Leland's Itinerary of England and Wales: Volume I, Appendix III.

APPENDIX III 327

Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, etc.

I remembre that I redde in an olde booke of Ramesey that such a yere dyed Thomas Brotherton, Edward the firste sunne, that was litle or nothing profitable to the realme.

Orwelle in Cambridgeshire longith to the Richemonte landes; and one towne that there be, sum vestigia of sum auncient place.

The Richemont fee is very notable in many parts of Cambridgeshir. And many be beneficiarii and pay chief rent to this fee.

I perceyuid by a graunt of King Henry the 4. that afore the blake freres inhabitid the place in Southfolk hard a this side Thetforde bridge wher they last dwellith, that ons was an hospital caullid Measun de deu. And in the ende of this charter and graunte, mention is made of John County of Warwike and Henry Duke of Lancastre, graundfather to King Henry the 4. by his mother side. And yn this grauntid Edmunde Gundeuille is especially namid to be prayed for by the freres.

From Cambridge to Hauston [a] millis 3. miles. Thens vii.

[a] Hauxton.

328 LELAND'S ITINERARY

miles to Reiston, [a] and 4. miles a this side Reiston ouer a broket and by a mille side.

Al this 10. mile champayne withowt enclosier and barein of wood.

Reiston standith in a mene valley bytwixt to hilles. And yet is the toune self set as on a swelling ground. The market place standith in Hertfordshire. The other parte of ye toune in Cambridgeshire.

There touche as I lernid in that toune iurisdiction of London, Ely, and Lincoln diecese.

The toune itself is but of a mene building.

In the toune is but one chirche the este part wherof seruid a late for the priory of chanons.

The weste ende seruid for a chapel for the toune. For afore the late parlament the toune longgid to a 2. or 3. paroches with owte the towne. Now al the toune is allottid to one paroche and that ys kept in the est ende of the priory, and the west ende ys pullid doune.

The market at Reyston on the wennesday is meruelusly frequentid, espetially with corne.

I haue harde Mr. Garter say that the fascion of coronations of kinges, that were solemn isid at Kingeston apon the Tamise afore the conqueste were made apon schaffoldes yn the midle of the market place.

Clereualx dwellith at Crofte bridge apon Tese. These Clereualx were yn tyme of mynde men of uery fair landes. Ther is Croft and Croftbridg by it. Croft is in Yorkshir.

Rosamundes tumbe at Godestow nunnery was taken up a late, it at had a stone, with this inscription, Tumba Rosamundae, her bones were closid in lede, and with yn that the bones were closid yn leder. When it was openid ther was a uery swete smell cam owt of it.

[a] Royston.

APPENDIX III 329

Ther is a crosse hard by Godestow with this inscription,

Qui meat hac oret szgnum salutis adoret Utque sibi detur veniam Rosamunda precetur.

There was a priory in Southereys [a] of the French order as I suppose, caullid Ryslyppe, and was impropriatid to the Kinges college yn Cambridge.

[a] Southerey, Surrey. Ryslip, now Ruislip, is however in Middlesex; it was a cell to the Abbey of Bec, in Normandy.