in too great a share of the lengthy charter of foundation. Owing to this co-operation of causes, nothing more than fragments of the voluminous deeds connected with the foundation of the Manchester college, have hitherto been deciphered and published.

How far I have myself succeeded, may be dubious. Although no time nor labour have been spared to present the documents in a correct state, I am still by no means satisfied with what has been achieved. It had ever been my intention from the time when I was advised that English translations would be acceptable, to complete this task as literally as possible, so that in the course of my labour, I might the better detect any abbreviated or faded words to which I might have given incorrect interpretations, preparatory to the final, or ultimate reference which I had intended to make to the manuscripts themselves, in resolution of any doubts or difficulties.

But this opportunity of consultation and revision I was not entitled to possess. Party disputes in the parish of Manchester had commenced, and the muniment chest of the college was considered as closed.

Yet in justice to the chapter house, from the members of whom I have to ever acknowledge the most gentlemanly and unostentatious kindness, I would add my firm conviction, that if I could have been induced to make a request for a final revision of my transcripts, it would not have been refused

me.

In the meanwhile,-should health and life be spared me,-I wait for happier circumstances to include in my second book, or "livraison," any errata which may appear, upon a closing reference being made to the original documents.

I must, however, decidedly state, that I am not aware of any mistakes into which I may have fallen of so serious an amount, as to affect the general sense of any clause whatever of the documents now published.

§2. MODE OF PRINTING THE DOCUMENTS. Regarding the mode in which the documents are printed, four forms presented themselves to me for my choice:

The first was to print the documents verbatim et literatim, with all their marks of abbreviation, a plan adopted in certain of the parliamentary records edited by the Reverend Joseph Hunter, and in which the late Mr. Hodgson has well succeeded in his history of Northumberland,-a plan also made instrumental to the striking fidelity with which the Banatyne and Maitland clubs of

Scotland have printed various chartularies. This mode has in Manchester been lately adopted by Mr. Wheeler in his publication of the charter of Charles the First. The objection, however, on the present occasion, is the far greater variety of "Doomsday type" required in printing documents of the fifteenth than of the seventeenth century, and the corresponding expense of the same, an expense which is scarcely justified by the few charters given in the present work.

A second mode was to print the documents after the perspicuous manner adopted by Mr. Hulton in editing the "Coucher Book of Whalley," wherein a limited number only of the abbreviating marks are retained, yet where the ancient orthography is preserved.

A third mode was to print the words without any contractions or marks of abbreviation whatever, yet in point of orthography to preserve the archaic form, as for instance, in avoiding the use of dipthongs, in the frequent substitution of c for t, &c., &c. This is the plan adopted by the Archaiological Society of Dublin, to which, notwithstanding my greater partiality to the first mentioned plan, I have for various reasons given a preference in this work.

While a fourth plan was to modernize all the words, agreeably to the orthograpy of the present day used in printing latin authors.

Each mode has no doubt its particular recommendation.

§3. THE TRANSLATIONS RENDered. With regard to the translations rendered, I have been as literal as documents of the fifteenth century, remarkable for the complication of their structure, would allow me. For, from some cause or other, hitherto unexplained, this complication of structure rapidly disappears in deeds a century later, of the date of Henry the Eighth.

1 may have the most erred from my ignorance of the technicalities of many English law terms, and the deprivation which I have sustained by the long sickness of a near friend, whom I have formerly consulted on such occasions.

In short, the whole of my labour, whether in copying or translating, I have subjected to a severe process of investigation. Richard Hadelsay, clerk of York [see page 166], was unquestionably a man of more than common erudition, familiar with the most approved formulas of chartularies then in use both in England and on the continent, to which the verbose, conceited, and otherwise ill written confirmation deeds of David Pryce, archdeacon of Chester [see page 168 and 177], may present a striking contrast.

§ 4. THE WORKS CONSULTED.

In copying and translating these various documents, I have spared no possible pains to render them intelligible. It would be superfluous, and even pedantic, to enumerate the divers sources of information to which I have resorted whenever I was doubtful of the sense, or true meaning of the manuscripts, but I may perhaps be allowed to mention, that, inter alia, I have derived the most valuable aid from the volumes of the late Mr. Hodgson's history of Northumberland, where there is a perfect profusion of chartularies, which are rendered doubly instructive by the conservation in all the words of marks of abbreviation, aided by an admirable key illustrating their various powers;and, in the second place, from the rare, splendid, and costly Lexicon diplomaticum of Walther, published at Ulm in 1756, of which I fortunately possess a copy.

Nor have Ducange, Carpentier, Schilter, or Wachter, particularly the two first mentioned authors, been less consulted. With the aid of these lexicographers, as well as that of various other writers, it had been my intention to have added a short glossary; but, until I have a better confidence in the fidelity of every word published in my transcripts, such a glossary may be conveniently postponed.

§ 5. NOTES ON a few of the tERMS OCCURRING

IN THE DOCUMENTS.

On the present occasion I have little to add, in the form of additions or corrections, to the publi

Ication of the documents connected with the collegiating of the parish church of Manchester.

(1.) THOMAM La warre, deforCIANTEM, ETC. See the Royal License of Foundation, page 146, first column, and in the sixth MS. line.

This obsolete English law term, "deforcians" (still, I believe, used in Scotland), occurs in an abbreviated form in a sentence of very complex structure. It has thus given rise to a false reading, which I have corrected in the present copy and translation; but not before I had fallen into the error of my predecessors in speaking of "deforcing a levy" [see page 125],-a term unknown in ancient law deeds."

(2.) COMMOVENTES.

This word occurs in the second column of page 154, and in the twenty-second line.

But whether the word is really "commoventes," or not, I may be allowed to express some little doubt. In my first reading and copying of the word (whatever it might be), I had assuredly made a blunder. I then altered it into "commoventes," from the indications afforded me by the forms of certain of the letters. This word I have translated into "removing," or diverting. But whatever the

letters may actually be, no possible objection can attach to the general meaning which I have given, sanctioned as it is by the import of the context.

(3.) IN FORMA JURIS JURATIS.

Occurring in page 161, first column, and sixty-ninth MS. line.

The phrase means simply being sworn in the form of law. But as I believed a jury was actually created to try the allegation of ancient abuses having been committed by patrons and rectors, on the strength of divers writings, muniments, &c.,-I too easily chimed in with the notion, and translated the phrase being sworn in the form of a jury.-But after all, did I really misrepresent the idea intended to be conveyed?

(4.) "THE CONVENTION OR CHAPTER," ETC. See my translation of the word conventus in page 169, second column, eighth line.

If I avoided using the word "convent," or "covent," as old writers would say,-it is because conventus was, in this instance, made synonimous with a capitular body or chapter, whence the term convention was rather suggested. (5.) THE BULL oke.

The occurrence of this English word [see page 171 and the first line of page 172] reminds us of an amusing discussion which took place a few years ago among the Dryasdusts of Cheshire and Lancashire, relative to the origin of the term "Bullocksmithy," the name of a manufacturing town adjoining Stockport.

The opinion generally entertained was, that the name had its derivation from a smithy for bullocks!!! But who, in the name of wonder, ever heard of a smithy for bullocks? The gentry proposed, therefore, to change the unaristocratical name of their ancient town for some such romantic term as "Hazel Grove."

But Thomas la Warre's infeftment of lands near "The Bull Oke," opposite the north gate of Manchester church, solves all the difficulty. Bullocksmithy means nothing more than the smithy hard by the bull-oak.-[See page 170, where the Manchester Bull Oke is explained.]

If the "Hazel Grove" authorities had merely preserved the name of "The BULL OAK," or had contented themselves with THE OAK without THE BULL, naming their site simply OAKTOWN or OAKVILL (for there is an Oakham in Rutland), they would at least have been faithful to nomenclature as well as to history,-regarding which there can be "no mistake!"

(6.) OSTIUM.-[SEE PAGE 171, FIRST COLUMN AND SEVENTH MS. LINE.]

I am not certain if the word should not have been portam. As I have explained, the details of Thomas la Warre's grant are repeated in two subsequent deeds.— [See page 174 and 176.] In the two later ones, the word is certainly ostium.

(7.) FORERE.

A puzzling word is FORERE,—a technical expression applied to a certain piece of land, named "The Acres," near a certain highway leading to Old Trafford.-[See the first column of page 171, and the thirty-fourth line; also page 172, second column, twenty-sixth line.]-"In oppositum cujusdam forere dicti campi vocati les accres," &c. i.e., opposite to a certain forere [headland] of the said field, called les Accres, &c.

In translating forere, headland, I attached to the word a Saxon signification, such as we find in the word foremunt, a projecting mount or promontory. Hence I conceived, that forere might mean "headland,"-a term occurring in ancient deeds, and applied to the upper part

of such arable ground as was left (among other uses) for the turning of the plough. This "headland" was often a space of no little extent. When there existed comparatively few fences or hedges in England, and when a tract of land was liable to be tilled after the Scottish manner of "runrig," by many small tenants conjointly, who would introduce at one and the same time a squadron of yoked oxen and bullocks into the arable land, a large vacant space of ground was not only devoted to the turning of the numerous ploughs simultaneously going on,-as, for instance, on Plough Monday,-but likewise for the occasional pasturage of the beasts thus employed, while resting, at intervals, from their severe drudgery:-the correctness of which description may be illustrated by many ancient paintings, drawings, or prints.

Ducange, however, has shewn that the word "foraria," or "forreria," had a very different meaning,-importing "officium forrerii seu metatoris hospitiorum." As it was difficult, if not impossible, to attach this meaning to the Manchester "forere," I consequently took refuge in a Saxon etymology.

But Carpentier, as I have since discovered, while he admits the correctness of Ducange's explanation in reference to the quotations actually cited by him, states that the obsolete French word "foriere" had still another meaning, namely, to indicate pasture land,-in proof of which he cites the following, from a charter of 1296:"Item quinque solidos super foreria bubulcorum;" -a second from a chartulary of 1245:-"une foriere de pré;"-and a third from one of 1306 :-" chiunc journeus, ou la entour: que de fries, que de Forieres, ke de terres, que de voies."-[Carp. in voce Foreria.]

After these citations, the reader may suit his own taste and inclination, either by adopting a Saxon or an AngloNorman meaning to the Manchester "Forere,"-situated near "The Highway to Old Trafford," and leading to the present Hulme fields. It may also be asked,-if, by the term "foreria bubulcorum," cited by Carpentier, the old Saxon headland might not have been implied?

CHAPTER V.

CERTAIN EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE FOUNDATION OF THE COLLEGE, SUBSEQUENT TO THE DEMISE OF THOMAS, LORD la warre.

Under a distinct chapter I propose to include certain events occurring subsequent to the demise of Thomas, Lord la Warre, which associate themselves with the history of the first foundation of the college, rather than with the annals of the wardens thereof.

These are referable to the period when the Wests held the barony of Manchester,-when the civic interests of the town were ruled by a new race of lords, whose influence, however, owing to various causes, was evidently on the decline.

Of this new race a very brief notice is all which is at present necessary.

It has been shewn that one of the Griffin family having been the heir general of the lands of Thomas, Lord la Warre, this lord had levied a fine in

favour of the descendants of his half sister, Joanna, who had married Thomas, the third Baron West. -[See page 125.]

The true heir, however, of Thomas, Lord la Warre, was to be sought for among the descendants of Catherine, daughter of John la Warre,— which John had predeceased his father of the same name, who was the ninth baron of Manchester.[See pages 99 and 125.]

The said Catherine la Warre had married Sir Warine Latimer, of Braybroke, by whom she had three sons, John, Thomas, and Edward, who severally died without issue, and, along with them, a daughter, Elizabeth, wedded to Sir Thomas Griffin, the heir of which union was Richard Griffin, who married Ann, daughter of Richard Chamberlain, Esq., leaving issue

(a) John Griffin, Esq., heir to his great uncle, the Lord Latimer, and heir general of the lands of Thomas la Warre. He died sine prole.

(b) Sir Nicholas Griffin, of Braybroke; married to Catherine, daughter of John Curson, Esq., who was served heir to his brother John.

But we are informed, that in the 6th of Henry the Sixth, Sir Nicholas Griffin, then thirty-eight years of age, executed a release of the lands held by Thomas la Warre, whence Sir Reginald, the fifth Baron West, became incontestable heir to the estates of the barony of Manchester.

The family of West thus succeeded to the Greslets and the La Warres.

After this explanation, I shall describe certain events which occurred during the baronial sway of the Wests, connected with the foundation of the college.

§ 1. CONCLUDING NOTICES OF CARDINAL LANGLEY (BISHOP OF DURHAM), WHO AIDED IN

THE FOUNDATION OF THE COLLEGE.

Before this history is brought to a close, it would be unpardonable to lose sight of a personage to whom the religious interests of Manchester became so much indebted.

On the death of Henry the Fifth (1422), Cardinal Langley was appointed feoffee of the king's will.

Soon afterwards, at the request of the parliament, he resumed the seals.

This very munificent churchman was a great favourer of learning. He is recorded to have been one of the first poets of his age. His epigrams were inscribed to the bishop of Norwich, and have been republished with commentaries by Blake. He wrote a book "De Variis Carminibus," as well as several works on pontifical law and jurisprudence. The public encouragement which he

gave to learning is extraordinary. He founded two schools at the Palace Green of Durham,-the one for grammar, and the other for plain song. Amidst the legacies which he left to various public libraries, as at Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Leicester, and York, it is added that the college of Manchester received from him a donation of books. He died November 20th, 1437, and was buried at Durham within his own chantry in the Galilee.

§ 2. NOTICE OF WILLIAM HEIWorth, Bishop of

LICHFIELD, WHO SANCTIONED THE EREC-
TION OF THE COLLEGE OF MANCHESTER.

William Heiworth, bishop of Lichfield, was another signal promoter of the college of Manchester. This prelate will ever be commemorated in the annals of Lichfield, for the bequests which he made for the support of the indigent, and for his contributions to the improvements of the beautiful cathedral of this city. He died in the year 1446.

§ 3. THE BEQUESTS OF WHICH THOMAS LA

WARRE'S FOUNDATION WAS THE FORErun-
NER.

In the second book, or memoir, of this supplementary volume, it will be pointed out, that other munificent bequests succeeded to the endowments of Thomas, Lord la Warre, as, for instance, the munificent sums expended towards the erection of a new collegiate church and other buildings, and the foundations of six chauntries, in addition to the one or two which had previously existed.

In the year 1527 (as will be shewn hereafter), the staff of collegiate functionaries was formally declared to consist of ONE WARDEN, EIGHT VICARS, FOUR DEACONS, SIX CHORISTERS, TWO PARISH

CLERKS [that is, real clerks, or clergymen, who assisted the officiating priest,-see Hook in voce Clerk], and ONE BELLMAN!

§ 4. CONCLUSION.

But it is now time to draw to a conclusion. While investigating the history of the ancient parish church of Manchester, the question has, I trust, been answered, "Why was it collegiated?"

But a reply could not have been given, if I had not mingled with ecclesiastical annals so much of the civil history of the locality as relates to the barons, who were the ancient patrons of the church of Manchester, and to the charters conceded to an impatient and dissatisfied population, consisting of the various grades of villeins, bondage tenants, and yeomen, who sought to exchange their feudal restraints for the free occupation of burgage tenements, whereby the fruits of their commercial industry might be secured to them unfettered by feudal impositions, and where they might choose their own magistrates, and be governed by a just and salutary system of municipal laws. Under the influence of such civil reforms, by means of which the population of the parish had greatly increased, still newer wants of the human mind sprang up, which were less of a worldly than of a spiritual nature and complexion. The rectors of Manchester, instead of administering to Divine worship and to the cure of souls, were employed in secular affairs, either of the state, or of their patrons,the temporalities of the benefice thus abused by them, having been diverted from their original use and destination. This great evil was sought to be remedied by collegiating the destitute and hitherto neglected parish church of Manchester.

That the college, thus formed, may ever continue a blessing to the community of Manchester, is the sincere prayer of the Author.