combat, the splendid feast which followed, with every other ceremony and circumstance which constituted the regular tournament.' A singular duel occurred here on the 8th of November, 1610, which is thus recorded in the parish register: "Memorandum, that on Thursdaie, being the eight of November, theire was a meting of the neyghbours, to warme Mr. John Syms his house, the seigne of the Swanne at High-crosse, among whom came John Nelham and John Whiston, whoe having some grudge or quarrell betwene them, diner being done, they two did use som private speches within themselves, taking leave of the companie, went to their houses, either of them taking his pick stafe in their handes, mett in a felde behinde Mr. Edward Barkham's house, comonly caulld or knowne by the name of Baldwin's; theare they two fought till John Nelham receyved a wound by John Whiston in his throtte, fell doone dead, and never spake word after; so the coroner, upon the Saturdaie next, sate upon him; was buried the same daie, being the 10 of Nov. 1610.” This singular duel must remind the reader of the tournament above noticed. The extensive parish of EDMONTON, is supposed to have received its denomination from the Saxon word Ædeng, noble or chief, and run, a town; it having been so considerable a township as to give name to the hundred in which it is situated. In antient records it occurs under the various names of Edelmton, Edelmeston, and Edelmeton. It appears to have been a place of some distinction long. anterior to the Norman conquest; for at Bush Hill, a large circular intrenchment was discovered, which tradition has Extre plates denominated a British oppidum; but the late Mr. Gough was of opinion that it was a Roman camp, pointing to Bury Street, in this parish, and crossing the river Lea, into Essex. In the reign of Edward the Confessor this district was possessed by Asgar, Stallarius; at the time of the Ge neral This officer has been called master of the horse, constable of the army, &c. might not Stallarius have been interpreted the woodman? In VOL. VI. No. 138. 3 D ⚫ Dr. 107.108 10g & 110 neral Survey it was holden by Geffrey de Magnavilla, as appears by the following translated extract from Domes day Book. σε Geffrey de Magnavelle holds Adelmetone. It was rated at 35 hides. The arable land contains 26 camentes. In demesne there are 16 hides and 4 camentes. The villani possess 22 ca. rucates. One villain possesses 1 hide and three others have each half a virgate; and four bordars each 5 acres, and four bordars each 4 acres, and four cottagers have 4 acres. Ten cottagers and four villains have 1 hide and 1 virgate, and these are four servants. There is a mill of 10 shillings rent, a meadow containing 26 carucates, and 25 shillings more of the above. There is pasture for the cattle, a wood sufficient for 2000 hogs, and 12 shillings rent from the wood and pasture. The whole is valued at 40 pounds. In the time of king Edward it produced 20 pounds. This manor was possessed by Asgar, the Stallere. To this manor has always been added a hamlet called Mimes, which is valued with the manor." When William the Conqueror undertook his expedition into this kingdom, Geffrey de Mandeville was one of those valorous chiefs who attended him, and so distinguished himself in his service that he rewarded him with no less than a hundred and eighteen lordships, among which was the parish we are now treating of. Walden, in Essex, afterwards became the head of the barony, and of the honor of Mandeville. This Geffrey was succeeded by his son William de Mandeville, who married Margaret, sole daughter of Eudo Dapifer, and left for successor Geffrey, whom king Stephen, and also the empress Maud, honored with the title of earl of Essex. Dr. Holyoke's Dictionary Stallaria is thus defined: "Locus nemorosus, ubi arbores, post aliquot amnorum intercapedines attendi solent fomitis, aut sepium restaurandarum gratia, nam et arbores hujus modi quibusdam Stalli, aliis Standes quasi Stationariæ dictæ sunt. Vide Spelman." It might have been a surname, as there occur among the tenents in Domesday Book, Theodoricus aurifaber, or the goldsmith; Giselburtus arbalistarius, or the cross bow maker; Walterus cocus, the cook, &c. This earl married Rohesia, the daughter of Alberic de Vere, chief justiciary of all England, and sister to Alberic the first earl of Oxford. He was slain at the siege of Burwel Castle, in 1144, and was buried in the Temple. church, London. William de Mandeville, his son and successor, dying in 1190, without issue, this great in heritance devolved on his aunt Beatrix, the widow of William de Say. She had two sons, William, (who left issue Beatrix the wife of Geffrey Fitz-Piers, afterwards earl of Essex, and Maud the wife of William de Bocland,) and Geffrey, who married Walkeline de Maminot, whose descendant Geffrey, afterwards purchased the manor of Ed monton, which was enjoyed by several of his posterity. It does not appear who were the intermediate possessors of this manor before the abovementioned Geffrey, who, according to Dugdale, died in 15 Edw. II. having a short time before purchased the manor of Edelmetone in Com. Midd. leaving it to Geffrey, his son, at that time seventeen years of age. Which Geffrey making proof of his age in 19 Edw. II. had livery of his lands, and was first summoned to parliament in 1 Edw. III. He departed this life in 33 Edw. III. leaving issue by Maud, his wife, daughter of Guy de Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, William, his son and heir; and three daughters, Idonea, married to Sir John de Clinton, of Maxstoke, in Com. Warw. knt.; Elizabeth, to Thomas de Aldone; and Joan, first to William Fenys, and afterwards to Stephen de Valoines. This last mentioned William left issue John, his son and heir, who died in his minority, and in ward to the king, in 6 Richard II. leaving Elizabeth, his sister, and heir at that time, sixteen years of age; which Elizabeth was first married to Sir John de Fallesley, knt. and afterwards to Sir William Heron, knt. and departed this life in 4 of Hen. IV. 1402. From the records in the Tower it appears that the above Sir William de Say, knt. alienated his estates in this parish to Robert Belleknappe, and John Wroth, who, in 1372, released all their right to Adam Fraunceys, citizen of Lon don, and his heirs. Before this time, viz. in 1362, we find that Sir William de Say, Richard de Plessington, and William Pymme, of Edmonton, released various other etates in this parish to the same Adam Fraunceys, citizen of London, and his heirs. Sir Adam Fraunceys the younger, was lord mayor of London in 1353, and resided at Rokholt Hall, in the parish of Leyton, in Essex. He died in 1417, and was succeeded in his great inheritance by Elizabeth, his daughter, the wife of Sir Thomas Carleton, knt. who both lie buried in the church of Edmonton; as appears from the following inscription, fortunately preserved in Weever's Funeral Monuments: Hic jacent eorpora Thome Carleton quondam Et Elisabethe uxoris ejus filie Ade Francis Militis "This tomb," says Weever, "as most of the monuments are in this church, is shamefully defaced; the inhabitants deliver by tradition, that this Carleton was a man of great command in this county; and that Sir Adam Francis, his father-in-law here nominated, was lord mayor of London about the year 1353, and one of the founders of Guildhall Chapel, or college to the said hall adjoining." Sir Thomas Carleton dying in 1447, was succeeded by his son Sir Richard Carleton, who becoming afterwards a principal adherent of king Richard III. was attainted for high treason by Henry VII. who confiscated all his estates, and among them the manor of Edmonton, which bas always since remained in the crown; of which the manor has been since held by the families of Gould and Teshmaker. There are several principal mansions in this parish, among these are Ford's Grove; the Rectory House; Durance, the antient seat of the Wroths, of which family John Wroth obtained it by the marriage of Maud, the sole daughter Ira of Thomas Durand; Wyre Hall, formerly the seat of the plates Leakes, which has been for many generations in the pos104 session of the Huxley family. 8105 BUSH |