Catalogue description Grant of Ric. son of Richer of Weston to Tho. de Grantham of a curtilage in Dead Lane...

Grant of Ric. son of Richer of Weston to Tho. de Grantham of a curtilage in Dead Lane towards Lord Rob. de Mohaut's park, betw. the lands of Thomas and of Tho. de Meryston, baker. Fine, a certain sum of money. Witnesses, Ank. de Coleshill, bailiff, Joh. Leofwyne, coroner, Ad. Russel, Will. Grauntpe, Geof. de Donchirche, Ric. de Weston, sen., Hug. le Hoser, Will. de Wytele, Rog. clerk, and others. At Coventry. Seal, S. Ricard' fil' Richi?

? A lion pass. reguardant.

The deeds numbered 9 contain the proviso noted with regard to an earlier document that a defaulter should pay a forfeit to the Crusades for breach of covenant. As it is an interesting dead I give it in full. It has been noted that as Tho. de Grantham was a soap-maker the wares Walter de Newerk owed money for would probably be soap. The mediaeval calendar, reckoned according to Church festivals and regnal years, seems very unfamiliar to us. The date of the Purification (Candlemas) is February 2, and of S. Nicholas (the Santa Claus of the Christmas stocking) December 6. Edward, the son of Henry, is, of course, Edward I. The word for chamber here is "camera," the inner chamber where valuables were kept. Hence the use of the word "camera" as treasury in the Coventry motto "Camera Principis," because Cheylesmore was part of the Prince of Wales's estate; the same applied to Bristol, sometimes called the "Queen's-chamber" because the farm of the town was paid to the Queens-consort.