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torian and poet; and it may be added, that an investigation of the actions of this noble family is in reality opening the most prominent questions connected with the national history of Great Britain.

I shall not attempt to pursue researches so multifarious and extensive; but in any of the slight sketches of personal biography that may follow, rather endeavour to make them illustrative of the baronial descent of Alnwick, and of the immediate relation or connection the Percies maintained with the county of Northumberland. Such a sketch must of necessity be a dry recital of isolated facts. Yet, tedious and uninviting as it will seem to the reader, it will supply him with the materials for extending his inquiries into this period of history, as well as furnish a key to some of the transactions alluded to in the present volume.

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Burga, daughter of

2. William, who took the name of De Vescy. Confirms and adds to his father's charters of Aln-Robt. Stotevill, Lord wick Abbey. Died 30 Hen. II., 1184. See Charter No. II.

of Knaresborough.

3. Eustace de Vescy, killed before Barnard Cas--Agnes, daughter of tle, 1216, aged 45; was 14 when his father died. | Alexander, king of See Charter No. IV.

Scotland.

Matilda, m. T. de Muscamps.

4. William de Vescy. Died 37 Hen. III., 1252.Agnes, daugh--Isabel, daughCastle of Alnwick committed to H. de Savoy during ter of William the minority of his heir,† Thomas de Stainford being escheator. Abbrev. Rot. Orig. p. 12.

5. John de Vescy, born July 18, 1244; died Feb. 10, 1288, sine hærede. Was taken prisoner at the battle of Evesham, 1265. Founds Hulne Abbey 1265-1289. The Chronicle of Lanercost says he was buried at Alnwick, p. 122. See Charter No. V.

ter of William

Ferrers, Earl of Derby.

Earl of Salisbury.

Mary, sister of Hugh-Isabel de Beaude Lezinian, Earl of mont. March; pays homage at Ipswich, 25 Edw. I. Rot. Scot.

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From Agnes, wife of Eustace Fitz-John, came Richard Fitz-Eustace, from whom descend the Claverings.
In the carrucate of Northumberland of the 10 Edw. I., which was assessed at 2745 carrucates, John Wascalin, constable of Bamburgh, received 100 marcs for the yearly
custody of the castle, and William Earl of Salisbury owed 41. 3s. for the forty-two carrucates in Alnwick which he held in custody of the demesne of Eustace de Vescy.
Foreign Accounts, No. 1, m. 2.

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JUDICIAL REGULATIONS AND ANCIENT TENURES WITHIN THE BARONY OF ALNWICK.

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THE Earls of Northumberland before the Conquest possessed what was subsequently termed palatinate jurisdiction; thus the Earl of Chester, the Bishop of Durham, and the Duke of Lancaster, had in these respective counties authority equal to the crown; as Bracton says, regalem potestatem in omnibus." Various abbots and priors were invested with nearly equal jurisdiction; though their manorial powers indeed ceased at the Reformation. The palatinate of Chester was united to the crown by Henry III., and the duchy of Lancaster was forfeited to it by Henry VI.; so that Durham is the only palatinate of the three that has in any degree preserved its ancient jurisdictional powers, whilst these moreover are extremely weakened.

When the extensive territory of the Percies is considered, it will not be any cause for surprise that numerous functionaries should be appointed to its government, some of whom are necessary at the present day, whilst others still perform correspondent duties under a different title. I have endeavoured to ascertain whether any particular information existed regarding the early regulations of the baronial courts; and in looking through the muniments at Syon House I found a small volume on paper, written in the first year of Richard III. (1483), entitled The Red Book of Alnwick, which supplies the following particulars, given more fully in the notes.*

This manuscript is written in an extremely difficult hand to decipher; but the following extracts will give an idea of its contents.

The first page of the book has no heading, but begins at the top as follows:

Alnwyk, xxxixli, vjs.

Denwyk, xvili. xvjd.

Swynles, xxxvis, viijd.

Cauledg Park.

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