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that it will not be unacceptable to our readers if, from time to
time, I introduce them, by means of these Inventories, into the
abodes of our early Kent magnates. I shall begin with two of very
opposite characters,—the one that of a peaceful but powerful
lady, the other that of a turbulent Baron. The latter, with its
long catalogue of arms, the riding-gear of himself and lady, and
the list of the prisoners in his dungeons, I shall defer to our
second volume. At present I will admit our readers to the
residence of the great Infanta of Kent, Juliana de Leyborne,
Countess of Huntingdon, herself, by birth, the heiress of
countless demesnes; and being by marriage the mother of one Earl
(Pembroke), and the widow of another (Huntingdon), her wealth was
unbounded. To her splendid and princely habits of living, in her
tapestried halls at Preston,1 where she kept her state,
the following Roll of her effects bears ample witness. Although it
unfortunately does not furnish such minute detail as we often find
in these Inventories, yet as evidencing the affluence and
hospitality of our great Infanta, it claims an early admission to
our volume.
The first membrane of the Roll is all that remains to
us of this Inventory. Fortunately it is the portion which records
the chattels in her house, and on many of her Kent manors. The
remainder is lost. By the indorsement, " Rotls. exec.,"
" Inventar. Comitisse Hunt.," it is evident that this is
the original Inventory 2 delivered
1 Leyborne Castle (which
must have been a confined abode, unequal to the power and wealth
which the family had now attained) seems to have been resigned as
the palatial residence by her grandfather, Sir William de Leyborne, the " vaillans horns sans mes sans
si," who
gave it, in his lifetime, to his son Thomas, the father of
Juliana. I purposely omit here any detailed notice of this
illustrious family, my present object being only to introduce our
readers to their mode of life, as indicated by this Inventory. I
hope, in a future volume, to give a complete history of Leyborne
Castle, (of which many interesting remains still exist,) and its
successive lords.
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