440 The Society's MSS. 



Whitecliff itself is but a small thing, if Hoare's account of it 

 above be taken as correct ; but we discover at the outset from our 

 documents that there were anciently at least two holdings within 

 it, — that there was a Little White Cleve, and by inference a Great 

 White Cleve as well. Part of one or other or both of these may 

 now be merged in the parish of Brixton, but in no case can either 

 holding have been other than small. Great Whitecliff, which 

 appears in later documents as the residence of their successors, 

 was presumably the abode of the family of " de Whiteclive," and 

 that portion of the whole from which they derived their name. 



1. 



Know, &c. that I Eobert Belefille son and heir of Godfrey [Godefridi] 

 Bellefille, in my pure power memory and will, have given granted and 

 by this my charter confirmed to William de Wyteclive all my tenement 

 and all my arable lands with all their liberties free customs, homages, 

 reliefs, rents, escheats, meadows, leasows [paschuis], pastures and all 

 other their appurtenances which I had in Little Wyteclive through the 

 decease of the said Godfrey my father ; to hold to the said William, his 

 heirs and assigns, of the chief lords of the fee, freely, &c. in peace and 

 hereditary right for ever ; doing therefore yearly to the chief lords of 

 the fee all the services due and accustomed as they are specified in the 

 charter of our first feoffment, and rendering to me yearly and to my 

 heirs at Christmas a ginger root for all things to us belonging : for 

 which gift, cfec. William has given me 8 marks beforehand ; I my heirs 

 and assigns are bound to warrant the said tenement, &c. to the said 

 William his heirs and assigns against all mortals, &c. Witnesses 

 Keynold Husey, Walter Wymond, Walter de Eadenherste, Eobert 

 Wymond, Thomas de Stoppe, clerk, and many other. 



Society's MS. No. 1. 



That this was not the first acquisition of land by the family in 

 Little Whitecliff must be inferred from the following charter of 

 feoffment, whereby William de Wyteclive gives to Eobert his son, 

 not the lands there which he had by the gift of Eobert Bellefille, 

 but all his lands there, as his and his ancestors' charters witness. 

 The document can presumably be dated by the name of the parson 

 of Kingston Deverill among the witnesses. 



D 



2. 



Know, &c. that I William de Wyteclive have given, etc. to Eobert de 

 Wyteclive my son all the lands and tenements which I had in Little 

 Wyteclive ; to have, <kc. to him and the heirs of his body lawfully 



