168 



The name of the hundred in the time of the Conqueror which most cloiely 

 corresponds with the present Wigmore Humlred, which includes tlie Forest of 

 Deerfold, was the " Hegetre" or Hightree Hundred. 



The Forest of Deerfold attached to Wigmore Castle and Honour formed 

 part of the vast possessions of the Mortimers from the time of their presentation 

 by "SVilliam. They were twice forfeited for short periods in the reigns of Edward 

 I. and Edward III., but were restored and remained in the possession of the 

 family until they became a royal demesne on the accession of Edward IV. to the 

 throne (1461). 



There still exists an old deed without date by which Roger Mortimer, son 

 of Randolph, grants to John his charaberlaine certain lands in the town of 

 Leyntliall (now Leinthall Starkes in Aymestry parish), with common of pasture 

 for 12 beasts and 50 hogs free of pannage in his woods and forests, except 

 Gatlithe and Bringewood (and therefore including Deerfold forest), for the 

 yearly payment of a pair of gloves of one penny price at Michaelmas. Witnesses, 

 Dom. Henrico Mortuomari ; D. Brian de Brampton ; D. Roberto Corbet ; 

 , Magistro John de Croit.—Downton Castle Papers. 



Whilst still in the possession of the Mortimers — and before the wild 

 character of the district was altered — the Forest of Deerfold received some 

 visitors, of whom a special account must now be given. 



PART III. —THE LOLLARDS IN HEREFORDSHIRE. 



" Now, ' goode men,' quod our Oste, ' herkneth me. 

 I smell a LoUer in the wind ' quod he, 

 ' Abideth for Goddes digne passion. 

 For we sliall have a predicacion ; 

 This Lollar hear wolde prechen us somewhat.' " 



Chaucer. The Schipmannes Prologue. 



At the close of XIV. and for some time in the XV. century the complete 

 seclusion of the Forest of Deerfold afforded a refuge to some of the earliest and 

 most noted followers of Wycliffe. They must have obtained the permission of 

 the Mortimers and very possibly their protection also, for they remained here for 

 many years comparatively undisturbed, and this, too, is the more jirobable, since 

 its corresponds with the characteristic policy of the House of York. Roger 

 Mortimer, Earl of I\Iarch, was the Lord of Wigmore at this time. He spent 

 the chief part of his time in Ireland as the King's Lieutenant, and is not specially 

 known to have been a patron of the Lollards. 



That this forest should have been a centre from which the doctrines of the 

 Reformation were thus early spread in this part of England is a fact so little 

 known and of so much interest, that the history of the men who came here, 

 and the circumstance? which prove it wUl be dwelt upon at considerable length. 



In 1390, William de Swynderby, or " William the Hermit" as he was at 

 one time called, took up his residence in the Forest of Deerfold vrith several 

 compaciona. He made use of a chantry where mass was said a few times in 



