Coucher Book

The following is an extract from an old book called, in a rather long-winded fashion, "The Coucher Book or Chartulary of Whalley Abbey Volume 1". The information which appears to date back to the 14th Century was put into a book edited by W.A. Hulton Esq. and printed for the Chetham Society MDCCCXLVII (1847). In his introduction, apologies are made by William Adam Hulton that while every effort has been made to faithfully reproduce the original there will be some mistakes. The book has been digitised by Google Books and a pdf copy (8.6MB) can be downloaded from here. Printed copies can be bought from www.amazon.co.uk

Our information about Saynte Mariden (St Mary's) begins on page 60 (page 113 of pdf)and there is a further reference on page 70 (page 123 of pdf).

For those able to read Latin, the text is replicated below. For those unable to read Latin a translation can be found further down the page.

XXX. Carta de Thome Perpount facta nobis de terra iuxta capellam de Saynte Mariden.

Sciant uniuersi tam presentes quam futuri quod ego Thom. de Perpount dedi concessi et hac presenti carta mea confirmaui Deo et beate Marie et Abati et monachis Loci Benedicti de Stanlawe ibidem Deo imppetuum seruientiby et capelle de Saynte mariden p salute anime mee et omnium antecessorum et successorum meorum in puram et ppetuam elemosinam totam terram meam iuxta eandem capellam de Saynte Mariden infra has diuisas1 scil. a cymiterio dicte capelle a parte occidentali directe usq. in le Kirkebrok, sequendo le Kirkebrok usq. le Mukelbrok, sequendo le Mukelbrok usq. ad fossatum descende ad eundem Mukelbrok, sequendo fossatum usq. in sepem que p transuersum venit a cymiterio dicte capelle a parte orientali, et sic siquendo sepem usq. ad cymiterium predictum. Tenend. et habend. de me herediby meis imppetuum libere, bene, et in pace et honorifice, cum omniby ptinentijs et aisiamentis in omniby locis et rebus sub terra et super terram ville de Rumword ptinentiby, sicut aliqua elemosyna vel terra ecclesie liberius et quietius dari aut haberi potest. Nichil inde reddendo alicui nisi preces et orationes, sicut scriptum Roberti Gredelay capitalis dñi predicti feodi quod Abbas de Stanl. et conuentus eiusdem Loci penes se habent de concessione et confirmatione predicte terre plenius testatur. Ego vero dictus T. et heredes mei totam predictam terram infra supra scriptas diuisas cum ptinentijs et libertatiby, sicut prelocutum est, dictis Abbati et conuentui de Stanl. et prenominate capelle contra omnes homines et feminas imppetuum warantizabimus acquietatibimns et defendemus. Et ut hec nostra donatio et concessio rata et stabilis pmaneat presenti scripto sigillum meum apposui. Hijs testiby, dño Joh. de Biron, Dauid de Hulton,2 Ric. de Workedel, Ric.2 fil. Johannis fil. Meuric., Rob. de Schoresworth, et alijs.

XXXI. Confirmatio Roberti de Gredeley3 de predicta terra de Saynte Mariden.

Aniuersis ad quos presens scriptum puenerit Robertus Gredeley dñus de Mamecester salutem in dño. Noueritis me caritatis intuitu et p salute anime mee et omnium antecessorum et successorum meorum concessisse et hac presenti carta mea confirmasse Deo et beate Marie et Abbati et monachis Loci Benedicti de Stanlawe et capelle eorumde Saynte mariden totam terram iuxta eandem capellam cum ptinentijs et libertatiby suis quam T. de Perpount eis dedit in puram et ppetuam elemosynam infra has diuisas, scil. a cymiterio dicte capelle &c. ut in carta prox. precedente, usq. ad illud verbum, sequendo sepem usq. ad cymiterium sicut carta ptestatur quam dicti Abbas et conuentus de dicto Thoma habent. Ita quod nec ego nec aliquis heredum meorum aliquid de dicta terra exigere vel vendicare possimus imppetuum nisi preces et orationes. Sed sit libera et quieta ab omni exactione mei et heredum meorum sicut aliqua elemosyna vel terra ecclesie liberius et quietus obtinetur. In cuius rei testimonium presenti scripto sigillum meum apposui. Hijs testiby, dño Joh. de Biron, Henr. de Trafford, Ric. de Moston, Rogero de Penhulb.,Dauid de Hulton, Rob. de Schoreswrd., Willo de Radeclif, et alijs. Acc. apud Mamecestr. die Sancti Bonifacij anno regni regis. Edw. fil. H. regis quarto.

In English

XXX: Charter of Thom Perpount, made for us concerning the land next to the chapel of Saint Mariden.

Let all present and future know that I, Thom de Perpount, have given, granted, and by this my present charter confirmed to God, blessed Mary, and the Abbot and monks of the place of Benedict of Stanlawe, serving God there in perpetuity, and to the chapel of Saint Mariden, for the salvation of my soul and [those] of all my ancestors and descendants in pure and perpetual alms my whole land next to the same chapel of Saint Mariden within these borders1, namely from the cemetery of the afore-mentioned chapel from the Western part directly as far into Kirkebrok, following Kirkebrok as far as Middlebrook, following Middlebrook right up to the ditch going down to the same Middlebrook, following the ditch as far as the hedge which comes on a slant from the afore-mentioned cemetery of the chapel from the Eastern part, and thus following the hedge right up to the afore-mentioned cemetery; to have and to hold from me and my heirs in perpetuity, freely, properly, in peace and honourably with all appurtenances and easements in all places and matters, below the land and above the land pertaining to the house of Rumword, just as any alms or land of the church can be given or held quite freely or quietly; paying nothing to anybody hereafter except prayers and sermons, just as the document of Robert Gredelay, the chief lord of the afore-mentioned fief, which the Abbot of Stanlawe, and the convent of the same Place have in their possession, concerning the granting and confirmation of the afore-mentioned land quite fully testifies. Indeed I, the said Thom, and my heirs shall guarantee, defend and acquit all the afore-mentioned land within the above-written borders, with their appurtenances and freedoms, just as was said before, to the Abbot and convent of Stanlawe and the afore-named chapel against all men and women in perpetuity. And so that this, my gift and grant, may always remain right and stable I have set my seal to this present document. These being witnesses: my lord John de Biron, David de Hulton,2 Richard de Workedel, Richard2 son of John son of Meuric., Robert de Schoresworth, and others.

XXXI Confirmation of Robert de Gredelay concerning the afore-mentioned land of Saint Mariden

To all those to whom the present document shall come, Robert de Gredelay, lord of Mamecester, greeting in the Lord. You should know that I, through a sense of charity, and for the salvation of my soul and [those] of all my ancestors and descendants, have granted and by this my present charter confirmed to God, the Blessed Mary, the Abbot and the monks of the Place of Benedict of Stanlawe, and to their chapel of Saint Mariden, the whole land next to that same chapel, with their appurtenances and freedoms, which Thom de Perpount gave to them in pure and perpetual alms within these borders, namely from the cemetery of the afore-mentioned chapel, et cetera, as in the immediately preceding charter, right up to that word, following the hedge, right up to the cemetery, just as the charter testifies, which the said Abbot and convent of the said Thom hold. In such a way that neither I nor anyone of my heirs may be able to demand or assert anything concerning the afore-mentioned chapel in perpetuity except prayers and sermons. But rather let it be free and quiet from every demand from me and my heirs just as any alms or land of the church is obtained quite freely and quietly. In testimony of which matter I have set my seal to this present document. These being witnesses: my lord John of Biron, Henry of Trafford, Richard of Moston, Roger of Penhulb, David of Hulton, Robert of Schoresworth, Willo of Radeclif, and others. This took place at Mamecester on Saint Boniface's day in the fourth year of the reign of King Edward, son of King Henry.

Notes
1 These boundaries define precisely the present glebe attached to the church at Deane. The name Mukelbrok has, by an easy transition, been corrupted into Middle-brook, and the term Kirkebrok is now lost. But the brook remains, and flows, as it did six hundred years since, within a few yards of the western wall of the church yard direct to the Mukel-brook.
2 See ante, p.52
3 See p.40

The Second Section [page 70 (page 123 of pdf)]

Et etiam donationem nobilis viri Johannis de Lascy, comitis, Lincoln, de ecclesia de Eccles cum capella de Saynte mariden, et ceteris suis, ptinentijs, et concessionem bone memorie Alex. predecessoris nostri, simul cum confirmationibs capiulorum Couentr. et Lich. et etiam Alex. pape quarti sup eisdem; ...