OF SELBORNE 293 



they might. In the first place, the documents from the 

 priory mention but one Sir Adam Gurdon, who had no son 

 lawfully begotten : and in the next, we are to recollect that 

 he must have probably been a man of uncommon vigour 

 both of mind and body ; since no one, unsupported by 

 such accomplishments, could have engaged in such adven- 

 tures, or could have borne up against the difficulties which 

 he sometimes must have encountered : and, moreover, we 

 have modern instances of persons that have maintained 

 their abilities for near that period. 



Were we to suppose Gurdon to be only twenty years of 

 age in 1232, in 1295 he would be eighty-three ; after which 

 advanced period it could not be expected that he should 

 live long. From the silence, therefore, of my evidences it 

 seems probable that this extraordinary person finished his 

 life in peace, not long after, at his mansion of Temple. 

 Gurdon's seal had for its device a man, with a helmet on 

 his head, drawing a cross-bow ; the legend, " Sigillum Ade 

 de Gurdon " ; his arms were, " Goulis, iii floures argent 

 issant de testes de leopards." ] 



If the stout and unsubmitting spirit of Gurdon could be 

 so 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. 2 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 all 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 



1 From the collection of Thomas Martin, Esq., in the Antiquarian 

 Repertory, p. 109, No. XXXI. 



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

 Selborne manor. 



