226 NAVESTOCK IN OLDEN DAYS; 



Lord of Ruckwood Hall 

 Tho the staffe to me com 

 Als he hoveon for to don 

 Faire and well iche him underfing 

 Als iche hoveon for to don 



Bailiffe 

 All iche thereon challenged 

 That theron was for to challenge 

 Nameliche, — this : — and — this : 

 And all that ther was for to challenge 



Lord 

 Fayer iche him uppdede 

 Als iche hoveon for to don 



Bailiffe 

 All iche warnyd to the Ward to cum 

 That therto hoveon for to cum 

 By Sunne Shining. 



Lord 

 We our roope theder brouhton 

 A roope beltan^* 

 Als we hoveon for don 

 And there waren & wakeden 

 And the Ward soe kept 

 That the King was harmless 

 And the country scatheless 



Bailiffe 

 And a morn when itt day was 

 And the sun arisen was 

 Faier honour weren to us toke 

 Als us hoveon for to don 



Lord &" Tenants 

 Fayre on the staffe we scorden 

 Als we hoveon for to don 

 Fayre we him senden 

 Theder we hoveon for to sende 



Bailiffe 

 And zif ther is any man 

 That this wittsiggen can 

 Iche am here ready for to don 

 Azens himself, iche one 

 Other mid him on 

 Other mid twyn feren 

 Als we ther weren 

 Sir byleve take this staffe 

 This is the Tale of the Wardstaffe 



The Munday following called Hock Monday the said Staffe shall be presented 

 yearly unto the Lord and Owner of the Manor of Fififield for the time being, or 

 hi.; resient who shall ymediately unfold the clothes it is wrapped in, that it may 

 appear by the score made thereon how the aforesaid Lord of Ruckwood Hall and 

 other Tennants which by reason of their Tenures of their lands owe suit and 

 service to watch the said staffe at Abbass Roothing aforesaid have done their 

 Watch and Service Royall accordingly the night before. Then shall he clothe ii 



14 A rope with a bell appended. 



