Preface

PREFACE

The appearance of the present work has been long delayed, partly on account of circumstances arising out of the War, and partly by reason of other claims upon the writer's time. To this delay must be attributed the numerous appendixes in which will be found final concords of early date that have been discovered from time to time during the progress of the work.

The text of the volume contains final concords relating to the second half of Henry III's reign, and at that date, as indeed in the earlier period, most of the concords are cast in a common mould. It has therefore been found possible in the printed abstracts to omit, without loss, a good deal of common form. In some cases, however, and especially in the longer documents, unusual particulars are recorded, and here a full translation has been given.

It only remains for the writer to acknowledge his indebtedness to those who have helped him. To two of his friends his special thanks are due: first, to Professor F. M. Stenton, M.A., for very generous help and advice with respect to the Introduction, and for copies of several twelfth century documents; and, secondly, to the Reverend T. Longley, M.A., who has allowed him to draw freely upon the great store of evidence which he has accumulated with respect to the descent of feudal estates in Lincolnshire. Others also must be mentioned. At the hands of the Deputy Keeper and the Officials of the Public Record Office he has received much kindness and consideration. For the purpose of the section on procedure in the Introduction Miss Doris M. Parsons, b.a., has kindly furnished him with many extracts from the earliest Lincolnshire Assize Roll which she is editing for the Lincoln Record Society. Mr. A. Hamilton Thompson, M.A., F.S.A., has at all times placed his wide knowledge of medieval history at the writer's command. Miss M. Burdett Butcher, under the writer's direction, made the first draft of most of the abstracts which form the text of the book. And, not least, he is indebted to his secretary, Miss Florence E. Thurlby, for constant and patient help in reading the proof-sheets, and especially in constructing the index and checking its cross-references.

C. W. F.

Timberland,
1 May, 1920.