GODALMING HUNDRED
��WITLEY
��the rebellion of William Clito his whole honour of Aquila escheated to the Crown, and was only fully re- granted in 1154.* He died in 1176 and was succeeded by a son of the same name.' The latter's son Gilbert went away into Normandy shortly before 1 200, at which date the sheriff accounted for his lands at Witley. 10 The custody of this manor was given first to Stephen de Turnham, and afterwards, in 12045, to William, Earl de Warenne, Gilbert's brother-in- law," who obtained the grant on behalf of his sister." The lands had probably been restored to Gilbert be- fore 6 April 1226, when he had licence to cross to Normandy," but they were again taken into the king's hands in September of the same year," perhaps as a pledge for his loyalty to Henry III, for they were re- stored in the following spring on payment of a fine. 15 Gilbert de Aquila was dead before January 1231-2," and his lands escheated to the king, 17 probably owing to his or his heir's adherence to French interests, 18 for in 1232 Henry III granted his barony to Peter de Rivaulx, the Poitevin favourite, promising that, if he should restore it to Gilbert's heirs by a peace or of his own free will, Peter should not be dispossess- ed without compensation. 19 Peter de Rivaulx, however, seems to have lost the lands at the time of his depriva- tion in 1234, for in December of that year the king granted them with a similar promise to Gilbert Mar- shal, Earl of Pembroke. 10 He exchanged them almost immediately with the king's brother Richard," but temporarily only, for he surrendered them to the Crown in June 1 24.0." In the year following Henry granted the honour of Aquila to Peter of Savoy, uncle of Queen Eleanor," and entailed it on his heirs in 1246." It was doubtless the general dislike of for- eigners which caused the ill-feeling that arose between Peter of Savoy and his tenants at Witley. They roused his anger by neglecting the homage due to him, and he in revenge increased their rents. 1 * On the baronial victory in 1264, Peter of Savoy having fled from the country, Witley was granted to the custody of Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester." But after Evesham, Peter's lands were restored, and on his death in 1268 Queen Eleanor received Witley in accord- ance with a settlement made by Peter her uncle." The king and queen granted the manor to their son
��Edward, who surrendered it to his mother for her life.' 3
She granted the tenants a release from the oppres- sive exactions of her predecessor on condition that they should cause a yearly service to be held in Witley Church for the souls of her husband and of Peter of Savoy.* 9 In 1275 she gave the manor for life to her steward Guy Ferre,* who surrendered it to the Crown c. 1279." In 1283 Queen Eleanor was again in possession, for she then had a grant of a weekly market on Fridays at her manor of Witley, 3 ' and her charter to Guy Ferre was confirmed in 1289." She died in 1291.
Edward I visited Witley in June 1294," and in 1 299 assigned the honour of Aquila, and possibly Witley also, but there is no definite proof that Witley was parcel of the honour, in dower to Queen Margaret," who was in actual possession of Witley in 131 3," and possibly earlier, for Guy de Ferre the former tenant for life had died before I 303." Witley ^seems to have been assigned with the honour to the next queen, Isabella, who was in possession in 1329." Queen Isabella surrendered it with her other lands in 1330," and it formed part of Philippa of Hainault's dower in January 1330-1.* During the latter's life Andrew Tyndale held the manor in lease, and after her death, in 1 369, the lease was renewed for twenty years.* 1 He died c. 1377,*' and the manor was thereupon granted by Richard II to his nurse Mundina Danos for life, the grant being afterwards extended to her and her husband Walter Rauf, the king's tailor, in survivorship.*' They seem to have renewed the exactions of Peter of Savoy, whereupon the tenants of the manor raised a subscrip- tion among themselves and brought a plea against Mundina and her husband,** and though they were not at the time successful they were able in the next reign to obtain an exemplification of the Domesday entry relating to Witley,** and a confirmation of Queen Eleanor's charter.* 6 Walter Rauf died 12 June 1421,*' but Mundina survived him, at any rate till 1423, when she had confirmation of the former grants of Witley.* 9 The reversion of Witley Manor was given to John Feriby, king's clerk, for life, in 1422 ;*' Henry VI also granted a life-interest in the
��8 Dugdale, Baronage, i, 497. That he retained some lands, possibly including Witley, is inferred from hit grant of Oxenford in 1 147.
'Cbroniea Roberti di Torigneio (Rolls Ser.), 270.
10 Pipe R. 2 John, m. 15 d. ; Testa de Nevill (Rec. Com), 225 j Cal. Doe. France, 225-6. "Close, 6 John, m. 14.
19 Teita de Nevill (Rec. Com.), 225.
u Cal. Pat. 1225-32, p. 26.
14 Excerfta t Rot. Fin. (Rec. Com.), i, 147.
"Fine R. n Hen. Ill, pt. i, m. iz.
u Cal. Pat. 1225-32, p. 458.
W Exeerfta e Rot. Fin. (Rec. Com.), i, 119.
18 It is most likely that it was the heir who sacrificed his English in order to retain his French lands, for Gilbert's widow had dower in his English lands, which were nevertheless accounted for among the 'Terrae Normannorum.'
19 Col. Chart. R. i, 162. It is interest- ing, in face of Peter de Rivaulx's depriva- tion, to note that Hubert de Burgh pledged himself to resist any possible attempt of
��the king to violate the charters granted to the Poitevin (ibid, i, 165).
- >Ibid. i, 190.
Ibid, i, 191 ; Red Bk. ofExeh. (Rolls Ser.), 803.
M Cal. Chart. R. 252.
"Rymer, FoeJera, i, 399.
- Cal. Chart. R. i, 193, 296.
5 Assize R. no. 873 (43 Hen. Ill), m. 6.
- Pat. 48 Hen. Ill, m. 8.
'7 Feet of F. Div. Co. Mich. 44 Hen. III.
98 Pat. 53 Hen III, m. 24 and 21.
89 Pat. 7 Hen. IV, pt. i, m. 29.
Cal. Pat. 1272-81, p. 125.
"Ibid. 355.
89 Close, 1 1 Edw. I, m. 7.
"Cal. Pat. 1281-92, p. 329.
81 Letters close and patent are dated thence by the king 25 June 1294.
86 Cal. Pat. 1292-1301, pp. 76, 79, 102.
M Close, 6 Edw. II, m. 14, 15.
87 Mins. Accts. (Gen. Ser.), bdle. 1015, no. 8. Mention is made of his executors in this account. Edward II visited Witley
63
��m 1324 (Cal. Close, 1323-7, pp. 203, 205).
88 Pat. 3 Edw. Ill, pt. 11, m. 19 d.
89 Rymer, FoeJera, ii, 835, 893.
40 Cal. Pat. 1330-4, p. 55.
41 Abbrev. Rot. Orig. (Rec. Com.), ii, 304. At first he paid 20 yearly, from which the parker's wages of id. daily were deducted : after 1369 he paid 30 yearly, which seems to have been about the value of the manor. Queen Philippa granted 30 from it to Gilbert of Imworth (Cal. Pat. 1343-$, p. 380). See also the first grant to Mundina Danos (ibid. 1377-81, p. 1 20), and Andrew Tyndale's account (Mins. Accts. [Gen. Sen], bdle. 1015, no. 9).
4a Cal. Pat. 1377-81, p. 21. 48 Ibid. 120, 159, 609. 44 Coram Rege R. no. 511 (Hil. 11 Ric. II), m. 17.
46 Cal. Pat. 1399-1401, p. 501. 44 Pat. 7 Hen. IV, pt. i, m. 29. 4 " Esch. Inq. p.m. (Ser. i), file 1417,
DO. I.
48 Cat. Pat. 1422-9, p. 87.
49 Ibid. 16.
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