1252, of the gift of four acres of land and three of wood in Westholte, granted to Dureford by Henry le Chauncelir and his wife Cecilia, in return for which the canons engaged to pay 1lb. of pepper and a pair of white gloves, or one penny in lieu thereof, as rent at Michaelmas, and to remember the donors in all their prayers (f. 156, f. 150). The manors of Mapledurham and Petersfield had been given in 1247-8 by Richard, Earl of Gloucester, to his brother William de Clare; and in 1258, when the lives of both brothers were imperilled by the treacherous poison of Walter de Scotney, it took fatal effect on William, who, after his death at Rotherfield, was brought to a grave18 in Dureford Abbey, where he was probably placed in honour by the side of Henry Hoese. In 1260, various small grants were made to the abbey. For the land of Brocehole, given them by Henry Tripet, the canons were to present a wax candle of 1lb. weight on every feast of St. George to the Church of Trotton; and this is duly recorded by Master Richard, rector of that parish, and by Thomas, the son and heir of John St. George, who received 208. for his confirmation (f. 81). Sir Ralph Sanzaver, at the feast of St. Peter ad Vincula (Aug. 1st), on the receipt of six silver marcs, secured for them a gift of John de la Bere's land at Ripseley; and this grant was honoured on the same day by the confirmatory seal of the great Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, for which six silver marcs were paid him, and a rent of 10s. promised to him and his heirs (f. 94). Among the means of testifying their gratitude to their many benefactors, besides "admitting them and their heirs to all remembrances and prayers in their church," the canons of Dureford adopted the expedient of displaying their armorial bearings on the encaustic tiles of their pavement. I must again thankfully acknowledge the able assistance afforded by Mr. Minty in laboriously collecting and arranging specimens of the broken tiles, which have been from time to time dug up near a barn in the adjoining farmyard, or scattered elsewhere. Many of these are very interesting, as bearing the arms of the founder and principal benefactors of the abbey; and by the kindness and liberality of the present proprietor, the Rev. William Legge, these have been collected for the 18 Vincent's Brooke, from Book of Tewksbury, ed. 1622, p. 220. illustration of this memoir, and specimens of them will be deposited in the Society's Museum at Lewes. The experienced skill of W. S. Walford, Esq., and Augustus W. Franks, Esq., has enabled the artist to represent in their restored form the fifteen tiles on the opposite page, though found in mutilated fragments. The original tiles measured 6 inches square. No. 1 represents the arms of France (three fleurs-de-lis) betwixt two birds. This tile has been printed as No. 21 in Mr. J. G. Nichols' Examples of Encaustic Tiles, from Warblington Church. 2. A two-headed eagle on a lozenge. 3. A two-headed eagle, charged on the breast with a shield, bearing a lion rampant. This, as well as No. 2, was probably a compliment to Richard, King of the Romans. It is No. 20 of Mr. Nichols', from Warblington. 4. A fine heraldic tile, from which one coat is missing. The three remaining are 1. A lion rampant, probably for Fitz-Allen. 2. On a chief two mullets-St. John. 3. On a chief three roundles-Camoys. The bases of these shields point to the corners of the tile. 11. A smaller tile than the rest, being 5 inches square. has two coats repeated opposite to one auother1. Three chevrons-Clare. It 2. Three bars-though the ermine chief is not shown-probably Hussey. This is No. 19 of Mr. Nichols' from Warblington. There is also an imperfect fragment of one tile here given, which has the appearance of representing coats of arms; but the heraldry is indistinct, and the shields may be merely ornamental devices; similar instances occur in other medieval works of art. Besides the tiles above noticed as having been found at Warblington, in Hampshire, four others similar to those at Dureford occur at Buriton, in the same county. The ornamental patterns are peculiarly elaborate, too much so perhaps to produce much effect as a pavement. They |