1363. 37 Edward III.

"Abbas de Stanley in com. Wiltes. concessit Ricardo Penbridge in feodo manerium suum de Worda et nunc vocatum maneria de Wadele et Wikingesham in comitatu Berks, tentum de Rege per fidelitatem tantum quam Rex confirmavit."

"Perampla confirmatio terrarum ac libertatum pro Abbate de Stanley in com. Wiltes; Vide 4 Chart., Edw. II."

1440-1. 19 Henry VI.

[Ibid. p. 271.]

"Rex confirmat Abbati de Stanley ducentas et undecim acras terræ infra forestam de Pevensham jacentes, etc.; et quod possit eas excolere; Vide 32 pat., Ed. III."

"Exemptio pro Abbatibus de Stanley quod non sint collectores decimarum.”

1450-1. 29 Henry VI.

"Pro Abbate de Stanley."

[Ibid, p. 292.]

[Ibid, p. 294.]

1452-3. 31 Henry VI.

"Pro Abbate de Stanley tam de terris quam de libertatibus."

[Ibid. p. 295.]

1454-5. 33 Henry VI.

"Quod abbas de Stanley in com. Wiltes possit concedere Johanni de Codrington, Armigero, in feodo manerium de Codrington in com. Glouc. pro annua firma undecim librarum."

[Ibid, p. 296.]

Uncertain year of Henry VI.

"Abbas de Stanley-pro cantaria in Heyworth, ad quod damnum. Stodley manerium; Heywood manerium, redd. 10 marc. exeunt.; Yatton major; Yatton Kaynes; Godwell; Thick wood; et Clopcote, Wiltes; Chepinglamborne ; Uplamborne, Berks."

[Inq. p. m., vol. iv., p. 298.]

26 Henry VIII.

Valor Ecclesiasticus, temp. Henry VIII. (Transcript of Return, 26 Henry VIII., in First Fruits Office.)

"STANLEY IN COM. WILTES, SAR. DIOC.

Valores omnium dominiorum, maneriorum, &c.
Stanley Manerium.

Berwicke Basset cum Richardston & Langeden.
Chippenham.

Cudry'gton in co. Glouc., Wygorn. Dioc.

Lambourn in co. Berk., Sar. Dioc.

Mercombe cum Eston & Buclondyna' in co. Somers., Bath. &

Well. Dioc.

Rye in com. Sussex, Cicestr. Dioc.

Allocaciones and Resoluciones.

[The places mentioned in this branch of the accounts are Stanley, Loxwell, Barwycke Basset, Langeden, Weke, Costowe, Calne, Richardston, Chippenham, Langnam, Kyngscrofte.]

Penciones.

Soluta ad Cantariam Willelmi Ingram fundatam in ecclesiæ de Hyworth, exeunt' de Stodley Grange per annum £6 13s. 4d."

[Dugd.]

34 Henry VIII.

Computus Ministrorum Domini Regis, temp. Henry VIII. (Abstr. of Roll, 34 Hen. VIII., in Augmentation Office.

"Monasterium sive Abbatia de Stanley.

Com. Wilts'. Brodehenton.

Bubton.

Uggeford,

Stapleford.

Several documents relating to this abbey are preserved in the Duchy of Lancaster Office, Public Record Office, Bundle G. xl., and in the Augmentation Office Charters of the same building.

It appears from the Bibliotheca Phillippsiana, No. 168, that there are some Charters of Stanley Abbey in the Library of the late Sir Thomas Phillipps, at Cheltenham.

These two following charters were found among the Carta Antiquæ in Arce Londinensi, but too late for insertion in their proper chronological order :

6 Dec. [1192 ?]

"CARTE ANTIQUE, DD., 10. CARTA WALTERI FILII TURSTINI.

Ricardus Dei gratia Rex Angliæ, Dux Normanniæ, Aquitaniæ, Comes Andegaviæ, Archiepiscopis, Abbatibus, Comitibus et fidelibus suis salutem. Sciatis nos reddidisse, et concessisse, et presenti carta confirmasse Waltero filio Turstini terram de Wurdie et de Stanlega quam Dominus Rex pater noster ei dedit et carta sua confirmavit. Habendam et tenendam de nobis et heredibus nostris ipse et heredes sui post eum in feodo et hereditate per servitiuum dimidii Militis de terra de Stanlea, et per servitium quorundam calcarium deauratorum, pretii xijd. pro omni servitio per annum de terra de Wurdie. Quare volumus et firmiter precipimus quod ipse Walterus, et heredes sui post eum, habeant et teneant prefatem terram de Wurdie [Worth] et de Stanlega cum omnibus pertinentiis suis de nobis et heredibus nostris, bene et in pace, libere et quiete, plenarie et honorifice, in bosco et plano, in viis et semitis, in aquis et molendinis, in vivariis et stagnis, in pratis et pascuis, in homagiis et servitiis et releviis et in omnibus aliis rebus et locis, cum omnibus libertatibus et liberis consuetudinibus. Testibus, Hugone Dunelmensi, G[alfrido] Wintoniensi, Huberto Sarum, Hugone Cestrensi, Episcopis; Willelmo Marescallo, Johanne Marescallo, Galfrido filio Petri, Hugone Bard'. Roberto de Witef'. Datum apud Dour', vito die Decembris."

[MS. Harl., 85, fo. 496.]

"CARTE ANTIQUÆ, DD. 11. CARTA ALMARICI DISPENSATORIS.

20 November, 5 Richard I. [1193.]

Ricardus Dei Gratia Rex Angliæ, etc., Archiepiscopis, Episcopis, Abbatibus, Comitibus, Baronibus, Justiciariis, Vicecomitibus, Seneschallis, Prepositis, et omnibus Ministris et fidelibus suis, salutem. Sciatis nos reddidisse et concessisse et presenti carta nostra confirmasse Almarico Dispensatori filio Turstini, fratri Walteri filii Turstini, heredi ejusdem Walteri, terram de Wordi et de Stanlea, quam Dominus Rex Henricus pater noster dedit Waltero fratri suo pro servitio suo sibi et heredibus suis. Habendum, etc. Quare volumus, etc., sicut carta patris nostri Regis Henrici et carta nostra quam Walterus frater ipsius Almarici de nobis habuit testatur. Testibus, Willelmo de Sanctæ Mariæ ecclesia Baldwino de Betun', Galfrido de Say, Willelmo de Molbrai, Eudone Patrich', Wigano de Cæsarisstagno. Datum per manum Willelmi Elyensis Episcopi, Cancellarii nostri, xx die Novembris. apud Spiram, Anno quinto regni nostri." [MS. Harl., 85, fo. 50.]

[Read before the Society at the Anuual Meeting at Devizes, September, 1874]

N the first paper on the natural history of the county which I read before the Society at its first meeting in 1853 at Devizes, I expressed a hope that the inauguration of this and other kindred societies might not only be the dawn of a happier era of kindness towards the whole animal creation, and that the system of wanton persecution of God's creatures, hitherto unhappily so much practised in this country, and especially amongst the uneducated classes, might receive a timely check from the remonstrances of those who compose this Society; but also that the systematic persecution of certain species of animals, oftentimes prompted by ignorance of the true habits of the animal so persecuted, might be done away, by dispelling many erroneous fictions respecting the furred and feathered tribes, then so generally rife; and by diffusing more correct information regarding their economy, their habits, and their usefulness to man.

During the twenty-one years which have elapsed since the formation of this Natural History Society, we have from time to time endeavoured to disperse some of the fictions, and to substitute true histories of some of the species of living creatures we have yet touched upon. But a very great deal in this direction yet remains to be done and when in furtherance of this intention I, twelve years ago, read a paper before the Society at Malmesbury, on the better preservation of a race of birds, against which a wholesale crusade of extermination was being then in some districts practised, and which I entitled "A plea for the Rooks," I promised that at some future day I would follow it up with another paper of apology for no less injured, no less harmless, no less valuable a quadruped, viz., the "Mole;" a promise, which, though postponed much longer than I intended, I desire now to redeem.