28 Bradford-upon-Avon. 
Indeed, it must have been but on a precarious tenure that, in 
these early days, the Abbess of Shaftesbury held her possessions in 
Bradford. More than once she seems to have been deprived of 
them, no doubt in order that their revenues might supply the need 
of the reigning monarch. The charters by which they are con- 
firmed to the Abbess, one by Stephen and another by John, Kings 
of England, allude to a claim having been put forth by Emma, 
Abbess at the commencement of the twelfth century, “in the pre- 
sence of King Henry and his barons” to sundry possessions, 
amongst which were reckoned those “at Bradford and Budbery.” 
And the expressions of the charters imply an acknowledgment of 
the justice of the claim. The charter of confirmation by King 
John was granted May 23, 1205, in the seventh year of his reign. 
A few years after the date of this charter, Bradford was honoured 
with a brief visit from royalty. Ever wandering about from place 
to place, as it has been said, “like the wild Arab nescius stare loco,” 
quam post fuit visa. Engleceria fuit presentata ad terminum.” The ‘Comes 
Johannes’ was, it is conceived, afterwards King John, who during his brother 
Richard’s absence in the Holy Land siezed several of his castles, and sought to 
obtain for himself the supreme authority. In this same record, from which we 
have just quoted, we find also the following entry of the same date: ‘‘ Walterus 
de Chaudefield appellavit Nicholaum et Willielmum quod assultaverunt eum 
in pace Domini Regis &e.” Such records, brief as they are, do not imply an over 
peaceable state of things at Bradford in the reign of Richard I. 
1 See Monastic. Anglic. ii. 482, where both these charters are given. One is 
almost a counterpart of the other. ‘‘Sciatis nos intuitu justitie et amore Dei 
concessisse simul et reddidisse Deo et Ecclesize 8, Marie et S. Edwardi de Scaftes- 
biri in dominio libere et bene possidendas, terras illas omnes quas % pre- 
sentia regis Henrici et baronum suorum Emma Abbatissa apud Eaylinges 
disrationavit.”* In another place we have ‘‘ Concedimus quoque hidam et di- 
midiam quam dedit Aiulphus camerarius pro anima uxoris sue in Bradeforda 
et Budeberia.” 
2 Bowles’ ‘ History of Lacock,’ p. 106. In Hardy’s ‘Calendar of Close 
Rolls,’ (i. 285,) there is a list of deeds, &e., signed at Bradford by King John, 
They were about 20 in number, and some had reference to the confiscation of 
the lands of those Barons and others who had revolted from their allegiance 
to him. In one he orders twenty-two shillings to be paid to the Prior and 
Monks of Farlegh ‘‘pro piscaria nostra de Gerna quam de eis habemus ad 
firmam p. xxii. sol singulis annis eis inde reddend.” In another he makes 
over certain lands possessed by his enemies to the Abbey of Romsey. 
® Disrationavit. Ducange defines this word,—‘“ Litigare, causam suam rationibus comprobare. 
Rem aliquam rationibus sibi vindicare,” Its primitive meaning is to disprove. In the charters it is 
used with reference to the claims advaneed by the Abbess, the effect of which went to disprovg the 
right of the Crown, and so to prove the right of her Abbey, in these lands. 
