Page:English Historical Review Volume 37.djvu/242

234 The abbot's return is implied in a charter granted by one of his successors named William, probably William I, 1127–34:

"Notum sit presentibus ⁊ futuris del fidelibus . dompnum abbatem Willelmum ⁊ monachos ecclesie sancti Benedicti de Holm in conmmni capitulo dedisse ⁊ concessisse Petro camerario quecumque fuerunt Egelwardi de Houetone in eadem uilla silicet [sic] Houetone ⁊ in North Walsham . uel in aliis locis . in terris ⁊ homagiis . in pascuis ⁊ pratis ⁊ moris . in bosco ⁊ plano ⁊ in omnibus rebus ⁊ consuetudinibus quas idem Egelwardus uncquam [sic] melius habuit una die ⁊ una nocte tempore Afwoldi abbatis. Ita ut nemo ex eisdem rebus aliquid habeat nisi per ipsum . set libere ⁊ quiete teneat omnia illa in feodum ipse Petrus ⁊ heres eius in perpetuum reddens inde singulis annis celerario octo solidos ad mensam fratrum pro omni seruicio tribus competentibus terminis . ad festum sancti Edmundi tres solidos . ad pascha duos solidos . octaua die ante festum sancti Benedicti in estate tres solidos. Huius donacionis sunt testes Adam dapifer. Richerus de Ouby etc."

The Abbot Afwold of this document can be no other than the Alwold of John of Oxnead and the Athelwold or Alfwold of the memorandum. The reference to his abbacy as a note of date is important. It suggests, what is borne out by many documents in the cartulary, that, invasiones apart, the condition of St. Benet's free tenants underwent little serious change under the Norman kings. The following charter, for example, shows a tenant of native ancestry receiving between 1153 and 1168 land under the conditions which had governed its tenure for the previous two generations:

"Sciant presentes ⁊ futuri fideles dei quod ego secundus Willelmus dei gracia abbas ecclesie sancti Benedicti de Hulmo communi consilio ⁊ uoluntate tocius capituli nostri concessi ⁊ dedi in feodo ⁊ hereditate Ricardo clerico totam terram aui sui Brictnod 7 Hagene patris sui in Burwde . ⁊ insuper totam terram Swartingi in eadem uilla . quam emit ab heredibus illius terre saluis consuetudinibus ad aulam de Neteshirde pertinentibus. Has uero terras habebit ⁊ tenebit predictus clericus Ricardus ⁊ heredes sui libere ⁊ quiete in campo ⁊ prato ⁊ in turbariis sicut unquam predecessores sui eas melius ⁊ liberius tenuerunt in uita sua . ⁊ eisdem consuetudinibus. Huius concessionis ⁊ donacionis sunt testes . Philippus capellanus . Willelmus presbiter de Neteshirda . Henricus medicus de Bolwyc . Richerus filius Odonis . Nicholaus miles de Tyrna . Henricus de Stiuekeswrde . Simundus de Ludham . .Hugo de Rollesby. Haraldus clericus. Wistanus prepositus. Reginaldus filius Wistani. Robertus de Ingham. Petrus filius Stannardi de Waxtonesham ⁊ multi alii."