William (Fresney) de Fresney (1165)

Latin text translated as comprehended by Carol McDonald.

CAUTION MUST BE USED WHEN RESEARCHING THE FAMILY GROUPS WHO DESCEND FROM THE APPARENT PATRIARCH WILLIAM LIVING IN THE REIGN OF HENRY I [1100-1135]. There were at least 6 different families, who all appeared to have had a William in each generation.

[Book of Fees, page 73] 1212. Sussex – Veredictum civicum Cicesrie super inquisicione facta per breve domini Regis. Tempore Regis Henrie senioris pertimentia fuerent civtati Cicestrie sic quod preposti Cicestrie receperunt gabulum et tulerunt ad scaccarium et modo inde recipiunt. Item idem Henricus dedit pertineneiis Cicestrie duobus militibus scilicent Conano et Willmode Fraximo xx liberates terre, scilicent Draiton et Martinesgrava de quibis heredes eorum nunc nichil tenent; set quando comes Arundelli Cicestriam et alias predictas terras recuperavit eas voluit dedit.

Verdict of the City of Chichester on an inquest made by the writ of the Lord King. At the time of King Henry the First, the towns of Chichester there was great unrest and the citizens were so alarmed that the prelates of Chichester left the town. Henry then granted the appurtenances of Chichester, Drayton and Martinesgrave [Graves Farm], of 20 liberates of land, to two knights, Conan and WILLIAM FRAXIMO. It is evident the heirs now hold nothing as the Earl of Arundel recovered Chichester and the other aforesaid lands.

For instance, there were two men by the name of William living in 1216.

[Rotuli Clausarum Litterarum, page 332] 30 October 1216. Writ to the sheriff of Sussex. Scias quod Willelo de Franyey et Margaret uxor sua venit ad fidem et servicium nostrum et – tibi precepimus quod sine dilactone ei talem habere facia saisinam de omnibus terris suis cum pertinent in Bailiwick tue qualem die qua recessit fide et sevico domini John patris nostri. Eodem modo scribiter vicomti Essex per Willelmo de Freyni.

Writ to the sheriff of Sussex . You may know that William of Frayey and Margaret his wife came to our fidelity and service and - we order you that they are to have such lands that they held in your Bailiwick, as on the day when they departed from their fidelity and service of lord John our father.

Writ to the sheriff of Essex. And it is written in the same way to sheriff of Essex for William de Freyni.

Further research revealed that this William was married to Matilda unknown. [Feet of Fines Essesx V1, page 39] 1217-1218. No. 6. Hilary, before William the Marshal, "then Ruler [guardian] of the King and his kingdom," Hubert de Burgh, Chief Justice, and others. William de Fraxin' and Matilda his wife, demandants, the latter by [represented by] her husband. Walter Fitz Ralph and Matilda his wife, tenants. ----------------. [Matilda the wife of William de Fraxineto, was the widow of Eustace de Ho. Matilda wife of Walter Fitz Ralph recorded as daughter and coheir of Eustace de Ho.

There is an a time lapse between the Close Roll [Litterarum Clausarum] entry of October 1216 and the Feet of Fine entry dated January 1218 when one could consider the Margaret recorded as the wife of William Fresney was deceased and that William had remarried to another wife by the name of the Matilda. But this can be ruled out by the following Close Roll entry.

[CCR HIII] 3 April 1229 Marlborough. Writ to the Justiciar of Ireland. Scias quod Johanna, uxor Ernesii de Dunbeved, attornavit coram nobis Galfridium de Blakeford loco suo, ad lucrandum vel perdendum in assisa mortis antecessories que sumonita est coram vobis inter Willelmum de Fraxmis et Margertam uxorem ejus pententes et predictos Ernisium et Johannam tenetes de tenemento in Adlumeny. Et ideo vobis mandamus quod ipsum Galfridum loco predicto Johanne ad hoc recipiatis.

You may know that Joan, wife of Ernest of Dunbeved, has attorned before us Geoffrey of Blackford in her place, to gain or lose in the assise of mortis ancestors which was summoned before you between William de Fraxmis and Margaret his wife, and the aforesaid Ernest and Joan tenants of the tenement in Adlumeny. And therefore we order you to receive Geoffrey in the place of the aforesaid Joan.

"Feet of Fines for Essex", Volume 1, 1182-1272. Edited by R.E.G. Kirk, published by the Society at the Museum of the Castle.