[39] It is generally understood that not RICHARD D'AVRANCHES, in the Cotentin, (though living at the time), but his son HUGH LUPUS accompanied the conqueror; receiving in 1070 the earldom of Chester, to hold 'tam liberè ad gladium sicut ipse rex tenebat Angliam per coronam.' See Ordericus Vitalis, 787, and Introd. Domesday, i. 437. In the Red book, 'comes Cestriæ 10 mil. de Sancto Severo et de Bregesard; et ad serv. suum 51 mil. et dim. et 4m. et 8m. Idem de fœdo Morton.' In the inquest of Bayeux knights 'comes Cestriæ tenet 5 mil. de episcopo fœdum,' of which the particulars are given. Of Hugh Lupus Gaimar draws a striking portrait: as well as of others of these fortunate leaders. In speaking of an enormous guard of honour that William kept about him when going from England to Normandy, he says;
Il les tenoit ne sai pur quoi
Car nule guerre il n'avoit,
Ne de nul horn ne se cremoit:
Mes par sa grant nobilité
Avoit cele gent od soi mené.
Qe dirroie de ses barons?
Quieus homs estoit li quens Huons!
L'empereur de Lumbardie
Ne menoit pas tiele compaignie
Come il fesoit de gent privée.
Ja sa [tiel] meson ne tut vée
A gentil home ne a franc.
Ewe en viver u en estanc
Ert plus legier a espucher
Que n'iert son beivre ne son manger.
Touz tens avoit richesce assez;
Ja tant n'eust le jor donez
Qe lendemain li sovenist,
E q'autretant ne departist.
Conte de Cestre estoit clamé;
Od grant gent est au roi alé.
[40] LES BIARDS, canton d'Isigny, arrondissement of Mortain. William Avenel is probably meant, who in 1082 was a benefactor to the abbey of St. Pierre-de-la-Couture at Mans; Gallia Christiana, ix. Instr. 107. See the Avenels again below, and our note there.
[41] SUBLIGNY, near Avranches. There was a bishop of Avranches of this house in the twelfth century. Sublignys appear in Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset See M. de Gerville's Recherches, No. 83. In the Red book, 'Joannes de Soligneio 1 mil. et ad servitium suum 3 mil;' and 'in ballia de Tenerchebraio—Joannes de Solegneio 1 mil. de honore de Gilleb'vill. et sibi 4 mil.'
[42] D'AUBIGNY, near Periers, in the Cotentin; where there are now two parishes, St. Martin and Christopher d'Aubigny. As to the chateau, and that of Lithaire, see M. de Gerville's Recherches, No. 49—36. Lithaire however appears not to have belonged to this family; see our note. Dugdale, Blomfield, and most of our genealogists are extremely inaccurate as to the early history of this family. Almost all state William d'Aubigny, or de Albineio, pincerna of Hen. I., who did not die till 1139, to have come with the conqueror in 1066; to have been his butler, and to have received his estates from him. From contemporary documents, particularly the charters of Lessay in the Monasticon and Gall. Christiana, the known pedigree commences with a William d'Aubigny, or de Albini, who married the sister of the traitor Grimoult del Plesseiz; see the Bayeux Inquest, and our note p. 30. They had a son Roger, who married Amy Moubray, sister of Jeffery the bishop, and of Roger de Moubray. These had several children,—bom probably about or soon after the conquest,—namely William, pincerna of Hen. I., who married Maud Bigot, and was father of the first earl of Arundel; Richard, abbot of St. Albans (see Mat. Paris); Nigel, whose son took the name and estates of Moubray; Humphry; and Rualoc or Ralf. The subsequent pedigree of the Albini earls is correctly given by Mr. Tierney in his Hist. of Arundel. Wace anachronizes in calling his d'Aubignie—boteillers. If one of the family was at Hastings, it must have been the eldest William or his son Roger. At Domesday, however, Nigel, younger son of Roger, was of age and a landholder; having perhaps succeeded to the English estates of his father or grandfather; probably both then dead, as they are not mentioned. William pincerna, his brother, (the founder of Wymondham), probably inherited the Norman estates, which were considerable; he appears to have had none in England, till for his services to Hen. I. he was enfeoffed, about 1106, of the barony of Buckenham, (see Heame's Liber Niger), to hold in grand serjeantry by the butlery; an office now discharged by the dukes of Norfolk his descendants, holders of part of the barony. If William the grandfather survived Roger, the confusion between the two Williams may have occasioned the errors of genealogists. In the Red book the earl of Arundel is a defaulter; and we find only his Bayeux fee, acquired by the marriage of his ancestor with Grimoult's sister; and 'Willus de Albigneio in Barbavill,' without further particulars.
[43] ROBERT, lord of VITRE or Vitry, in Brittany, was, according to the Breton historians, in William's expedition, and is probably here meant. There is, however, a Vitray-sous-l'Aigle, arrondissement of Mortagne; and as the name occurs again below, it is probable that one at least does not refer to a Norman lord. In the Red book roll we find, 'Robertus de Vitreio medietatem de Ria in Baiocasino, et Trungeium et Caignoles et Duxeium in Boscagio.'
[44] LASSY, arrondissement of Vire. Walter de Lacy was the conqueror's attendant, and Ilbert de Lacy is also said to have been present. Roger, son of Walter also is in Domesday; Introd. Dom. i. 431, 432; ii. 345. Lacie occurs again below. In the Bayeux Inquest we find 'feodum de Lacey in Campellis (Campeaux in the Bocage) 2 mil. scil. Guilleberti et Henrici.'
[45] VAL DE SAIRE is the name of a district in the Cotentin, arrondissement of Valognes; 'là tut dreit u Sarre en mer chiet;' Wace, i. 318.
[46] TRACY, in the arrondissement of Caen, where are still remains of the castle. It was probably Turgis de Tracy who was at the battle. Orderic. Vit. 532. In Gallia Christ, xi. Instrum. 107, we find in 1082 William and Gilbert de Tracy. A natural son of Hen. I. was afterwards called William de Tracy. Henry de Tracy received from Stephen the barony of Barnstaple. A.L.P. In the Red book, 'Turgillus de Traseio 2 mil. et ad servit. suum 8 mil.' He subsequently occurs as 'Turgis de Traceio,' besides 'Willmus de Traceio,' and 'Oliverus de Traceio.'
[47] HUGH DE MONTFORT, noticed above.