piendo in vi obediencie vobis injungimur ut si qui ex vestris parrochiis monachis de Margan injurias vel dampna aliqua inferre presumpserint singuli vestrum in malefactores vobis nominatos nostra auctoritate ecclesiasticam exerceatis justiciam. ipsaque sententia firmiter per vestras parrochias faciatis observari donec predictis monachis de injuriis et dampnis illatis congrue satisfecerint nostre similiter jure reservato. Vale. (Circa 1220.) .... Seal of white wax, broken. Figure of a bishop standing in act of blessing, feet gone. Legend, “igill . . . . ns Epi. . . . On reverse in oval centre (not entire) two profiles of men, perhaps Roman soldiers, gazing at each other, separated by a staff, crossed at head. Legend, “In . . . . tat omne verbum.” William, Prior of Goldcliff co. Mon. was consecrated to Llandaff Oct. 1219, and died 1229. XXVI. Compositio inter Abbatem de Margan et Heliam Clericum de Novo-Castro. [Harl. Cart. A. 34]. Sciant omnes tam presentes quam futuri quod hec compositio facta est inter Abbatem monachosque de Margan et Heliam clericum Novi Castelli super questione quarundam decimarum terre Sturmi. Quod scilicet ipse Helias inspecta et audita conscriptione W. Decani de Wrenit et J. Prioris de Owein necnon et carta testimonii bone recordationis N. Landavensis Episcopi de ecclesia terre Sturmi et priori querela que Gillebertus predecessor ipsius Helie moverat aliquando adversus prefatos monachos temporibus pie memorie Abbatis Conani conventionem illam quam pro bono pacis factam constat per omnia sponte concessit et sacramento firmavit se cunctis diebus vite sue sine dolo et malo ingenio et omni retractatione servaturam recipiendo annuatim tres solidos prius prefator Gilleberto antecessor suo a prefatis monachis concessos. Salve si quas decimas dederit vel vendiderit predictis monachis de Margan in territorio Novi Castelli ecclesia de Novo Castello nullum prejudicium vel juris sui dampnum pacietur. Testibus R. Abbate de Margan. J. Priore. Godefrido monacho. Henrico Hospitali. Robberto Sacrista. Phillippo de Marecros seniore et Philippo juniore. Hamone clerico. Waltero filio Marchere et aliis pluribus. (In dorso.)-Compositio inter monachos de Margan et Heliam clericum. Probably in the Abbacy of Roger, 1196-1203. Novum-Castellum is Newcastle by Bridgend. Wrenit, is the rural deanery of Groneth. Philip de Marcross, the earliest of the name on record, is mentioned by Giraldus as attending on Henry II about 1189. Mr. Traherne records an agreement between W. de Barri and John de la Mare, witnessed by this Philip in 1201, as is a Barri Charter to Neath before 1207 [75 B. 5 b.], and a charter to Margam, granted by W. de Londres about 1210 [H. C. 75 C. 30]. Philip also witnessed a final concord between Gilbert de Turbervile and Margam about the same time. This Philip seems to have lived to see his son Philip of mature age, since Philip senior and junior witness together the above composition between Margam and Helias, clerk of Newcastle, without date, but early in the thirteenth century. Mr. Traherne mentions a Walter de Marcross, who witnessed a grant by Thomas Lawilis, of uncertain date. According to Meyrick, the daughter of Sir Philip de Marcross married William Pincerna, son of Simon de Halweia; and thus Marcross passed into the family of Pincerna or Butler. WILLIAM Pincerna was son of SIMON de Halweia, and of kin to Sampson de Halweia, who exchanged Gelligarn for Little Ham, co. Devon, with the Abbot of Neath, though about this is some obscurity, since Sir Richard Pincerna is said to have inherited Gelligarn from the Le Sores. William was father of RICHARD, and JOHN, and a DAUGHTER called le Butiler; Butler, or Cupbearer, in Latin Pincerna, being their hereditary office under the Lords of Glamorgan. Richard, called Lord Richard le Butiler, died before 1262, childless, leaving JOAN his heir, a minor, who was a ward to Earl Richard de Clare at his death 1262-3. John, brother of Richard, had a son, WILLIAM Pincerna, and two daughters. William left one child, Joan la Butiliere, who died under age. The three ladies, sisters, the one of Richard, and two of William, contested the heirship of the Marcross and Butiler estate, How this was settled is not recorded, but one of them probably married a de la Bere, and John de la Bere held the Marcross half-fee in 1320. Margery, daughter and heiress of this John, is generally reputed to have married Sir Elias Bassett, son of Thomas Bassett, of St. Hilary, and ancestor of the Bassetts, of Beaupre. Marcross, however, before and after the Bassett match, was the residence of a family of Van. John Van, or de Ann, said to be of Cornish descent, held at his death, of the heirs of Hugh le Despenser, the manor of Marcross by the service of one knight's fee, annual value 37s. 6d., when his son and heir was John. The Welsh pedigrees state that the elder John obtained the manor by marriage with Cecil, daughter and coheir of Lewis Marcross, Thomas Bassett marrying the other sister, for which statement there seems not even a probability. The Vans held Marcross till towards 1700. They were ancestors of those of Marshfield and Llanwern, and of several cadet branches. XXVII.-Epistola fratris G. Abbatis Cisterciensis. Venerabilibus et in Christo dilectis abbati et conventui de Margan frater G. dictus abbas Cisterciensis totusque conventus abbatium capituli generalis eternam in Christo salutem. Clamor exordinacionis miserabilium abbatiarum Hibernie ordinis nostre sepe delatus ad nos nuper manifeste nobis innotuit per visitatores in auctoritate et potestate nostra specialiter ad hoc destinatos ut viderent et scirent si clamorem opere complevissent qui etiam firmiter asserebant, quod prefate abbatie non possent in ordine reformari et relevari a paupertate nimia qua laborant nisi ad munus alique majores abbatie subtracte suis inordinatis matribus que pro tanta culpa merente jure suo privari et aliis ordinatis abbatiis perpetuo jure supponantur. Et quia ordinis zelo accensi pro salute animarum et ordine reformando vultis recipere in filiam abbatiam de Sancta Cruce que hucusque fuit filia de magis eandem abbatiam nobis et ecclesie nostre ex certa scientia et plenitudine potestatis damus in filiam perpetuo possidendam vobis qui districte precipimus quatinus decetero ad reformandam predictam abbatiam filiam nostram in spiritualibus et temporalibus taliter sollicite intendatis ut anime salventur. Et nos non cogamur predictam adoptationem. aliquando immutare. Datum anno gratie m°cc° viscesimo octavo. Tempore capituli generalis. (Endorsed).-Donacio Abbatis Cisterciensis Abbatie de Sancto Cruce. Appended is a fragment of a circular seal of brown wax bearing a part of the figure of an abbot, with the legend, + SIGILLVM ABBATIS .. .. IS. 75 A. 4 is a duplicate of this letter in all but the date, which is there 1227. XXVIII.-Protectio Henrici Regis. [Mus. Brit. Cart. Harl. 75 A. 10.] Henricus Dei gratia Rex Anglie Dominus Hibernie Dux Normannie Aquitanie et Comes Andegavie omnibus ballivis et fidelibus suis salutem Sciatis nos suscepisse in protectionem et defensionem nostram homines terras redditus possessiones et omnes res Abbatis et monachorum de Margan in mari et terra. Et ideo vobis mandamus quod homines terras redditus possessiones et omnes res predictorum Abbatis et monachorum in mari et in terra manuteneatis protegatis et defendatis nullam eis inferrentes vel inferri permittentes molestiam injuriam dampnum aut. . . . . . et si quid eis forisfactum fuerit id eis sine dilacione faciatis emendari. In cujus rei testimonium has litteras nostras patentes eis fieri fecimus. Teste me ipso apud Merewell xxviii die Maii anno regni nostri duodecimo [1228]. XXIX.-Quietaclamatio Mabille de Bona villa dotis suæ in Bonevillestun. [Harl. Chart. 75, B. 14.] Sciant presentes et futuri quod ego Mabilla de Bona villa consilio amicorum meorum quietam clamavi Deo et ecclesie beate Marie de Margan et monachis ibidem Deo servientibus totam dotem meam in terra de Bonevillestun pro octo libris sterlingorum. Et ego warantizabo istud contra omnes homines quamdiu vixero. Hiis testibus Reimundo de Sulia. Roberto Samson. Galfrido de Bonavilla. Henrico de Bonavilla. Simone de Bonavilla. Radulfho portario. Willielmo de Kerd' monachis de Margan et multis aliis. [Circa 1230.] 66 Oblong seal of dark green wax, twelve inches in diameter. In the centre is a gem inscribed in Arabic [translated] son of Mafhoud." Legend, "S' Mabilie de Bonavilla." There is no pedigree of the Glamorgan Bonvilles, who are said to have come in with the early Norman settlers, and certainly gave name to Bonvileston, called by the Welsh Tre-Simwn, from Sir Simon de Bonville, the reputed founder. The parish church is dedicated to St. Mary, but no pure Welsh name for the parish has been preserved, in which it resembles Sully, Cogan, Barry, and some others. The "Tre," or stronghold, was placed in a field south of the church, in the low ground, where the circumscribing fosse and part of the enceinte wall still remain. The main stock of the Bonvilles settled in Somerset and Devon, and were of Wescomb and Shute in the latter county. Pole says that John de Bonville was of Bonvileston in Plymlegh, co. Devon, 27 H. III and 50 Ed. III. They also gave their name to a village in Pembrokeshire. The estate of the Glamorgan Bonvilles seems to have been gradually absorbed by Margam. John de Boneville tested an Humfranville charter to that abbey before 1205 [75, D. 15], and himself fifty acres, included in King John's confirmation. Mabel de Bonavilla, as recorded above, gave up her dower in Bonvileston for £8 sterling, and Geoffrey, Henry, and Simon, no doubt near kinsmen of her husband, test the document. Robert de Bonville and Juliana his wife gave lands in Craumere to Tewkesbury. [N. M. iv, 73. gave The Close Roll of 1297 [25 Ed. I, M. 18, 9 May] mentions James de Bonevill and Amabilia his wife, as co-complainants with Simon de Ralee and Johanna his wife; the subject being no doubt the heritage of the two wives, who were probably coheirs of de Reigny. It is probable that Amabilia died childless. Some time after Mabel's charter, perhaps about 1250, Robert de Bonevilla and Aliza his wife, conveyed to Margam his whole fee of Bonevileston, to be held of him and his heirs at 3 marcs sterling annually, saving the service of half a knight, for which the monks were to answer to the Lords of Wunfull or Wenvoe, whom we thus learn to have been the lords superior of Bonvileston. [75, B. 19.] Next, probably about 1260, occurs William de Bonavilla, son of John, who gives to the monks of Margam forty acres of arable land which they held of the Templars in the time of his father, paying to them forty pence annually. This seems to be a gift on condition that the land should be his and not the Templars, and was probably taken by the monks as a measure of pre |