354 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



KNIGHT'S FEES. 



" John de Cnocton holds the vill of Cnocton (now Knutton) to 

 fee-farm, paying yearly to the New Castle .4. 11s. 6e?., also per- 

 forming the guard of the same castle for forty days, at the cost of 

 our Lord the King. 



" Also, William de Erdinton holds the vill of Fenton to fee- 

 farm, paying yearly to the said castle Is- 4c?., performing also the 

 aforesaid guard for the aforesaid term. 



" Also, William de Hanleg' holds the vill of Hanleg' (now 

 Hanley) to fee-farm, paying yearly to the said Castle 6s., and per- 

 forming, &c. 



" Also, Ralph de Bevill holds the vill of Langeton (note; Longton) 

 to fee-farm, paying yearly 5s. to the said Castle, &c. 



" Also, William M urell holds one yard-land within the said manor 

 of New Castle, in the vill of Selton, (now Shellon) by the serjeanty 

 of keeping Haiam (the inclosure or park) of our Lord the King 

 there, which is called the Haia of Clive (now Cliff.) 



" Also, Henry de Audicheley holds within the said manor the 

 vills of Tunstal, Chadderleg/ (now Chatterley) Bradewell, Turn- 

 cdesfeld, (now Thursfield) and Normanecot, (now Normacot) by 

 the serjeanty of serving on foot, with a bow and arrows, within the 

 said Castle for eight days in time of war at his own cost." 



SOCAGE TENANTS. 



" The Knights Templars hold Kel, (now Keel) a member of 

 New Castle, of the gift of our Lord King Henry, and pay nothing." 



In the'year 1235, Henry the 3d granted a charter to the bur- 

 gesses of Newcastle-under-Lyme, erecting the town into a free bo- 

 rough, and granting to the burgesses a merchants' guild (which 

 was the phrase then used for the establishment of a body corpo- 

 rate) and other privileges. Of this charter a copy is subjoined : 



" Henricus Dei gratia Rex Anglice Dominus Hibernice et Dux Aquitania 

 Archiepiscopis Episcopis Abbatibus Prioribus Comitibus BaronibusJusticiariis 

 Vicecomitibus PrepositisMinistris et omnibus Ballivis et fidelibus suis Salutem 

 Sciatis nos concessisse et hac carta nostra confirmasse pro nobis et heredibus 

 nostris Burgensibus nostris de Novo Castro subtus Lymam quod Mill a nostra 

 de Novo Castro subtus Lymam sit liber Burgus et quod Burgenses ejusdem 

 Villa habeant Gildam Mercatoriam in eodem Bur go cum omnibus libertatibus 

 et liberis consuetudinibus ad hujusmodi Gildam per tinentibus et quod eant per 

 totam ten am nostram cum omnibus mercandisis suis emendo et vendendo et 

 ncgociando bene et in pace libere et quiete et honorifice et quod quieti sint de 



