A Diary

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N.B. - This Ralph Randolph, or Ralph Peverell (call him as you please), had, it seems, a most beautiful lady to his wife, who was daughter of Ingelrick, one of Edward the Confessor's noblemen. He had two sons by her - William Peverell, a famed soldier, and lord or governor of Dover Castle, which he surrendered to William the Conqueror, after the battle in Sussex, and Pain Peverell, his youngest, who was lord of Cambridge. When the eldest son delivered up the castle, the lady, his mother, above named, who was the celebrated beauty of the age, was it seems there, and the Conqueror fell in love with her, and whether by force or by consent, took her away, and she became his mistress, or what else you please to call it. By her he had a son, who was called William, after the Conqueror's Christian name, but retained the name of Peverell, and was afterwards created by the Conqueror lord of Nottingham.

This lady afterwards, as is supposed, by way of penance for her yielding to the Conqueror, founded a nunnery at the village of Hatfield Peverell, mentioned above, and there she lies buried in the chapel of it, which is now the parish church, where her memory is preserved by a tombstone under one of the windows.

Thus we have several towns, where any ancient parks have been placed, called by the name of Hatfield on that very account. As Hatfield Broad Oak in this county, Bishop's Hatfield in Hertfordshire, and several others.

But I return to King Edward's merry way, as I call it, of granting this forest to this Ralph Peperking, which I find in the ancient records, in the very words it was passed in, as follows. Take my explanations with it for the sake of those that are not used to the ancient English:

The Grant in Old English.

IChe EDWARD Koning, Have given of my Forrest the kepen of the Hundred of CHELMER and DANCING. To RANDOLPH PEPERKING, And to his kindling. With Heorte and Hind, Doe and Bocke, Hare and Fox, Cat and Brock, Wild Fowle with his Flock; Patrich, Pheasant Hen, and Pheasant Cock, With green and wild Stub and Stock, To kepen and to yemen with all her might. Both by Day, and eke by Night; And Hounds for to hold, Good and Swift and Bold: Four Greyhound and six Raches, For Hare and Fox, and Wild Cattes, And therefore Iche made him my Book. Witness the Bishop of WOLSTON. And Booke ylrede many on, And SWEYNE of ESSEX, our Brother, And taken him many other And our steward HOWLEIN, That BY SOUGHT me for him.

The Explanation in Modern English

I Edward the king, Have made ranger of my forest of Chelmsford hundred and Deering hundred, Ralph Peverell, for him and his heirs for ever; With both the red and fallow deer. Hare and fox, otter and badger; Wild fowl of all sorts, Partridges and pheasants, Timber and underwood roots and tops; With power to preserve the forest, And watch it against deer-stealers and others: With a right to keep hounds of all sorts, Four greyhounds and six terriers, Harriers and foxhounds, and other hounds. And to this end I have registered this my grant in the crown rolls or books; To which the bishop has set his hand as a witness for any one to read. Also signed by the king's brother (or, as some think, the Chancellor Sweyn, then Earl or Count of Essex). He might call such other witnesses to sign as he thought fit. Also the king's high steward was a witness, at whose request this grant was obtained of the king.