OMNIBUS ad quos presens scriptum puenerit, Ricardus Blundel salutem in dño. Noueritis me p salute anime mee, patrie mei, et matris mee, antecessorum et successorum meorum, dedisse et concessisse et hac presenti carta mea confirmasse Deo et beate Marie de Stanlawe, et monachis ibidem Deo seruientib3, Henricum* filium Rogeri filij Willmi de Ynes, Ricardum et Rober-

* It was made a reproach to tho monastic orden that they purchased men con trary to the spirit of the Gospel. The defence of Peter of Clugni to such an accusation, affords so striking a view of the miseries the villein was ordinarily exposed to, and the benefits he received by being transferred to a religious establish ment, that no apology for its insertion is necessary: — "Every body sees how secular masters rule over their peasants, servants, and handmaids; for they are not satisfied with their accustomed and due service, but always unmercifully claim their persons with their property, and their property with their persons. Hence it is, that beside their accustomed payments, they three or four times in the year, or as often as they please, spoil them of their goods, they oppress them with innumerable claims of service, they lay upon them grievous and insupportable burthens. Hence they force many to leave their native soil and fly to foreign parts; and (what is worse) their very persons, which Christ has redeemed with so rich a price — even his own blood — they are not afraid to sell for one so mean, that is, for money. Now monks, though they may have such possessions, do not possess thom in the same way, but very differently; for they employ only the lawful and due services of the peasants to procure the conveniences of life. They harass them with no exactions, they impose no intolerable burdens, and if they see them in want they maintain them at their own expense. They have servants and handmaids, not as

524 Eit. bе Ше, ©atietoalteeet, et Œoxetatij.

tum fratres suos cum tota secta de proprijs corрonb3 eorum pueniente. Ita quod ego Ricardus vel heredes mei aliquid iuris vel calumpnie in predictis Henrico, Ricardo, et Roberto vel eorum secta, ut predictum est, nunquam de cetero poterimus habere vel exigere. Et quia firmiter volo quod hec mea donatio et coucessio robur optineat firmi- tatis, presenti scripto sigillum meum apposui. Hijs testib3, Willmo Blundel clerico, Alano Norres, Roberto de Molyneus, Willmo Russel, Ada de Aynolnesdale, Roberto de Thorneton, Ricardo filio Ricardi de Thorneton, et alijs.