258 THE ANTIQUITIES 



The first person with whom the founder treated about the pur- 

 chase of land was Jacohus de Achangre, or Ochangre, a gentleman 

 of property who resided at that hamlet ; and, as appears, at the 

 house now called Oakhanger-house. With him he agreed for a 

 croft, or little close of land, known by the name of La liega, or 

 La lyge, which was to be the immediate site of the Priory. 



De Achangre also accommodated the bishop at the same instant 

 with three more adjoining crofts, which for a time was all the 

 footing that this institution obtained in the parish. The seller in 

 the conveyance says " Warantizabimus, defendemus, et acquieta- 

 "bimus^ contra omnes gentes" ; viz. "We will warrant the thing 

 "sold against all claims from any quarter". In modem con- 

 veyancing this would be termed a covenant for further assurance. 

 Afterwards is added — " Pro hac autem donacione, &c. dedit mihi 

 " pred. Episcopus sexdecem marcas argenti in Gersumam " : i. e. 

 "the bishop gave me sixteen silver marks as a consideration for 

 " the thing purchased ". 



As the grant from Jac. de Achangre was without date,^ and the 

 next is circumstanced in the same manner, we cannot say exactly 

 what interval there was between the two purchases ; but we find 

 that Jacobus de Nortun, a neighbouring gentleman, also soon sold 

 to the bishop of Winchester some adjoining grounds, through 

 which our stream passes, that the priory might be accommodated 

 with a mill, which was a common necessary appendage to every 

 manor : he also allowed access to these lands by a road for carts 

 and waggons. — "Jacohus de Nortun concedit Petro Winton episcopo 

 " totum cursum aque que descendit de Molendino de Durton usq ; ad 

 " boscum Will. Mauduil, et croftam terre vocat : Edriche croft, cum 

 " extensione ejusdem et abuttamentis ; ad fundandam domum 

 "religiosam de ordine Sti. Augustini. Concedit etiam viam ad 

 "carros, et caretas," &c. This vale, down which runs the brook, 

 is now called the Long Lithe, or Lythe. Bating the following 



were bound by vows to observe the rules and statutes of their order : in fine, they 

 were a Icind of religious, whose discipline was less rigid than the Tnonks'. The chief 

 rule of these canons was that of St. Augustine, who was constituted bishop of 

 Hippo, A. D. 395 : but they were not brought into England till after the conquest ; 

 and seem not to have obtained the appellation oi Augustine canons till some years 

 after. Their habit was a long black cassock, with a white rochet over it ; and over 

 that a black cloak and hood. The monks were always shaved : but these canons 

 wore their hair and beards, and caps on their heads. There were of these canons, 

 and women of the same order called Canonesses, about 175 houses. 



^ \_Aiquietabimus in orig,] 



2 The custom of affixing dates to deeds was not become general in the reign of 

 Henry III. 



