66 Erlestoke ami its Manor Lords. 



for tlie first time as his own master.^ The year before this he was 

 granted the King's protection for a year while making a journey 

 with Henry, parson of Chalvedon, to Santiago,- and on his return 

 from this pilgrimage he was cited as defendant in several suits 

 concerning lands at Erlestoke wliich had eviden tly had their origin 

 during his minority. In these he was represented by his bailiff', 

 but in the same year he appeared himself at New Sarum and 

 acknowledged a debt of £25 os. 4d. as due to one John the Fat 

 and promised to pay by three instalments witliin a year and in 

 default to submit to distraint by the sheiiff.-^ In the same year 

 he was granted exemption for three years from distraint to take 

 up the arms of a knight,* a period coinciding with the peace that 

 followed on the death of Llewellyn, Prince of Wales, and the 

 execution of his brother, David of Snowdon, but in 1285 he was 

 among those returned by the Sheriff of Wilts as having land of 

 £100 value, and therefore liable for knight's service, and by order 

 of the King he had to be ready by a certain date equipped in horse 

 and arms. Among his sureties for due observance of the order 

 was Eobert Atte Tones end (■'n'c), whose name identifies him with 

 the neighbouring parish of Great Cheverell and perhaps with the 

 same family of Townsend that four hundred years later was con- 

 nected with Erlestoke by a marriage with an heiress of the 

 Brouncker family.^ 



It does not appear that Matthew was actually called upon for 

 service until the following year, when he was, witli others, granted 

 a patent of protection for one year as one of those who was about 

 to cross tlie sea with the King,'^ and it may be presumed that he 

 was one of the " splendid train of bishops, earls, barons, and 

 knights " that attended the King and Queen when they embarked 

 on June 24th, 1286, on their visit to the French King at St. 



' Hu7idred Rolls, i., 77, 80, 88, 93, 258, 264. 



- Gal. Pat. Rolls, p. 356. 



•' Assize Roll, 9 Edw. I., 1000, 1002, m. 31. 



^ Cal. Pat. Rolls, p. 451. 



'' Exchequer Q.R. Knights' Fees, 3/3. 



" Pat. Roll (104), 14 Edw. I., m. 13(;. 



