38 UNRECORDED DEANS OF WIMBORNE MINSTER. 



Norman Kings. 30 They were descended from Roger 

 Belmont, or Beaumont, the trusted counsellor of William 

 the Conqueror, whose son Robert, Count of Meulan, and 

 afterwards Earl of Leicester, performed prodigies of valour 

 at the battle of Hastings. It was apparently his son, another 

 Robert Earl of Mellent, who was Justiciar from 1154-1179, to 

 whom in his earlier life King Henry I. had granted Kingston, 

 Barnsley, Shapwick, and other places in the parish or neigh- 

 bourhood of Wimborne. 31 It was probably King Henry II. 

 by whom Peter de Mellent (who seems to have been the 

 grandson of Robert's elder brother Waleran) was presented 

 to the Deanery of Wimborne. If so, it must have been before 

 or at any rate not later than A.D. 1189, in which year the 

 King died. As the following extract shows, Peter de Mellent 

 was also appointed Vicar of Sturminster Marshall. 



(Cartulary fo. 18. Trans. 430. (252). 



" Charter of Robert, Count of Meulan, notifying that the 

 brethren of St. Giles of Pont Audemer have given his son Peter 

 the Church of St. Peter of Esturmistra, which is theirs wholly 

 to give, at his entreaty, and that Peter has sworn, before 

 himself and many of the said brethren, to pay them 7 marks 

 of silver a year for the aforesaid church, 4J at Midsummer and 

 2J at Christmas. The count is pledge that Peter will pay 

 the said money, at those terms, annually, and he directs 

 brother Ralf and all who shall hereafter serve at Sturminstra 

 to see that the money is so paid." 32 



(Cartulary fo. 29d. Trans. 431. p. 86 (253). 



" Charter of Peter de Mellent, by the grace of God, dean of 

 Wi(m)burne, notifying that he has sworn to make the above 

 payment and that if by God's will he becomes a bishop 



30. Cf. Freeman's Norman Conquest, passim ; Freeman's William 

 Rufus ; Dean Church* 8 St. Anselm ; D.N.B. (sub nom : ). 



31. Hutching' History of Dorset III., p. 233, quoting Cotton MSS. 

 Julius C. I. and II. lib ii. 



32. Calendar of Document* preserved in France, Ac., p. 86. 





