194 The Earliest Charters of the Abbey of Lacock. 



the same year, substituting for Bloet's share of the advowson, 

 an annual rent charge of £10 on lands in Seperig and Heinton,^and 

 adding the advowson of " Meidene Winterburne," or Winterburn 

 Shrewton (now called Shrewton, simply, whose Church is dedicated 

 to St. Mary). The exchange with the Canons of Bradenstoke is 

 spoken of as already carried out, although, as we shall see, it never 

 took effect. William Longespee undertakes to obtain the royal 

 confirmation to this revised arrangement, within a fortnight of 

 Michaelmas. He was himself to confirm it, as soon as he should 

 be seised of the lands which his mother promised to hand 

 over to him, and on his being made Earl to confirm it with his 

 great seal. Further, he was to confirm various charters which 

 Ela had given to her tenants, among whom it is interesting to 

 notice the name of W. Talbot, {qu. the hero of the romantic 

 episode in Ela's early life, recounted iu the Book of Lacock, Bowles 

 and Nichols, p. 88f), who held lands at Canford, in Dorsetshire. 

 Further, the manor of Chitterne was to be assigned for Ela's 

 support during the whole of her life, whether she entered religion 

 or not, and the manor was to be freed of certain charges upon it. 

 For this (as before) Ela undertook to hand over all her possessions 

 at All Saints Day, except the wardship of her (youngest) son 

 Nicholas. Each party gave security for the due performance of 

 the bargain, William, pledging the manors of Charlton and Hem- 

 stridge.andEla those of Canford and Trowbridge (Older Cart.,fol. 96), 

 It is obvious that this agreement does not concern Lacock 

 alone, for it mentions places and persons among those grants which 

 were to be confirmed, which never were connected with the Abbey : 



• Shiperidge and Heinton are mentioned together again in a grant by 

 William Longespee to the Abbey of Reading (original at Eaton Hall, see 

 Arehceological Journal, vol. xxii., p, 159, No. xxxi.) of forty shillings yearly 

 rent in " Hentone at Seheperige." The names of the witnesses, Sir Philip 

 Bassett, Sir William Englefield, John Pipard, etc., point to the neighbour- 

 hood of Wootton and Winterbourne Bassett, and Clyffe Pypard, where there 

 is a Sharpridge in the parish of Broad Hinton, but the editor of the deed con- 

 jectures Berkshire, and amongst the Feet of Fines of 6 Elizabeth mention is 

 made (n. 200) of lands in Shepariche magna and Swallowfield " (formerly a 

 detached portion of Wilts near Reading). Perhaps someone with fuller local 

 knowledge will clear up this point. 



