[13] Thus the statement that he 'declared at Woodstock that the lands of his church should not pay a penny to the danegeld' (Const. Hist., i. 578) misrepresents his position by making him repudiate his undoubted obligation.
[14] This and the preceding and succeeding papers are reprinted from the English Historical Review.
A GLIMPSE OF THE YOUNG KING'S COURT (1170)
The charter given below is cited by Madox as evidence that in the days of Henry II the exchequer was still 'sometimes holden in other places' than Westminster. Contrary to his usual practice, he does not print the charter; so, wishing to ascertain what light it might throw on the private transaction it records, I referred to its original enrolment.[1] Finding that its evidence would prove of some historical value, I decided to edit it for the use of students.[2]
Willelmus comes de Essex' omnibus hominibus ⁊ amicis suis, Francis ⁊ Anglis, clericis ⁊ laicis, tam futuris quam presentibus, salutem. Sciatis me dedisse ⁊ concessisse ⁊ hac carta mea confirmasse Rogero filio Ricardi ⁊ suis heredibus villam de Aynho cum omnibus pertinen[ciis] in escambio pro Cunctonia hereditarie tenendam de me ⁊ heredibus meis sibi ⁊ heredibus suis per servicium unius militis ⁊ dimidii, libere et quiete ⁊ honorifice sicut unquam antecessores mei liberius ⁊ honorificencius eam tenuerunt ⁊ habuerunt; scilicet in bosco ⁊ in plano, in pratis et pascuis, in viis ⁊ semitis, in aquis, ⁊ molendinis, ⁊ in omnibus predicte ville adjacentibus. Et insuper dedi ⁊ concessi predicto Rogero filio Ricardi terram de Wlauynton' quam pater meus comes Gal[fridus] dedit Willelmo de Moretonio, per servicium michi faciendum quod predictus Willelmus patri meo facere debuit, hereditarie tenendum [sic] de me ⁊ heredibus meis, illi ⁊ heredibus suis. Quare volo ⁊ firmiter precipio quod ista donacio rata ⁊ inconcussa permaneat. Et notum sit omnibus quod istud eschambium factum fuit apud Wynconiam [sic] ad Scaccarium coram domino Rege Henrico filio regis Henrici Secundi ⁊ Baronibus suis. Tes⁊e [sic] Reg' comite, Bac'[3] de Luc, Willelmo de Sancto Johanne, Galfrido Archidiacono Cantuar', Ricardo Archidiacono Pick[tavensi], Hunfrido de Buh[un] constant[e],[4] Manser' Biset dap[ifero], Gilberto Malet dap[ifero], Hugone de Gundvil[la], Alano de Nevill[a], Thoma Basset, Willelmo filio Audel[ini], Johanne Mereschal, Roberto de Bussone, Johanne const[abulario] Cestr[iae], Ranulpho de Glanvile, Gaufrido de Say, Gerard de Kanvill[a], Oseberto filio Ricardi, David de Jarpenvilla, Ricardo filio Hugonis, Johanne Burd, Willelmo filio Gill[eberti], Roberto de Sancto Claro, Johanne de Roch, Hasculfo Capellano, Henrico clerico, Roberto clerico, qui hanc cartam scripsit, ⁊ multis aliis.
The purpose of the charter is soon disposed of; it records a grant by the Earl of Essex to Roger fitz Richard (who had married the earl's aunt 'Alice of Essex'[5]) of Aynho, Northants, in exchange for Compton, co. Warwick. Both Manors were in the Mandeville fief, and the former was to be held, as the latter had been (in 1166[6]), 'per servicium unius militis et dimidii'.
The interest of the document is to be sought in its witnesses, and its place of testing, and above all in the date which, I hope to show, they suggest. The mention of the two inseparable archdeacons proves that this date cannot be later than 1174, and consequently, as the young king was present, must have been previous to his revolt in 1173, and therefore to his departure from England about the close of 1172. On the other hand, the date must be subsequent to June 1170, when the young king was crowned, and therefore probably to the meeting at Fréteval (July 22, 1170), at which the Archdeacon of Canterbury was present.
Thus we obtain a limit of date. Within this limit we may exclude the young king's stay in England after the departure of the two archdeacons (December 1170), as also his subsequent presence in England in 1171-2 while his father was in Ireland, for William fitz Aldelin was in Ireland with him. Indeed, we are told by Giraldus (v. 286) that when the king left Ireland (April 1172) William was left behind in charge of Wexford.[7] As the young king then accompanied his father over sea, the only period remaining (except July-December 1170) to which we could assign the document is August-November 1172, when he visited England, with his consort Margaret, for his second coronation. This ceremony took place at Winchester, but we cannot tell whether William fitz Aldelin had yet returned from Ireland, or whether any other of our witnesses were present on that occasion.[8]