BOLDON BOOK 



jura videretur in extraneos contulisse et novis institutionibus antiquas episco- 

 patus leges et consuetudines penitus immutasse.' l He took the greatest pains, 

 moreover, to increase the wealth and possessions of his see, ' ut in brevi, 

 priores redditus nova adaequarent sive transirent incrementa quae non tarn 

 suis quam succedentium sibi judicabat usibus profutura.' l He was making 

 permanent changes that is, there was no question of mere temporary extor- 

 tions which would cease with his fall or death. Traces of this kind of change 

 are discoverable in Boldon Book, not illegal or violent as it would seem, although 

 it is not possible to measure either the reluctance on the one hand or the 

 pressure on the other that may not lie hidden under the record of a voluntary 

 transaction. Let us take account of a few cases of this nature. William Basset 

 held the vill of Pencher partly of the bishop in chief and partly of Jordan 

 Escolland who was one of the barons of the bishopric. But before the com- 

 pilation of Boldon Book Ralf Basset, the father as it would seem of William, 

 had been holding land of Jordan Escolland in Middleham. This tenement 

 Bishop Pudsey wished to acquire, and accordingly he arranged an exchange 

 whereby Ralf surrendered his land in Middleham and received the vill 

 of Pencher less 134$ acres to be held of Jordan. The record of this 

 transaction has survived only in a second charter which Pudsey issued, 

 also before the date of Boldon Book,* and in which he granted to Ralf 

 the remaining land of Pencher to be held of him in chief by homage 

 and service. Certain easements in the forest are added because Ralf in a 

 friendly fashion assented to the bishop's will in the matter of the aforesaid 



1 Coldingham, cap. iv. in Scriptures Tres. (Surtces Soc.), pp. 8-9. 



8 The charter is not dated ; its period, and that of a good many other documents as well, depends upon 

 the determination of the succession of sheriffs in Durham in the second half of the twelfth century. Fortunately 

 we have material which enables us to accomplish this with a large measure of security. In the first place 

 there are two charters, seemingly contemporary, by which Roger of Eppleton and Emma his wife grant land in 

 Silksworth to Thomas and Philip, sons of Hamo. Feed., 123-124 n. Both of these are witnessed by 

 Ralf Haget, who in the second qualifies himself as ' vicecomes.' Both are also witnessed by Henry Pudsey the 

 bishop's son, and they must therefore be later than his father's accession in 1153. Coldingham in Serif torts 

 Tret. (Surtees Soc.), p. 14 ; ibid. App. No. xlv. Roger's charter is also witnessed by Germanus, who was prior 

 of Durham 1163-1183, accordingly they are later than 1163. Ralf Haget was therefore sheriff of Durham at 

 some time between 1163-1183. 



Now follow three charters from Geoffrey Fitz Richard to Philip Fitz Hamo. Feed., 1 24-1 2 ;n. 

 The first of these is a confirmation of the charter of Roger and Emma noted above, and would seem to have 

 been issued soon after them. The next two, however, are further grants of land in the same place. The first 

 of these is witnessed by Prior Germanus, Henry Pudsey, and Ralf Haget. The second does not include these 

 names, and, what is more important, it is addressed to Philip Fitz Hamo the sheriff; at some time therefore 

 between 1 163-1 183 Ralf was succeeded in the office of sheriff by Philip. We are in a position to determine 

 that date approximately. Ralf, as sheriff, witnessed Bishop Pudsey's charter to the city of Durham. 

 Hutchinson, Durham, ii. 12. A confirmation of the charter by Alexander III. is dated at the Lateran, 

 1 6 March. The third General Council held at the Lateran extended from the 5th to the 1 9th of March, 1 179, 

 and as there was only one other council, and that not a general one, held at the Lateran during Alexander's 

 pontificate, we must refer his confirmation of the Durham charter to the year 1179. Ralf Haget must 

 therefore still have been sheriff in that year. Now in 1183 Philip Fitz Hamo was holding Migley of the 

 bishop 'pro servitio suo,' by which we must understand his service as sheriff, for as certain land in 

 Garmundsway which belonged to Ralf Haget is now being held by someone else, Ralf must be dead. BolJon 

 Bk., . v. Migley and Garmundsway. Philip accordingly had succeeded Ralf some time between 1 179 and 

 1183, and was holding the office in the latter year. Finally Philip granted his land in Silksworth to the 

 monks of Durham in a charter in which he describes himself as sheriff. Feod., 1 26 n. In a further grant, 

 which since it refers to the same tenement probably followed soon afterward, he is no longer sheriff; he 

 speaks moreover of Hugh, formerly Bishop of Durham, and among the witnesses appears Reginald Ganant, 

 sheriff of Durham. Philip therefore retained the office at least until Pudsey's death in 1194-1195, for he is 

 charged with certain sums in the pipe-roll of 1 197, which contains the accounts during the vacancy. Fetd., 

 1 8 n. ; Pipe R. 8 Ric. I. in Boldon Bk. (Surtees Soc.), App. p. iv. We may safely date Ralf Haget 1 163- 

 1 1 80, and Philip Fitz Hamo 1 180-1 194. A the cliarter under consideration is tested by Ralf it is earlier 

 than 1 1 80. 



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