A Calendar of The Feet of Fines For Bedfordshire: Part II.

Summary

Since the publication of the first part, Miss E. G. Grogan has completed the transcription of the remaining Fines of the reign of Henry III., now included in this part; the series therefore runs from 1192-1193 to 1272. These documents, often individually uninteresting, collectively form for every county an indispensable part of those foundations of local history which it is the function of this Society and its like to lay firmly.

As has been already said, this Calendar is little more than an index to the Fines, the exact significance of which in each case can only be determined by consideration of the form of the original,—a study in which Cruise’s Essay on Fines and Recoveries (1794) is the standard authority. For a general survey of the development of the system of Final Concords, and of the legal principles which they embody, Pollock and Maitland’s History of English Law, ii., 94-105, should be consulted. The learned introduction to the Feet of Fines for the County of Huntingdon contains much interesting information of a general character.

A few notes, mainly supplementary to V.C.H., have been added to the Calendar; they carry both in text and index the number of the Fine to which they refer.

THE CALENDAR.

8 HENRY III. (1223-1224).

258. Westminster. Quindene of Hilary [27 January, 1224]. William son of Baldewin against Richard Prior of Dunestapl’, by his canon William de Glouc’, his attorney. Land and 12d. rent in Segenho. William quitclaimed the land and rent to the Prior and his successors [I. 12 (1)].

259. Westminster. Morrow of the Purification [3 February, 1224]. Gilbert Mariscall’ and Cecilia his wife against William Mariscall’ Earl of Pembroke, whom Alan de Hida called to warranty, by Henry de Wautham, his attorney. Land in Chaiton’ which they claim against Alan as the dower of Cecilia, of the free tenement which belonged to William Jardin her late husband, in the same vill. Which land Earl William warranted to Alan. The Earl recognised the land to be the dower of Cecilia, to be held by Gilbert and Cecilia of Alan and his heirs during her life, at a yearly rent of 2od. for all service [I. 12 (2)].