afterwards passed to the Norman
kings, who raised the castle. Its date is disputed, but the town
dependent on it seems to have grown up during the 13th century, being
first mentioned in 1290, when an inquisition states that the mayor has
pesage of wool and cheese. The rights of the burgesses seem to have been
undefined, for frequent commissions attest to encroachments on the
rights of warren, forest and wreckage belonging to the royal manor. In
1380-1381 at an inquisition into the liberties of Corfe Castle, the
jurors declared that from time immemorial the constable and his steward
had held all pleas and amerciaments except those of the mayor's court of
Pie Powder, but that the town had judgment by fire, water and combat.
The tenants, or "barons," elected themselves a mayor and coroners, but
the constable received the assize of ale. Elizabeth in 1577 gave
exclusive admiralty jurisdiction within the island of Purbeck to Sir
Christopher Hatton, and granted the mayor and "barons" of Corfe the
rights they enjoyed by prescription and charter and that of not being
placed on juries or assizes in matters beyond the island. Charles II.
incorporated Corfe Castle in 1663, the mayor being elected at a court
leet from three nominees of the lord of the manor. Corfe Castle first
returned two representatives to parliament in 1572, but was
disfranchised in 1832. A market for each Saturday was granted to Corfe
in 1214, and in 1248 the town obtained a fair and a market on each
Thursday, while Elizabeth granted fairs on the feasts of St Philip and
St James and of St Luke; both of these still survive. As early as the
14th century the quarrying and export of marble gave employment to the
men of Corfe, and during the 18th century the knitting of stockings was
a flourishing industry.

See T. Bond, _History and Description of Corfe Castle_ (London and
Bournemouth, 1883).

CORFINIUM, in ancient Italy, the chief city of the Paeligni, 7 m. N. of
Sulmona in the valley of the Aternus. The site of the original town is
occupied by the village of Pentima. It probably became subject to Rome
in the 4th century B.C., though it does not appear in Roman history
before the Social War (90 B.C.), in which it was at first adopted by the
allies as the capital and seat of government of their newly founded
state under the name Italia (this form, not Italica, is vouched for by
the coins). It appears also as a fortress of importance in the Civil
War, tho