8 THE CERNE CARTULARY. 



the Lord King concerning the scutage of eight knights and 

 arrears of a hundred and forty two pounds six shillings and 

 eight pence which the Abbot does not admit. But the said 

 King Henry the Third, son of King John, in the fifty fourth year 

 of his reign, after inspection of the charter of King Henry his 

 grandfather, and at the divine instigation and for the safety of 

 his soul and the souls of his predecessors and his heirs, 

 generously and mercifully by special favour wholly remitted and 

 released to the Abbot and convent of Cerne and their successors 

 the demand for the service of eight knights together with the 

 arrears by his charter reserving to himself and his heirs the 

 service of two knights for scutage and one for foreign service as 

 appears by the underwritten charter. 



" Henry by the grace of God King of England Lord of 

 Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine to his archbishops bishops 

 abbots jurors earls barons justices sheriffs reeves officers and all 

 bailiffs and lieges Greeting. We have inspected a charter which 

 the Lord Henry formerly King of England our grandfather made 

 to the Abbey of Cerne in these words. {The charter is then 

 repeated as set out above.~] Now we holding the aforesaid grant to 

 be good and satisfactory do grant and confirm the same for 

 ourselves and our heirs as far as in us lies as the aforesaid 

 charter reasonably testifies. And whereas by a summons of 

 our Exchequer we have long demanded a service of eight 

 knights for scutage, as well as the aforesaid service, in respect 

 of the lands and tenements belonging to the aforesaid abbey of 

 Cerne from the abbot and convent of that house, which service 

 of eight knights they do not indeed admit and it is not shown 

 upon the rolls of our Exchequer that either we or our ancestors 

 fhe kings of England since the making of the aforesaid charter 

 have at any time had seisin of the said service of eight knights. 

 Now we by the inspiration of God and for the salvation of our 

 soul and the souls f our ancestors wishing to provide for the 

 peace and tranquility of the aforesaid house and to confer a 

 favour on the same abbot and convent in this matter have for us 

 and our heirs caused to be released for ever to the same abbot 



