2ol TUG ALIEN rrjORIES IX TIIC ISLE OF WIGHT.

writ, authorising- the confiscation of the alien j^rioiies, Pliih'p ileclarcJ the fief of the king of England foifeited. Edward renounced his fealty to the French crown, and conscious tliat this could imply nothing but open war with France, ho took active measures to prepare himself for the conflict by raising forces at home, protecting his coasts with armed men and defensive ^vorks, and strengthening himself b}-" foreign alliances, especially that Avith Flanders. It is to this period that the two documents belong that are now in the Public Kecord Ofhce, London ; and ^vhich, through the kindness of my friend, Mv. liurtt, I have the opportunity of bringing before you, relating to the confisca- tion of the propel ty of the Alien Priories in the Isle of Wight. They both tiavel over pretty much the same ground, and contain, to a considerable extent, the same particulars. The earlier of the two comprises the account rendered by llicbard of Afton,* of the propcrt}', real and moveable, of the five Alien Priories, viz., Carisbrookc, St. Helens, St. Cross, and Appuldurcombe, which, in compliance with the ^Yrit of 1204, in the month of August, 1205, he had taken into the king's liand-s, and delivered over to Simon Stake, on the 1 7th of the following November : together with a detailed report of the defensive works executed by him and Gilbert of Arden, the in.<;pector of such works, for the protection of the coast of the Island "against the King of France and other the king's enemies." The second document is an Inrpiisition taken b} the aforesaid Simon Stake on the Wednesday, Thursday, and Fri<lay following the Feast of St. Clement, Kovember 2.1 rd, and the siibse(pient Monday, a.d. 120G, of the goods and chattels of the five priories we have named, seized for the king by the above-mentioned Richard of Afton and Gilbert of Arden. The returns arc made on oath by seven wit- nesses, " jtu'atores." Among these we may notice the name

• Afton in a la.aiior in tho paiiHli of coiifidontiftl aK«>iit of tlii' Imly of tho

Fro/ili water. It liiwl bolonKwl to ICjirl iMl.mcl, Innliolla «lo KortiliuM, tl>o Htmvanl ToNti ; but at the tiinn of tliu DoinuHdny of wIioho hoiiNolioM lio wa<t ; niul it iH Kiirvcy waH in tlio king'w haiuU. Tlio iiifernMl l>y Woritloy, fmMi a vnrioty of fntiiily thnt took iltt n.-inn; from tlni manor circninMtaiirrK, that Ii«< |ir<>niott><l tho Halo WAM ono of tilt! MioHt conHiiliM.il)lu in tlio of tlit; lordship of tlu; iKlaiul U> I'Mward I. Iiilanil in tlio twelfth and lliirtt-onlh con- Thin Halo wan i«:!Vi;tcd fur lOdit/. ut Stock- tiirioH. 'i'wo of tho family, Kolx-rt and woll, in Surrey, Nov. 12, I'jyi*. when William of Afton, juadu xnuitH of tho InaUdla wan on hor ihrath boil. In 121)5, tithoM of llio fmheric'K lo tho Abljoy of tho year of thin rottirn, Kichard of Afton I'iro. Uichard of Alton, tho maker of wajt annoci-itod with Sir Adam Oounlon t'in rutiini, appi-arH ropoatodly aw a in thi< WanJiMiHliip of the i^l ind.