262 PoUerne. 



theiij though we know that the estates belonging to the church 

 were more highly cultivated than others. 



Then the demesne of the Bishop is represented as being some ten 

 hides, or I suppose some 1500 acres, kept in his own hands. This, 

 or at all events a portion of it, would constitute his prebendal 

 manor. 



Of other tenants in chief there were first of all " two English- 

 men," {duo Angli), holding 6 J hides, or possibly some 900 — 1000 

 acres, shewing us that at all events the Conqueror respected the 

 rights of the church and of those who held under it. One of these 

 two Englishmen was Bishop Herman's nephew, holding no doubt 

 a beneficial lease under his benevolent uncle, — shewing us, as ill- 

 natured folks might remark, an early example of nepotism ! 



Then there was one Alward, who held three hides which in the 

 time of the Confessor had belonged to Ulward, he having purchased 

 a life interest in the same from the Bishop. Over the name Ulward^ 

 in the original record is written in very small letters " albus " (= 

 White) ; — in fact his English name was " Ulward "White,'' a very 

 interesting instance of a surname, in these early days very uncommon. 

 You will observe moreover a proof of how ancient a date was the 

 custom of granting out lands for one or more lives. It is a custom 

 that has been perhaps rightly found fault with, but I cannot doubt 

 that, on the principle of its being " an ill wind that blows nobody 

 any good,^' we owe to it the preservation of many a manor from 

 the spoiler's hands, on account of the complicated interests involved 

 in it. 



Then the priest of the manor is said to have held land — his glebe 

 in fact — to the value of forty shillings per annum — a proof by the 

 way of there having been a church here in very early days. 



Then lastly, of the tenants in chief was Ernulf de Hesdiis'G, 

 who held 3| hides under the King, but which said estate was claimed 

 by the Bishop as inalienable from his manor, having been held under 

 the see by one Algar in the days of the Confessor. In another 



^ The name Ulwaed Wit appears also in the Domesday for Dorset (fol. 

 82 o). 



