besides their plate and other goods, computed at £100,000 more ;—and in 1538, the greater monas teries were suppressed.

The better to reconcile the people to this great innovation, accounts were published of the detestable lives which the friars lived in their convents; the relics, also, and other remains of superstitious veneration, were now brought forth, and became objects of derision to the reformers. The king, in the whole, suppressed 645 monasteries; of which 28 had abbots who held seats in parliament: -with 90 colleges, 2374 chantries and free chapels, and 110 hospitals. The whole revenue of those establishments amounted to £161,100. Such was the conduct of Henry ;-such were the disasters which befel the monks, &c., and which decided their fate in this kingdom.

Whatever good resulted from the dissolution of those religious houses, no ingenuous person can justify the measures which the king adopted to accomplish his purposes, in pulling down houses, and taking property from their owners. Such however was the fact, and the priory at Keldholme, which is the next article in this volume, was one of those religious houses which the merciless vengeance of the times reduced to ruins.

KILDENHOLM, KELDON, KELDEHOLM, OR KELDHOLM,

In the parish of Kirkby-Moorside, and in the wap◄ entake of Rydale, is about a mile east of the town,

on the river Dove. It is a romantic situation, through which the road passes to Malton and Scarborough. The spinning of flax and tow is carried on here, by Mr. Caleb Fletcher, who has a neat dwelling house, and a convenient factory surmounted with a cupola, and displaying in every part neatness and attention.

Extracts from Burton's Monasticon, and the Records in the Augmentation Office, London.

Robert de Stuteville in the time of Henry I. founded a cistercian nunnery here, and dedicated it to the blessed virgin. From Robert the founder, the patronage descended to the family of the Wakes, Lords of Lyddel.

A charter of king John, made in the second year of his reign, A. D. 1201, grants and confirms to the nuns of St. Mary, serving God at Keldeholm, by gift of Robert de Stuteville, and by grant of William de Stuteville his heir, the place itself of Keldeholm, with all the cultivated land towards the north, by the divisions determined in the deeds and an inclosure for their vegetables, and the mill, with the soc and multure of Kirkeby, with all the land towards the south, and the meadow, as far as the divisions in the same deeds; with pasture in the wood of Ravenwick.

About the time of the dissolution, here were a prioress and eight nuns ; at that time the revenues of this priory, pursuant to statute of 27 Henry VIII., were very small and inconsiderable; being no more per annum, than £29, 6s. 1d.

The possessions of this nunnery or priory, remained so short a time in the hands of the crown, that the minister or receiver had no opportunity of returning his annual account of receipt and expenditure.

In 2 Henry IV, Edmund de Holland, Earl of Kent, died, seized of two parts of the advowson of this priory, then valued at £2. per annum; which had been given by Edward III, to Edmund, Earl of Kent, his uncle.

The scite of the priory was granted by letters patent, in the 30 Henry VIII., to Ralph, Earl of Westmoreland; whose ancestors were then said to be founders.

An alphabetical list of the Places granted to this

Priory;

Bergh, or Borugh, Magna et parva.-The nuns had lands here, according to Kirby's inquest.

Beregby.-Thurstan de Beregby gave six oxgangs of land here.

Bodlum, or Beadlam.-Robert de Surdeval gave two tofts here.

Brandeshal, now Bransdale.-Robert de Stuteville, and William de Stuteville, gave pasture in this place.

Crofton.-Ernald de Benefeld gave one croft here, nigh the fountain towards the south, with one croft towards the north, near the river of Hamcliff. Cropton.-Ernald de Benefield gave half a carucate, viz. four oxgangs of land.

Edeston Hugh del Tuit gave the mill here,

with the culture of land, called Colesisland; with two acres in Selliflat.

Evennit.-William de Stuteville gave all the land of Evennit, as specified by the boundaries.

Fadmore. Robert de Maltby, and Emma his wife; and Jordan de Bolteby and Sibilla his wife, gave two oxgangs of land here; which William de Stuteville confirmed.

Farendale, Farndale.-Robert and William de Stuteville gave materials for buildings, fencings, and fuel, out of this place.

Gillingmore-Mill.-Nicholas de Stuteville gave an annuity of four marks out of this mill.

Habbeton, magna and parva.-William, son of William, son of Nicholas de Habbeton, gave ten oxgangs, in the field of Habbeton parva, with tofts, crofts, and all the arable land he had in Benediflat; and with the common of pasture, in the place called Milne-green, near the bridge of Newsom; also all the arable land in Hornse and Geldilandes, with common of pasture in Hornse, and common pasture through the moor of Habbeton magna, for 200 sheep; and with common pasture for all kinds of cattle, through the manor of Habbeton parva ;-now Habton. He also granted them liberty to dig turf on the moor of Habbeton magna; and confirmed all that had been given to the nuns by his ancestors, in these places.

Ede, son of Askill, gave one carucate of land here. William, son of Ingald, of little Habbetón, gave two oxgangs in this place, with a toft.

Horseford. See the agreement below.

Ingleby.-Ralph Paen and Columba, his wife, and William his son and heir, gave twenty-five acres of land, with pasture thereto belonging, in this place; and the said William also gave seven acres, one perch and a half, of his demesnes, with two carucates here, and twenty-eight acres in offerings.

William, son of Ranulph, and Hawise, his wife, gave one acre of land here.

Alexander, son of Columba de Engleby, before or about 1199, 1 of King John, with the consent of his heirs, gave to the nuns of Duna, two carucates of land here; and also confirmed sixty-three acres of arable ground, with all other grants of his ancestors. Robert de Stuleville gave two carucates here. Keldholm.-Robert de Stuteville gave this place, with all the cultivated land towards the north, as mentioned in the charters. He also gave the mill, with the soc✶ and multuret of Kirkeby, with all the land towards the south, and the meadow, according to the boundaries, with pasture in the wood of Ra

The word soc, in law, is an ancient privilege, which a lord of a manor claims in his court, of holding plea in causes of debate arising from his tenants and vassals ;and of imposing and levying fines and amercements touching the same. The word is Saxon, and literally signifies cause, contest, &c. When the soc was given, the donor gave them his right relating to that property ;-he gave it to them with all the privileges belonging to it: it was free property.

+ Multure is a certain stipulated quantity of meal, given as payment to the proprietor or tacksman of a mill, for grinding corn; and all corn ground on farms that led to the mill, was obliged to pay multure, whether it be ground at that mill, or elsewhere.