Agreement between Isabella in exchange for gowns and the maintenance of a priest, England, 1265

Agreement between Isabella, widow of William, son of Herbert, and Richard their son, agreeing the rent of the estate of Norton-iuxta-Twycross (near Leicester) in exchange for gowns for Isabella and her household and 20sh. for the maintenance of a priest, in Latin, manuscript on vellum

England (probably Leicestershire), dated 11 November 1265

Single sheet indenture, 23 long lines of an angular and charming English early gothic hand (the line height a minuscule 4mm., with most letters only 2mm. high), initial with penwork flourishes, struck with rows of parallel penstrokes at head of document and then cut through in teeth-like pattern to form a chirograph, slit for seal tag (seal missing), small hole in middle of lower border with loss of only a word or so, small stains and folds, else in good condition, 181 by 125mm.

This is a tiny document in delicate script, that sits comfortably in one open hand. From the archive of the FitzHerbert family of Somersal until the nineteenth century, when it passed to Fitzherbert Widdrington of Newton Hall, Alnwick, who in turn gifted it to Sir William FitzHerbert of Tissington Hall, Derbyshire. The remainder of his family archive survives in Derbyshire Record Office. This document was described and edited by the Rev. Reginald H.C. FitzHerbert in the Derbyshire Archaeological Journal, IV (1882), as no. 4, pp. 4-5 (see also p. 19 there on the signatories).