9 2 



0n a garter of 33avle\> ®ftbt$. 



By W. R. Holland. 



HE accompanying plate (Plate VI.) is a very excellent 

 reproduction in fac simile (the exact size), of an ancient 

 charter of feoffment, or conveyance, on parchment, being 

 a grant of the one-fourteenth part of two cultures of land at Wigwell, 

 nearWirksworth,to the church of St. Mary of Darley,and the canons 

 there, to be held in frankalmoign, or in free alms, that is with- 

 out any terrestrial service of any kind being demanded by the 

 feoffers or givers. An exact transcript and translation of this 

 interesting document are appended to these notes. The Abbey 

 of Darley, or Derley, near Derby, was founded in the latter 

 part of the twelfth century, by Hugo, dean of Derby, believed 

 by Dr. Cox to have been the head of the collegiate clergy of All 

 Saints', Derby. He gave all his lands at Little Derley to the 

 Canons of St. Helen's, Derby (founded in King Stephen's reign, 

 by Robert, Earl Ferrars), for the purpose of building thereon a 

 church and a monastery. In consequence of this grant, the 

 monks of St. Helen's, Derby, removed to Derley. 



The writing is a fine example of the style of Court hand in use 

 in the thirteenth century, during the reign of Henry III. The 

 ink is still very black and bright. The three appended seals are 

 of hard wax of a dark green colour. 



A culture {culturd) is, according to Blount, a parcel of arable 

 land. . Probably the extent varied, but would be as considerable 

 as a ploughland, or plough gate. 



This charter evidently belongs to the series of deeds, a transla- 



