528 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



land by testamentary disposition had not been fully established, and the 

 King's confirmation would naturally be sought in the case of a tenant in 

 chief. 



The instrument is dated December 3rd, but the year is not mentioned; nor 

 is it specified at which of the many places called "Hampstead" it was 

 issued ; nor is the name of the abbey given which was to benefit by the 

 earl's gift. We must take these points separately. 



As to the date. Geoffrey Fitz Eobert, the earl's seneschal, and baron of 

 Kells, died in 1211,' so the Letters Patent must be prior to that year. 



ISText, the history of the See of Exeter helps us. Henry Marshall, the 

 earl's brother, was Bishop of Exeter from 1194 to November 1st, 1206, when 

 he died. The See was then vacant until 1214. Hence we conclude that the 

 Letters Patent must have been issued before November 1st, 1206. This 

 leaves only seven years in the reign of John to be considered. 



1199 is impossible, for the See of Worcester was vacant throughout that 

 year ; and, besides, on December 3rd King John was in France. 



The itinerary of the King's movements, drawn up by T. Duffus Hardy ,- 

 shows us that in 1201, 1202, 1203, in like manner, King John was in France 

 on December 3rd. In 1204 he was, on December 3rd, at Clarendon in 

 Wiltshire, and journeyed to Gillingham in Dorsetshure; and in 1205 he was 

 at Canterbury on the same day of the month. 



Hence 1200 remains as the only possible year for our Letters Patent. 

 And on December 3rd in that year. Hardy finds the King at Abingdon in 

 Berkshire, and also at Bedwin in Wiltshire. Now Hampstead Marshall r's 

 on the way from the one to the other, and is quite close to Bedwin. There 

 is, then, no doubt as to the date and place of issue of these Letters Patent. 

 They were given at Hampstead Marshall, in Berkshire, on December 3rd, 

 1200. 



This date, 1200, shows that the Abbey to which the Letters Patent 

 relate was not the Abbey of Graiguenamanagh. The beginning of that great 

 house was several years later. It was established by William Marshall for 

 monks from the Abbey of Stanley in Wiltshire, but their first migration 

 to Ireland did not take place until 1204,' and they did not settle down at 

 Graiguenamanagh until 1206. Nor indeed have we any evidence that the 

 foundation of Graiguenamanagh was due to a vow or promise made by the 

 earl, such as his will mentions. 



1 Orpen, Ireland under (he Normaii^, ii, 266. 

 - Boiuli litterantm patentium, ed. T. D. Hardy (1835). 



^ See Chronicles of the reigns of Stephen, Henry II, und Richard I (Rolls Series) 

 K- Howlett, ii, 50S. 



