Page:History of Norfolk 1.djvu/219



Is a large parish, containing the whole town of Semere, which, at the Conquest, was as large as Dickleburgh itself, to which it is now a hamlet. This town was anciently divided into four parts or portions, each of which had a rector of its own, and served in their turns in Dickleburgh church. The first portion was called sometimes Fouldon, sometimes the Portion in the Marsh, (it being the lowest part of the town,) sometimes the Portion of Henry, who was rector in 1256, but most commonly, the Portion of Richard, who was rector of it when the Lincoln taxation was made, it being then valued at x. marks; out of this portion the Abbot of Bury had an annual pension of xv.s. The second was called, the Portion in the Fields (it being the upper part of the town,) sometimes the Portion of Henry, and sometimes Culphoe's Portion, John de Culphoe being rector at the Lincoln taxation,  and John of St. Edmund's Bury, at the Norwich taxation, when it was valued at c.s. and paid a pension to the Abbot of St. Edmund of ix.s. yearly. The third portion belonged to that part of the town which is now called Langmere, and is still a hamlet belonging to it, all which lies in the hundred of Earsham, and hath a separate leet, which now belongs to Dickleburgh Hall manor, and its jurisdiction extends to all that part of the town which lies in Earsham hundred. The leet and royalties of the other part in Diss hundred belonging at this time to the lord of the hundred, but there are no leet fees due to either of them; this was in the Conquest included in Semere, of which it was near the half, and was given to Butley priory, after the decease or cession of Ranulf the chaplain, who had been presented thereto by William de Aubervil, and Maud his wife, which Maud was daughter to Ranulf de Glanvil, and belonged to the land that the said Ranulf held of Thomas Noell; at the Norwich taxation it was valued at x. marks, and in the Lincoln at xiii. marks; it was appropriated to that convent about 1180, by John of Oxford, Bishop of Norwich, without any vicar to be endowed, they being obliged to find a stipendiary chaplain only, who was to administer the sacrament, and perform all duties to the parishioners of that portion only; this was confirmed by several Archbishops of Canterbury, and by Thomas de Grey, and Thomas de  Blundevile, or Blomevile, Bishops of Norwich; and thus it continued till 1454, when it was disappropriated by consent of all parties, and consolidated to the other Portions, the Abbot of Bury giving the prior security that the future rectors should ever pay to that priory, a yearly pension of 3s. 4d.