101 



The Bishop John here mentioned, would be John de Villula, who 

 in 1090 obtained from William II. a grant of the Abbey with the 

 city itself,* that he might make the Abbey a cathedral, and Bath 

 his residence. Among other good works " he erectid," we are told 

 by Leland,t " a new and much fairer Church," the old one having 

 apparently been injured by war in 1087. 



The example of the Bishop had its right effect, for Walcuinus de 

 DouayJ gave to God, and the Church of St. Peter, and Bishop John, 

 and the Ministers of the same, the Church of Bathampton, and all 

 the tithes of that manor ; his brother, steward, his sons, and 

 chaplain also gave liberally. 



John was Bishop from 1088-1123, but the mention of his 

 connection with Bath Abbey, of which he did not obtain the grant 

 tiU 1090, and also the mention of King William, who died in 1100, 

 fix the date of this deed of gift to between 1090-1 100. The Abbey 

 is called the " Church of St. Peter," the name of St. Paul was not 

 added tiU about the year 1178. || 



The Hosats seem to have been at this time people of some 

 importance in the neighbourhood of Bath. In the middle of the 

 reign of William I., when Wlfwold and ^Ifsig were joint Abbots, a 

 lease of land at Charlcombe was made to a William Hosett under a 

 yearly ferm. William Hosett to serve in war at the King's 

 summons and to pay the King's tallage. § This is the '' William " 

 who is mentioned in Domesday Book as holding " Cerlecume of the 

 Church."ir Next, in the latter part of William II. 's reign, is the 

 deed of gift of this Chapel. In 1123 there was an accommodation 

 made between the Convent of Bath and a William Hosat, and the 

 document is signed by Hemy, Robert, and Atselinus Hosat, with 

 others.** Once more in the reign of Henry II., between 1 154-1174, 

 the names of William, Walkelinus, and Walter Hosat occur as liable 



• Warner, " History of Bath," p. 113. Earle, " Bath, Ancient and Modem, 



p. 77. t Leland, "Itinerary," vol. ii., p. 39. Warner, p. 62. 



{ Warner, p. 115; App. six. || Warner, p. 116. 



§ Warner, App., No. viii. Britten's " Bath Abbey," p. 16, Dugdale's 



"Monasticon" ii., 265. The original is in C.C.C. Library, MS. Miscellanea, 



G. p. 95. f Exon Domesday Book, page 172, fol. 186. 



•* Warner, App., p. 12, xx. Madoxii Form. Ang. 136. C.C.C. Miscellanea, 



G., p. 112. 



