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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2012
In connection with the history of the shire of Kent, in which we are now assembled, I offer the following Observations, illustrative of the succession to the Barony of William of Arques, i. e. de Arcis, in this realm, during the medieval period of time between the Conquest of England and the reign of King John. In that invaluable record, Domesday Book, which commences with the survey of Kent, we read, under the general heading “Land of the Bishop of Bayeux,” this entry, as to the tenure in that shire of William de Arcis: “In Limowart Lest, in Fulchestan Hundred, William de Arcis holds Fulchestan. In the time of King Edward it was avouched for 40 solins, and now for 39. There is land of 120 ploughs. In the demesne are 14 ploughs, and there are 209 villani and 83 bordarii. Amongst them all they have 45 ploughs.
page 217 note a See Domesday Book, fol. 9 b. 3 b. Chenth; vol. 2. fol. 407, 431 b. Suff.
page 220 note a Notum sit omnibus tam presentibus quam futuris, tarn clericis quam laicis, quia ego Manasses dei gratia Gisnensis Comes et uxor mea, Emma Comitissa, filia Willelmi de Areas, Sancto Andreae apud manerium de Radigaffeld et sanctimonialibus ibidem servicio Dei et Sancto Andreae die noctuque diligenter insistentibus, pro salute nostrarum et antecessorum nostrorum animarum, ipsum manerium antedictum Radigaffeld, quod est hereditas uxoris mee, una cum appendiciis suis et soca et saca et tol et tem omnibusque consuetudinibus, quibus supra commemoratus Willelmus de Areas ipsum tenebat, perhenniter possidendum damus et concedimus. Ne hoc donum, quod absit, ab emulis inquietari valeat, set ut firmum et immobile maneat, signa nominum testium veridicorum, qui hoc vident et audiunt, in hoc volumine stipulari facimus. Signum Wydonis, fratris mei. Signum Rose, filie mee. Signum capellani nostri, Aloldi monachi. Signum capellani nostri, Rogeri presbyteri, &c. Actum est hoc anno Incarnationis Dominice, M° centesimo vicesimo.
H. Rex Anglorum Episcopo de Tetford et Baronibus et vicecomitibus et omnibus ministris suis et fidelibus suis Francis et Anglis in Suffolcia & in Norffolcia, salutem. Sciatis me concessisse sanctimonialibus de Radyngefeld donum ilium quod Emma, Comitissa de Gennes, eis fecit de terra de Raddingefeld et de omnibus rebus que pertinent ad eamdem terrain, sicut ipsa Comitissa eis dedit et concessit, et sicut Comes Stephanus Moritonii, de cuius feodo eadem terra est, illud concessit. Et volo et firmiter precipio quod libere et in pace et honorifice teneant cum omnibus consuetudinibus suis et quietacionibus et libertatibus suis eidem terre pertinentibus. Testibus Willelmo, comite de Warrenna et Willelmo de Tanan, apud Albammarlam.
S. Rex Anglorum, Episcopo de Thetford et Baronibus (ut supra in carta H. usque ad dedit et concessit) ct sicut ego ipse eis concessi, dum Comes fui de Moretonio, de cujus feodo est eadem terra. Et volo (ut supra) Testibus, Hugone Bygot et Willelmo Martini et Johanne Marescallo apud Westmonasterium.
S. Rex Anglorum E. episcopo Norwicensi salutem et amorem. Precipio quod eeclesia de Radinggefeld et ea que ad earn pertinent, sint bene et in pace, sicut erant tempore Roberti Malet, die qua fuit vivus et mortuus, nee ponatur in aliam consuetudinem. Teste Willelmo Martini apud Eyam.
The day on which Robert Malet was alive and dead, will have been that of the fatal battle of Tenerchebrai on the 27th of Septr. 1106, when Duke Robert Courteheuze of Normandy and William Comte of Mortain, and their followers, were overthrown; whereupon the honour of the latter, thus forfeited, together with the honour of Eye, belonging to this adherent, were, it seems, united together, and made the appanage of the King's nephew, Stephen, Comte of Boulogne. Herbert de Losinge, Abbot of Ramsey, was consecrated Bishop of Thetford in 1091, and, though the episcopal residence was removed to Norwich in 1094, he apparently retained the name of the see to which he had been consecrated. He died 22 July, 1119, and Everard, Bishop of Norwich, his successor, will have been inadvertently called Bishop of Thetford in the charter of renewal of Stephen, when King, of that granted when he was Comte of Mortain.
page 222 note c See Duchesne, Histoire Genealogique des Maisons de Guines, d’ Ardres, de Gand, et de Coucy. Paris, fol. 1631. Preuves de l'Histoire des Comtes de Guines, liv. 1. n. b. p. 39. &c.
page 223 note d See the Magnum Rotulum Scaccarii vel Pipe, de anno 31 Hen. l.ut videtur. 8vo. 1833,p. 67.
page 224 note e See Spicilegium, operâ Luces d'Achery, fol. Paris, 1723, vol. ii.p. 871, where we read, in apographo quo usi sumus, subsequitur hæc Comitum Gisnensium series.
Isti sunt Comites Gisnensis Terræ, quorum primus Baldevinus fundavit ecelesiam Andrensem anno dominicæ Incarnationis, M.LXXXIV.
Manasses et Emma fundaverunt templum S. Leonardi anno Domini M.C.II.
page 230 note f Lambert d'Ardes cannot be depended upon for the truth of what he narrates, and throughout we have frequent instances of mistakes as to persons and things; thus under the heading Quomodo Comes Manasses duxit Cornitissam Emmam, we have this confused paragraph, “Comte Manasses, not undeservedly, far and wide throughout the globe was most renowned and known for magnificence and glory. Known indeed in France, known in Normandy, but most known in England. Hence, as by his intercourse with that country he was frequently in the presence of the King of the English, William, he married Emma, daughter of Robert, the Chamberlain of Tancarville, in Normandy, widow of Odo of Folkestone in England.” Having had some faint recollection of the family of Tancarville through the marriage of Matilda de Arques with the widow of the Baron of Folkestone, he puts her down as daughter of a Robert, Chamberlain of Tancarville, a name which had not then occurred in the genealogy of that illustrious House, instead of describing her as the sister of the lady of Tancarville; and with equal facility converts the name of Nigel into that of Odo. It is subject of regret that the eminent genealogist, Duchesne, should have blindly followed this guide, and perpetuated the error, which in all foreign works concerning the Comtes of Guines is frequently reproduced.
page 235 note g The following verses on the succession of the Comtes of Ghisnes have been printed by D'Achery in the Spicilegium, vol. ii. p. 871, and are of great interest and truth—
Pluribus ex annis sic fantur scripta Joannis,
Qui fuerant quondam Comites in carmina fundat
Gisnensis terræ, fortes in tempore guerræ.
Primus Syfridus, Arnulfus, et inde Rodulfus,
Eustachius, Baldevinus fundator honesti
Andrensis templi, (post quern) Manasses, et Emma;
Hi duo struxerunt templum Sancti Leonardi.
Albricus, Baldevinus qui præfuit Ardæ,
Hi fuerant Comites non re, sed nomine tantum.
Inclytus Arnoldus de Ganda qui veniebat
Hic, prius in terrâ, quæ nunc sunt, arma gerebat.
Filius illius Baldevinus generosus
Hunc sequitur probitate pari nimis generosus.
Of these Alberic, otherwise Albric, otherwise Albert, son of Alberic de Ver, and afterwards first Earl of Oxford, and Great Chamberlain of England, had burial at Earl's Colne, and Weever tells us that such was the epitaph or inscription upon his tomb, as it is in the Book of Colne Priory:
“Hie jacet Albericus de Vere, filius Alberici de Vere, Comes de Guisney et primus Comes Oxonie, Magnus Camerarius Angliæ, qui, propter summam audatiam et effrenatam pravitatem, Grymme Aubrey vocabatur. Obiit 26° die Decembris, Anno Xpi 1194, Ricardi I. sexto.”
Here the name of “Grymme Aubrey” is simply a translation from the French historians back into English, being put for Albericus Aper, and the epitaph is evidently of modern date.
page 236 note h On the Patent Rolls, 17 Hen. VI. pars i. m. 12, is transcribed “Licentia Regia Johanni Archiepiscopi Ebor'um concessa pro ampliore ecclesiæ de Wye com. Kent dotatione,” in these words:
“Rex omnibus ad quos &c. salutem. Sciatis quod de gratia nostra speciali et pro cc. libris deducendis de ilia majori summa, in qua nos penes venerabilem patrem Johannem Archiepiscopum Ebor' indebitati sumus, prout dicit per compotum satis constabit, dedimus et concessimus eidem Archiepiscopo advocacionem et rectoriam ecclesiæ de Newentone juxta Hethe, ac omne jus nostrum et titulum, quæ nobis inde aut in aliqua earundem vel aliquibus parcellis eisdem pertinentibus competunt, aut nobis vel heredibus nostris in futurum quovismodo habere poterunt, una cum grangia de Bransete et terris de Newentone et Promehill, ac glebis, decimis, oblationibus, fructibus, proventibus, pensionibus, portionibus, ac aliis emolumentis quibuscumque eidem rectoriæ qualitercunque spectantibus sive pertinentibus, quæ Katherina nuper abbatissa de Guynes de comitatu de Artoys ultra mare tenuit die quo obiit, ut de jure Abbathise predictæ, et quæ per mortem ejusdem Katherinæ capta fuerunt in manus charissimi doniini et patris nostri defuncti, et in manu nostra jam existunt, et quæ de valore xivli. per annum existunt, et sic inde nobis ad scaccarium nostrum annuatim responsum est; habendum et tenendum &c. præfato archiepiscopo heredibus et assignatis suis imperpetuum absque aliquo nobis vel heredibus nostris quovismodo inde reddendo. T. Rege apud Sanctum Jacobum juxta Westmonasterium xxviii° Martii.” One of the pensions was payable to the Priory of Folkstone for the moiety of the tythe given to it by Beatrice, widow of William of Arques, in Newington, and when in the time of Henry VIII. account was rendered by the King's officers of its revenues, this entry was made, Newingtona, Pencio de Magistro Collegii de Wye, 3li