| Notes |
- Biography
Since the 11th century, the priory Stoke by Clare in Suffolk had a connection with the Gisney (or Gignei etc) family who had granted them an income from their lands in Haveringland and Whitwell in Norfolk. The cartulary of the priory shows that in the time of King John, in the early 1200s, a William de Gisney was lord (volume 2, charter 573, pp.367-368).[1] The modern editors of the cartulary remark that this William de Gisney is known from Curia Regis court records to have been holding Haveringland in 1226 (citing CRR vol.12 p.2330), and appears more generally in the period 1201 to 1228 (citing CRR volume 7, p. 166, and volume 15 no. 2037).[2]
Douglas Richardson has also shown that William was definitely the father of Roger de Gysney who held these lordships next, from about 1230, and who married Joan de Peleville. He posted the following on the Medieval Genealogy newslist.[3]
Recently I was able to locate the lawsuit cited by Complete Peerage concerning Sir John de Vaux and his 1st wife, Joan, widow of Roger de Gyney. The lawsuit is dated 1250.
[...]
Curia Regis Rolls 13 (1959): 129 confirms that Roger de Gyney's wife, Joan, was the daughter of Peter de Peleville:
Date: 1227-1230. "Convenit inter Petrum de Pelevill' querentem et Willelmum de Ginney deforciantem de tota terra ipsius Willelmi in Heveringland Dilham et Pichewurth' et alibi, unde placitum conventionis summonitum fuit inter eos in curia domini regis, scilicet quod predictus (sic) Johannes concessit quod decetero terram suam sive redditum non dabit nec vendet nec invadiabit Judeis sive Christianis per quod Rogerus filius et heres predicti Willelmi possit exheredan nisi de consilio et assensu Petri et amicorum utriusque partis. Et preterea idem Willelmus concessit predicto Petro quod, si predictus filius predicti Willelmi obierit priusquam Willelmus pater suus, idem Willelmus faciet Johanne filie ipsius Petri, quam idem Rogerus duxit in uxorem, plenam dotem suam, scilicet terciam partem totius terre sue et redditus cum pertinentiis unde idem Johannes eam dotavit per assensum ejusdem Willelmi patris sui. Idem vero Willelmus providebit eidem Johanne redditum c. solidorum in certo loco ad sustentationem suam, ita scilicet quod idem redditus computabitur eidem Johanne in dotem suam si predictus Rogerus vir suus obierit priusquam Willelmus ..."
The Latin text says that in 1227-1230, Roger was the son and heir of William. William had lands in Haveringland, Dilham, Pickworth, and other places. It was proposed that Roger would marry Johanne, the daughter of Peter de Peleville. (As he did. See Roger's profile.)
Chronology
Concerning Pickworth in Rutland, one of the lands mentioned in the above legal case, the Victoria History of that county gives some records of events in his life.[4] Other events can be added from different sources.
In an enquiry into serjeantries in 1198/9, Willemus de Gisnei did castle service in the Norfolk hundred of Eynford, which is where Haveringland and Whitwell are.[5]
In the time of King Richard I (1189-1199) or King John (1199-1216), it was William de Gyney or Gioneto who founded the priory of Mountjoy at the family's manor of Heveringland.[6] (VCH Norfolk dates this to the time of Richard I. Dugdale believed it was founded in the time of King John, based on one name in the witness list.[7])
"William de Gyney was apparently holding Pickworth in 1203." (Assize R. (Northants. Rec. Soc. v), nos. 716, 780, 853, 854.) [4]
"In 1205 he paid a fine to be excused from supplying wood for repairs at Norwich Castle." (Curia Regis R. iii, 272; Rot. Litt. Claus. (Rec. Com.), i, 54.)[4]
In 1210, Ralf de Stanham was presented to the church of Windham by William de Gisney in the role of Governour of Montjoy priory, by leave of the Abbot of St. Alban's, and the founder.[8] Mountjoy was a foundation of the Gysneys of Heveringland.
"He evidently joined in the rebellion against King John, for in 1216 his land in Pickworth was granted to Robert de Peverell." (Rot. Litt. Claus. (Rec. Com.), i, 251.) [4]
"At the same time his lands in Norfolk and Lincoln were granted to Robert de Albeni." (Rot. Litt. Claus. (Rec. Com.), i, 257.)[4]
"William de Gyney returned to the allegiance of Henry III and his lands were restored in October 1217." (Rot. Litt. Claus. (Rec. Com.), i. 331.) [4]
"William made several presentations to the church of Pickworth in the early years of the reign of Henry III." (Rot. Hug. de Welles (Cant. and York Soc.), i, 80, 167; ii, 131, 193, 216; Wright, History of Rutland, p.107.)[4]
"He served as collector of a fifteenth in Norfolk and Suffolk in 1225, and as a Justice of Assize in 1226." (Cal. Pat. R. 1216–25, p. 564; 1225–1232, p. 79.)[4][9][10]
In 1230, Stoke by Clare charter 580 (vol 2, p.372) says that Willelmus de Ginney was holding Haveringland.
In 1232, Roger de Gisnay is mentioned in the Close Rolls concerning large debts to the Jews of Norwich. (Such debts were common among the bigger lords, or barons in this period. This does not appear to be a smaller landholder.)[11]
According to Blomefield: "Roger de Gisneia, lord of this manor in the 18th of Henry III. [1233/4] held of the honour of Gloucester and Clare, and extended into Wichingham, Whitwell, Kerdeston, &c.;"[12]
Blomefield continues: "this Roger levied a fine in the 33d of that King [1248/9], to Beringarius, prior of St. Faith's, of Horsham, the advowson of this church".[12]
Mother
The mother of William de Gyney in the time of King John was named Maud (or Matilda), and William had a brother named Roger, and probably also brothers named Phillip and Frary. Blomefield gives the following evidence under Whitwell:[13]
In the 12th of King John [1210/11], a fine was levied between Philip de Gyney, of a mill in Whitwell, which Maud de Gyney, mother of William, held in dower, whereby it was granted to Will. and Maud, and the heirs or Will. who granted license to Philip, and his brother Frary, to build a mill in Hackford, with a watercourse to it, through the land of the said William in Hackford, and Witewell, of the breadth of six, and 5 feet deep.
And by a deed, sans date, William de Gyney confirmed to his brother Roger, the grant which the lady his mother had given him of an acre of land, with a messuage, late Ralph's, by the chapel of St. Nicholas in Whitwell, to be held of the said lady during her life, and after of him.
The first document Blomefield mentions seems to correspond to one in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1210, which however mentions Philip de Burnham as the brother of Frary involved with the mill in Whitwell, not Philip de Gyney. There is also an earlier record in 1205 involving Matilda, Philip de Burnham and this mill (CRR III, 272 1205 Norf. ).
Possible father
William's father (or perhaps elder brother, or uncle) seems to have been named Roger, because that is the name of the person who preceded him in his lordships, from about 1175-1180.
Stoke by Clare charter 143 (pp. 128-131), dated 30 June 1174, names William de Gisnai as the holder of Haveringland and Whitwell.[1]For more information about him see the Research notes.
Stoke by Clare charter 125 (p.98), dated by the editors as being between October 1166 and about 1181, announces the resolution of a legal dispute Roger was involved in.[1]
1173-1182. Stoke by Clare charter 55, pp. 39-40 discusses the share of tithes which this family had long ago granted to that priory, coming from lands in Haveringland and Whitwell in Norfolk. It mentions that the Roger Gignei, Ginnei or Ginnai who made the original grants was the grandfather (avus) of the present Roger. [1]
Research notes
Baldwin mentioned by Blomefield
Instead of William, Blomefield said that the father of Roger de Gysney was named Baldwin. Did such a Baldwin exist? For example might he have another position in this family tree? It is difficult to chose between two options.
In his chapter about their original main fief in Haveringland ("Heverland") in Norfolk Blomefield explained as follows:[12]
Baldwin de Gisney was living in the 8th year of that King [8 King John = 1206/7], and granted his right in the church of Wichingham to the prior of Longuevile;
by Maud his wife, he was father of Roger de Gisneia, lord of this manor in the 18th of Henry III. [=1233/4] held of the honour of Gloucester and Clare, and extended into Wichingham, Whitwell, Kerdeston, &c.
A record corresponding to this remark of Blomefield, relating to the church of Witchingham in Norfolk, has been found in the Abbreviato Placitorum records of the time of King John.[14] In it, "Baldwinus de Gisney" confirms the rights of the church there to their long time owners in Longueville.
Option 1. One possibility is that this is count Baldwin of Gisnes, or a member of his family, who appear in English records. It is difficult to see any strong connection this Baldwin had to Norfolk, and more importantly to the family of Gisnet, Gyney etc who lived there already several generations. (See below.)
Option 2. Could there have been two Baldwins, allowing this Baldwin to be a member of the Norfolk family? Yes. There are several members of the family who appear in only one or two records. Furthermore
Do the family comes from Guînes?
Blomefield presumed the family had come from Guînes near Calais, and this is repeated by popular writers such as Burke and Copinger. In records of the time, the comital family from Guînes (pronounced ghin, with a hard "g") are often identified by similar "second names" to this Norfolk family, such as "de Gisnes".[15] Often however, their spelling includes a "u" after the "g" and/or an "s" at the end. This never seems to occur with the Norfolk family, and at least in later times it seems their name was pronounced with a soft "j" sound. In early records their name is sometimes given a "t" ending.
Other places have similar names in Latin. In Normandy, Guiseniers (modern postcode 27700), was typically spelled as Gisiniacus in Latin, but this had a hard "g".
Versions derived from Blomefield
Blore, in his history of Rutland which is used by the modern Victoria History of Rutland, cited Blomefield as his authority. But he also made big changes:
He used Blomefield's Heverland article for Baldwin and Mathilda, and the grant to Longueville in the 8th year of John. However...
He used Blomefield's Whitwell article, mentioning Maud the mother of William, in the 12th year of John.[16]
To fit these together, Blore changed the name of their heir from Roger to William, and Roger's generation is not mentioned. Consistent with this, the husband of Joan de Pelville becomes William. Clearly Blore was neither following Blomefield accurately, nor improving upon his work.
VCH Rutland used Blore and made this statement:
William himself, with Maud de Gyney his mother, widow of Baldwin de Gyney, (Blore, Hist. of Rutl. p.187.) was concerned in a plea as to a mill in Whitwell (co. Norf.) in 1205.
It appears that no such document mentions Baldwin.
Ancestors before the time of Kings Richard and John
Evidence of an 11th century presence in Haveringland:
King Stephen [reigned 1135-1154] intervened to protect a Clare vassal; he wrote to Gilbert Earl of Hertford to order that William of Gyney should not be impleaded over his land in Haveringland and Whitwell, Norfolk, since his family had held it from the time of William Rufus.[17]
This is published as charter no. 9 in the chartulary of Stoke by Clare (vol.1, p.7). It is dated to 1138-1152[1] It names not only Willelmus de Ginneio, lord in 1138-1152, but also says this William was ruling in the time of Stephen's uncle (avunculus) King Henry I, and had ruled since the death of his father Rogerus de Ginneio, who had been lord in the time of uncle (avunculus) who he called Willelmus Blundus. The cartulary shows that Roger had granted tithes from these lordships to this priory. (See for example charter 37, page 29.)
In 1166 when the knights of different baronies were listed, William de Gisnes still held three knights' fees under the Honour of Clare in Suffolk.[18]
Keats-Rohan clearly makes a mistake by saying that William's father Roger must have died about 1166. The basis of this error is Clare charter 125 (p.98), announcing the resolution of a legal dispute Roger was involved in. However, it is not dated to 1166, but to any time between October 1166 and about 1181.[19] As shown above, William in the years leading up to 1166 was still the son of Roger who held the lands in the time of King Rufus. And there was a Roger after 1166, not before.
It is clear that the succession of the lordship goes Roger, William his son, Roger grandson of the first Roger. After about 1198 comes at least one William. For the continuation, see the chronology above.
That a William and a Roger lived in relatively quick succession during the time of Henry II matches what Blomefield writes based on other records:[12]
Sir William de Gynento was a witness to the deed of confirmation of Geffrey, son of Bartholomew, son of William de Glanvile, founder of Bromholm priory. Roger de Gyney lived also about the said time, (in King Henry the Second's reign) and was father of Reginald, rector of the church of Heverland in the time of King John.
Unfortunately this confirmation charter does not appear in Dugdale's selection of Brumholm charters in his Monasticon.[20]
Other counties
Apart from the one who appeared in the Clare list under Suffolk, there was also a William de Gisney with one knights' fee in Kent in 1166.[21]
Around 1210-1212, in other counties the same name appears. A William de Gisney held 1 fee in Essex in the honour of Peverel of London, and another was once again to be found holding 1 fee in Kent.[22]
In other counties, the Testa de Nevill (or Book of Fees) shows:
Robert de Gisnes holds one fee in Asle, in the barony of Hugh de Veer, listed under Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire in 1235/6 and 1242/3 (Vol.2, pp. 921, 925)
Walter de Gisneto held land in Essex or Hertford in 1235/36 (vol.1, p. 488, p.572).
Possible brother We have seen William had a brother Roger. VCH Rutland mentions a specific series of records for a Roger from this period. "William was probably brother of Roger de Gyney of Norfolk who, with his son Walter, occurs in 1197 and in the reign of King John, in pleas relating to land in Norfolk." (Abbrev. Plac. (Rec. Com.), 6, 20, 21, 94; Curia Regis R. iii, 101.)[4] This Roger may be a relative who was not lord of Heveringland. The cases stretch into the time of John. These clearly refer to some of the same series of cases involving William de Repham. No son Walter has been found.
"In the 9th of Richard I. [1197/8] Roger de Gisnei, impleaded William de Repham for the right of the advowson of the church of Rackey."[23]
In the 5th of King John [1203/4], an assize was brought to show if Walter de Evermow had disseised Roger de Gisney of lands in Rackheath. This was in the time of William so it could be a different Roger or else it referred events of the past.[23]
Sources
↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Mortimer, R. and Harper-Bill, C. (eds.), 1982. The Cartulary of the Priory of Stoke by Clare (Suffolk Records Society, Suffolk Charters series, Iv). Woodbridge. This can be read by Ancestry subscribers.
↑ NOTE: Keats-Rohan cites the same pages but wrongly expands the abbreviation to "Cal. Chart. Roll". Keats-Rohan, Domesday Descendants, p.476.
↑ Richardson, C.P. Addition: Maud de Vaux, wife of William de Roos, 1st Lord Roos of Helmsley, & her sister, Pernel de Vaux, wife of Sir WIlliam de Nerford [SGM post], Feb 14, 2017. google link.
↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 'Parishes: Pickworth', in A History of the County of Rutland: Volume 2, ed. William Page (London, 1935), pp. 265-268. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/rutland/vol2/pp265-268 [accessed 20 September 2022].
↑ Book of Fees, vol.2, p.1325
↑ 'Houses of Austin canons: The priory of Mountjoy', in A History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 2, ed. William Page (London, 1906), pp. 387-388. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/norf/vol2/pp387-388 [accessed 19 September 2022].
↑ Dugdale (1830) Monasticon, Vol.6 Part 1. p.572. Compare to Taylor, Index Monasticus, p.24 who suggests the time of Richard.
↑ Francis Blomefield, 'Hundred of Forehoe: Windham', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 2 (London, 1805), pp. 498-534. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol2/pp498-534 [accessed 20 September 2022].
↑ '1225, membranes 8d, 7d, 6d, 5d', in Calendar of Patent Rolls, Henry III: Volume 1, 1216-1225, ed. H C Maxwell Lyte (London, 1901), pp. 559-579. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-pat-rolls/hen3/vol1/pp559-579 [accessed 20 September 2022].
↑ '1226, membranes 9d, 8d, 7d, 6d, 5d, 4d, 3d, 2d, 1d', in Calendar of Patent Rolls, Henry III: Volume 2, 1225-1232, ed. H C Maxwell Lyte (London, 1903), pp. 72-86. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-pat-rolls/hen3/vol2/pp73-86 [accessed 21 September 2022].
↑ 'Close Rolls, May 1232', in Calendar of Close Rolls, Henry III: Volume 2, 1231-1234, ed. H C Maxwell Lyte (London, 1905), pp. 53-66. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-close-rolls/hen3/vol2/pp53-66 [accessed 20 September 2022].
↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Francis Blomefield, 'Eynford Hundred: Heverland', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 8 (London, 1808), pp. 226-234. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol8/pp226-234 [accessed 20 September 2022].
↑ Francis Blomefield, 'Eynford Hundred: Whitwell', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 8 (London, 1808), pp. 292-296. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol8/pp292-296 [accessed 20 September 2022].
↑ Abbreviato Placitorum, 79
↑ See for example the early Close Rolls [1].
↑ Francis Blomefield, 'Eynford Hundred: Whitwell', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 8 (London, 1808), pp. 292-296. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol8/pp292-296 [accessed 20 September 2022].
↑ Jennifer C Ward, "Place of Hounour in twelfth century" Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, Volume XXXV Part 3 (1983) pdf citing a manuscript in the British library, B.L. Cot. App. xxi, f.16a.
↑ Red Book of the Exchequer, volume 1, p. 404.
↑ Keats-Rohan, Domesday Descendants, p.476.
↑ Dugdale, Monasticon vol. 5, p.63. More charters exist in Harleian manuscript 2110, which is the cartulary of the Priory of Castle Acre, which originally ruled over Bromholm. There don't appear to be modern editions yet.
↑ Red Book of the Exchequer, volume 1, p.135.
↑ Red Book of the Exchequer, vol. 2, pp. 475 and 591
↑ 23.0 23.1 Francis Blomefield, 'Taverham Hundred: Rackheath Parva', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 10 (London, 1809), pp. 451-453. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol10/pp451-453 [accessed 20 September 2022].
From British History online-
Heverland Manor.
This was the principal lordship, and the family of de Gisneto, or Gisse, or Gyney, was soon after the Conquest enfeoft of it, who probably took their name from the town of Guisn, near Calais in France; Sir William de Gynento was a witness to the deed of confirmation of Geffrey, son of Bartholomew, son of William de Glanvile, founder of Bromholm priory. Roger de Gyney lived also about the said time, (in King Henry the Second's reign 1154-1189) and was father of Reginald, rector of the church of Heverland in the time of King John (r 1199-1216).
Baldwin de Gisney was living in the 8th year of that King (John 1207) and granted his right in the church of Wichingham to the prior of Longuevile; by Maud his wife, he was father of Roger de Gisneia, lord of this manor in the 18th of Henry III (1234). held of the honour of Gloucester and Clare, and extended into Wichingham, Whitwell, Kerdeston, &c.; this Roger levied a fine in the 33d of that King (1249), to Beringarius, prior of St. Faith's, of Horsham, the advowson of this church, and married Joan, daughter of - - - - - - - - - -, sister and coheir of Sir Peter de Pelevile, (who remarried Sir John de Vaux,) and by her had Sir William de Gyney, his son and heir, and Sir Roger, who married Margaret, daughter of William Peche, and in her right was lord of Brandeston; Sir William had a park, not enclosed, in the common pasture of Causton, and had drove some cattle of John de Burgh, lord of Causton, (that had entered therein,) to his manor of Heverland; on which there was a trial, and it was adjudged that he ought to enclose it. In the 55th of the said King, he had a charter of free warren, and in the 12th of Edward I. impleaded Adam de Heveringland for entering therein, and taking his hares, rabbits, partridges, and fish, out of his ponds; by Margaret his wife, he left Sir Roger, his son and heir, who in the 15th of Edward I. claimed frank pledge, assise of bread and beer, &c; (fn. 2) and in the 29th of that King, had summons to attend the King at Berwick, against the Scots, and in the 9th of Edward II. was lord of Pickworth in Rutlandshire.
He was succeeded by Sir William his son, lord in the 16th of Edward II (1317). who was father of Sir Roger Gyney, by Elizabeth his wife.
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1201 - 1230 (29 years)
