Geoffrey de Mandeville: A study of the AnarchyRound, John Horace
History
Geoffrey de Mandeville: A study of the Anarchy
Round, John Horace
Great Britain -- History -- Stephen, 1135-1154; Mandeville, Geoffrey de, earl of Essex, -1144
The description of the Tower by the Empress, in her charter, as "turris
Londonie cum parvo castello quod fuit Ravengeri," and its similar
description in Stephen's charter as "turris Lond[oniæ] cum castello quod
ei subest," though at first sight singular and obscure, are fraught,
when explained, with interest and importance in their bearing on
military architecture.
It will be found, on reference to the charter granted to Aubrey de Vere
(p. 180), that the Empress gives him Colchester Castle as "turrim et
castellum de Colcestr[a]," a grant confirmed by her son as that of
"turrim de Colcestr[a] et castellum" (p. 185 _n._), and, in later days,
by Henry VIII., as "Castrum et turrim de Colcestr[a]."[943] Further, in
the charter to William de Beauchamp (p. 313), we find Worcester Castle
described as "castellum de Wigorn[ia] cum mota," Hereford Castle being
similarly described in the charter granted at the same time to Miles de
Gloucester as "motam Hereford cum toto castello." Before proceeding to
the inferences to be drawn from these expressions, it may be as well to
strengthen them by other parallel examples. Taking first the case of
Colchester, we turn to a charter of Henry I., granted to his favourite,
Eudo Dapifer, at the Christmas court of 1101,[944] in which Colchester
Castle is similarly described:—
"Henricus Rex Angliæ Mauricio Lond. Episcopo et Hugoni de Bochelanda et
omnibus baronibus suis Anglis et Francis de Essex salutem. Sciatis me
dedisse benigne et ad amorem concessisse Eudoni Dapifero meo Civitatem
de Colecestrâ et _turrim et castellum_ et omnes ejusdem civitatis
firmitates Cum omnibus quæ ad illam pertinent sicut pater meus et
frater et ego eam melius habuimus et cum omnibus consuetudinibus illis
quas pater meus et frater et ego in eâ unquam habuimus. Et hæc
concessio facta fuit apud Westmonaster in primo natali post concordiam
Roberti comitis fratris mei de me et de illo.
"T. Rob. Ep. Lincoln et W. Gifardo Wintoniensi electo et Rob. Com. de
Mellent. et Henr. Com. fr. ejus et Roger Bigoto et Gisleberti fil.
Richard et Rob. fil. Baldwin et Ric. fratr. ejus."[945]
Turning to Hereford, we find its description as "mota cum toto castello"
recurring in the confirmation by Henry II. and the recital of that
confirmation by John.[946] There is another example sufficiently
important to deserve separate treatment. This is that of Gloucester.
We find that, in 1137, "Milo constabularius Glocestrie" granted to the
canons of "Llanthony the Second"
"Tota oblatio custodum _turris et castelli_ et Baronum ibi
commorantium."[947]
Here again the correctness of the description is fortunately confirmed
by subsequent evidence; for John recites (April 28, 1200) a charter of
his father, Henry II. (which is assigned by Mr. Eyton to the spring of
1155), granting to Miles's son, Roger, Earl of Hereford,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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