A HISTORY OF SUSSEX the Conqueror, producing in support the following charter * : ' W. Rex Angl' W. Epo. Cycestr' et O. hi' Aulg'i et Hoello et aliis ministris suis salm. Concedo eccle Cycestr' terram que fuit Chetelli ex^ portam Cycestr' tenend' libere et honorifice cum soca et saca et infonghenthef. Teste Com. de Moulont apd. Brokehurst.' A point of great impor- tance is that, if this transcript can be relied upon, this charter is ad- dressed to Bishop William whose existence is only known from WilHam of Malmesbury's statement that he succeeded Stigand and from the entry of his name in Bishop William Rede's Cathalogus^ As Stigand died in 1087 and Godfrey was consecrated Bishop of Chichester in 1087, William's episcopate has hitherto been ignored,^ but this charter would enable us to restore him to his place amongst our bishops, while at the same time dating itself accurately as having been granted in 1087. Unfortunately, however, the version of this charter given by Dugdale,* from a Chichester chartulary which has now disappeared, makes the charter addressed ' R. Epo. Cycestriae,' thus assigning it to William II., Ralph (1091-1125) being the first bishop to whom it could be referred. This chartulary has been shown to be very inaccu- rate and unreUable as regards the Selsey charters,^ so that the question of the date of this charter cannot be finally settled without further evidence than is yet forthcoming. A second charter — said to be ' ejusdem regis,' but possibly in^eality of WilHam II. — ran as follows : — ' W. Rex Ang' Rog' Com' et oibz baronibz suis de Sussex saltm. Sciatis me dedisse eccle de Cycestr' carucatam t're qm. tenuit Ketellus Esterman in Sutsexa et domos q^ ipse Ketellus habebat in civitate Cycestr'. Testibus Rodb. Bisp' et Rico, de Cuceyo'. The names of the witnesses are evidently corrupt ; probably Dugdale's rendering ' Rodeburto Dispen- satore et Rico, de Curceye' is correct. When we come to the consideration of the Norman holders of lands we find precedence given, as always, to King William ; but it is to his rank that this is due and not to the extent of his estates, which consisted solely of two manors. This is in striking contrast to what we find in other counties, where William normally retained for himself not only Edward's Crown demesne, but the bulk of Harold's manors as well. The manor of Bosham, originally assessed at 56I hides, but reduced before the Confessor's death to 38 hides — at which it remained rated under William — had been held by Earl Godwin, and had been one of the principal residences probably of himself and certainly of his son, the ill-fated Harold. Its appearance on the Bayeux tapestry has already been alluded to, and it is possible that sentiment may have sug- gested to William the retention of a place which was once the special seat of his fallen rival. Sentiment is a more important historic factor than many will admit, but whether that or some more prosaic reason influenced him, Bosham was the only Sussex manor which the Con- ' Curia Regis, 151, m. 38. a Suss. Arch. Coll. xiviii. 14 » By Stephens, See of Chichester, and Stubbs, Reg. Sacr. Angl. amongst others.
- Mon. vi. 1165. - Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. (1901), 179.
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