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From: Reedpcgen< >
Subject: Re: BIGOD of Settrington, co. Yorks., and Stocton, co. Norfolk [part 3]
Date: 02 Aug 2000 05:25:10 GMT


[part 3 of 3]

RALPH BYGOD, of Stockton, co. Norfolk

In 1275, it was presented that Ralph, son of Earl Hugh Bigod and the Countess
Maud/Matilda, had granted William de Brom [Broome] the amercements of his
homage in the soke of Stockton, co. Norfolk [Rot. Hund. 1:467b]. This shows
that Ralph, son of Earl Hugh, held rights in Stockton. Ralph Bigod, born after
1208, was dead by 1260, when his widow and executrix, Berte de Furnival [sic]
was mentioned. A month from Easter 37 Hen. III, Ralph Bygot was claimant by
fine to a moiety of the manor of Seterington, Hugh Bygot tenant. Ralph was to
hold it for life of Hugh and his heirs. On the death of Ralph it was to revert
to Hugh and his heirs quit of the heirs of Ralph [Feet of Fines…York, YAS
82:91].

Ralf Bygod appeared a number of times in the Curia Regis Rolls [I do not have a
full run of these (missing v. 10-15; anyone want to check them to let us know
if Ralph Bigod is listed in the index?)]; a suit 1242-3 specifically involves
him in land at Seterinton [CurRR 17:142 (no. 715)]. Ralph apparently also had
interests in land at Thorne, co. York, where Maud, Countess of Norfolk and de
Warenne had interests [EYC 8:176-7 (no. 131)].

William Farrer, Honors and Knights’ Fees 2:277, under Bugbrooke, Northants.,
states: "The earl of Derby is said to have given the manor [of Bugbrooke] to
Hugh [de Ferrers] his younger son, who had a grant of free warren here in 1247.
Cecily his daughter and heir married Geoffrey de Beaumont and they held the
manor in 1284 of the earl of Chester's heirs. Cecily died in 1290, but Godfrey
survived until 1293, when it was found that he and his wife had been jointly
enfeoffed…; by collusion they had passed the manor by fine to John Bigod
[Baker, Northants., 1:122ff.; Abbrev. Placit. 247b, 260]…. In 1302 John Bigod
brought a suit against Eleanor late the wife of Robert de Ferrers, John de
Ferrers and Walter de Wilton for this manor [Abbrev. Placit. 247b]. [This John
died in 1305.] Five years later the plea was still in process, John son of the
said John Bigod claiming the manor. John de Ferrers and Hawise his wife in
their reply alleged that John the younger was a bastard; Ralph Bigod [the
younger John’s brother] then came upon the scene and claimed to be John
Bigod’s son and heir, and in Easter term, 1307, recovered the manor [Ibid.
260]. He was lord of Bugbrooke in 1316 [Feudal Aids, 4:21], but some years
later the Ferrers were again in possession." [A side note here; John and Roger
are stated to be Isabella’s sons, but no document states that the eldest son
Ralph was son of Isabella—an interesting inference if the younger John was an
illegitimate son of the elder Sir John by Isabella, who later became his
legitimate wife.]

This same scenario is given in Whalley’s edition of Bridges’ History of
Northamptonshire 1(1791):485, which gives Bertha as being daughter of William
de Ferrers, 4th Earl of Derby [d. 1247] by his wife, Agnes of Chester [m. 1192,
d. 1247]: "By this Lady he had issue, William his successor in the Earldom of
Derby, Hugh his second son, and Berta a daughter, who became wife of …
Bigod." Baker’s History of Northampton 1(1822-30):122-3, also gives the
account (in more detail), giving Bertha as wife of "Ralph Bigot, brother of
Roger 5th Earl of Norfolk" by whom Baker indicates a son, "Sir John Bigod, of
Singes, or Seething, co. Norfolk [listed in the IPM of Sir John of Stocton,
1305] claimant of Bugbrook, 22-32 Edw. I, ob. 33 Edw. I (1304-5)." See also
Rotuli Parliamentorum… 1:129-30. [I have not checked the Year Books of Edward
I or the abstracts of the de Banco Rolls.]

By Sir Thomas Furnival, Bertha was mother of Sir Thomas and Sir Gerard [d.
1261]. NOTE, HOWEVER, that I have not seen documentary evidence that shows that
Bertha, wife of Thomas Furnival or wife of Ralph Bygod was a Ferrer, or
daughter of the Earl of Derby (if Bertha/Berta was indeed daughter of the 4th
Earl of Derby, her paternal grandmother would be daughter of Bertha/Berte of
Hereford).


CP 5:580 [Furnivalle] simply states that Sir Thomas Furnivalle, of Sheffield,
co. York, and Worksop, co. Notts., [father of the first Furnivalle to be
summoned by writ], was son of Sir Thomas Furnivalle "by Berta, his wife." No
parentage for Berta is claimed. Note "h" which refers to this lady reads, "This
Berta was living 10 Feb. 1266/7 (Patent Roll, 51 Hen. III, m. 26). She had m.,
2ndly, Ralph le Bigod, whose widow she was, 28 July 1260 (Fine Roll, 44 Hen.
III, m. 5)." I have no problem with this statement, as Excerpta e Rotulis
Finium 2:333 records that "Berta de Fornivall’ uxor Radulphi le Bygod" was
coexecutor of Ralph’s testament. Mon. Angl. 5:270 reads "Rogerus sive
Radulphus Bigod, secundus filius Hugonis le Bigod com. Norfolke…. Iste
Rogerus sive Radulphus desponsavit Bertam de Fornivale de quo Johannes Bigod,
et …… Isabella soror Johannes, quae primam desponsata fuit Gilberto de
Lacy."

Gerard de Furnivalle, father of the eldest Thomas, was under age 12 Mar.
1200/1, but given livery of his wife’s father’s lands 20 May 1203. His son
and heir Thomas was likely born about that period. He was still alive 13 Apr.
1238. That would help with a rough estimation of the birth year of his wife
Berta.

CP 5:434, note "a" [FitzJohn] reads,

This Isabel, who he [Sir John FitzJohn] m. before 12 Apr. 1234, was widow of
Gilbert de Lacy, of Ewyas Lacy, co. Hereford…. She is said (Chron. of
Tintern—Monasticon, vol. v, p. 270) to have been da[ughter] of Ralph le Bigot
, by Berta de Furnivalle, but this is impossible, for Ralph was born after
1208. The text of the chronicle is defective and does not lend itself to
emendation, but it is not so with the Annals of Ireland (p. 313), and both are
obviously derived from the same source—"Hugo [Bygod Comes Norfolcie]
generavit Radulphum Bigod patrem Johannis Bigod qui fuit filius domine Berte de
Furnyvall’ et Isabelle de Lacy uxoris domini Johannis fitz Geffery." Here the
writer has merely extended wrongly two words in the authority he was copying.
Replacing Isabelle and uxoris by Isabellam and uxorem, a credible version is at
once obtained. In 1265 Idoine de Vespont … was in the custody of this Berta,
by the commitment of John fitz John (Patent Roll, 49 Hen. III, m. 6). Isabel
had, in marriage, Great Connell, co. Kildare (Close Roll, 18 Hen. III, m. 22).
[end quote]

Blomefield’s History of Norfolk 4(1775):258, states that Sir Ralph, a younger
son of Hugh, Earl of Norfolk, was enfeoffed of Stockton "and held it under the
earl; to this Ralph, Walter de Shipmeadow of Suffolk, conveyed by fine, in the
24th of Henry III. his right of fishing in the river Waveny, between the towns
of Stocton and Shipmeadow… he married Berta, daughter of Lord Furnival, and
died without issue, as did Roger, his brother, earl of Norfolk; so that the
inheritance came to Roger Bigot, eldest son of Hugh Bigot, who is said to be
chief justice of England and 2d son of Earl Hugh."

JOHN BYGOD, the Earl’s "KINSMAN"

John le Bigot of Stokton was on the King’s service in Wales on 18 May 1283
[CPR 1281-92, 96]. This and other documents indicate that this John was older
than the Earl’s brother John [b. ca. 1266]. Sir John le Bigod of Stocton was
first among the witnesses to a charter of Roger, Earl of Norfolk, dated 18 Feb.
30 Edw. I [(1303) CPR 1301-7, 126].

The IPM for John le Bigod, alias le Bygod, of Stocton, alias Stoketon, found
that he held his lands of Roger le Bygod, Earl of Norfolk by gift. The jury for
the manor of Setryyngton, Yorks., found that the heir was unknown, "because his
sons and daughters were born in Norfolk" [CIPM 4:216-17 (no. 320)].

Finally, the arms of Roger le Bygod, Earl of Norfolk [d. 1306], are recorded as
Party d’or et de vert ou ung leon rampaunt de gulez [Falkirk]. The arms of
Sir John le Bigod of Stokton, on the other hand, are reported as Or, On a cross
gu. 5 escallops arg. [Charles, St. George]. Those are the same arms born later
by his son Sir Ralph Bygod of Stokton [Parl.]. The arms born by the younge Sir
John Bygod of Settrington were, On a cross 5 escallops [Birch].

THE QUESTION REMAINS as to whether evidence exists to identify Berta as a
daughter of the Earl of Derby. Is anyone aware of an account which states this
in any early record [e.g., Dugdale’s Monasticon Anglicanum]?

DOUG, have you fond a specific document which proves this (beyond the histories
of Northamptonshire)?

[end of part 3 of 3]

Paul C. Reed, FASG

[copyright, hence to publication in sundry journals without my permission]

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