Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 5.djvu/32

20 the floor of that part of the building was raised so that the bases of the adjoining pillars were buried to a considerable depth; the present floor has been lowered, (as have also the sedilia to a corresponding extent,) but it is still at a higher level than was contemplated at the time the church was built, and hides an important part of the bases.



one, who has had occasion to look into early court rolls or muniments of title, can have failed to meet with words and phrases of which he has sought in vain for an explanation in the printed glossaries. Having myself met with many such expressions in instruments relating to property in a part of England with which I happen to be acquainted, I have thought that it may not be uninteresting to some readers to communicate the substance of a few of the notes which I have preserved, although I am well aware that in offering explanations I shall often assume to teach those who are already at least as well informed as myself. Nor will I undertake to say that the use of the words, which I shall select for illustration, is entirely confined to one part of England, or that they have not, possibly, been noticed and satisfactorily elucidated in some of the voluminous topographical works, or in manuscript glossaries, which I have not had the good fortune to read. If I have found persons of intelligence, generally familiar with palæology, unable to furnish me with an explanation of any particular word, I consider myself warranted in presuming that an attempt to explain it will be acceptable.

.—This word has been noticed, but not explained, by Ducange and Cowel. It is also adverted to (with no other observation than the short one inserted by the author on my responsibility) in Dr. Oliver's recent Monasticon Exoniense. It occurs in printed charters in the form of hutilan, utiban, uthban, and hutiban. The first is only a corrupt reading of the second form.