ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 285- 



Morpetb, a well-built borough-town upon the river Wanjbeck, a 

 contraction of Woden s-Beck, encompaffed almoil with little pica- 

 fan t hills, on whofe brows are plantations of fir, beach, and 

 elms. It is fuppofed to have its name from More-path, or the 

 road through .the More or Moor. Under the Saxons and Danes it 

 made no figure. Under the firft Normans it rofc in dignity fupc- 

 rior to a villa ; being then creeled into an honour, and {tiled the 

 Barony of Morpeth, or the Barony of Mtrlny, from its poffeffors. 

 To Ralph, fon of Roger, de Merlay, K. Henry I. gave in marriage 

 Julian the daughter of Cofpatric, Earl of Dunbar, with the Lord- 

 Hi ips and villas of Witton, Horjley, Stanton, Ritton, WnLivc.lts, and 

 Liver child ft) ; which were confirmed by her brother KJ^ar (t), 



(s) Hcnricus rex Angllee & dux Normanniet jufHciariis, vicecomitibus, miniftris, & omni- 

 bus baronibus fuis, Francis et jfnglis, falutem. Notum fit omnibus vobis me dediflc Ranul- 

 pho de Merlay Ju/ianam, filiam comit's Cefpatncii, et per conventionem inter me et patrem 

 fuum, dedimus in liberum mariale, fibi atque hceredibus fuis, fcilicet Horjley, Stanton, Wit- 

 tcn, Ritton, Wyndgates, et quandam villam ultra moras, tam libere quam aliquis potcft libe- 

 riua inter maria terram alicui dare, tencndo in fuo dominico, ct ex hoc precipio mcisjufti- 

 ciariis ut videant quod nihil ei defit, et fi aliquis ei contradicerc voluerir, tune prrecipio 

 jufticiariis & vicecomitibus meis, de comitatu Northumbrite, ut plenum rectum ei teneant. 

 teftib. Patricia filio Johanne Pevercll de Baelcampo, Willielmo de Albunbuto, Hcnrico filio 'fo- 

 hannis, Wtllielmo del pent. Willielmo Maltravers, Willielmo Alandmt, apud IFodjhk, &c. 



(t) Edgarus, Cofpatricii filius, omnibus amicis fuis Francis et Anglis, falutem. Sciatis me 

 dediffe, conceflifle, Juliana forori meae quam meus pater et fuiis, fcilicet comes Cofpatriciiis 

 ei dedit in franco maritagio, et conceffit, fcilicet Witton, Horjley, Stan/on, Ritton, JVynd- 

 gates, et Levercbild, fibi et fuis ha?redibus tenend. ex me et meis hasredibus, in terris, in 

 aquis, in foreftis omnibus illis terris pertinentibus, et in filvis, in molendinis, in ftas;nis, 

 in pratis, in pafcuis, in viis, et extra vias, et rebus omnibus illis terris pertinentibus, exceptis 

 pertinen. ferviciis, videlicet, communis exercitus in comit. in cornagio, et commune opere 

 caftelli in comit. et volo ut tam libere et quiete teneat ut meus pater ei dedit has fuperdilas 

 in franco maritagio. Va le te. Teftante Jobannc decano de Bewyk, Wil'idma prefbytero de 



StantoiJ, OJiredo prefbytero de Hertburn, Alano clerico, Grimbauldo de Merlay, &c. 



Cartje penes ducem Nortbumbries. 



He 



