The wax seals are worn away, but the slips of parchment to which they were affixed remain. On the first slip is written, in a minute hand, "Subprioris de Dora"; on the second," de Kayrlion"; on the third, "de Pola"; on the fourth, "de Stratflur"; and on the fifth, "de Valle Crucis".

The division thus made of the territory in dispute confirms the view that it was open and unenclosed moorland, of which the monks alone had sufficient means to avail themselves for the pasturage of a few sheep or cattle during the summer months, under the care of a shepherd occupying a small hut or hafod on the mountain, or a grange in the valley.

The Ecclesiastical Taxation of Pope Nicholas (1291 A.D.) throws a dim light on the efforts of these Welsh monastic houses to avail themselves of the natural productions of the soil, and become the pioneers of cultivation in a wild, elevated, and thinly populated country which had no advantages of soil or climate. Under the head of" Fructus", or "Exitus Animalium", we obtain an account of the live stock which each monastic house was supposed to possess in the archdeaconries of Cardigan and Carmarthen. The sheep and cattle are stated to be "salva custodia", which leads to the inference that they were under the care of a shepherd, and not in the hands of a tenant.

The live stock of Abbey Cwmhir is small in comparison with that of the Abbeys of Strata Florida and Whitland. It consisted of 128 cows, 300 sheep, and 26 mares (probably ponies), valued in all at £13 4s. In Cardiganshire, Cwmhir had, in addition, the grange of Nantyrariant, and two carucates of uncultivated land, with a mill, valued at 13s. 8d.; and in the diocese of Bangor, the grange of Cwmbuga and Estermeyn,' two carucates of land, with other advantages valued at £1. The mention of carucates or ploughlands suggests that cultivation of portions of the hill-sides and favourable parts of the valleys had commenced. The extent of a Esgair y maen.

1

carucate varied with the district, and depended on the estimate of what a man might reasonably plough during the proper season, allowance being made for the situation of the land, and whether the soil was heavy or light.

Scanty as are the written records of cultivation, the hill-sides in Wales afford, as in Scotland, evidence of early cultivation of the only crops, rye and oats, which ripen on the higher hills, in traces on the turf of ancient enclosures with plough-marks, and of sites of huts. Such traces are frequent on the uninclosed hills in Radnorshire, especially on those which adjoined, or were near, the possessions of Cwmhir; as in Scotland, we there meet with, on the hill-sides above the enclosed land, "little rings of mouldered wall or of turfy ridges, sometimes circular, sometimes oblong, always very small, and generally placed in groups, suggesting rather the huts of a temporary encampment than permanent buildings", on spots where the ground is dry and sheltered, with traces more or less distinct of a few enclosures adjoining, covered with turf apparently as old as that of the surrounding hill.

2

That such a practice prevailed in the manor of Gollon, we learn from a prohibition "for any stranger to erect any cottage or summer-house within its precincts, nor to herd or settle cattle in any part of the lordship", contained in an old survey of the manor, to which reference will be again made.

Another subject for remark is the evidence which the charters to Cwmhir and Ystrad Marchell afford that the owner of a cantred or lordship was sole owner of the uninclosed land within it, and exercised the right to grant rights of pasturage over all or any part of it, a right which the law recognised as common in

1 A very interesting short paper on this subject was read by Mr. Dyke (who is well acquainted with the hills in Radnorshire) at Ludlow during the Church Stretton Meeting. (Arch. Camb., 4th Ser., vol. xii, p. 354.)

2 Scotland as it Was and as it Is, pp. 197-99.

gross, exercisable only by an ecclesiastical or lay corporation, but not to the prejudice of the lord's rights, nor to the exclusion of the commoners who by grant or usage were entitled to depasture on the common lands the estimated number of cattle which could be maintained during the winter on their ancient tenement. That such was the usage appears by an explanation in Roger Mortimer's confirmation (A.D. 1314) of his father's grant to the men of Maelienydd, that it should not be lawful for the Convent of Cwmhir to overstock the pasturage, but that it should leave a sufficiency of open common and pasturage for the lord's beasts in his Forest.

It is probable that in the early part of the thirteenth century the monks may have had almost the sole enjoyment of the pasturage on the mountains of Arwstli, Cefeiliog, Maelienydd, and Kerry, as almost the only possessors of flocks and capital. We have seen that Meredith ap Maelgon granted to the monks of Cwmhir common of pasture over the whole of the wide district of Maelienydd and Kerry, that Gwenwynwyn granted to Cwmhir rights of pasturage everywhere in Arwstli and Cyfeiliog, and Roger Mortimer a right of common in Worthen. Another instance of a like grant is that made in 1214 by Thomas de Fresne,' who held under the Mortimers the lordship of Prestmede (now Presteign), to the Abbey and canons of Wigmore, of pasturage over the whole of his manor, except lands that were sown, and meadows.

After the Dissolution, the possessions of Cwmhir passed into various hands, but the presentments made by the jury at the courts held for the manor of Gollon and lordship of Cwmhir served to keep alive traditions as to the monks' rights and possessions. We may, therefore, well conclude with a selection of the presentments which throw a light on this subject :

1 "Cum libera communa et cum libera pastura per totum nostrum de Prestmede in excepcione absque manifesto detrimento satorum et pratorum."-Arch. Camb., vol. xiii, 4th Series, p. 140.

"Also observe that the place called Llechelwihan, being a common where the Abbot had his sheep kept, and a sheepcot standing thereon, the walls being of stone, and ruinated, it may appear that it was a large building, because it doth appear thereby that it hath seven doors, and lieth within the parish of Llanvihangel Cefnllys, in the county of Radnor.

"And further alloweth to the tenants near common of pasture throughout all Melenith and Warteignon." After some imperfect guesses as to the foundation of the Abbey, a further presentment proceeds as follows: "We suppose these lands hereinafter following were also given at the foundation, viz., Cliro Grange, which is now in the lord's possession; Brilley Grange; Monaughty Grange, in the parish of Blethvah; Monaughty Poeth Grange, in the parish of Knighton; Gwernwoge Grange, in the parish of Kerry, in the county of Montgomery; Hopton Grange, in the said county; and Cwmbige Grange in the same county; all these (Cliro Grange excepted) not now belonging to the Abbey or lordship."1

A few original documents, being all that relate to Cwmhir, in Liber Niger de Wigmore are added.

The Abbot and Convent of Cwmhir quit-claim in the lands of Karwyton and Bryncroys to Ralph Mortimer and Gladys his wife. Date between 1227 and 1246:

Harleian MS. 1240, Liber Niger de Wigmore.

"( WARTHREYNOUN & MELENYTH.

viij. Lescrit par quele labbe et Couent de Comhire ont relesse a Rauf de Mortemer les terres de Karwyton et Bryncrois. "Omnibus Christi fidelibus ad quos presens carta pervenerit Abbas et Conventus de Kumyr' salutem in Domino. Noverit

1 From copy of the original Court Roll of a survey, and the presentments made at a court leet and court baron of Sir William Fowler, Bart., on 17th Oct. 1760, in the manuscript collections of the late Mr. Percival Lewis of Downton, apparently incorporating an older roll, in 1625, before Thomas Worswick, steward.

vniversitas vestra nos de communi assensu et consensu nostro et Capituli nostri de Kumyr' totum ius et clameum si quod habuimus vel habere potuimus in terris de Karwyton' et Bryncroys cum omnibus pertinenciis earundem omnino quiete clamasse Domino Radulfo de Mortuo Mari et Gladuse vxori sue et heredibus eorum pro nobis et successoribus nostris imperpetuum. Ita quod nos vel successores nostri nichil iuris vel clamei in predictis terris cum pertinenciis decetero exigemus vel exigere poterimus Et vt hec nostra quieta clamacio perpetue firmitatis robur optineat quia non est moris ordinis nostri quod sigillum habeamus commune nisi sigillum Abbatis de communi assensu nostro huic presenti carte sigillum Abbatis appositum est Hiis testibus Briano de Brompton'. Johanne de Lyngayn'. Henrico de Mortuo Mari. Philippo de Mortuo Mari. Radulfo Arac'. Philippo le Brett. Philippo filio Luce. Meredud Vahan. Henrico filio Philippo Worgano Du. et multis aliis."

Philip Abbot of Cwmhir and the Convent grant to Roger Mortimer, son of Ralph Mortimer, the right to enclose with hedges, for the hunting of animals of the chase, in the Convent's wood of Cwmhir, and to have wood for the purpose. Date between 1246 and 1282: ".ix. La chartre par quele labbe et Couent de Comhir ont grantez a Roger de Mortemer de faire hayes pur lour bois de Comhir pur son sauuagyn etc.

"Vniversis Christi fidelibus ad quorum noticiam presens scriptum pervenerit Philippus dictus Abbas de Cumhyr' et eiusdem loci Conuentus salutem in Domino eternam Noveritis nos concessisse dilecto Domino nostro Rogero de Mortuo Mari filio Radulfi de Mortuo Mari et heredibus suis pro nobis et successoribus suis quod licite possent per boscum nostrum de Cumhyr facere hayas suas ad deductum suum circa venacionem melius habendum Et quod habeant materiam de bosco nostro ad predictas hayas tantum faciendas Ita tamen quod non impediamur ab aliquo commodo in predicto bosco nostro ad omnes vsus qualescumque voluerimus faciendum In cuius rei testimonium huic scripto sigillum nostrum apposuimus Hiis testibus. Thoma Corbet. Briano de Brompton. Henrico de Mortuo Mari. Johanne de Lyngeyne. Henrico de Wulhaumptone. Howelo filio Meurici. Waltero Hakelutel. Ricardo Suyftt. et Willelmo fratre. suo clericis et aliis."

Roger Mortimer refers to the grant of his father, Edmund Mortimer, to his men of Melenith; in parti