Page:VCH Worcestershire 1.djvu/362

 A HISTORY OF WORCESTERSHIRE completion of the term agreed upon between them, or betake himself anywhere ^ with that land.8 In this Hundred the Bishop of that church holds Chemesege [Kempsey]. There are 24 hides that (pay) geld. Of these hides 5 hides are waste. In (the) demesne are 2 ploughs and (there are) 15 villeins and 27 bordars with 16 ploughs. There are a priest and 4 serfs and 2 bondwomen and 40 acres of meadow. The wood(land) is a league {lewd) long and half a league wide. In (the) demesne are 13 hides. It was worth 16 pounds T.R.E. ; now 8 pounds. Of this manor Urse the sherifiF holds 3 berewicks of 7 hides, Mucenhil [Mucken- hill],* Stoltun [Stoulton], Ulfrintun [Wolverton]. There are 7 ploughs and 7 villeins and 7 bordars and 7 serfs and 16 acres of meadow. For these three estates (terris) rent [firma) was rendered T.R.E., for they were always assigned to {de) the support (of the monks). They are worth 100 shil- lings. Of this same manor Roger de Laci holds 2 hides at Ulfrintun [Wolverton] and Aiulf (holds them) of him. They were in demesne T.R.E., and Alric' was still holding them in the time of king William and was rendering thence all the customary rent {consuetudines firma) that his predecessors used to render except the peasants' labour {rustico opere) as it could be obtained [cleprecari) from the reeve. There are 2 ploughs with i villein and (there are) 2 serfs and a mill worth {de) 40 pence. It was worth 50 shillings T.R.E. ; now 40 shillings. Of the same manor Walter Ponther (holds) 2 hides at Widintun [Whittington]. They were in demesne T.R.E., (and) Ailric held them in the same manner {ratlone) as the above hides.* In (the) demesne are 2 ploughs and 4 serfs, and (there are) 3 villeins and 7 bordars with 4 ploughs and a fishery worth {de) 4 shillings and 1 2 acres. The wood(land) is I league {lewa) long and half (a league) wide. It was worth 30 shillings T.R.E. ; now 40 shillings.* ^ i.e. commend himself to another lord. ^ Heming's Cartulary here adds : ' to retain it by usurping an hereditary right, or claim it as his fee {feudam) except in accordance with the Bishop's wish and in accordance with their agreement.' ^ Now Mucknell Farm. ® The monks' story was, that iEthelric (the In the same hundred the said Bishop holds WicHE [Wyke episcopi].® There are 15 hides that (pay) geld. In (the) demesne are 4 hides less a virgate, and 4 ploughs are there ; and (there are) 12 villeins and 12 bordars with 12 plcmghs, and 2 mills worth {de) 12 shillings and 2 fisheries worth 6 shillings and 8 pence and 60 acres of meadow. The wood(land) is 2 leagues {lewa) long and i league wide. T.R.E., as now, it was worth 8 pounds. Of this manor Urse the sherifiF holds 5 hides at Holte [Holt]. Ailric' held them in the above manner.'' In (the) demesne are 2 ploughs, and (there are) 12 villeins and 24 bordars with 10 ploughs and a fishery worth {de) 5 shillings and, in (Droit)wich i saltpan worth 13 pence, and (there are) 12 acres of meadow. The wood(land) is half a league {lewa) long and the same in width. There is a hay {haie) * there. The said Urse holds one hide at Witlege [Witley], and Walter (holds it) of him. In (the) demesne is one plough, and (there is) a priest and 2 bordars with i plough. The wood(land) is 3 furlongs {quar") in length and 2 in width. Arnwine the priest ® held (it and) rendered to the church all the customary rent {consuetudines firma) and one ' sestier ' {sextarium) of honey. It is and was worth 10 shillings. The same Urse holds i hide at Che- ciNWiCHE [Kenswick] '" and Walter (holds it) of him. In (the) demesne are 2 ploughs and (there are) 6 bordars and 4 serfs. Wulf- ' Ailric' or 'Alric' of the above entries), was a brother of bishop Brihtheah (' Brihtegus '), from Berkshire, who obtained from the Bishop ' Wlfrintun ' and ' Hwitintun,' together with Himbleton and Spetchley (see below), but was deprived of them in his lifetime by earl William of Hereford (Heming's Cartulary, p. 266). This is to some extent confirmed by the Domesday statement that iEthelric was still holding them after the Conqueror's accession. ^ In St. John's, Worcester. ' i.e. as at Wolverton and Whittington. ^ A hedge surrounding an enclosure into which animals were driven for capture. ^ The monks of Worcester stated that this man (' Earnwius ') was the priest of the famous Eadric the Wild, at whose request Witley had been given him by Ealdred, then bishop, and Wulfstan, then prior (Heming's Cartulary, I. 256. '° A constablewick in Wichenford (Nash).
 * i.e. at Wolverton.