THE HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUARY & NATURALIST. 



the judicial privileges Furca and Fossa such as 

 existed in Southampton ; privileges of drown- 

 ing women and hanging men the former 

 signifying putting up gallows, and the latter 

 meaning a ditch. A curious thing in Hampshire was 

 the survival of the ordeals of earlier ages. An instance 

 of trial by ordeal which took place at Winchester was 

 quoted. They found in the old charters some curious 

 examples of the right of trial by water and iron. This 

 prevailed nominally till they came to the days of 

 Henry III, or a little after, for it was doubtful when 

 the new system of justice began to prevail in this 

 county and others. Justice was administered in 

 Southampton by the Bailiffs and Court Leet. The 

 latter had the power of registering titles to estates. 

 Shortly after that, through some changes it was found 

 necessary to establish what then existed, he believed, 

 in no other country in Europe, the local justices of the 

 peace. There were justices of the peace for counties 

 and liberties, and in the person of their President and 

 Mr. Thomas they had examples of justices of the 

 peace for liberties in this modern igth century amongst 

 them that evening. In concluding, Mr. Shore said 

 there was a mine of information not yet explored in the 

 county. The surface was only scratched, but he 

 expressed an earnest hope that its history might, 

 some day or other, be written. They could only hope 

 to collect materials for that history. They should not 

 neglect, for the benefit of those who came after them, 

 to study the history of their own county. 



HAMPSHIRE PEDIGREES, &c. 

 In The Antiquary for March there is a note on 

 the proposed excavations at Silchester ; and amongst 

 some " Pedigrees from the Plea Rolls " are two con- 

 nected with Hampshire. In one, from De Banco 

 Roll, Michaelmas, 12 Edward II, Roger de Pede- 

 wardyn and Alice his wife sued the Abbot of Croy- 

 land for the advowson of the church of Suth Warne- 

 burne [South Warnborough]. The pleadings give 

 this pedigree : William de Longchamp, who held the 

 manor in right of his wife Petronella, temp. 

 King John, was the father of Henry, who 

 was the father of Alice, the plaintiff. 

 From the other, De Banco, Trinity, 17 Edward II, 

 we learn that Robert de Wykham, who, temp. Henry 

 III, held the manor of Swaleweclyve. Oxon., was the 

 father of Robert, whose son Robert (living 16 Edward 

 II) granted the advowson to John Pecche, the 

 plaintiff. [References to the Petwardyne and Pecche 

 families occur in Prof. M. Burrows's " Family of 

 Brocas of Beaurepaire and Roche Court."] 



fall has been 0-78 in., and the average of the previous 

 ten years is 2-71 in. Since January ist the amount is 

 4*69, and the average of the same time 5-17 in. One 

 often hears the proverb " February fill dyke '' when 

 February is wet ; it is often very wet, which no doubt 

 gives rise to it ; but it is generally considered one of 

 the dryest months. During the last 15 years, how- 

 ever, its average is 2-65 in. here, which places it in 

 the position of the wettest but four. Probably no 

 month varies so much in the quantity of rain. In the 

 16 years past we have recorded 3-15, 4*52, 4-06, 3-82, 

 5'39i 3' 2I i ar >d 4'5O inches ; once during that time it 

 was the wettest month in the year. During the same 

 period we have also entered 0-93, 077, 073, and 0-78 

 inches. It is more than probable that the remainder 

 of the ten years beginning with 1886 will see dry 

 Februaries, or moderately so. 



The barometer has been very high, reaching 30-69 

 in. on the 23rd ; and it was 30 in. and above on 23 

 days. The lowest was 29-59 in-> on the isth. 



Ihe month has been much colder than January. 

 Frosts occurred on 18 nights, and the thermometer 

 registered 22 deg. on the night of the 28th. The 

 highest in the daytime was 52 deg., on the ist, and 

 the maximum was only on two days 50 deg. and 

 above. East, north-east, and north winds prevailed 

 all through the month, except one day S. W. and tsvo 

 days S.E. 



Fordingbridge. T. WESTLAKE. 



WEATHER IN FEBRUARY. 

 This has been a very dry month, and rain fell only 

 on six days. 0-51 in. was recorded on the i4th, the 

 rest of the month only registered 0-27 in. The total 



HOLY ROOD CHURCH, SOUTHAMPTON. AN 

 AMUSING SATIRE! 



Your notice in last Saturday's paper of the old organ 

 of this church reminded me of an article, which I 

 will extract from one of my MSS. books, of a satirical 

 notice inserted in the St. James's Evening Post for 

 Feb. I3th and 24th, 1731, viz. : 



Whereas it has been advertised, that an organ nad lately 

 been set up by the ingenious Mr. Jordan, in the parish 

 church of Holy-rood, in the town and county of Southamp- 

 ton ; this is to give notice, that the churchwardens of the 

 same parish are willing to show all manner of encourage- 

 ment to any one who shall offer himself as organist, pro- 

 vided he understands nothing of his business ; the candi- 

 dates to be approved of by the clerk of the said parish, 

 who, according to his profound judgment and skill in 

 music, promises on his part, to determine the controversy 

 fairly and impartially in favour of him that shall perform 

 the worst. 



N.B. If any one, who is an ingenious man in his 

 proffesion (though never so strongly and with justice re- 

 commended by the ablest masters in the kingdom), should, 

 notwithstanding this advertisement, presume to offer him- 

 self, he must expect to be rejected : it being fully resolved 

 that none but bunglers, or those who know the least ol 

 their business, shall be entitled to the place. The latter 

 are desired to meet in the said town of Southampton, on 

 Lady-day next, being the 25 March, 1731. where they may 

 be assured to find a very kind reception and a suitable 

 encouragement. 



H. D. C. 



