Collectanea. Fourth series / edited by the Committee of the Society.

Date:: 1905

Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Collectanea. Fourth series / edited by the Committee of the Society. Source: Wellcome Collection.

20/384 (page 2)

thirteenth century. Any attempt to calculate the number of houses and householders can only be approximately correct, as the roll for the south-east ward is unfortunately imperfect, the heading and the names of the jurors are wanting, and it is probable that at least one membrane has been lost. The remaining rolls are on the whole in very good condition, but in a few places they have been torn away at the side. The roll for the hundred outside the north gate containing the parishes of St. Mary Magdalen and St. Giles, and a portion of the roll for the hundred of Bullingdon which included the manors of Heading- ton and Iffley, have also been printed to complete the interest of the present text. It is clear that within the town of Oxford an important object of the inquisition was to ascertain the value of the rents received by religious houses. In three wards the totals of the revenues belonging to them were carefully summarized; on some of the rolls the names of the monasteries were noted in the margin against all entries in which they had an interest. The earlier commission had shown the need for the Statute of Mortmain, and if such returns as these were made before the drafting of the statute which was passed on November 15, 1279, they would undoubtedly strengthen the determination of the Crown to check the acquisition of lands by the religious.