120 DORSET AND KING JOHN. 



"Women were less free in the 13th century than they are in the 

 19th. They Aveie generally in someone's gift, someone Avho had 

 the power of disclosing in marriage of them, and of their dowers if 

 not of their hearts. Still they could sometimes purchase tlieir 

 freedom and marry the man of their choice. Sibil de Tingerie 

 paid a fine of 100 marks for succession to her lands and for licence 

 to marry whom she would, provided he was in the fealty of the 

 King. 



William de Montacute pays £100 for having seizing of his lands 

 of Chaldesta (would that he Chaldon'?) and of the hundred of 

 Puddletown, and Robert de Belet 60 marks for having ten librates 

 of land in Swyre, whence he was disseized Avhen Richard was 

 King. Walter de Turberville paid for succession to lands in Toller. 

 Emma de Bruges, Stephen Tirel, and Alfred de Punfold make fine 

 for various purposes. 



From the tallage assessed by Master INIichael Belet, Robert 

 Belet, and their associates, we learn that the towns in Dorset were 

 assessed as follows : — Gillingham 12 marks, Shaftesbury (de 

 Burgo S. Edward') 10 marks, Dorchester 12, Bridport 12, Abbess 

 of S. Edward's 20, Winfrith 4. 



The names which follow arc from the list of the first scutage 

 assessQid at two marks for the first coronation of King John. The 

 abbots of Glastonbury, of Sherborne, Abbotsbury, and Cerne, the 

 abbess of S. P^dwards, Philip de Columbariis, Nicol de Meriet, 

 William de Milliers, William de Erlega, Fulk de Alno, William de 

 la More, Robert Belet, William son of John de Harpetrie, William 

 de Montacute, William de Curcell, Robert de Newburgh, Richard 

 de Atrio, William de Moiun, William Malet, William IMarcel, 

 William de Cahaignes, some of them Somersetshire worthies. 



A little further on we have the accountof Alexander de Hagebeche 

 and Henry de Cran3burn of the issues of the manors of Tarent and 

 Cunibe, which contain some interesting items. 59s. 4d. was the 

 fixed rent of Tarent, 43s. 9d. that of Cumbe ; the perquisites of the 

 Court amounted to £12 4s. 5d. fot the former, £3 10s. 4d. the 

 latter. The custodians paid for making 33,700 shingles and 



