220 Early Annals of Trowbridge. 
speaking, seems evident from the following facts. It is not men- 
tioned among the towns in Wiltshire on which rates were levied 
in 1168 (14 Henry II.) “to marry the king’s daughter” to the 
Duke of Saxony—(from which union, by the way, is lineally des- 
cended the present Royal Family of England)—nor among those 
from which “aid” was taken in 1187 (33 Hen. II.), by the King’s 
Justices. The towns mentioned as contributing to the former sub- 
sidy are Chippenham, Melksham, Calne, Malmesbury, Wilton, 
Salisbury, and Heytesbury ;—in the latter case, we have, in addition 
to those already named (and with the exception of Heytesbury), 
Marlborough, Combe, Devizes, Bedwin, and West Combe.! 
Before we quite leave the subject of the castle at Trowbridge, I 
may mention that, early in the reign ot Henry VI., a claim was 
made by William Rous, who was Chamberlain to that King, in 
virtue of the manor of Imber, to the Constableship of Trowbridge 
‘Castle. Thus in a manuscript now lost, but of which we have 
fortunately a few extracts preserved, we are told, “ In the fourth 
year of the reign of Henry VI. a dispute arose concerning the 
constableship of Trowbridge Castle between the Duke of Gloucester, 
and the Bishop of Winchester, Cardinal of England, and others, 
feoffees to the Duke of Lancaster, of which Duchy Trowbridge was 
parcel. Rous, Lord of Chaldfield, claimed the same office as appur- 
tenant to his manor, and was supported by the Duke of Gloucester 
who brought his servants and foresters from Pewsham and Blackmore 
forests and defended Rous’ possessions,at Chaldfield, and the office of 
constable. The said Duke and Rous went with a great retinue to 
the parliament at Lincoln, with which the Cardinal was much 
offended. At length Rous was forced to quit the office, and others 
-placed therein by the Duke of Lancaster; and though Rous, and 
after him Trapnell, sued and made great interest for the office, they 
could never obtain it, notwithstanding they deemed it their 
inheritance.” ? 
It would appear, that Cardinal Beaufort (Bishop of Winchester), 

1Madox, History of the Exchequer, i., 588, 634. 
2The whole extract is given in Walker’s account of the ‘‘ Manor House and 
/Chureh at Great Chalfield,” p. 4. 
