,92 THE ANTIQUITIES [LETT. 



much influenced by the belief and superstition of the times, 

 much more might the hearts of his ladies and daughter. And 

 accordingly we find that Ameria, by the consent and advice 

 of her sons, though said to be all under age, makes a grant for 

 ever of some lands down by the stream at Durton ; and also 

 of her right of the common of Durton itself. 1 Johanna, the 

 daughter and heiress of Sir Adam, was married, I find, to 

 Richard Achard ; she also grants to the prior and convent lands 

 and tenements in the village of Selborne, which her father 

 obtained from Thomas Makerel ; and also her goods and chattels 

 in Selborne for the consideration of two hundred pounds sterling. 

 This last business was transacted in the first year of Edward II. 

 viz. 1307. It has been observed before that Gurdon had a 

 natural son: this person was called by the name of John 

 Dastard, alias Wastard, but more probably Bastard ; since 

 bastardy in those days was not deemed any disgrace, though 

 dastardy was esteemed the greatest. He was married to Gun- 

 norie Duncun ; and had a tenement and some land granted him 

 in Selborne by his sister Johanna. 



LETTEE XI. 



THE Knights Templars, 2 who have been mentioned in a former 

 letter, had considerable property in Selborne ; and also a pre- 

 ceptory at Sudington ; now called Southington, a hamlet lying 



1 Durton, now called Dorton, is still a common for the copyholders of 

 Selborne manor. 



2 The Military Orders of the Religious : 



The Knights Hospitalars of St. John of Jerusalem, afterwards called 

 Knights of Rhodes, now of Malta, came into England about the year 1100, 

 1 Hen. I. 



The Knights Templars came into England pretty early in Stephen's reign, 



. which commenced 1135. The order was dissolved in 1312, and their estates 



given by act of Parliament to the Hospitalars in 1323 (all in Edw. II.) 



though many of their estates were never actually enjoyed by the said 



Hospitalars. Vid. Tanner, p. xxiv. x. 



The commandries of the Hospitalars, and preceptories of Templars, were 

 each subordinate to the principal house of their respective religion in London. 



