Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/171

 THE MUNIMENTS OF THE ABBEY OF WESTMINSTER. Ul are told a great deal in the " Memorials." In the late Peter Cunningliam's excellent " Hand-book of London " we are in- formed that the anthor found no earlier trace of the name than one in the fifteenth century — that the origin of the name is unknown, and that in the time of Elizabeth it was a common place for duels and assemblies of various kinds, not generally of the best. Stow describes a duel fought there in 1571 with all his interesting minuteness. There are, however, many deeds among the Abbey muni- ments giving the name " TotchuU" early in the thirteenth century. It was not till the middle of the seventeenth century that this large tract of land, the waste of the manor, spread- ing from the Abbey Close on the east to Eye and Chelsea on the west, and from the Thames on the south to the manors of Hyde and Knightsbridge on the north, was found to be of great vakie. Population was increasing, buildings were encroaching upon the waste, and every one that could do so was robbing or spoiling it. The inhabitants had "common" there, but they were not satisfied with their rights. The " field-keepers " had a hard time of it in re- sisting encroachments, and they reported that the disorders committed there " tended to the defacing of the said fields, the hindrance of the meeting of the gentry for their re- creation at bowles, gofle, and stow-ball, and the general prejudice of the inhabitants of the Citie and liberty of West- minster." In 1G58 the inhabitants of Westminster petitioned the Governors of the Free School and Almshouses — who had the manor during the Commonwealth — setting out " That the said fields heretofore was a place for walking in and re- creacion, and for exercize and discipline of horse and foot, and y^ herbage very advantageous and profitable to many poore inhabitants ; but now the waies into y° same are utterly' destroyed, that neither horse nor foot can draw or come into y" same ; Colonel Ludlowe's coach being lately so mired there that he was forced to have a teame of horses to drawe it out ; Also, ic/ierc a great Hill latcli/ stood, consisting of mcuiy thousand loads, there is now a pond, that a horse lately in the daytime was strangled and smothered therein," &c. The petition is signed by twenty-two inhabitants, who pray for a surveyor to be appointed to prevent the abuses complained of. Some doubt has been thrown upon the origin of the name of this part of Westminster, and its flat-