being reserved in the corporation book to the use of the chamber.

In endeavouring to trace the subsequent transfer of the landed

345 The original is now in the possession of Sir Thomas Phillipps, bart. and was inspected by the writer in October, 1836, at Middle Hill.

portion of this property, we find that sir Philip Hoby, or persons claiming under him, disposed of it to different individuals. Among these was one of the Courtene family, who seem to have resided at Sir Philip's former seat in Aldington; as in 1622, Peter Courtene of that place was created a baronet. Mr. William Courtene, an eminent merchant in the reign of Charles II., in consideration of the sum of £8000, conveyed in 1664 to Edward Rudge, esq. of London, merchant, so much of the property as now admeasures nearly 260 acres, together with the Crown Inn, garden, and wharf adjoining; the gardens next the churchyard; and certain tenements and royalties specified in the conveyance. Of this original purchase the present Mr. Rudge is now seised; to which has since been added by purchases, made chiefly by himself, upwards of 326 acres of the original abbey demesne. The total quantity of arable, garden, and meadow land, distinct from building sites, in the parishes of St. Lawrence and All-saints-the whole of which was included in the same demesne is by modern admeasurement 792 acres, 3 roods, and 7 perches. Of this, 361A. 1R. 18P. are in the parish of Allsaints; and 431A. 1R. 29P. are in the parish of St. Lawrence.

In addition to the abbey property already noticed as alienated to sir Philip Hoby by the crown, several estates in the vicinity, also pertaining to it, were granted him in like manner. Among these were the entire manors of Norton and Lenchwick, Great and Little Hampton, Badsey and Aldington, Abbot's Salford, Hudlecot and Bartram, and Evenload : also the abbey lands at Bourton, Abbot's Morton, Upper Slaughter, Eyford and Broadwell, with all or great part of that at Church Honeybourne, and the park called Shrevell or Thornhill, in Bengeworth. The advowson of Elmley Castle-not belonging to Evesham-and the endowment of a chantry there, with that of another chantry at Tredington, were in like manner alienated to Sir Philip.3 But these vast possessions continued in the family only for a few years. The greater part was sold to different persons by sir Thomas Hoby, nephew of the original grantee; and in 1776 the family became extinct, in default of heirs male.

346

346 Nash's Worcestershire; Dugdale's Warwickshire; Rudder's Gloucestershire; and Sir Philip Hoby's "Particular," copied in Monasticon.

CHAPTER VII.

EVESHAM IN ITS INFANCY

CONDITION AT THE CONQUEST SUBSEQUENT IMPORTANCE— APPEARANCE AT THE PRESENT DAY.

THE earliest information we possess respecting the actual condition of the town of Evesham, is that presented in the survey made by order of William the Conqueror, begun in the year 1080 and finished in the year 1086. The record is entitled "Liber Censualis Angliæ," but is usually termed Domesday Book; and is the most ancient, valuable, and curious record, of which this country has to boast. The venerable original, comprised in two volumes upon vellum, is carefully preserved in the chapter-room of Westminster Abbey; where its time-hallowed pages, still fair and legible, may be consulted or transcribed upon payment of the appointed fees. Its usual name is supposed by some to have originated from the domus Dei, or treasury, at Winchester, where it was originally kept: though it appears to us more probable that this confessedly popular appellation was compounded of the native words dom and dag, signifying a period of account. From this important survey, judgment was to be given upon the value, tenure, and service, of lands throughout the kingdom by which means the Norman conqueror acquired an exact knowledge of the possessions of the crown; the names of the landholders; the military strength of his newly-acquired kingdom; and the possibility of increasing the revenue in some cases, or of lowering the assessment in others. In addition to which, it afterward furnished a register of appeal, when titles to property were disputed.

U

The care with which, in consequence, it was effected, appears in the method employed. Commissioners, styled the king's justiciaries, were appointed to adjust it. These officers inquired, upon oath, from juries, composed of the sheriff of every county, the lord of every manor, the presbyter of every church, the reve of every hundred, the bailiffs and six villani of every village-the following particulars. The name of the place; who held it in the time of Edward the Confessor; who was the present possessor; how many hides were in the manor; how many carucates in demesne; how many homagers; how many villani; how many cotarii; how many servi; what free-men; how many tenants in socage; what quantity of wood; how much meadow and pasture; what mills and fishponds; how much added or taken away; what the gross value in king Edward's time; what the present value; and how much each free-man or soc-man hath or had. The value of every estate was thus thrice estimated. First, was given its value in the time of the Confessor; then, as bestowed by king William; and, thirdly, as it stood at the formation of the record.

The survey of Evesham, which we now proceed to copy, as nearly as moveable types will admit, from the national fac-simile edition, presents a tolerable instance of reply to these several queries.

Terra Ecclæ De evesham

•F.In Evesham uilla ubi ledet abbatia funt 7 fuer lep. iii hidæ liberæ Ebi funt in dnio. iij. căr. 7 xxvij. bord. leruientes curiæ,

7 hūt. iiij. car. Ebi moliñ de. xxx. lolið. 7 xx. ac. pʻti,

De censu hominü ibi manentiu. xx. lolid.

T. R. E. ualb. lx, folid, 7 post: iiij, lib, Modo; ex, folid,'

This brief, but pithy information, may, we conceive, be literally rendered thus:

"LAND OF THE CHURCH OF EVESHAM: "In Evesham vill, 347 where the abbey stands, are and always have been, three hides 348 free.349 There are, in demesne,350 three caru

347 Villa-was another term for a lordship or estate.-Introd. to Nichol's Leicestersh. 348 Hida.-The hide was a Saxon measurement; it varied in different counties, but may in general be averaged at one hundred acres.

349 Libera." By a custom whose origin is lost in its antiquity, all their [the Anglosaxons] lands, unless specially exempted, were liable to three great burdens-the