558 ANTIQUITIES 



adventures, or could have borne up against the diffi- 

 culties 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 et iii floures argent issant de testes de 

 leopards 9 ." 



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 10 . 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 all 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 Das- 

 tard, alias Wastard, but more probably Bastard ; since 



9 From the collection of Thomas Martin, Esq. in the Antiquarian Re- 

 pertory, vol. iii. p. 109, No. XXXI. 



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

 Selborne manor. 



