of the Wells charters: our knowledge of them comes entirely from other sources.[1] The three occur together in five charters: Br. 51 (c. 1146), B. i. 61, Ath. 187, Br. 54, and another to be described presently. The first of these confirms a grant made in 1146: the second, the Bath Donation, is attested by Simon abbot of Athelney whereas Ath. 187 is a charter of Benedict his successor. These four charters may be assigned conjecturally to 1146-8.
The fifth charter is Bishop Robert's confirmation of W. de Falaise's grant of St Andrew of Stoke (Stoke Curcy, now Stogursy) to the monks of St Mary of Lonlay.[2] Its first witness is Ivo dean of Wells; then follow Martin archdeacon of Bath, Eustace archdeacon of Wells,[3] Hugh de Turnay[4] archdeacon de ultra Perret, Samuel vice-archdeacon of Wells. The special interest of this charter lies in its mention of the three Somerset archdeaconries: that 'beyond the Parrett' was afterwards called the archdeaconry of Taunton.[5] It is also interesting to find for the first time a vice-archdeacon.
We have no record of any of these persons as archdeacons after 1159;[6] but Master Eustace and Master Martin are found in charters after this date,[7] and it is just possible that these are the archdeacons retired from office.[8]
A fixed date is given us by the Huish charter (R. i. 26), which is
- ↑ Chiefly from the chartularies published by the Somerset Record Society: Bath (referred to as B.), Bruton (Br.), Athelney (Ath.).
- ↑ Hist. MSS Comm., 9th rep., i. 253 b (Eton College).
- ↑ Eustace attests what seems to be a later charter (Reg. Osm. i. 245: c. 1157) as archdeacon of Bath. This is a composition between Salisbury and Bath, and the matter concerns the Bath archdeaconry (see below, p. 76). We may suppose therefore that, when Martin ceased to act and Robert came in (Ath. 87), Eustace had taken the archdeaconry of Bath and left Wells to the new archdeacon.
- ↑ Hugh is described as 'de Turnai' in Ath. 87, where he occurs with Eustace and Robert.
- ↑ Robert [of Gildeford] is archdeacon de ultra Perret in Sarum Charters (Rolls Ser.), p. 58, lxx [? 1196-1205].
- ↑ Eustace and Martin appear in B. ii. 273; Eustace and Hugh (with Robert) in Ath. 87; Eustace in B. i. 66, 70, Reg. Osm. i. 269 (1151) and 245 (c. 1157: in this, which is a composition between Salisbury and Bath, he is styled archdeacon of Bath); Martin in B. i. 67 (1153); Hugh in Br. 52, Ath. 149.
- ↑ Wells ch. 5 ( = R. iii. 245 b) has Master Eustace. Master Eustace and Master Martin attest R. i. 20 (1163-6), Br. 182, and a Kenilworth charter printed in Hearne's Ad. of Dom. i. 295. On 14 Mar. 1165 (R. i. 36 b) they do not appear; nor after this date.
- ↑ In the case of Master Martin this is not unlikely. He has the title of Master in Ath. 187, though it is not given to his fellow-archdeacons Eustace and Hugh. Moreover, the letter from Salisbury (R. i. 29, before 1155) mentions Master Martin; and if he had just ceased to be archdeacon, he would have been a suitable envoy in the dispute which apparently had arisen between Dean Ivo and the new archdeacons.
