Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/521

 ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. 383 recorded results form the series of records called the Hundred Rolls. The returns for Hampshire, as printed, are evidently defective, being confined to a small part of the county exclusive of Winchester. When the verdicts, taken on these inquisitions, alleged encroachments or threw doubt on the title of those who claimed under the crown, proceedings were in many instances adopted by the attorney-general to call the delinquents to account. These proceedings form the collection known and published as the Placita de Quo Warranto. Now it is remarkable that in two of the cases noticed by the inquest, namely, those of the Abbot of Hyde and of Reginald Fitz Peter, proceedings were in fact commenced by the crown in the eigthth year of Edward I. In that year a writ of right was brought by the king against the Abbot of Hyde, to recover land usurped in the north suburb of the city, called Dene- marche, and judgment was given for the crown. Again, a writ of Quo Warranto was filed against the same Abbot to question his title to the franchise of the Hundred of Micheldever ; but the defendant showed his title, and the prosecution was dropped. (Plac. de Quo Warranto, printed ed., pp. 766, 767 ; and Harl. MSS., No. 1761, fol. 31.) In the same year a writ or action was prosecuted at the suit of the crown, alleging a disseisin by Reginald Fitz Peter of certain lands, " extra civitatem Wintonise." The defendant pleaded a grant by Henry III., in the forty-eighth year of his reign, and the gi'ant (which is set forth) states the original purchase of the land by Henry II. ; its conversion into the mews ; its descent to Kings John and Henry, and the lawful conveyance of it by King Henry to the defendant. To this the king's attorney replied, that Henry's grant was made during the civil war, while he was in durance, and was therefore void. On proof that the war began on the 4th of April, 48 Hen. III. (1264), the grant, being of prior date, was adjudged to be good. (Plac. de Quo Warr., fo. 766.) It is clear that this was the land beyond the West Gate referred to in the Winchester inquest. Hence Ave may reasonably infer that the inquest was taken before 8th Edward I., and that the proceedings in that year were instituted in consequence of it. We know that the other inquisitions extant in the Hundred Rolls were taken in Hampshire in the second and third years of the same reign ; and I therefore venture to assign the same date to the document before us. Such, at least, is my present impression. E. Smirke. VOL. VII. 3 E