tain their hold—it was not to be expected that the place itself—to which its monastery was all in all-could, amid such changes and confusion, materially increase. We therefore find, that at the period of this survey, it was no burgh, or walled town, but simply a vill— "Evesham villa:" its inhabitants being described by the term manentium, and not as burgesses. By this we understand them to have been then exempt from summons to the sheriff's tourn; serving only at the abbot's court, as being within the bailiwick of his hundred. From the period of Domesday we may, however, safely date the progress of the town toward that degree of eminence to which it soon attained. It had, after the Conquest, been unusually screened from rapine by the subservience of abbot Eyelwey. After that event, its abbots, protected by the Norman kings, continued stationary; and our native monasteries being then peopled with foreign monks who had followed the invading army, 356 the inmates of this convent rapidly augmented. Thus shortly after the accession of William the Conqueror, we find that during the abbacy of Eyelwey, the members of the convent had increased from twelve to thirtysix 357 And at the close of Robert's abbacy-who was second in rotation from Eyelwey-the church and monastery as we have seen 358 had been rebuilt, and the number of inmates was augmented to a hundred and fifty-three. This remarkable increase was doubtless attended by a proportionate addition to the number of inhabitants beyond the abbey walls. For, in the then comparatively settled state of William's acquired territory, when even the Saxon Chronicle admits that a man "might go over his kingdom unhurt, with his bosom full of gold," 359 many would naturally prefer this spot, famed for its sanctity and fertility, and tenanted by holy men, the professed guides, councillors, and assistants, of the helpless, the ignorant, and the poor. And well-as is honestly observed by Southey-did these men then deserve their popularity. "Wherever monasteries were 356Each fresh levy of armed soldiers was escorted by a new troop of tonsured clergy, who landed on the shores of England to gaainger, as it was then expressed." -Thierry's Norman Conquest, 8vo. 1841, book iv. p. 92. 357 See page 99, ante. 359 66 358 See page 101. Amongst other things, is not to be forgotten, that good peace that he [William I.] made in this land. So that a man of any account might go over his kingdom, unhurt, with his bosom full of gold."-Saxon Chronicle, by Ingram, p. 295. founded, marshes were drained or woods cleared, and wastes brought into cultivation : the means of subsistence were increased by improved agriculture, and by improved horticulture new comforts were added to life. The humblest, as well as the highest pursuits, were followed in these great and most beneficial establishments. While part of the members were studying the most inscrutable points of theology, and indulging themselves in logical subtelties of psychological research .... others were employed in teaching babes and children the rudiments of useful knowledge; others as copyists, limners, carvers, workers in wood and in stone and in metal, and in trades and manufactures, of every kind which the community required." 360 Nor should we, even while convinced of the afterabuses of such institutions, refuse to consider that throughout the ages of their worst condition all were not ignorant or indolent whom they then contained. For to their lonely cells had constantly and most naturally been attracted, during the circle of eight hundred years, some of the most pious, thoughtful, and talented of the nation. Having, in copying the Domesday survey of Evesham, presented the earliest information of the actual state of that division of the subsequent town; it now remains that we transcribe from the same venerable record, similar information respecting that portion of the modern borough, which stands upon the eastern bank of the river and retains in the present appellation of Bengeworth—its original, and almost uninjured, Anglo-saxon name. At the time of Domesday, this parish formed part of the manor of Cropthorne ; which had, according to Nash, been given to the cathedral of Worcester by king Burhred.361 Bengeworth is therefore first registered under the manor of Cropthorne, among the land belonging to the church of Worcester. The following portion of this entry relates particularly to the property possessed in Bengeworth parish. De ead. M. ten. abb. de Evesha. iiij. hid. in Bennicworte et ibid. ten. Erso uicecom. vi. hid, et ibi. ht. iz, car. et rij. uill. et ij. bord. cu. iij car. et dimid. Ebi. ví. serui. et í. ancilla et vi. ac. p'ti. Walb. Ix, sol, modo, iijj lib, et x. solid. Of this, a very close translation may be given thus :-"Of the same manor [Cropthorne] the abbot of Evesham holds four hides, in 350 Southey's Book of the Church, v. i. 361 Nash's Worcestershire, v. ii. p. 60. Bengeworth. And in the same place Urso the sheriff holds six hides, and hath there [in demesne] two carucates and twelve villani,362 and two bordarii with three carucates and a half. Here are six servi,363 and one ancilla,3 ,364 and six acres of pasture. It was worth sixty solidi; now, four libræ and ten solidi." On a succeeding folio of the original, under "Lands of the Church of Evesham," Bengeworth again occurs. In this second entry the property of the abbey is principally noticed; as that of Urso had been before : Epsa æccla. ten. iiij. hið. að Beningeorde. et vTM hid. ten. Urso. Has v. hið. diratiocinauit Walt. abb. ad Eldebergam in iiij sciris cora. epo. baiocensi et aliis baronibz regis. Ebi sunt. ij. car. et v. uilli et il. harð. cu. ii car. Ebi bt. serui Of this, a literal rendering may be given thus :-" The same church [Evesham] holds four hides in Bengeworth,365 and Urso holds five hides [there]; these five hides abbot Walter [of Evesham] laid claim to, at Ildeberga in the four shires, before the bishop of Bajeux and other barons of the king. Here are [in demesne] two carucates and five villani, and two bordarii hold two carucates; [there are] also six servi. In king Edward's time it was worth sixty solidi; and afterward fifty solidi; and now, sixty solidi again." In the former 362 Villani. The clearest notion of this class, is considered to be that conveyed by Sir William Blackstone, in the following passage. "Villeins belonged principally to manorial lords, being either annexed to the soil or to the person of the lord, and transferable by deed from one owner to another. They held small portions of land, by way of sustaining their families, but it was at the mere will of the lord; and this upon villein services such as carrying out dung, hedging, ditching, and any other the meanest offices. A villein could acquire no property either in lands or goods; but if he purchased either, the lord might enter upon them, oust the villein, and seise them to his own use."-Blackstone's Commentaries, vol. ii. 363 Servi are uniformly distinguished from villani in Domesday Book. The former appear to have been villeins of the lowest grade, who without any determined tenure of land were servilely employed by the lord, maintained, and paid, at his discretion. -Compare Kennett, in Parochial Antiquities. 364 Ancillæ appear to have been female servi, employed in domestic and servile offices at the will of the lord. Their chastity was, however, protected by the laws. -Compare Ellis's Introduction to Domesday Book. 365 These four hides constituted the land acquired by abbot yelwey, to which the bishop of Worcester had previously laid claim before the kings' justiciaries; upon which, it was agreed that the abbot of Evesham should continue to hold, by doing homage to the bishop.-See the Agreement in Heming's Cartulary, p. 75. entry,―on page 157-Urso is said to hold six hides; here they are stated as five. The abbot of Evesham probably grounded his claim to these hides of Urso upon the alleged charter of St. Ecgwin, wherein Bengeworth is enumerated among the villages annexed to his foundation by himself.366 This claim, however, seems not to have been admitted by the royal justiciaries; the land in dispute being here registered as still retained by Urso. In both the entries respecting Bengeworth, its Saxon termination is retained;367 thus proving it to have been even then a village. As regards the orthographical deviation from the former entry, observable in the name, -that, doubtless, was occasioned by the provincial pronunciation of the respondents in replying to the queries of the commissioners. From these early intimations respecting Evesham and Bengeworth-since consolidated into one town, we now proceed to notice circumstances connected with its appearance at various, but more recent periods. From a perambulation made in the 28th of Edward I. we learn that Evesham was, prior to that period, included within the royal forest of Feckenham; and that it had been so afforested since the reign of Henry II. when that king at the beginning of his reign enlarged the forest of Feckenham, of which, according to Tindal, this abbey had liberty.368 But from the evidence given before the king's justices in the above year, 1300, respecting the original bounds of the forest, Evesham was at that time disafforested, and several adjacent villages likewise. The town is at present divided into three parishes; styled All-saints, St. Lawrence, and Bengeworth; the latter being separated from the rest, by the Avon running between. The town comprises four principal or main streets; High-street, Vine-street, and Bridgestreet on the west; with Port-street, on the eastern, or opposite side. From these there branch out several others; the chief of which are Cowl-street, Ode-street, 369 and Bewdley-street. In addition to these, a considerable number of buildings has recently 366" Hæc verò sunt nomina villarum quas, ut supradictum est, acquisivi; Eovesham, Benyagurth," etc.-Bp. Ecgwin's Charter, copied in Dugdale and Tindal. 367 From the Saxon peoɲd [weorth], signifying, according to Ingram, a village. 368 Tindal's History of Evesham, page 86. 360 Now corrupted to Cole and Oat; though ancient documents present the above as their original appellation. been erected upon that open space between the site of the monastery and its ancient vineyard-still known by the Saxon appellation of the "Merstowe Green." 370 Though this latter spot seems to have been pre-occupied by spacious dwellings at an earlier period. One of these remains unaltered, west of the present Trumpet Inn; and another, yet more extensive, though now altered and divided, stands further west, where was recently a tan-yard. As might be expected in a town commencing under such circumstances as have already been alluded to in the present chapter, the more ancient portions are found in the immediate vicinity of its monastery. This antiquity is particularly discernible in the situation, limited width, and ancient vestiges, discoverable in Bridgestreet. Among these vestiges the present Crown Hotel is worthy of observation-though, while we print this sheet, it is undergoing considerable alteration,-as being evidently an ancient hostelry, of which much of the external galleries of communication remains; 370 Compounded of the Saxon words mene [mere] and rrop [stow], signifying a marshy dwelling-place. |