WILLIAM DE GAYNESBURGH.

The lords of the Manor of Gainsburgh were, during the age when the family surnames of the land-owning classes were in process of crystallization, of too distinguished race to take a permanent surname from their property in Lincolnshire, and the records of the 13th and 14th centuries do not tell us of any other land-owners of consequence resident therein, or of any family which bore that name holding landed property at that time elsewhere. We have therefore no reason to suppose that William de Gaynesburgh was by birth derived from the higher or land-owning classes of the community.

Among the middle and lower classes surnames were gradually coming into use, but they were far from being hereditary, and were liable to constant change, being derived from personal characteristics, from occupation, from the father's name, or from the birthplace. Ecclesiastics born in the middle ranks of society usually adopted the name of their birthplace as their surname, and we have no doubt that this was done by William de Gaynesburgh.

We first hear of William as one of the Friars Minor, a great preaching Order, so that we conclude him to have been a man of eloquence. In August, 1294, he was sent on an embassy to the King of France. Early in 1295 he attended the general Chapter of his Order at Assisi, but in August was home again, and testified that his early neighbour, Robert de Gryngeley, had had his ear cut off in a quarrel by misadventure, not as a punishment. In April, 1300, the King sent him with others to hear and receive the Pope's declaration of peace and concord between England and France. The next year he again performed a kind office for his early neighbours, for at his intercession the King pardoned Simon Robsar of Gaynesburgh and his two sons, Robert de Stokeye (Stockwith) and others, for the death of Roger de Becingham.' In 1802 he acted as a plenipotentiary in the matter of peace with France.

In 1802 his former associate in the embassy of 1294, Benedict Gaytani, now Pope Boniface VIII, nominated him to the Bishopric

of Worcester, using however certain words in the instrument of collation which the King considered prejudicial to his dignity, so that three years later he had to sue for and receive pardon. He was consecrated Oct. 28th, 1302, at Rome, and appears to have spent very little time in his Diocese. In October, 1805, he went abroad on the King's service, in company with three other persons connected with Lincolnshire, viz.: Walter de Langton, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, Otho de Grandison, and his old neighbour, William de Stokeye. Their duties were "to treat with the Pope touching a Crusade to the Holy Land, the Peace with France, and other matters concerning the salvation of the King's soul." It was, however, an expensive matter to visit the Pope, and he was obliged to borrow from the merchant society known as the Friscobaldi of Florence no less than £1,000, 66 so as to be received in the Court of Rome." On Sept. 17th, 1307, he died, upon which two monks from Worcester brought the King news of his decease, and received the congé d'êlire, leave to elect a successor. But the vacancy at Worcester lasted until October, 1308.

NATIVES OF GAINSBURGH.

During the 14th century, life in Gainsburgh must have been much like life in other places, somewhat rough and turbulent. The men, if they did not care for trade or agricultural pursuits, had opportunities of serving their country in the wars, or their Church in the ministry or the monastery. The women, if they did not marry, which as a rule they did, at a very early age, had the nunnery to fall back upon. There was much bloodshed, even in the streets, and disease of many kinds was rife among the people. It was no uncommon thing to meet with lepers, and the average duration of human life was far less than it is to-day.

In 1888 a commission was appointed to inquire into the death of John Wade, who was "killed at Thunnayk" under suspicious circumstances. In 1339 the King extended his "pardon to Robert, son of Richard by Trent, of Gainsburgh, for the death of Henry le Baker, of Gainsburgh, and a robbery in the Isle of Axholme, in consideration of having gone beyond seas in the King's company, and stayed there until now," and we have seen

that the Bishop of Worcester was able to obtain pardon for the malefactors of his native place.1

Several natives of Gainsburgh rose to some position in the Church about this time. Richard de Gaynesburgh was Abbot of Bardney 1318 to 1842. Lucia de Gainsburg was Prioress of Nun Appleton in Yorkshire in 1365. William de Thunneyk was parson of Menstreworth, Gloucestershire, in 1818 and 1327. Symon de Geynesburgh became Vicar of Frodingham about the middle of the century. A second William de Gaynesburgh was Rector of Black Notley, Essex, before 1881, of Norton Bavant, Wilts, in 1381 and of Winterslow, Wilts, in 1887. In 1891 he became Prebendary of S. Stephen's Westminster, in 1392 Rector of S. Gregory's, near S. Paul's, and died 1895.

For some years before 1300 a certain Richard de Gainsburgh was employed as builder, perhaps as master mason, at Lincoln Cathedral, and lies buried in the cloisters, where his tomb has this inscription: "Hic jacet Ricardus de Gaynsburgh, olim cementarius istius ecclesie, qui obiit duodecimo Kalendarium Junii, anno domini MCCC."

Another Richard Gaynesburgh, a leper, received a pension of £10 a year from King Henry IV.

CHAPTER VIII.

FAMILY OF PERCY.-FAMILY OF BURGH.-THE BURGH CHANTRY.

FAMILY OF PERCY.

HE two daughters of the 12th Earl of Athole, orphaned at such an early age, married brothers, sons of the Earl of Northumberland. Sir Ralph Percy, who married Philippa de Strabolgi, was taken prisoner, with his eldest brother, the renowned Hotspur, at the battle of Otterburn or Chevy Chase, and died without issue. Sir Thomas Percy, the husband of Elizabeth, became in her right lord of the Manor of Gainsburgh, and left a son Henry, usually known as "of Athole." In each case the wife survived and married again, Elizabeth to Sir John Scrope, and Philippa to Sir John Halsham.

Sir Henry Percy d'Athell, the next lord of Gainsburgh, who fought at Agincourt, 1415, left in his turn two daughters, and died in 1432. His Inquisitio shewed that "he held the Manor of Gainsburgh in right of his mother Elizabeth, whose heir he was." The site of the Manor was then let out on farm. There were "12 bovates of arable land, each worth 10s. per annum. Also meadows called Humbilcar, Escroft, and le Mer, amounting to 57 acres, each worth 20d. Also three parcels of meadow called Spetelhenge, Northmersh, and Hoebek, containing 12 acres, 8 roods, worth 20d. per acre. Also rents of six free tenants, 13s. 5 d. Also a windmill worth nothing. Also two woods called Lordewode and Ladyewode, worth in underwood 26s. 8d. Also a close called Spytilwode, worth 13s. 4d. Also a ferry and two boats, worth £4. Also a fair on S. James' Day, and a weekly market on Tuesdays, worth in stallage, tolls, and all profits,

13s 4d. Also profits of manor courts and two court leets 40s. The Manor was held of the Manor of Epworth, by service of two Knights' fees. Elizabeth Percy, wife of Thomas Burgh, and Margaret Percy, wife of Lord Grey, were his daughters and next heirs, aged 20 and 17 respectively."

In the division of the property that ensued, Gainsburgh fell to Sir Thomas Burgh, in whose family it remained for 150 years.

FAMILY OF BURGH.

An exhaustive account of this family is given in the luminous pages of the Rev. R. E. G. Cole's "History of Doddington," from which we shall be contented to draw such light as shall serve to make our subject clear, acknowledging our indebtedness to that most complete and careful volume.

According to some writers, the Burghs of Gainsburgh claimed descent from the famous Justiciary, Hubert de Burgh, but the connection has not been clearly proved. The first name in the pedigree is that of Richard Burgh, who died in 1407-8, seized of three manors in Yorkshire. By his wife, Margaret de Roos, Richard had a large family, of whom his son Thomas married Elizabeth Percy de Athol, the heiress of Gainsburgh. They had a son Sir Thomas Burgh, aged 24 at his mother's death, who married his distant cousin Margaret, daughter of Thomas, 9th Lord de Roos, and widow of William, Lord Botreaux. Sir Thomas purchased from the last of the Pigots a reversion to the Manor of Doddington, which his family possessed for 120 years. He took his place as commissioner, etc., amongst the gentlemen of the County, and is often mentioned in public documents.

The position of Sir Thomas Burgh is a good illustration of the way in which the leading families were distracted by the rival claims of the houses of York and Lancaster. His mother's family, the Percies, were zealous supporters of the Lancastrians, whom they had originally seated upon the Throne; but he was also connected with the Nevills, leaders of the Yorkist insurrection, and his wife was a neice of Richard Nevill, Earl of Warwick, known as the King-maker. Fortunately for himself, Sir Thomas