20 On the White Horses of Wiltshire. 



Plot, in his history of Staffordshire, says that common people believe 

 to this day that it is dangerous to break a bough from the ash. 



Mr. Ackerman of Lewisham, in the Archseologia, and Mr. 

 Matcham and Mr. Poulett Serope, in the pages of our own Magazine 

 (vol. iv., p. 306, vol. v., p. 261), have also had somewhat to say on 

 this mattei', but their writings would be too long for me to quote 

 now. I will content myself with simply further indicating a few 

 other ancient documents in which the Uffington Horse is mentioned. 



In another cartulary of the Abbey of Abingdon written about 

 the year 1190, 1 find " prope mouten ubi ad Album Equum Scanditur, 

 ab antiquo tempore Ecclesia ista manerium OfFentun appellatum in 

 dominio possidet, juxta quod villa x hidarum adjacet ex jure ecclesie, 

 quam Speresholt nominavit." 



[Near the hill where you go up to the White Horse, this 

 Church has from ancient days possessed the Lordship of the Manor 

 called Uffington, &c., &c.] Cottonian MS. Claud. B. vi., fol. 151. 



Again in the Wilts Institutions, A.D. 1807, there is a reference 

 to " Compton sub album Equum." This would at first sight appear 

 to refer to the Cherhill Horse, which is not far from Compton 

 Basset, and if so would indicate the existence of a far earlier horse 

 on that spot than the one which at present appears. But in a note 

 upon this entry by our learned Member, Canon Jackson, kindly com- 

 municated to me by Mr. Lukis of Wath, he says there was " a place 

 (also in Sarum Diocese in 1307) called Compton Beauchamp, or 

 Compton Juxta White Horse near Wantage, which makes it un- 

 certain which Compton is alluded to, C. Basset, or C. Beauchamp. 

 The patron of C. sub album Equum in 1307 was Guy Beauchamp. 

 Now Guy Beauchamp certainly had Cherhill Manor in 1307 : but 

 he also had C. Beauchamp, near Wantage ! So that proves nothing. 

 The Bishops of Sarum were, in 1311 and downwards, the patrons of 

 C. Basset : and unless it can be shewn to the contrary, I should 

 conceive that they were patrons before 1311. So that I rather 

 think that C. sub album Equum of 1307 was C. near Wantage.'' 

 To this however I shall have occasion to refer again presently. 



In 1323 we again meet with "Compton juxta White Horse maner " 

 (in the Inquis. post m., p. 306), and in 1348 with Bishopstone super 



