at length. In the 14th of Henry II., on the occasion of the aid for the marriage of the king's daughter, he sent in a return of twenty knights'-fees, which included his property in Yorkshire as well as in Northumberland. These fefments, which had been made either to barons or knights before the day of the death of Henry I., were called vetus feffamentum, the old fefment, until the time of the death of Henry I.; and thus after his death, and during the lifetime of his second successor Henry II., they were styled new fefments.* In the 13th of Henry II. he rendered an account of the honour of Lancaster. He was sheriff of Northumberland from the 4th to the 15th of Henry II. and part of O.JENITT. the 16th. He seems to have died 30 Henry II. (1184), as in this year Adam de Carduis accounts for the ancient farm, manors, pleas, and perquisites of his honour. In this account there is mention made of the carriers of the king's birds, and for feeding them and the royal dogs; also of corn, malt, hogs, sheep, and other things which he had sold.‡ It is this William de Vesci to whom must be assigned the grant made to his vassals, the burgesses of Alnwick, of right of common pasture in Hayden or Alnwick Moor. It was subsequently confirmed by one from William de Vesci the grandson, and additional privileges were added by William de Vesci, brother of John and grandson SEAL OF WILLIAM DE VESCI. *Baronia Anglica, p. 29. † Willelmus de Vesci reddit compo tum de ccl. de honore de Lancastra. In thesauro c. et quatuor xx. et xiiiil. et xiiis. et iiiid. Magn. Rot. Pip. Magn. Rot. Pip. 30 Hen. II. In 1189 the sheriff accounts for 4871. 8s. 2d. as of the honour of William de Vesci. Magn. Rot. Pip. 1 Ric. I. of the one just mentioned, being the third William de Vesci. This last grant bears date 1290. A facsimile of the earliest charter is given in this volume, and a transcript of it below. The originals still exist amongst the records of the burgesses. He was succeeded by his son Eustace. In the Testa de Nevill is a return made in the 13th of John of the number of knights' fees held by each tenant in capite in certain counties, amongst others Northumberland. The return relative to Eustace de Vesci is as follows: Eustace de Vesci holds in chief of our lord the king the barony of Alnwick by the service of xii knights, and moreover he holds the two vills of Budle and Spindelston and the vill of Warner (Warren) which King Henry I. gave to Eustace Fits-John, the ancestor of the said Eustace, for the increment of his service; and all his ancestors have held the same by the same service; and from that feofment nothing has been alienated or given in marriage, alms, or otherwise to the king's prejudice.+ At his death before Barnard Castle in 1216, his lands and the castle of Alnwick were committed to the custody of William de Dunston and Ralph de Norwich; William Earl of Pembroke received custody of William the son, and subsequently married him to his own daughter Isabel. At the death of William Earl of Salisbury (10 Henry III.) this William de Vesci succeeded to his barony of Alnwick; but the castle was retained for a time in the hands of the king. According to the Testa de Nevill the barony of Alnwick was held in capite by William de Vesci, and comprised Alnwick, Alnemouth, Denwick, Hawkhill, Bilton, Lesbury, Shilbottle, Newton, Hazon, Guisance, Rugely, Morwick, Chinington, Great and Little Houghton, Howick, Rennington, Rock, Charleton, Fallowden, Brunton, Newton, Preston, Tughall, Swynhow, Newham, Cumyn, Luckerwith-Hope, Hetherstone, Spindlestone, Budle, Ewart, Doddington-with-Nesbit, Horton, Turberville, Hesilrig, Lyham, Notum sit omnibus hominibus presentibus et futuris hanc cartam visuris vel audituris quod ego Willielmus de Vescy concessi et hac mea carta confirmavi hominibus meis burgensibus de Alnewic tenere de me et de hæredibus meis, illi et hæredes sui tam libere et quiete sicut burgenses de Novo Castro tenent de Domino Rege Angliæ, et etiam habere com L munem pasturam in Haidene et in mora de Haydene. Hiis testibus Waltero de Bolebec, Rogero de Stutevilla, Johanne Vicecomite, Rainaldo de Kynebel et multis aliis. The other charters have been printed in a popular history of Alnwick, published anonymously in 1822. † Liber Niger, p. 319. Chatton, Fowbury, Weetwood, Coldmartin, Earl, Ingram, Revely, Hartshead, Rawdon, Prendwick, Alnham, Chirmunsden,' Biddlestone, Clennel, Netherton, Burraden, Alwinton, Hetton, Amble, Sharperton, 'Thirna,' Stevenwood, Hawksley, Chillingham, and Hebburn. Portions of these lands were, as was usual, held by subinfeudation; but as the particulars have already been printed, both in the Testa de Nevill and in the Appendix to Hodgson's Northumberland, it is unnecessary to repeat them here; more particularly since at an inquest taken during the next reign, which has not hitherto been published, these subinfeudations are expressly accounted for before the king's officer. The socage* is more particularly set forth, and from this we learn the precise terms of various holdings within the barony. The following examples will supply sufficient illustration of the value of land within the respective districts at the latter end of the twelfth century: Adam de Swinhou holds sixteen acres of land in Swinehou for two shillings. Waltar holds thirty acres in Prendwick for five shillings. Simon de Horseley holds half a carucate of land in Alnwick for half a mark. Roger Balistarius holds three bovates of land in Alnham for seven shillings. William Cocus holds thirty acres of land in Prendwick for one pound of pepper. Waltar de Prendwick holds eleven acres in Alnwick for the third part of a pound of cinnamon. Upon the decease of William de Vesci in 1252, John, his son, being then a minor, his wardship was conferred upon Peter de Savoy.+ John's brother William succeeded in 1288, and held the barony of Alnwick for nine years. And as William's son John, the rightful heir, died previously, it devolved on the crown; and the following inquisition was held, which gives us some positive information regarding the nature of subinfeudation within the barony at this time. To understand it better, it is necessary to state, that the document was supposed to be a portion of Kirkby's Quest; this, however, seems doubtful. During the reign of Edward I., John de Kirkby, who was the royal treasurer, archdeacon of Coventry, and subsequently bishop of Ely, directed an inquisition into the escheats of the crown; and this survey, which • Testa de Nevill, p. 387. Rot. Pat. 38 Hen. III. goes under the title of Kirkby's Quest, furnishes much valuable information touching the regal and great feudal possessions. In the paper transcript amongst the muniments at Syon, from which it is copied, it is said supposititiously to be a part of this prelate's survey. Yet this may be reasonably doubted, since no document of the kind relating to Northumberland has hitherto been discovered. There is, however, little reason for disputing its authenticity as a copy from some official record, though the original itself may be lost. DE ANNO 24 EDW. I.-SUPPONITUR ESSE KIRKBY QUEST. Warda de Bamburck. Johannes de Vescy tenet Lesbury, Magnam Howton, Denewyke, Tughall et Swinhall, de Rege in capite, sed non fit mentio in inquisitionibus prædictis per quod servitium. Johannes Hering tenet unum feodum militis in Parva Howton de Johanne de Vescy, et ipse de Rege in capite. Willielmus Ribaulde tenet unum feodum militis in Nicholaus de Hauville tenet unum feodum militis in Warda de Glendale. Johannes de Vescy tenet Baroniam de Alnewik, Dodington et Wethwode de Rege in capite. Mauricius de Eworde tenet tertiam partem unius feodi militis in Eworde de Johanne de Vescy, et ipse de rege in capite. Hetton. Lyham. Alnewyke, Alneham et Chatton. Shilbotell, Ha sande et Guisenes. Fowberye. Prendwyke. Ruggeley. Andreas Russell tenet quartam partem unius feodi mi- Warda de Cokedale. Johannes de Vescy tenet unam baroniam in villa de Alnewik, Alneham et Chatton de Rege in capite. Gilbertus de Umfravill tenet unum feodum militis et dimidium de Johanne de Vescy, et ipse de Rege, sed non fuit mentio ubi. Robertus de Hilton tenet duo feoda militum in Shilibotell, Haysand et Gisenes de eodem Johanne de Vescy, et ipse de Rege. Henricus de Bilton tenet dimidium feodum militis in Bilton de eodem Johanne, et ipse de Rege. Johannes de Hortwaydon tenet unum feodum militis in Folbery de eodem Johanne, et ipse de Rege. Robertus le Walas et Alexander de Prendwik tenent dimidium feodum militis in Prendwik de eodem Johanne, et ipse de Rege. Franco le Tyas tenet quartam partem unius feodi militis in Ruggeley de eodem Johanne de Vescy. There is no sufficient authority for the early part of the De Vesci pedigree given by Dugdale.* He refers to the escheats 8 Edw. II. as his ground for stating that the Conqueror bestowed on Yvo de Vesci the daughter and heiress of William Tysen. But upon referring to this inquisition, as the reader may do to a copy of it in the Appendix, it very evidently contains nothing to favour the assertion. In all probability Dugdale took his idea from the chronicler of Alnwick Abbey, who makes a similar statement. Yet even here the authority is very suspicious, as this chronicle was evidently written several centuries later; its conclusion coming down as low as 1377. Besides which, the internal evidence supplied by the history itself is highly doubtful, and shows that it was compiled by some credulous monk of the foundation, who inserted whatever he could gather from those around him. When his information related to recent events it would be less liable to error; but what reliance could be placed upon stories which were merely traditionary, and * A pedigree of the De Vesci family is given at p. 155 of this work. |