Welsh Journals

uncertainty as to the nature of the heriots-whether they were heriot custom i.e. personal in character or whether they followed the land- heriot service The tenants claimed that there was no evidence that a mise was due on the entry of a new lord either by alienation of the manor or by descent. The reference to landes holden at the lord's will called Tir y Vord is an interesting relic of the old demesne formerly cultivated for the benefit of the lord, but which at this time was probably held by some form of lease. In making this transcript the orthography of the original has been adhered to, but abbreviated forms have been extended and additional punctuation marks and capital letters have been introduced. Words and phrases which are underlined in the original are indicated by italics. Some of the underlining is in a darker ink and is probably the work of a different hand. Superior arabic figures have been substituted for the different signs used in the original to call attention to the explanations of the Welsh terms. These explanations, which have been added on the back of the docu- ment, may be in a different, though contemporary, hand. The words Langfords Disserth which appear at the beginning of the document and as an endorsement are in a different hand. A note, in a seventeenth century hand, attached to the document reads Langfords. The Mannor or Lordship of Colwyn is holden in Socage of the Mannor of East Greenewich in Kent. And soe is your lande in Disserth NOTES 1 Cardiff MS. 50, f. 77 Concerning the present state of Wales quoted in Aspects of the agrarian prob- lem in Wales in the sixteenth century by Tudor Williams (University of Wales Thesis 1928/67). 2 The hundred of Colwyn contained the ten parishes of Aberedw, Bettws Disserth, Glascwm, Cregrina, Disserth, Llanbadarn-y-garreg, Llanelwedd, Llanfaredd, Llansaintffraid in Elfael and Rhulen. The Rev. Jonathan Williams states that in the hundred of Colwyn there are four lordships, viz. Upper Elfael, Graig, Aberedw and Porth Cadwgan There was also in Glascwm a mesne manor belonging to the Bishop of St. Davids. This document mentions five manors with their lands lying dispersed and intermingled. Cf. Royal Commission on Land in Wales. Appendixes to Report, pp. 469-472. 3 Cf. Aneurin Owen: Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales, Vol. II, p. 783. 4 Cf. A. W. Wade-Evans Welsh Mediaeval Law, pp. 99-100. 5 John Lewis, Esq., barrister, of the Inner Temple and of Kinersley, co. Hereford, member of the Council of the Marches. See note 5. 6 E. G. Jones: Exchequer Proceedings (Equity) concerning Wales, pp. 313-322. 7 Cf. William Rees South Wales and the March, pp. 1 15-116, which refers to Exch. Q. R. Mem. Roll, M. 276 (26 Eliz.). 8 Cf. N.L.W. Wynnstay Document L. 168. each of them encloseth a part or division and amongst them all some is left to be occupied by them as tenants in common we call it in Welsh kyd-tir, kyd-tir- ogion 9 Flenley: Calendar of the Register of the Council in the Marches of Wales, pp. 105-107 11 2-1 14. 10 Cf. Rees: South Wales and the March, pp. 223-5. 11 Rees South Wales and the March, p. 209. 12 Cf. N.L.W. Wynnstay Document L. 131. Lordship of Cyfeiliog, late seventeenth century. If any man purchase any lands lying within this lordship he is to pay 7s. 6d. for every time he purchases any'.