included in the king's forest at the time of the Domesday Survey (1086).
Walter was succeeded by his son William, of whom we have already heard as accompanying his mother to Abingdon. A very interesting writ, which seems to have been overlooked, shows him in charge of Windsor Forest at a date not later than 1116.[1] This writ notifies to William FitzWalter, Croc the huntsman, Richard the serjeant, and all the officers of the forest of Windsor, that the king has granted to Abingdon Abbey the tithe of all venison.[2] This tithe must be carefully distinguished from that of the ordinary issues of the forest; both these tithes were at this period commonly granted to religious houses, and, in the case of Windsor, the latter was given to the canons of Salisbury.[3] 'Croc the huntsman,' who in this writ is associated with William FitzWalter, was a personage of some note. He was a tenant-in-chief in Hampshire, where Crux (i.e. Croc's) Easton is named from him or his descendants,[4] and was also a holder of land in Wilts; and he witnessed a charter of William Rufus in favour of the abbey of Malmesbury and the foundation charter of Salisbury cathedral at Hastings in 1091.[5] The invaluable Pipe Roll of 1130 shows us William FitzWalter in charge of Windsor Forest in that and the preceding year. He farmed its profits from the Crown for a 'census' of £13 a year (the same figure is found under Henry II.), out of which 'the parker' was paid a penny
- ↑ For King Henry left England in 1116, and Eudo Dapifer was dead before his return.
- ↑ 'Henricus rex Anglie Willelmo filio Walteri et Croco venatori et Ricardo servienti et omnibus ministris de foresta Windesores salutem. Sciatis me concessisse Deo et Sanctæ Mariæ de Abbendona totam decimam de venatione quæ capta fuerit in foresta de Windesora. Testibus Roberto episcopo Lincolniæ et Eudone dapifero apud Bruhellam' (ibid. ii. 94). 'Bruhella' was Brill (Bucks).
- ↑ It is worth noting that the Bull of Pope Eugenius III. (1146) in favour of Salisbury confirms to the church of Salisbury 'decimas omnes de venatione regis in episcopatu Sarisberiensi, excepta venatione illa quæ capta erit cum stabilia in foresta de Windresores' (Sarum Documents, p. 12), this having been granted to Abingdon, as shown in the text. Compare Monasticon Anglicanum vi. 1295.
- ↑ See The Victoria History of Hampshire.
- ↑ See Ellis's Introduction to Domesday, i. 403, and Monasticon Anglicanum, vi. 1295. The names of Bishop Osmund and Walter 'Hosatus,' with that of Croc himself, show that both charters are of the same date. Ellis wrongly assigns the Malmesbury one to the Conqueror. Croc himself gave ten pounds a year in rents and tithes to the church of Salisbury (ibid. p. 1296).
