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 A HISTORY OF ESSEX fo. 14 acres in King Edward's time ; now St. Paul (holds it) ; then as now (semper) I plough ; and it is worth 20 shillings ; the canons ob- tained possession of (occupaverunt) this land after the king came into England. VI. THE LAND OF ST. PETER OF WESTMINSTER HUNDRET OF BERDESTAPLA [BARSTABLE] In BENFLET [South Benfleet] St. Peter has 7 hides and 30 acres which used to belong to (jacebant in) the church of St. Mary l in King Edward's time ; but King William gave the church with the land to St. Peter of Westminster^ In which land (there are) 2 ploughs on the demesne, and 5 ploughs be- longing to the men. Then as now (semper) 15 villeins. Then 7 bordars ; now 12. Pasture for 200 sheep. (There is) now a moiety of a mill. (There are) 50 sheep, and 3 swine. 2 It was then worth 4 pounds ; now 6. (An) eighth hide belonging to (de) the same church of St. Mary * was given by Ingelric to St. Martin 3 and still belongs to it (ibi est) as the county (consulatus) bears wit- ness, without the king's command. 4 In PHANTUNA [Fauton (Hall) 6 ] (are) 4 hides and 30 acres. Then as now (semper) I plough on the demesne. Then 4 ploughs belonging to the men ; now i. Then 6 villeins ; now i. Then 4 serfs. Then i bordar ; now 9. And in the same vill there can be (employed) 2 ploughs more (adhuc) on the demesne. There are 30 acres of wood(land) which are waste (stive vast<s)f 2 rounceys (runcini) and 30 sheep. It was then worth 60 shillings ; now 6 pounds. In BURA [Bowers (Gifford)] St. Peter has 50 acres which are held of him (ee) by I Englishman. Then as now (semper) i villein. And it is worth 50 pence. 1 This has been identified by the historians of Essex as Barking Abbey, but it is singular that there is no reference to the loss under the lands of that abbey below. Such an act of spoliation, moreover, would be very remarkable. 2 This sentence is interlined. 3 St. Martin-le-Grand, London. This hide cannot be indentified among the holdings of that house or of Count Eustace (Ingelric's successor) below. 4 That is to say that the king had not sanc- tioned the gift. 6 Or Fan Hall, a manor in North Benfleet. 6 ' Waste ' was a technical term for the extensive felling of trees in a wood (Diahgus, i. 1 3). PHANTUNA [Fanton (Hall) 7 ] was held in King Edward's time by Alestan Stric as a manor and (as) I hide. Then I plough ; now none. Then as now (semper) i bordar. Then and afterwards it was worth 20 shillings ; now 10. This land is claimed for the king's use (opus) on the ground that (quod) it came to the church through a forged (falsum) writ. In the demesne (are) 2 rounceys (runcini), (and) 30 sheep. HUNDRET OF WITHAM In CHEU.EVEDANA [Kelvedon], in King Edward's time, (there were) 5 hides, which were held by St. Peter. Then as now (sem- per) 2 ploughs on the demesne. Then 8 ploughs belonging to the men ; now 4. Then 20 villeins ; now 18. Then 3 bordars ; now 7. Then as now (semper) 3 serfs. Wood(land) for 50 swine, and 25 acres of meadow. (There is) i mill. It was then worth 100 shillings ; now 8 pounds ; and the abbot has thence 12 pounds. In the demesne are 2 rounceys (runcini), 6 beasts (anima/ia), 35 swine, (and) 35 sheep. fo. >4b HUNDRET OF BEVENTREU [BECONTREE] HAME [(East ?) Ham] was held by St. Peter in King Edward's time as a manor and (as) 2 hides. Then as now (semper) i plough. Then 3 bordars ; now 5. Wood(land) for 8 swine. It was then worth 20 shillings ; now 60. In LEITUNA [Leyton] Ralf Baignard holds of the abbot i hide, which was held by Tosti in King Edward's time. Then i plough ; now a half. Now 5 bordars. (There are) 2O acres of meadow, (and) i mill. It was then worth 30 shillings ; now 40. HUNDRET OF LEXENDENA [LEXDEN] PHERING-E: 8 [Peering] was held by Harold in King Edward's time as 4 hides and 30 acres. Now St. Peter holds (it). Then 34 villeins; now 27. Then 10 bordars; now 24. Then as now (semper) n serfs and 4 ploughs on the demesne. Then 15 ploughs belonging to the men ; now 10. Wood(land) for 500 swine, 20 acres of meadow, (and) 3 mills. And, in addition to this abovesaid land, (there were) 12 sokemen dwelling on (manentes in) 1 hides, who could not with- draw themselves (recedere) ; 9 under them now 7 Or Fan Hall, a manor in North Benfleet. 8 This Latin form points to an English ' Fee- ringes.' The adjacent vill of Messing appears in Domesday as ' Metcinges.' 9 i.e. could not choose another lord. 444