evening. This unmerited and unexpected lenity melted the heart of the rugged Gurdon at once; he became in an instant a loyal and useful subject, trusted and employed in matters of moment by Edward when king, and confided in till the day of his death.

LETTER IX.

IT has been hinted in a former letter that Sir Adam Gurdon had availed himself by marrying women of property. By my evidences it appears that he had three wives, and probably in the following order: Constantia, Ameria, and Agnes. The first of these ladies, who was the companion of his middle life, seems to have been a person of considerable fortune, which she inherited from Thomas Makerel, a gentleman of Selborne, who was either her father or uncle. The second, Ameria, calls herself the quondam wife of Sir Adam, "quæ fui uxor," &c., and talks of her sons under age. Now Gurdon had no son: and beside, Agnes, in another document, says, "Ego Agnes quondam uxor Domini Ada Gurdon in pura et ligea viduitate mea:" but Gurdon could not leave two widows; and therefore it seems probable that he had been divorced from Ameria, who afterwards married and had sons. By Agnes Sir Adam had a daughter Johanna, who was his heiress, to whom Agnes in her life-time surrendered part of her jointure: he had also a bastard son.

Sir Adam seems to have inhabited the house now called Temple, lying about two miles east of the church, which had been the property of Thomas Makerel.

In the year 1262 he petitioned the prior of Selborne in his own name, and that of his wife Constantia only, for leave to build him an oratory in his manor-house, " in curia sua.' Licenses of this sort were frequently obtained by men of fortune and rank from the bishop of the diocese, the archbishop, and sometimes, as I have seen instances, from the pope; not only for convenience-sake, and on account of distance, and the badness of the roads, but as a matter of state and distinction. Why the owner should apply to the prior, in preference to the bishop of the diocese, and how the former became competent to such a grant, I cannot say; but that the priors of Selborne did take that privilege is plain, because some years afterward, in 1280, Prior Richard granted to Henry Waterford and his wife Nicholaa, a licence to build an oratory in their court-house, "curia sua de Waterford," in which they might celebrate divine service, saving the rights of the mother church of Basynges. Yet all the while the prior of Selborne grants with such reserve and caution, as if in doubt of his power, and leaves Gurdon and his lady answerable in future to the bishop, or his ordinary, or to the vicar for the time being, in case they should infringe the rights of the mother church of Selborne.

The manor-house, called "Temple," is at present a single building, running in length from south to north, and has been occupied as a

common farmhouse from time immemorial. The south end is modern, and consists of a brewhouse, and then a kitchen. The middle part is an hall twenty-seven feet in length, and nineteen feet in breadth; and has been formerly open to the top, but there is now a floor above it, and also a chimney in the western wall. The roofing consists of strong massive rafter-work ornamented with carved roses. I have often looked for the lamb and flag, the arms of the knights templars, without success; but in one corner found a fox with a goose on his back, so coarsely executed, that it required some attention to make out the device.

Beyond the hall to the north is a small parlour with a vast heavy stone chimney-piece, and at the end of all the chapel or oratory, whose massive thick walls and narrow windows at once bespeak great antiquity. This room is only sixteen feet by sixteen feet eight inches; and full seventeen feet nine inches in height. The ceiling is formed of vast joists, placed only five or six inches apart. Modern delicacy would not much approve of such a place of worship; for it has at present much more the appearance of a dungeon than of a room fit for the reception of people of condition. The field on which his oratory abuts is called Chapel-field. The situation of this house is very particular, for it stands upon the immediate verge of a steep abrupt hill.

Not many years since this place was used for a hop-kiln, and was divided into two stories by a loft, part of which remains at present, and makes it convenient for peat and turf, with which it is stowed.

LETTER X.

THE Priory at times was much obliged to Gurdon and his family. As Sir Adam began to advance in years he found his mind influenced by the prevailing opinion of the reasonableness and efficacy of prayers for the dead; and therefore, in conjunction with his wife Constantia, in the year 1271, granted to the prior and convent of Selborne all his right and claim to a certain place, placea, called “La Playstow," in the village aforesaid, "in liberam, puram, et perpetuam elemosinam." This Pleystow,* locus ludorum, or play-place, is a level area near the church of about forty-four yards by thirty-six, and is known now by the name of the Plestor.+

It continues still, as it was in old times, to be the scene of recreation for the youths and children of the neighbourhood; and impresses an idea on the mind that this village, even in Saxon times, could not be the most abject of places, when the inhabitants thought proper to

* In Saxon Plezertop, or Plezrtop; viz., Plegestow, or Plegstow.

At this juncture probably the vast oak, mentioned p. 6, was planted by the prior, as an ornament to his new acquired market-place. According to this supposition the oak was aged 432 years when blown down.

assign so spacious a spot for the sports and amusements of its young people.*

As soon as the prior became possessed of this piece of ground, he procured a charter for a market + from King Henry III., and began to erect houses and stalls, "seldas," around it. From this period Selborne became a market town; but how long it enjoyed that privilege does not appear. At the same time, Gurdon reserved to himself, and his heirs, a way through the said Plestor to a tenement and some crofts at the upper end, abutting on the south corner of the church-yard. This was in old days the manerial house of the street manor, though now a poor cottage, and is known at present by the modern name of Elliot's. Sir Adam also did, for the health of his own soul and that of his wife

* For more circumstances respecting the Plestor, see Letter II. to Mr. Pennant. + Bishop Tanner, in his "Notitia Monastica," has made a mistake respecting the market and fair at Selborne; for in his references to Dodsworth, cart. 54 Hen. III., m. 3., he says, "De mercatu, et feria de Seleburn." But this reference is wrong; for, instead of Seleburn, it proves that the place there meant was Lekeborne, or Legeborne, in the county of Lincoln. This error was copied from the index of the Cat. MSS. Angl. It does not appear that there ever was a chartered fair at Selborne. For several particulars respecting the present fair at Selborne, see Letter XXVI. of these Antiquities.

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Constantia, their predecessors and successors, grant to the prior and canons quiet possession of all the tenements and gardens, “ curtillagia,” which they had built and laid out on the lands in Selborne, on which he and his vassals, "homines," had undoubted right of common; and moreover did grant to the convent the full privilege of that right of common, and empowered the religious to build tenements and make gardens along the king's highway in the village of Selborne.

From circumstances put together, it appears that the above were the first grants obtained by the Priory in the village of Selborne after it had subsisted about thirty-nine years; moreover, they explain the nature of the mixed manor still remaining in and about the village, where one field or tenement shall belong to Magdalen College in the University of Oxford, and the next to Norton Powlet, Esq., of Rotherfield House, and so down the whole street. The case was, that the whole was once the property of Gurdon, till he made his grants to the convent, since which some belongs to the successors of Gurdon in the manor, and some to the college; and this is the occasion of the strange jumble of property. It is remarkable that the tenement and crofts which Sir Adam reserved at the time of granting the Plestor should still remain a part of the Gurdon Manor, though so desirable an addition to the vicarage that is not as yet possessed of one inch of glebe at home; but of late, viz., in January, 1785, Magdalen College purchased that little estate, which is life-holding, in reversion, for the generous purpose of bestowing it, and its lands, being twelve acres (three of which abut on the church-yard and vicarage garden) as an improvement hereafter to the living, and an eligible advantage to future incumbents.

The year after Gurdon had bestowed the Plestor on the Priory, viz., in 1272, Henry III., King of England, died, and was succeeded by his son Edward. This magnanimous prince continued his regard for Sir Adam, whom he esteemed as a brave man, and made him warden, custos," of the forest of Woolmer.* Though little emolument might

*Since the letters respecting Woolmer-forest and Ayles-holt, pp. 14-26, were printed, the author has been favoured with the following extracts:

"In the Act of Resumption, 1 Hen. VII.' it was provided, that it be not prejudicial to Harry at Lode, ranger of our forest of Wolmere, to him by oure letters patents before tyme gevyn.'"-Rolls of Parl., vol. vi. p. 370.

"In the 11 Hen. VII., 1495, Warlham (Wardleham) and the office of forest (forester) of Wolmere,' were held by Edmund, duke of Suffolk."—Rolls, ib. 474.

"Act of general pardon, 14 Hen. VIII., 1523, not to extend to 'Rich. Bp. of Wynton (bishop Fox) for any seizure or forfeiture of liberties, &c., within the forest of Wolmer, Alysholt, and Newe Forest; nor to any person for waste, &c., within the manor of Wardlam, or parish of Wardlam (Wardleham); nor to abusing, &c., of any office or fee, within the said forests of Wolmer or Alysholt, or the said park of Wardlam."'"-County Suth't.-Rolls prefixt to 1st Vol. of Journals of the Lords, p. xciii. b.

To these may be added some other particulars, taken from a book lately published, entitled "An Account of all the Manors, Messuages, Lands, &c., in the different Counties of England and Wales, held by Lease from the Crown; as contained in the Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the State and Condition of the Royal Forests, &c." London, 1787.

"Southampton.

P. 64. "A fee-farm rent of 311. 28. 11d. out of the manors of East and West Wardleham; and also the office of lieutenant or keeper of the forest or chase of Aliceholt and Wolmer, with all offices, fees, commodities, and privileges thereto belonging.

hang to this appointment, yet are there reasons why it might be highly acceptable; and, in a few reigns after, it was given to princes of the blood.* In old days gentry resided more at home on their estates, and having fewer resources of elegant indoor amusement, spent most of their leisure hours in the field and the pleasures of the chase. A large domain, therefore, at little more than a mile distance, and well stocked with game, must have been a very eligible acquisition, affording him influence as well as entertainment; and especially as the manerial house of Temple, by its exalted situation, could command a view of near two-thirds of the forest.

That Gurdon, who had lived some years the life of an outlaw, and at the head of an army of insurgents, was for a considerable time in high rebellion against his sovereign, should have been guilty of some outrages, and should have committed some depredations, is by no means matter of wonder. Accordingly we find a distringas against him, ordering him to restore to the Bishop of Winchester some of the temporalities of that see, which he had taken by violence and detained, viz., some lands in Hocheleye, and a mill.+ By a breve, or writ, from the king he is also enjoined to readmit the Bishop of Winchester, and his tenants of the parish and town of Farnham, to pasture their horses, and other larger cattle, "averia," in the forest of Woolmer, as had been the usage from time immemorial. This writ is dated in the tenth year of the reign of Edward, viz., 1282.

All the king's writs directed to Gurdon are addressed in the following manner "Edwardus Dei gratia, &c., dilecto et fideli suo Ade Gurdon salutem ;" and again, "Custodi foreste sue de Wolvemere."

In the year 1293 a quarrel between the crews of an English and a Norman ship about some trifle, brought on by degrees such serious consequences, that in 1293 a war broke out between the two nations. The French king, Philip the Hardy, gained some advantages in Gascony; and, not content with those, threatened England with an invasion, and by a sudden attempt took and burnt Dover.

Upon this emergency, Edward sent a writ to Gurdon, ordering him and four others to enlist three thousand soldiers in the counties of Surrey, Dorset, and Wiltshire, able-bodied men, "tam sagittare quam balistare potentes ;" and to see that they were marched by the feast of All Saints, to Winchelsea, there to be embarked aboard the king's transports.

"Names of lessees, William, earl of Dartmouth, and others (in trust). "Date of the last lease, March 23, 1780; granted for such term as would fill up the subsisting term to 31 years.

Expiration March 23, 1811.

"Aliceholt forest, three parks there.

"Bensted and Kingsley; a petition of the parishioners concerning the three parks in Aliceholt Forest.

"William, first earl of Dartmouth, and paternal grandfather to the present Lord Stawel, was a lessee of the forests of Aliceholt and Wolmer before brigadiergeneral Emanuel Scroope Howe."

* See Letter II. of these Antiquities.

+ Hocheleye, now spelt Hawkley, is in the hundred of Selborne, and has a mill at this day.