198 



The Tropcnell Cartulary. 



from the Court Rolls). Then we come to Corsham Monks (four 

 documents from the Court Rolls), which Mr. Dan vers — the possessor 

 of 1695 — has dated in the margin, beginning with 1358 ; and he has 

 added one of his two famous notes, both of which will be dealt with 

 further on at the end. And now we come to the Customs of the 

 lordship of Corsham, which we are told " alway have ben fro the 

 tyme that no mynde renneth." They are given at length in pages 

 45 to 50. The Customs deal with the position of the tenants. 

 The manor is ancient demesne, and the tenants held their lands in 

 fee to them and their heirs. Their lands were tried before the 

 Steward at Corsham ; and always, before the grant of Earl Richard, 

 they chose one of themselves to be bailiff and coroner, just as they 

 have since the grant. And since the grant they have always 

 chosen a bailiff from themselves to act between them and the Earl 

 of Cornwall. They have also chosen two of themselves to be 

 assistants to the bailiffs and gather all the rents, the superior 

 officer being both bailiff and coroner. The duties of the bailiff 

 "before the time that no mind renneth," and before the grant of 

 Earl Richard, were to take all surrenders and releases, and he had 

 with him two, three, or four tenants and fee farmers of the 

 lordship, to record all such surrenders, etc. Further duties of the 

 bailiff were generally concerning the holding and the inheritance 

 of the land, and its passing, land enquiries, etc., etc. But an 

 analysis of these Customs would involve much more time than is 

 at my disposal. It seems probable, then, that the documents of 

 the first fifty pages of the cartulary were derived from the Corsham 

 Court Rolls. Whether tin' originals an 4 all in existence now, one 

 cannot say. 



Next we have independent documents about lands in Laverstock 

 (Haynys Conynggar a/. Upton's ilelde in Laverstock), fourteen in 

 number, and we arc introduced 1<» various families — Upton. Bont, 

 Fovent, Osbern, Hancock, Reynton, Tocotys, Towke, Baynard, etc. 



AM nylon - sixteen deeds, in which Stephen, prior of Farlegh, and 

 William, abbot of Malineshnry, lead oil'. Very many names of 

 families, of course, appear here ; one remarkable is Henry IVn ehay 



(p. T'!). In tin' last very Lengthy instrument, TropeneU recovers 



