446 The Society's MSS. 



probably, be tempted to discover in it a place-name. But here 

 there is no difficulty. " Le Saucer " is the common description of 

 the ancient chandler in his capacity of sauce-maker, in Latin 

 Salsator. In Wiltshire, of all places, it is particularly perverse to 

 seek — especially in Ashton — a withy-bed that shall account for 

 him. In a return of knight's-fees, printed (p. 144) in the Testa de 

 Nevill, assignable to the year 1240, or thereabouts, John le Saucer 

 appears as joint tenant of half a knight's fee in West Amesbury. 

 It was held, at one remove, of the earl of Salisbury. In the king's 

 household there was a department of " the saucery," and just as 

 the Ludlows found fortune in the king's cellar, so John or his 

 ancestor may have presided over some king's, earl's, or bishop's 

 " saucery," to his own profit. At Amesbury, in any case, their 

 posterity continued. John Saucer is on the jury for the Hundreds 

 of Branch and Dole and Amesbury in 1324 (Feudal Aids, v., p. 215). 

 In 1428 lands in Netheravon are mentioned (ibid, p. 233) late 

 Boger Saucer's, and Thomas Saucer is returned (ibid. p. 240) as 

 tenant of lands in West Amesbury, late Adam Saucer's. The 

 following note of an inquisition shows the family still there nearly 

 a century later : — 



9. 

 15 April, Inq. 15 Ap. 20 Hen. VII. by virtue of Com" [of concealed 

 ■ 1505. lands]. 



Walter Turney, Walter Dauntesey, John Crikelade, and John Daunt- 

 esey, esqs., were seised of a messuage, 40 a. land, 60 a. pasture in 

 Westambresbury, a messuage, 3 tenements, one virgate of land in 

 Estambresbury and Chalderyngton, and being so seised enfeoffed Giles 

 Sauser and Joan his wife thereof to them and the heirs of Giles ; land 

 in W. A. held of king as of earldom of Salisbury by service of -h of k.f ., 

 worth 40s. ; land in E.A. held of abbess of Ambresbury by I2d. rent 

 for all service, worth 26s. 8d. ; land in Chalderyngton held of John 

 Thornburgh as of his manor of Chalderyngton by \l. rent, worth 13s. 

 Ad. 



Giles Sauser died Tuesday in Easter Week, 17 Hen. VII. (29 March, 

 1502) Thomas Sauser, aged 4 and more is his son and heir. 



C Series II. vol. 18, (1). 



The name occurs in the index to the late Mr. Silvester Davies' 

 edition of the " Tropenell Cartulary," and in some or other of th e 



