Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 1.djvu/381

Rh in keeping state prisoners in safe custody ; in paying the garrisoned soldiers ; in observing the legal provision concerning such as came to tournaments ; in defending the possessions of the Church. Henry III. ordered, for example, the constable of Rockingham (Jan. 25, 1217.) to protect the goods of the abbot of Peterborough; and the privilege of holding a castle as its constable, was considered so honourable, that it was only confided to men of high military renown, never to the Welsh, but only to persons of ascertained courage and attachment to the Crown, as is evidenced in the present day, in the instances of the Most Noble the Marquis of Anglesea being constable of Caernarvon, and His Grace the Duke of Wellington constable of Dover castle.

The constables of Rockingham, as far as I have been enabled to make out the list, were the following:—

1199. ; he pays a fine of £100, in four quarterly payments, for having had granted to him the custody of the castle.

.

1213, Feb. 25. , held it by the tenure of annually presenting the king with a pair of gold-embroidered shoes. The manors of Pornstoke, Shenley, Stamford, and Kayngham, were held on the same conditions. He is directed to release (Nov. 1, 1213.) Robert de Mara, then in prison at Rockingham castle, who had been taken at Cracfergus : the apostolic legate had induced John to order his liberation. He is ordered by the king (May 11, 1215.) to entertain with hospitality William de Harecourt, when he comes thither. April 13, 1216, he is ordered to hold for the use of the castle the manors of Geddington, Clive, Brigstock, and Corby, and the custody of the soldiers, formerly the fee of the abbot of Peterborough.

1215, June 24. .

1216., ordered (March 3rd) to settle for forty days with the foot cross bowmen, at the usual rate of