Page:VCH Lancaster 1.djvu/432

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE having had issue by his wife Maud, a daughter, Amabil, married to Geoffrey Tregoz,* who had in marriage with her the vill of Bilsthorpe, co. Notts,' and a son, Albert II., of whom an anecdote is related in the Life of St. William of Norwich, under the date 1 1 54. The story tells of the miraculous restoration to life of a favourite falcon of Robert Grelley's son Albert, which had fallen sick and had been taken to the saint by the owner in earnest belief of the saint's powers of healing/ During his father's lifetime, Albert II. married Maud, sister and co-heiress of William fitzWilliam, constable of Chester, whose pourparty of her brother's estate consisted of the manor of Cuerdley, in this county, Daresbury, co. Chester,* the manor of Woodhead with the vill of Casterton, co. Rutland, the lordship of Pirton, alias Periton, co. Oxon., and I J and J part of a knight's fee in Barnetby, Bigby, Somerby, Hainton, and Sixhills, CO. Lincoln. ° He made several feoffinents in his Lancashire lands,' and was benefactor to the abbey of St. Benet of Holme, co. Norfolk, remitting to the abbot all claim in the church of St. Peter of Hoveton, for the good of the souls of his father Robert, and grandfather Albert.'^ To Holy Trinity of Ipswich he gave the church of Willisham, co. Suffolk.^ At this time the Grelleys lived at Tunstead in co. Norfolk, or at Sixhills, co. Lincoln.' Albert probably died not long after attesting the agreement for the partition of Furness Fells, made in or soon after 1163, probably before the honour of Lancaster came into the hand of Henry 11.^° and certainly before 1 170." By Maud his wife he had beside other issue" a son, Albert III., described in the inquest of service of 12 12 as ' Albertus juvenis, or junior,' who made numerous infeudations in his fee between Ribble and Mersey," and gave lands and a corn mill, parcel of his manor of Woodhead, co. Rutland, to the abbey of Swineshead," and pasturage for nine score sheep in the fields of Bloxham, to the nuns of Haverholme." He confirmed to Norton priory the grants made within his fee by William FitzNigel, his maternal grandfather, and by William FitzWiUiam, his uncle." He married Isabel, daughter of Thomas 1 Grimaldi, Rot. de domtnabiu, 41. ' Testa de Nevill (Kcc. Com.), i3. In 121 5, custody of Bilsthorpe was committed to Robert GreUey, apparently after the death of William de Tregoz. Cbse R. (Rec. Com.), i. 215. ' Op. cit. Camb. Univ. Press, 1896, Bk. vi. No. 19, p. 258

  • Ormerod, Hist. ofChes. edit. Helsby, i. 732^.

' Testa de Nevill {Ktc. Com.), loi, 106, 308, 315, 332.

  • To Wlvric de Mamecestre (probably Wulfrich, lord of Withington, and ancestor of the Derbyshire

Hathersages, whose estates passed by marriage to the Longfords) 4 oxgangs of land of the demesne ; to the church of Manchester 4 oxgangs of the demesne ; to Henry son of Siward (of Lathom) i canicate of land in Flixton. Testa de Nevill (Rec. Com.), 404^. 7 Cott. MSS. Galba E. ii. xixiii. 8 Chart. R. (Rec. Com.), 1 16. ' Grimaldi, Rot. de dominabus, 4, 25. 10 Hut. Soc. Lane, and Ches. (New Ser.), xvii. 37. 11 Mon. Jngl. V. 337. 1* Seifred or SefJray had the manor of Grimsthorpe, co. Line, but dying, s.p., the manor passed to his brother Albert. Assize R. No. 482, m. 18. Perhaps Bernard was another son. Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. 403. IS Lanes, and Ches. Hist. Soc. (New Ser.), xvii. 23, where a facsimile of a fine charter with Albert Grelley's seal is given. He gave to Thomas Pierpont 3 carucates of land in Rumworth and Lostock for the service of ^ knight ; to Robert de Bracebridge 2 oxgangs of the Manchester demesne ; to William le Norreys 2 carucates of land in Heaton (Norris) ; to Alexander son of Uvieth 2 oxgangs of land in Little Lever ; to Ellis de Pendlebury the land of Snydal in Westhoughton ; to Richard son of Henry (of Lathom) 2 oxgangs in Anlezargh. Testa de Nevill (Rec. Com.), 404 ; to William, the clerk of Ecdes, the fourth part of the church of Ecdes. Coiuher of fV bailey, 40. 1* Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), ii. 53. " Lansd. MS. 207A, 207. 18 Ormerod, Hist, of Ches. edit. Helsby, i. 732^. The witnesses to his charter were Robert de Byron, Wmiam son of Wulfiic (of Withington and Hathersage), and Richard son of Henry. 328