Matinum" namely, near Fuster Lane, and not St. Leonard's, Shoreditch. We must leave it, however, to the archaeologists of the ancient liberties of the metropolis to define the precise position. Mention is made of the fee of the Canons of Newenham, doubtless of the Austin Priory of that name, near Bedford; and it thus appears, as likewise by the charter of Thomas, Lord Mowbray, in 15 Ric. II., that these canons had land in London. In the latter document, a piece of land is described as "terram quam Jordanus Camerarius dedit eis in Londoniis, que vocatur Achesbiria."[1] In the Valor, however, no property in London is given as belonging to the Canons of Newenham at the Dissolution, leading to the inference that it had been disposed of previously.
The document is not dated : the reference to the standard measure "domini Henrici Regis" would confirm the conclusion drawn from the writing, that it is of the time of Henry III., and the correctness of this notion is evinced by the names of the attesting witnesses. Laurence de Frowike, the second named, is doubtless the same who was sheriff in 30 and 35 Henry III. (1245 and 1250).[2] Another witness, Richard Bonaventure, a name less euphonous in the more modern version of Goodluck, was probably the citizen named as one of the party captured with the Mayor of London, in 1204, by Henry III., and kept some time in Windsor Castle as security for the tranquillity of the city.[3]
The standard measure of iron (ulna ferrea) was kept, as it has been stated, in the Exchequer: the expression here occurs in regard to the measurement by the iron ell of King Henry, "absque polliccibus mensuratis," which is not found, to our knowledge, in other documents. Does it imply gross measurement,—inches not to be accounted? or does it denote exact measurement,—without the intervention of the thumb, in setting off the respective ells? An instance may be noticed, in a previous reign, of the like iron standard ell. In Walter Bruno's foundation charter of the Hospital of St. Mary, without Bishopsgate, the bounds of the lands granted are defined throughout by admeasurement made according to " ulnas de ulnis ferreis regis Johannis Angliæoe."[4]
The deed bears two endorsements, the first, in French,—"de la meson deuaunt la Egleise sein leonard." And another in a different hand, — " Cat (sic) Will'i Hereghes fact' Radulfo de Hoylond' de domo ex oposito eclesie S'ci leonardi."
Sciant p'sn̄tes & futuri Q'd ego Will's de Heryghes blaeter con- cessi dimisi & p'siiti carta coufirmaui Radulfo de Hoylond' monetario q'ndara placiam t re q 'm habui iuxa puam uenellam sci Leonardi de feodo Canonicor' de Newenham int' gardinum meum u'sus austrum. & dictam uenellam u'sus aquilonem. Et int' domum d'ci Had' u'sus orientem. & fram Ade lescot[5] qam de me tenet u'sus occidentem. Et continet in latitudine iuxta domum de'i Rad' int' p'd'cam uenellam & gardinum meum duodecim uln' de ulnis ferreis d'ni Henr' Reg' absq' pollicibꝫ mensuratis. In longitudine extn̄dente se a p'd'ca domo Rad' usq' ad t'ram p'dci Ade
