The Blach Friars of Wiltshire. 163 



they were to be taken, to allow the friars to fell and carry them.^ 

 The king bestowed thirty marks (£20) for the work of the houses, 

 June 24th, 1246, commanding the money to be paid by the sheriff 

 of Wiltshire out of the amercements imposed by the justices in the 

 forest pleas.^ Roger de Sifrewaster give five oaks in the royal 

 bailiwick of J. de Pless', and William de Mauduit, five more in that 

 of James Homes, for all which, July 21st, 1247, the king granted the 

 chiminage.^ The same William Mauduit gave twenty beams out 

 of his wood, which was within ihe metes of the royal forest of 

 Selwood ; and by a royal mandate of June 26th. 1250, the friars 

 were allowed to carry them without the payment of chiminage.* 

 On November 27th following, the king too added his own gift of 

 twenty oaks out of the forest of Chippenham ; ^ next day he ordered 

 the sheriff of Wiltshire to have them carried to Wilton,^ and Dec. 

 26th, directed the justiciary of the forest to let the friars have 

 the escheats of the same treesJ In 1254, the friars enclosed 

 their land, towards doing which they obtained of the king, March 

 25th, fifteen cart-loads of thorn and underwood out of Graveling 

 wood.® During the ensuing four years, the buildings were still going 

 on, towards which the king gave, December 18th, 1255, fifteen oaks, 

 with all their escheats, for timber, out of Gillingham Forest ; ^ July 

 10th, 1256, seven oaks with the escheats, where they could be most 

 fittingly taken for carriage, in Clarendon Forest ; ^° and May 25th, 

 1258, ten oaks to be felled in Gillingham Forest where they would 

 be most at hand for carrying." Even as late as 1271, the cloister was 

 not finished, as appears by a royal mandate to the keeper of the same 



. 1 Claus. 29 Hen. III., m. 7. 



* Liberate, 30 Hen. III., m. 7. . 



3 Claus. 31 Hen. III., m. 6. 



* Claus. 34 Hen. III., m. 9. 



« Claus. 35 Hen. III., m. 23. 



«^Liberate, 35 Hen. III., m. 16. 



? Claus. 35 Hen. III., m. 22. 



8 Claus. 38 Hen. III., m. 9. 

 » Claus. 40 Hen. III., m. 18. 



«> Claus. 40 Hen. III., m. 6. 



" Claus. 42 Hen. IH., m. 7. 



