_Bishop Durdent and the Staffordshire Historians._--It is stated by
Sampson Erdeswich, Esq., in his _Survey of Staffordshire_, p. 164, 12mo.
1717, that--
"Not far from Tame, Roger Durdent held Fisherwicke of the
bishop, 24 Ed. I. And 4 Ed. II. Nicholas Durdent was lord of it,
which I suppose was procured to some of his ancestors of the
same name by their kinsman Walter Durdent, Bishop of Litchfield,
in Henry II.'s time."
but no authority is given for this statement.
In Shaw's _History of Staffordshire_, p. 365., fol., 1798, it is further
recorded that--
"Walter Durdent, in the beginning of Henry II., appears to have
granted it (Fisherwicke) to some of his relations, for we find
William Durdent of Fisherwicke temp. Henry II.; and in the 40th
of Hen. III. Roger Durdent occurs, who held Fisherwicke of the
bishop, 24 Ed. I. In the 4 Ed. II. Nicholas Durdent was lord of
it."
Shaw refers to Erdeswick, and to the _Annals of Burton Abbey_, p. 364.
In Dr. Harwood's edition of Erdeswick, 8vo., 1844, the same statements
are repeated, but no authority is adduced. Could any of your
correspondents obligingly furnish me with the original {310} sources of
information to which Erdeswick had access, and also with any
biographical notices of Bishop Durdent besides those which are recorded
in Godwin and Shaw? The bishop had the privilege of coining money. (See
Shaw's _Staffordshire_, pp. 233. 265.) Are any of his coins known to
numismatists?