Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/243

Rh piety of our forefathers. In the majority of cases, documentary evidences, connected with abbey lands, did not accompany the grants to private individuals, after the dissolution. They were either reserved by the crown, or, too frequently, perished in the fearful crisis of rapine and confusion, in which the religious establishments of this country were extinguished. The apprehension lest possessions, to which a curse often seemed to be attached, should at some subsequent time be reclaimed, led doubtless to the wilful destruction of a large number of documents; some were preserved by the crown, and, in a few cases, the entire series of records and grants, connected with the history of a monastery, passed with the lands alienated, and have been preserved to the present time. A remarkable instance may be cited, in the Battle Abbey muniments, forming upwards of three hundred volumes, purchased from Sir Godfrey Webster, Bart., and now in the collection of Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart., at Middle Hill. The voluminous evidences connected with the royal foundation of Southwick Priory, by like fortunate circumstances, not having been dispersed, have remained in the custody of the possessors of Southwick park. The praiseworthy care of Thomas Thistlethwayte, Esq., has recently caused them to be arranged in a most judicious and complete manner; transcripts of the more interesting documents have been made, abstracts and indexes compiled; and from these materials, by his kind permission, the following brief notices have been extracted.

The priory was originally founded, within the castle of Portchester, by King Henry I., for canons regular of the order of St. Augustine. By his charter of foundation he granted to God, and to the church of the Blessed Mary of Portcestre, the same church of St. Mary, there founded by him, with the lands and tithes, and all things pertaining to the church; also certain rights in his wood of Kyuges-dene, and in his forest; and confirmed to them the manor of Candevra (Candover), with certain lands in Suwika and Appelstede, which William de Ponte-archarum had given them; for the benefit of the souls of his father and mother, of William his brother, his ancestors and successors, and for the state and safety of his kingdom. This charter is dated, "at Burnham, on my passing over the sea." Tanner, in his Notitia Monastica,