Staffordshire Hundred Rolls: Seisdon hundred (39 Henry III, 1255)

Staffordshire Historical Collections, Vol. 5 Part 1. Originally published by Staffordshire Record Society, London, 1884.

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'Staffordshire Hundred Rolls: Seisdon hundred (39 Henry III, 1255)', in Staffordshire Historical Collections, Vol. 5 Part 1, (London, 1884) pp. 110-117. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/staffs-hist-collection/vol5/pt1/pp110-117 [accessed 19 April 2024]

Seisdon Hundred. (fn. 1)

These are the names of the twelve Jurors of the Hundred of Seisdon, viz., Thomas de Tresel, Philip de Lutteleye, * * * * de Morf, Walter de Overtun, Walter de Bradele, Hugh de Wrottesleye, Clement de Wolvrenehamton, Richard de Fonte, Walter Le Daneys, William de Whitinton, Hamund de Bradwall, and William fitz Warine.

They say that William de Burmingeham holds Evenefeld in custody, and it contains two hides of land, held of the fee of Roger de Somery; and he has the donation of the Church as custos; and he renders for frankpledge (fn. 2) 2s., and for the Sheriff's aid 2s., and for the Hundred aid 8d.; and he does suit to Hundred and County, and it is geldable.

Henry de Morf holds two hides of land of Sir William de Burmingham, of the fee of Roger de Somery, and renders for frankpledge 2s., and for the Sheriff's aid 2s., and for the Hundred aid 8d.; and he does suit to Hundred and County, and it is geldable; and William, son of Walter, holds in the same vill a purpresture which contains one-fourth of an acre, value 1d.

Philip de Lutteley holds a hide of land in the same vill (Lutteley) of Henry de Hageley, of the fee of Roger de Someri, and renders for frankpledge 12d., and for Sheriff's aid 12d., and for the Hundred aid 4d; and he does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable; and Adam, son of William, made a purpresture in the same vill of half an acre, which William del Hay holds; and it is worth 2d.

John fitz Philip holds a hide and a half of land in Bobinton, of the fee of Robert de Stafford, and renders for frankpledge 18d; and for Sheriff's aid 18d., and for the Hundred aid 6d.; and he does suit to County and Hundred, it is geldable; and Robert Cocus holds in the same vill a purpresture, which contains one-fourth of an acre, and it is worth 2d.; and Richard the Provost holds a purpresture of a fourth of an acre; and Thomas, son of Richard de la Lee, holds a purpresture of a fourth of an acre; and John fitz Philip and the Lady Petronilla his mother hold a purpresture in the same vill of six acres, which is worth 4d.

John de Plesi, Earl of Warwic, (fn. 3) holds a hide and a half of land in Humelele (Hirnley), of the fee of Roger de Someri, and renders for frankpledge 18d., and for the Sheriff's aid 18d., and for the Hundred aid 6d., and does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable. Also William de Englefeld holds half a hide of land in the same vill, of the fee of Roger de Someri, and renders for frankpledge 6d., and for Sheriff's aid 6d., and for the Hundred aid 2d., and does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable.

Cecilia, the Lady of Amblecote, holds a hide of land in the same vill of William de Burmingham, of the fee of Roger de Someri, and renders for frankpledge 12d., and for Sheriff's aid 12d., and for the Hundred aid 4d., and does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable.

Walter de Overtun holds five hides of land in Womburne and Overtun, of the fee of Roger de Someri, and renders for frankpledge 5s., and for the Sheriff's aid 5s., and for the Hundred aid 2d., and does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable; and the Prior of Duddele holds the Church of Womburne of the gift of his ancestors (Walter's) to his own uses (in proprios usus); and William de la Lude holds an assart in Womburne containing an acre, value 6d.; and Thomas de Womburne holds an assart of two roods, value l¼d.; and William of the same holds an assart of an acre and a rood, value 7¼d.; and the Abbot of Hales hold an assart in the same fee of two acres, value 12d.; and Robert de Sprungewall holds an assart in the fee of Overtun, containing half an acre, value 3d.; and Matilda de Womburne holds an assart of half an acre, value 3d.; and Magota of the same holds a rood of meadow, value 1d.; and Richard the Vicar, of Seggesle, holds half an acre in the fee of Womburne, value 2d.; Richard the Carpenter, of Womburne, holds an acre and three roods of purpresture, value 7d.; Richard the said Vicar holds an assart of a rood, value l¼d.; Thomas de la Grene holds half a rood of purpresture, value ¼d.; Richard the Carpenter and William de la Hale hold half an acre of purpresture, value 2d.; also the heirs of Richard, son of William Wich of Oxele, hold an assart of an acre, value 6d. Of goats they say that John de Wodeford has goats in the forest, and Robert junior also, and they, i.e., the goats, do not return to any enclosure (non redeunt in aliquâ hayâ). (fn. 4)

Thomas de Tresel holds three hides of land in the same, of Philip de Frankele, of the fee of Roger de Someri, and renders for frankpledge 3s.; and for Sheriff's aid 3s., and for the Hundred aid 12d.; and he does suit to County and Hundred; and the Prior of Duddele holds the Church of Tresel to his own use by the donation of his (Thomas') ancestors; and Thomas has a fair and a market in the same vill by the gift of the King by charter, and whatever appertains to the fair and market. Also Robert Fullo of Tresel holds half (rest of sentence illegible).

Robert Maunsel of Patleshull holds three hides in the same, of William Bagot, of the fee of Robert de Stafford, and renders for frankpledge 3s., and for Sheriff's aid 2s., and for the Hundred aid 12d., and does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable.

Hugh de Wrottesle holds a hide of land in the same, of the Abbot of Evesham, rendering to the Abbot 2 marks; and for frankpledge he gives 12d., and for Sheriff's aid 12d., and for Hundred aid 4d., and he does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable.

Robert de Pendeford holds two hides of land in the same, of Alan de Erdenton, of the fee of Roger de Someri, and renders for frankpledge 2s., Sheriff's aid 2s., Hundred aid 8d., and does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable.

Robert de Byssobury holds two and a half hides of land in the same, of William de Burmingham, of the fee of Roger de Sumeri, rendering for frankpledge 2s. 6d., Sheriff's aid 2s. 6d., Hundred aid 12d., and does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable; and he has the donation of the Church. And Henry de Monte of the same and Robert de Northincote hold an acre and a half of purpresture, value 6d., and Hugh del Putte holds three roods, value 3d. Also Ralph Purcel holds an acre, value 4d. (In the margin the words "de placitis forestæ.")

Roger Buffare holds a hide and a half of land in Lower Penne of Roger de Someri, rendering for frankpledge 18d., and Sheriff's aid 18d., and Hundred aid 6d., and he does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable. William Buffare, William de Haggeley, and William de Longhoc hold two acres of purpresture, value 8d.

Robert de Bisshoppuri holds a hide and a half in Great Penne of William de Burmingham, of the fee of Roger de Someri, rendering for frankpledge 18d., and for Sheriff's aid 18d., and Hundred aid 6d., and he does suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable; and the Bishop of Chester has the donation of the Church by the gift of his (i.e., Robert's)ancestors; and William de Longok made a purpresture of three acres, value 12d.; and Thomas, son of Stephen de Fonte, holds an acre of purpresture, value 4d.

John de Grenhul and his coparceners hold a hide of land in Molesleye of Robert de Esington, of the fee of Roger de Someri, rendering for frankpledge 12d., and Sheriff's aid 12d., and Hundred aid 4d., and they do suit to County and Hundred, and it is geldable. Adam son of Adam holds half an acre of assart, value 3d.; Richard Rufus holds half a rood of purpresture, value ¼d.

The Lord the King holds the Manor of Totenhale in his hands, and receives annually of the old ferm £3 10s., and of the new increment 11s. 2¼d., saving tallage at the King's pleasure; and he has the donation of the Deanery of the Church; and Henry de Wengham holds it of the gift of the King, (fn. 5) and it is worth yearly 50 marks, with five prebends, and he gives for frankpledge half a mark; and Elias the Canon holds an acre of purpresture of the Canon's fee and one rood, and it is worth 5d. and Robert le Warre holds half an acre of purpresture of the same (fee), value 2d.; also Robert son of Isabel and William son of Swane hold four acres of purpresture, value 16d.; and Alexander the forester holds an acre and a half of purpresture, value 6d. The same Alexander holds a rood of purpresture value 1s. Of pleas and perquisites the Bailiff renders to the Sheriff 20s. annually; and John fitz Philip takes for purpresture of underwood and pasturage 5s. 4d. annually; and the same John receives from the Feast of Michaelmas to the Feast of St. Martin (de Kingesley written above the line) his chapuras for a horse 4d., and for an ox 2d., and for a pig 1d., and for five poneys (bydentibus) 1d. (In the margin), the King is in seisin by the eschaetor. (fn. 6)

Philip de Rowele holds the vill of Roule (Rowley Regis) of the Lord the King, rendering annually 16s. 4d. and for frankpledge 40d., and he has a free court (habet liberam curiam), and he does suit at two general Hundreds on requisition (et facit sectam ad duo generalia Hundreda ad curiam suam exigendam (fn. 7) ).

Ralph Basset holds two hides of land in Patingham of the fee of Roger de Someri, rendering for flankpledge half a mark, of which the men of the Parson of the same had withheld 8d. for fourteen years past, by which the King had been prejudiced to the amount of 9s. 4d.; and he has a free court, it is not known by what warrant, and he does suit at two general Hundreds on requisition. (Et facit sectam ad duo generalia Hundreda ad curiam suam exigendam.)

The Abbot of Bordesley holds the vill of Terdebigge of the gift of the King in free alms, and he has a free court, and does suit at two general Hundreds on requisition (ad curiam suam exigendam), and the Abbot was enfeoffed by King Henry the grandfather of the present King.

John de Perton holds three hides of land in the same, of the Lord the King, by service of sergeanty, viz., in Wales with horses and arms for eight days at his own cost; and if he stays longer, he has 8d. per diem from the purse of the Lord the King (ex bursâ Domini Regis), and he has a free court, and does suit at two general Hundreds on requisition, etc. (as before), and he gives 3s. for frankpledge; and Ralph de Perton alienated two and a half virgates of land, for which the King receives annually 5s. 9d. as a fine imposed by Robert Passelewe (ex excusionem Roberti Passelewe) and Henry de Wengham, the King's eschaetor.

John de Burgo holds two hides of land of the King in the Manor of Arleye, and has a free court, and he claims to hold it (defendit) for one-third of a knight's fee, and the church is . . . of Lichfield, and the King's manor appears by twelve (before the Justices), and he (i.e., John de Burgo) does suit at two general Hundreds (ad curiam suam, etc., as before), and he has (free) warren, it is not known by what warrant, and he holds all pleas except those of forbidden distress (de vetito namio); and Walter de Aldeworke holds an assart of four acres and a half, value 6d.; and Eobert de Eomescumbe of Arley holds half an acre of assart, value 3d.; and the Prior of Worcester has a purpresture in Wolwardele in the Co: cf Worcester of six acres, value 4d.; and Walter de Portes (sic) held the Manor of Alley of the King's fee with the donation of the Church; and the said Walter gave the Church to Adam his brother, which Adam was afterwards Canon of Lichfield; and the said Walter lost the manor by reason of a felony, and the said Adam held the Church until his death; (fn. 8) and afterwards the Bishop Alexander gave the Church to the Commons of Lichfield (ad communia de Lichfeld), it is not known by what warrant.

The Abbot of Crokesdene holds four hides of land in Oken, of the gift of Bertram de Werdun, rendering to the lord of the Castle of Certeleg (Chartley) 10s.; and he has a free court, and does suit at two general Hundreds on requisition, etc.; and Nicholas de Oken, and Adam son of Robert Dote, hold a hide in the same vill of the Lord the King, rendering annually to the King 2s. of the old ferm of Tetenhale, and they do suit to the Court of the Manor of Tetenhale. Of sales and gifts of the Sokemen: they say that Nicholas de Oken (fn. 9) sold a certain portion of land and a moor to the Abbot of Crokesdene, but he renders his full ferm to the King; and he sold another portion of land to Giles de Erdinton, whence Giles has the mill and the wood, and the land amounts to three acres.

Guy de Roches holds the Manor of Wolvrenhampton by reason of the custody of Henry de Hasting, by the gift of the King, and receiving annually £15 3s. 1¼d. in exchange for his (Henry's) share of the inheritance of the Earldom of Chester; and he has a free court, and the King has the donation of the Church when it is vacant; and Giles de Erdinton holds it, and it is worth, with its seven prebends, 60 marks, and the Dean does suit at two general Hundreds on requisition (ad curiam suam exigendam); and the King's manor appears by twelve before the Justices; and Clement and Gervase of the same (i.e., Wolverhampton) hold two acres of purpresture, value 8d.; and the same Clement holds an acre of purpresture, value 8d.; and Henry de Camera of the same holds two acres of purpresture, value 8d.

John fitz Philip holds the Manor of Kinefare of the King in fee farm, rendering annually £9, and for frankpledge 5s. 6d., which the said John receives, and he has a free court, and does suit at two general Hundreds (ad curiam suam exigendam), and the King's manor appears by twelve (before the Justices) . . . . . and he has the donation of the Church, and Leo now holds it, and it is worth 20 marks annually; and the said John holds the Castle of Sturtun with the wood of . . . le, and the wood belongs to the kitchen (coquina) of the Castle of Sturton; and out of the wood he has pannage and herbage from the Feast of St. Michael to the Feast of St. Martin, and there is no castle guard appurtenant to the said castle (et ad dictum castellum non pertinet aliquid wardum); and it is not known by what warrant he holds the said Castle of Sturton, and he has a tallage whenever the King tallages his manors by precept of the Lord the King; and they say that John de Holbarewe has goats in the forest.

Roger de Somery holds the Manor of Seggesle in capite of the King, and he has a free court, and does suit at two general Hundreds on requisition (ad curiam suam, etc.), and he has a warren, and a free chase in the Haye of Seggesle and in the wood of Penn, it is not known by what warrant; and the Prior of Duddele holds the Church of Seggesle to his own use, by the gift of the ancestors of Roger, and it is worth 20 marks, and the King's manor appears by twelve (before the Justices).

Roger de Somery holds the Manor of Swineford of the Lord the King at fee farm, and the manors of Clent and of Mere, rendering annually by the hands of the Sheriff of Staffordshire 40 marks, and he has a free court, and does suit at two general Hundreds (ad liberam curiam suam exigendam), and he has the donation of the Churches of the said manors, and he has a tallage when the King tallages his manors, and he has warren and a free chase in . . . but it is not known by what warrant; and William de Halhutun holds the Church of Swineford, and it is worth 16 marks, and John Walerand has the Church of Clent, which is worth 10 marks; and the Manors of Swineford and Clent speak by twelve (before the Justices); and Henry de Adenbrok has a purpresture of five acres of the King's demesne, and the value of the acre is 4d.; and Elias Blundus has two acres of purpresture in the same manor, value 8d.

And of rights, and liberties, and hidage subtracted from the King, they have nothing to say beyond what is stated above. The rest of the roll (about fifteen lines) is illegible from discoloration and damp.

Footnotes

  • 1. Taken from the Miscellaneous Rolls of the Old Chapter House, and translated into English.
  • 2. Pro francoplegio, i.e., for the view of frankpledge without the Sheriff. The presentment being made in the Manorial Court in place of the Hundred Court. See the proceedings about the view of frankpledge of Huncyndon, p. 87 of this volume. When the view of frankpledge was made in the Manorial Court, it was called a Court Leet.
  • 3. The feoffment of John de Plesi at Himley is explained on the Plea Rolls of the reign of Edward I., which will appear in the next volume. It was of a temporary nature, and did not endure for long.
  • 4. The pasturage of goats in the King's Forest was forbidden, as they injured the herbage.
  • 5. This is probably a mistake, as Henry de Wengham was the King's eschaetor.
  • 6. The eschaetor must have been in possession, owing to the recent death of the last Dean. Henry de Wengham was the eschaetor not the Dean.
  • 7. For the meaning of this, observe the King's writ to the Sheriff of Warwickshire at the bottom of p. 12 of this volume. The tenants in capite had, amongst other privileges, that of not appearing at the Sheriff's Tourns, which are the two great Hundred Courts held at Easter and Michaelmas of each year, except on special summons.
  • 8. The Pipe Roll of 13 H. II. shows Adam de Port held the manor as well as the church.
  • 9. The four hides in Oaken evidently include Codsall. This latter manor is shown by the Pipe Rolls to have been in the possession of Stephen de Beauchamp 13 H II.; and the above entry shows it to hare formed part of the fee of Chartley. The county histories hitherto have been silent respecting the early possessors of this important fief. The fee of Chartley comprised, besides Oaken and Codsall: Weston-on-Trent, Stow, Amerton, Drineton, Grenley, and parts of Hixon, Heywood, and Bold. Stephen de Beauchamp, who held it 13 H. II., was the grandson of Nicholas de Beauchamp, the Sheriff of Staffordshire during the reigns of the Conqueror, William Rufus, and the early part of Henry I. (see the Burton Chartulary). Ralph Earl of Chester purchased the interests of the sisters and co-heiresses of the last Stephen de Beauchamp (Fines, temp. H. III., Vol. IV., "Staffordshire Collections"), and the fee passed to Robert de Ferrers, Earl of Derby, by inheritance, us one of the co-heirs of Chester. It is not quite certain therefore whether this fief was originally held of the Earls of Chester, or in capite sine medio of the King; but the mystery which has hitherto existed respecting Nicholas the Sheriff and his connection with Staffordshire is quite cleared up.