“* 
By the Rev. W. H. Jones. 31 
of Bradford. The result was a verdict in favour of the Lady Ab- 
bess; the cause was adjourned sine die. 
From a.p. 1300.— 1500. 
We have now arrived at the close of the thirteenth century- 
From this period to the Reformation (but little more than two 
centuries and a half), Bradford rose gradually in prosperity, and 
consequently in importance. It may be called the era of the Halls 
of Bradford, for members of that family were more or less men of 
wealth and influence from this time down to the beginning of the 
eighteenth century, the last member, John Hall, dying in 1711. 
This family may be traced back as early as Henry III.’s reign; for 
there is in existence a copy of a deed? by which Mary, Abbess of 
Shaftesbury, for the consideration of twenty-five marks paid to her 
by Agnes, relict of Reginald de Aula, cedes her rights of wardship 
and marriages over their children, and Mary* was Abbess from 
1247 to 1252, ie. from the 30th to the 36th year of King Henry 
Ill. In fact, there is in existence a valuable series of deeds rela- 
ting chiefly to property held by the Hall family in this and the 
neighbouring hundreds, and extending from the early period 
we have named, down to the 13th year of Henry VII. They are 
all written out apparently by the same hand, probably in the 
troublesome times of Henry VII., when, it is possible, the originals 
were deposited somewhere for safe custody. A few of the originals 
were found, together with a beautiful court sword of Spanish steel, 
which formed one of the objects of interest exhibited in the Museum 
1 Rotuli Hundred. p- 236. Placita de quo warranto p- 797. The enquiry was 
held ‘‘apud Wylton coram Salomone de Rof!’ et sociis suis Justic’ dni ibidem 
itinerantibus in octab Pasche anno regni Regis Edwardi nono.” The names of 
the Jury who were impanelled to try the cause were ‘‘ Johannes de Staverton, 
Gulielmus de Leycester, Walterus de Chaudefeld, Robertus de Lusteshall, 
Johannes . ... . , Thomas le Rus, Robertus de Meyly, Robertus Mauduit, 
Johannes de Perham, Ricardus de Hyweye, Galfredus de Wrokeshall, et Hen- 
ricus de Cerne,” 
*The deed is called ‘ Charta concessionis quitclaim. et confirmacionis per 
Mariam Abbatiss. Shaston. facta Agneti relicte Reginaldi de Aula et heredibus 
suis de custodia et maritagio heredum Reginaldi de Aula in manerio de Brad- 
ford.” In the deed we read ‘pro hac concessione predicta Agnes nobis dedit 
vinginti quinque marcas sterlingor.” 
* See the New Monasticon (under ‘‘ SHarrespury”’) for a list of the Abbesses. 
