Francis Blomefield

“ In the year 1400, Michael De-lu-poole Earl of Suffolk granted him an annuity of 20l. during his life, out of his castle, manor, and honour of Eye in Suffolk, in recompense for the good and agreeable service that Sir William had done him in times past, and shall do him in time to come, both in war and peace; and upon this Sir William obliged himself to serve the Earl with one esquire, two servants, and five horses, all which were to have bouche de court at the Earl's expense; and if he travels in England at the Earl's command, he was to be allowed reasonable expenses ”

“ His uncle, Thomas Halyday, formerly fellow, sold seven acres of land to him, which he gave to the college, after the death of Robert Schadewell his brother, and Alice his wife, the profits to keep the south porch in repair for ever, (which looks as if he was buried in it,) and to pray for him and his benefactors; he gave other 9 acres in Rushworth, to Robert and Alice for life, and Thomas their son, if he live to be of age; if he dies under age, it was to go the master to find bread and wine for the Sacrament. ”

“ It is bounded on the east by Diss hundred, on the south by the river Ouse, that parts Norfolk and Suffolk, on the west by Thetford, and on the north by Shropham hundred, which is divided from it by the river that runs from Quidenham Mere to Thetford; the superiour liberty, as to the game, and many other privileges, belongs to his Grace the Duke of Norfolk, as lord paramount of the hundred, all which is in his peculiar liberty and jurisdiction called the Duke of Norfolk's Liberty, the original of which you shall have under Lopham ”

“ Chevage also is paid to the lord, it being a fine for every bond tenant, for liberty to live out of the lordship, and women pay it as well as men, viz. 1d. a year each head. Bosage is also paid here, which is 1d. a head yearly for all cows and great cattle that feed on the commons; every 10 sheep of the cullet, that laid in the lord's fold, paid 1d. a year. West-Fen common at Thorp-End belonged solely to the manor; all the tenants were obliged to grind at the lord's mill, and the fishery of all the manors belonged solely to the lord. ”

“ The Capital Manor Bundo was the first lord that I meet with, and then Ulketel; afterwards it came to the Earls Warren, from them to the Bardolphs, who held it by the service of half a fee of the castle at Acre; from the Bardolphs it came to the Lerlings, and was held by them, by the same service, as belonging to the Bardolphs honour of Wormegay.
Maud de Lerling, the heir general of the family, (but whose daughter she was I do not find,) married William de Gonvile, and carried the estate to that family. ”

“ The whole town of Banham was 3 miles long, and 2 miles broad, and paid 14d. ob. geld or tax, out of every 20s. that was laid on the hundred.
In the time of William Rufus, William de Eschois, for the health of the soul of that King, his lord, gave to the monks of St. Mary's abbey by York walls, the advowson of this church, with a carucate of land here; together with the advowson of Wilby, and two parts of the tithes of his demeans, which were after valued at 8 marks per annum, and for that sum let to the rector and his successours. ”

“ Semere Hall Manor Which was part of the revenues of Bury abbey, and belonged to Joceline, brother to Abbot Baldwin, who infeoffed him in it in the Conqueror's time; it after came to the Bygods, of whom it was held in the eleventh century, by the family sirnamed de Cadomo, or Caam; Rich. de Caam was lord and patron of St. Andrew's in 1280, and in 1285 Olive his widow, who held it in dower, remitted all her claim and right to Sir John de Dykele, Knt. who seems to be heir general to Rich. ”

“ Miles de Hastyngs, son of Miles, was lord of Stoke-Goldyngton, and Cavendish in Suffolk, Elesford in Oxfordshire, and Dayleford in Worcestershire; he settled Elesford on Thomas, his youngest son, who was rector of this parish; he married Maud, who was lady in 1280, and soon after married to Pigaz, whose widow she was in 1288; they had three sons and one daughter; Margaret, who married Richard de Noers. Nicholas, the second son, was alive in 1282, at Phillip his eldest brother's death, who left Alice his widow, who, in this year, recovered against Miles de Hastyngs, her father-in-law, 10l. ”

“ In 1346, there was a free tenement and 42 acres of land in Illington, held of this manor by Peter de Esthalle, and also an annual rent of 1d. a year, paid to St. John of Jerusalem's hospital at Karbrook, for the souls of the lord's ancestors; and the brethren of St. John's college at Rushworth had annually a fat lamb delivered them. The parish of Middle-Herling held one acre and an half of this manor, and paid 6d. freerent. The ewes of the flock were milked daily, by people hired by the lord for that purpose. It extended into all the Herlings, Quidenham, Rushworth, Shadewell, and Illington. ”

“ In 1390, Richard de Boyland's tenants in Wilby were attached to do fealty and homage to East Hall manor, and also the tenants of Wynneferthyng for the same, and for one pound of pepper annual rent, issuing out of the tenement, and 50 acres of land, which lies between the way called Bokenham Gate, and the tenement of Sir Hugh Le Vere, and abuts on Wynneferthing town, the tithes of which belong two garbs to Thetford monks, and one garb to Shelfhanger rector. This laid in Winfarthing and Shelfhanger, on the road that leads from Shelfhanger to Winfarthing. The rector of Winfarthing paid 20s. ”

“ Peter and Paul's church at East-Herling, under an altar tomb in the south wall, in which he founded a perpetual chantry, for his own and his ancestors' souls, Jane his wife being buried with him. She brought him Lirling manor and advowson, Rushworth manor, called Gonvile's, Fawconer's, and Maynwaryn's, all which, with 100 acres in Moringthorp, were held at 3 fees, of John Mowbray Duke of Norfolk, as of his manor of Forncet, and were settled on Oliver Groos, John Kirtling, clerk, and John Intwood, his trustees. ”

“ Miles, his son and heir, was lord in 1264, being then married to Dionise, daughter of Peter Goldington of Goldington in Bedfordshire. In the Roll of the Rebels and Adversaries to King Henry III. and Prince Edward his son, after the battles of Lewes and Evesham, this Miles was found to be one, being then lord and patron, and holding 80 acres in demean, all which were seized, it being proved that he had taken the barons' part; it was afterwards restored, as all those estates were which were seized upon this account. His brother Will. de Hastyngs lived here ”

“ In this year Richard Le Baxter and Agatha Maynwaryn are said to have a manor here, but it was only a part of Maynwaryn's manor in East-Herling, that extended hither, and soon after John le Fauconer got Simon Bygod's part, and so became lord of both; Will. Hastyngs of Quidenham gave Simon Fawconer, father of John, a messuage and lands here, which he added to this manor, and Maud de Hastyngs conveyed a quarter of a fee out of her manor to him, this whole manor being then held of her manor, at half a fee, and paid 20s. ”

“ In 1360, John de Herling had free-warren allowed him in this manor, and those of Quidenham, Gnateshall, Newton, and Corton in Lothingland; in 1367, he settled this manor and advowson, Quidenham manor and advowson, the manor of Gnatshall, manors in both Bokenhams, Croxton and Rothynghall manor in Brettenham, on Thomas Heyward, master of Rushworth college, and other feoffees; he was a good soldier, and most expert manager of maritime affairs, upon which account, in 1342, he had the custody of the sea-water at Bristol, during the King's pleasure. ”

“ There is a market kept every Monday, which is let at 20s. a year, and also a fair, let at 2s. a year; the yearly quitrents are 8l. payable by equal portions, at St. Martin, Christmas, Easter, and Midsummer; also 1200 days works in autumn, worth 1d. each day, also the fishery called the Sewer, worth 2s. a year, the pleas, perquisites of courts, and views of frankpledge, and leets belonging thereto, are yearly worth 8l. To this manor also belongs Giltcross hundred, the pleas and perquisites of the hundred court, with all the views of frankpledge and leets belonging thereto, are worth 5l. ”

“ Fawconer's manor Came with the younger branch of the Earl Warren's family to the Bardolfs, and from them to Phillip de Virlye, from him to John de Boyland, and from him to Ralph of Kenninghall, sirnamed Le Falconer, and then to his son Ralf of Keninghall, to whose son, Simon of Keninghall, William de Hastyngs of Quidenham granted a messuage and many lands there, free, at 12d, a year rent. ”

“ In 1506, John atte Cherche of Garboldesham was buried in the churchyard of All-Hallows there, and gave 8 marks for an obit for a year, and 40s. for a pilgrim to go to St. James in Gales, in the next year of grace; and to a pilgrim to St. Thomas of Canterbury 3s. 4d. and to a pilgrim to St. Mildred 12d. and to a pilgrim going to St. Walstone's 6d.
The Honourable Sir Edmund Bacon, Premier Baronet of all England, Knight of the Shire for Norfolk, hath a seat in this parish, at which he mostly resides, of whose family I shall speak at large under Riburgh, where he is lord. ”

“ Robert Gildeuselve died in 1444, and gave a messuage called Purdye's at Middle-Herling Green, and 9 acres of land, 4 acres and an half lying at Dedmore, and 4 acres and an half at Blowlond, to the inhabitants of Middle-Herling for ever, who, in 1556, brought their deeds into court, and proved that on April the 13th, 1547, Henry Cooper, then feoffee, made a new feoffment of Gildensleves, to the use of the inhabitants, it being freehold, held of Berdewelle's manor in West-Herling, by suit of court, and the rent of 6d. ”

“ At the survey the manor was a berewic belonging to Kennighall manor, with which it was held by the Confessor and Conqueror, and was granted as a member of it to the Albanys, who, in King Henry the First's time, infeoffed it in the Angervilles, a family sirnamed from a place in Normandy, where they were lords; it was to be held at half a fee of the manor of Kenninghall, as of the castle of Bokenham. ”

“ He married Mary, daughter of Nic. de Twynsted, she being then a widow; he was buried by his father and grandfather, in the church of the canons of Thetford, leaving one son and two daughters; Anne, who became a professed nun at Thetford, in 1843; Elizabeth, married to John de Berdewell, with whom he gave the manor in West-Herling, afterwards called Berdewell's, to be held of Richmond honour at half a fee, which till this time was part of this manor. ”

“ Orate pro anima Rogery Dennys, Seneschalli Castal
In the chancel is a small altar tomb against the north wall, having had an effigies, inscription, circumscription, and four shields, which are all gone; Weaver says it was erected for George Lord Audeley, and his wife, the daughter of the Earl of Bath; and indeed the arms on the south side of it, which are painted, and now whited over, did intimate, that it was erected for some of that family, the first being
Audeley, gul. a fret or, quartering Touchett, erm. a chevron gul. ”

“ In King James the First's time, viz. 1618, there was a long suit between the townsmen of Banham, and the townsmen of Tibenham, concerning the right of commonage upon this heath, the substance of which was this; the townsmen of Tibenham claimed an original right of commonage on the 300 acres called Banham Outwood in Banham, in right of their copyhold lands and tenements, held of the manor of Tibenham, and common of vicinage on Banham Green, there being no fences or ditches between Banham Outwood and Banham Green; but upon the trial, the townsmen of Tibenham were cast, and paid 30l. ”

“ In 1730, the church-wardens leased out a cottage for 69 years to come, to Trophimus Shepperd, at the annual rent of 1l. 2s.
South Lopham hath an estate of 30l. a year at Wortham in Suffolk, which was given by one Purdy for the repairs of the church, and if there were any overplus, to charitable uses, such as the feoffees would apply it to, for the good of the town: the houses, and the greatest part of the farm, is freehold. ”

“ The family of the Berdewelles took their name from the town of Berdwelle in Suffolk, where they lived in the Conqueror's time, when Baldwin Abbot of Bury infeoffed Ralf de Berdewelle of that manor; they always bare for their arms, arg. a goat saliant gul. ”

“ Dunstan's day, in 1283, released to Simon Manewaryn and his heirs, all manner of actions that they might bring against him, for not building her houses in Herling, that she was to have had built for her, in lieu of part of her dower; and they bound themselves, their heirs, and executors, in 60s. penalty, that no such action should be brought, and subjected themselves to the Bishop of Norwich, or his Official, in this case, who should excommunicate them if the penalty was not paid; further obliging themselves to pay 100s. ”

“ In every vacancy the fellows are to choose one of themselves, to look after the college affairs, who is to account to the next master; the fellows to choose the fellows, and each fellowship void above six months lapses to the Bishop; every fellow that leaves the college shall leave half his goods to it, and at their admission, shall swear obedience to their master, and to promote their college ”