gentum, who was her lawful husband. One thing I beg of my heir, that, as he is my fon, and would have my bleffing, he will allow of this my alms to the aforefaid church; and if he attempt to take it away, may he have my curse. Witneffes, Richard, Chaplain of Lofthufe; Bartholomew and Hugh, my heirs; my mother Atheliza; Celeftri and Criftina my fifters."

The last charter to be met with in our records from this William de Percy of Dunsley, is for the hermitage of Mulgrave. It feems to have been granted about the year 1150, and is as follows:

"T

10 all fons of holy mother church, present or to come, who shall see or hear these letters; as alfo to his lords and heirs, William de Percy, the son of Richard de Percy of Dunefle, greeting in the Lord. Know all of you, that I (having free power) have made a certain hermitage in my forest of Dunefle, at Mulgrif, in honour of St. James the apoftle, for the fulfilling my vow, and for the remiffion of all my fins, and thefe of all my ancestors, viz. my father and mother, my brothers and fifters, and all my relations; and for the foul of my wife and my heirs, and all those who either have given or fhall give any land or other benefit to that place: To be free and clear from me and my heirs, for ever, from all fecular fervices, earthly exactions, and foreign demands, within the following bounders, viz. all my land of Midtbet, from the balk that is between the vandales (vandelas) of my demefne, and the vandales of my homagers, and the brow of Mulgrif-hill, as far as the fountain (or Spring) where* Thuf lies; and fo defcending by an earth-dyke to the water (or brook) which runs in that valley; and thence to the rivulec of Brocchel-Hole-Dale; and fo afcending upwards to the aforefaid balk. I have also given to that place, for ever, a right in the common pafture of Dunesle, whether in woods or plains, or in whatever place fituate; as likewife in the common forest and common moor; and a paffage to and from the sea, for performing any business relating to the aforelaid place. Now this Hermitage, with all its bounders, eafements, and appurtenances, I have given and granted for ever, to be obedient and fubject to the church of St. Peter and St. Hylda at Witeby, fo that divine service be daily celebrated there by fome prieft belonging to that place; faving nevertheless the rights of Dunefley-chapel. And to all these that shall increase, or be affifting to the faid place, I give my bleffing; but my curfe to all fuch as fhall diminish the fame. Witneffes, Ralph, Priest of Witeby; Randulph, Prieft of Fithely; Geoffrey, Prieft of Snetun; Vivian, (Prieft) of Ugalberby; Richard of Dunefle; Mr. Reiner; Igler the Dean; Walter of Ruddeby; Ivo of Ugelberby; Ranald of Snetun; William of Haucasgarth, and Roger his brother; Richard of Neuham; Humfrey; N 2 Simon;

It is my opinion this Thuf was either the god Thuth, or fome other Idol, that stood in the heathen temple at Thordifa; and that the inhabitants of Dunfley, on being converted to chriflianity, ftill retained fo much dread and veneration for it, that they buried it in the neighbourhood, not daring intirely to destroy the fame, after the example that had been fet them by Coifi at Goodmanham.

246157B

Simon; Peter, the fon of There; Robert of Canvill; Mr. Rodbert; Richard of St. Germans; Rodbert the Cook; Geoffrey of Bofco."

In the year 1140, we have the following charter from Thorfine de Alverftain for the church of Croffeby-Ravenfwarth, in Westmoreland.

9

NOW all who fee or hear thefe letters, that I Thorfine, and my heir,. and have given the church of Croffeby-Ravenfwart, with two carucates of 96 land, to the church of St. Peter and St. Hylda at Wyteby, and to the Monks ferving God there, free and clear from every exaction, for a perpetual alms, for the falvation of my Lord William de Romar, and his wife, and their fons and daughters, and for the falvation of our own fouls, and these of our ancestors. Witneffes to this donation are, Ofbert the Prior, and the whole convent of brothers in the aforefaid church; Turftan, a Prieft; Richard, Priest of Wyteby; William, a Priest, the son of Edmund, Priest of Wyteby; Richard, a Deacon; Hugh, a Clergyman, and Benedict, nephews of the Abbot Benedict; Stephen, a Clergyman; Daniel; Randulf; Richard of Newham, Walter the Steward, (difpenfator); Robert of St. Victor's; Robert the Cook; Hederick of Newham; Simund, a Clergyman; Robert, a Clergyman; Cluiny, the Cook; and William Norrays.'

62

17

In the year 1141, "Alan, fon of Alan Buscel, granted, and by his charter confirmed, to the church of St. Peter and St. Hilda at Wyteby, and to the Monks ferving God there, as a free and perpetual alms, that half carucate in Hotun, which Aze, the fon of Wimund, held of his father, with common right of pafturage, and with the common easements in the wood, on the plain, and upon the moor. Now this aforefaid half carucate of land, with the church of Hotun and all its appurtenances, and with Veftcrofth (Weftcroft) and the hermitage adjoining thereto, he gave, and by this his prefent charter confirmed, to the aforefaid church of Wyteby, for a perpetual alms, fo freely, quietly, and fully, all manner of ways, as was contained in the charters of his father Alan Bufcel, which the aforefaid Monks of Wyteby had for the fame; and this he did for his own foul, and the fouls of his father and mother and wife,. and these of his heirs and all his ancestors. Witneffes, Thomas, a Chaplain; Maurice, a Chaplain; Geoffrey Bardh; John Arundel; Roger of Hugelbardeby; and others."

Alfo it was nearly about the fame time that this fame " Alan Bufcel and Gervafe his brother granted, and gave, and offered up to God, and the church of St. Peter and St. Hylda at Wyteby, and to the Monks performing divine fervice there, all that land near the Derewent called Weftcroft, with common right of pafturage, for a free and perpetual alms, clear from every exaction and fecular fervice, for their own fouls, and the fouls of their father and mother, and thofe of their heirs and all their ancestors. Witneffes, Odo, a Prieit; William, a Prieft, Richard, a Priest; and others."

The

The charter of Alan Bufcel, as contained in the preceding page, for the half carucate of land at Hotun, is somewhat varied, or rather more fully expressed, in another part of our records, where we have it in the following words:

"KNOW all men who fee or hear thefe letters, that I, Alan Buscel, have 18

given and granted to the church of St. Peter and St. Hylda at Wyteby, that half carucate of land in Hoton, which Afze, the son of Wimund, (of Lochintun) held of me, free and clear from every fervice pertaining unto me; (fo that I and my heirs will acquit it from county, from wapentake, and from hundred fervice); with common right of patturage in the wood, on the plain, and upon the moor, through the middle, and over all; only the Danegeld, or King's tax, for that land, fhall be paid to me. Alfo I grant them wood out of my foreft, for houfe-building, and all their other neceffary ufes, without felling to others: But I hereby except the inclofure of a certain pond within the precincts of that land, which I retain to myfelf; from the breaking out of which pond, however, if the faid land adjoining thereto be any ways damaged, I Alan, and my heirs, will make up that damage to the faid church. This land, therefore, bounded as is above described, free and clear from me and all my heirs, I have given and granted to the church of Wyteby as is abovefaid, and with the aforefaid Afze have offered it upon the high altar of the faid church for ever; and if perchance it happen that any one claim the before-mentioned land, fo that I or my heirs are not able to defend the fame, we will give as much land to the faid church in another place by way of exchange. Witneffes, Robert, a Prieft; William, a Priest; Alan de Percy; Geoffrey de Capens; Daniel of Hirtun; William of Houkefgar; and others."

In the year 1142, this fame "Ace, fon of Wimund of Lochinton, with 62 the confent and will of his heirs, gave, and by his charter confirmed, to God, and the church of the blessed Peter and St. Hilda at Wyteby, and to the Monks performing divine fervice there, for a pure, free, and perpetual alms, for his own foul, and the fouls of his father and mother, and these of his ancestors, his wife, and his heirs, half a carucate of land in Thouthorph under Gautris, which Walter the fon of Robert formerly held of him, and where he had his principal brazier's fhop in that town, with all its appurtenances, whether in the town, or out of it. And the faid Ace, and his heirs, undertook to warrant this faid land to the before-mentioned church of Wyteby, and to the Monks ferving God there, against all men, and to defend and acquit the fame from all fervices, taxes, and exactions, as their free and pure alms. Witneffes, Thomas and Maurice, Chaplains of Wyteby; Roger of Houkefgar; and others." Soon after this, "Thomas, the heir of Ace of Lokintun, granted, and by 63 his charter confirmed, to God, and the church of St. Peter and St. Hilda at Wyteby, and to the Monks ferving God there, for his own foul, and the fouls of his father and mother, and those of his ancestors, the donation of his father Ace of Lokintune, viz. that half carucate of land in Toutorp under Gautris, which Walter the fon of Robert formerly held of Ace of Lochin

tun,

tun, but then held of the faid Monks of Wyteby. Now Ace, and his heirs, engaged to warrant the faid land to the aforefaid Monks against all men, and to defend and acquit the fame from all fervices, taxes, and exactions, as their free alms. And that this record might continue to be stable and firm, he strengthened the fame by fetting thereto his feal, in prefence of these underwritten witneffes, viz. Thomas, a Chaplain; Maurice, Chaplain of Whitby; Roger of Houkefgart; John Arundel; and others."

The charter of Walter the fon of Robert for this land, mentioned in both the preceding charters, is as follows:

61"

20 "

"T

O all faithful chriftians to whom thefe letters fhall come, Walter fon of Robert, greeting. Know all of you, that Ace of Lochintun, the fon of Wymund of Lochintun, by his own confent and voluntary will, hath granted and given, and by his charter confirmed to God, and the church of St. Peter and St. Hylda at Wyteby, and to the Monks performing divine fervice there, for a free, pure, and perpetual alms, half a carucate of land at Thouthorph under Gautris, out of my tenement which I hold of the aforefaid Ace, upon which half carucate of land my principal brazier's fhop is fituate in that town; for which alfo I Walter the fon of Robert have performed homage and fealty to the faid church and convent of Wyteby, and my heirs shall perform the fame for ever; I and my heirs paying for the fame annually to the before-mentioned church and Monks of Wyteby fix fhillings, half thereof every Whitfuntide, and the other half every Martinmas; which revenue we will pay to the bailiffs of the Abbot of Wyteby in Fifchergate; and I Walter, and my heirs, will defend and acquit the aforefaid half carucate of land from every tax and exaction to the often-named church and convent of Wyteby. Witneffes, Thomas, Chaplain of Wyteby; Henry of Fischergate; the aforefaid Ace of Lochintun, and Thomas his fon; and others."

This fame Ace, the fon of Wimund of Lochintun, gave moreover to the Monaftery of Whitby a yearly revenue of three fhillings, out of an oxgang of land he had at Middleton, near Pickering; and though his charter for that donation does not now appear among our records, yet we have a confirmation of this grant from William Foffard, the capital Lord of the Manor of that place, as follows:

KN

NOW all men, prefent or to come, who fhall fee or hear these letters, that I William Foffard grant, and by this my present charter confirm, the donation which Aze, the fon of Wimund of Lochintun, made to the church of St. Peter and St. Hylda at Wyteby, and to the Monks ferving God there, viz. three fhillings to be paid them yearly, for a pure and perpetual alms, out of that oxgang of land which Raghanald held of the faid Aze in Midelton. Witneffes, William, a Chaplain; William de Percy; Hugh, Priest of Bautchon; Roger, a Clergyman; and others."

We

We have also another confirmation of the aforefaid revenue of three fhillings, as follows:

“K

NOW all men, present or to come, that I Alexander of Midelton, grant, 43 and by the teftimony of this prefent charter confirm, the donation which Aze the son of Wimund gave to St. Peter and St. Hylda of Wyteby, and to the Monks ferving God there, viz. three fhillings revenue out of my freehold in Midelton, from that oxgang of land which Raghanald poffeffes, for myself, and for the fouls of my father and mother, and for the fouls of my ancestors. Witneffes to this confirmation are Foffard, at my request; William Aguil'; Warine, fon of Hugh; William, fon of Walter, Richard of Evesham; and others."

In the year 1143, "Everard de Ros gave up and restored, and granted, 63 free and clear from him and all his heirs, thofe two carucates of land which he held in Brumefton, of God, and the church of Wyteby, to the fraternity ferving God in that church, to poffefs and enjoy the fame for ever; as alfo one homager called Norman of Brocheffey, with three oxgangs of land, and the fame fervice which he had been accustomed to perform to Everard, in as free a manner as Everard had poffeffed it; and this land he restored to the aforefaid church, on fuch conditions and terms that none fhould dare to take away the fame from the Lord's table. Moreover he gave his curfe to all those who fhould offer any injury or violence to that church or fraternity on account of this land, and the Abbot and whole Convent did the fame. Witneffes to which thing were, Afchetill of Houkefgart; Reginald of Snetun; Robert of Liverton, and Godefrid his brother; and others."

In that fame year, 1143, the advowfon of Snetun chapel was granted to John Arundel, by the Abbot and Convent of Whitby, on the following

terms:

NOW all men who fee or hear thefe letters, that I Benedict, Abbot of 44 Witeby, with the consent and advice of our Chapter, have given and granted to John Arundel and his heirs, as a freehold and inheritance, the advowson of the chapel of Sneton; fo that John and his heirs, when the Parfons of Sneton chapel die, or leave the place, fhall prefent fome other proper Parfon to the Archbishop. Now the Parfon of Sneton fhall pay to the church of St. Peter at Witeby ten fhillings yearly, viz. five fhillings every Martinmas, and five fhillings more every Whitfuntide. The bodies of the dead belonging to that chapelry, fhall be buried in the cimitery of St. Mary's at Witeby, but none of them fhall be carried into the cimitery of St. Peter's; nor fhall he bring any thing thither. But the Prieft or Vicar of the town, without any leave had from the Parfon appointed to the chapel, fhall be buried in the cimitery of St. Peter's, if it were his choice when alive, or his friends defire after his death. Yet the Sneton Parfon shall not fay mass at these burials, unless the Parfon of Witeby be first ordered, and either neglect to come, or cannot attend; for then the Parfon of Sneton fhall faithfully per

form