Geoffrey de Mandeville: A study of the AnarchyRound, John Horace
History
Geoffrey de Mandeville: A study of the Anarchy
Round, John Horace
Great Britain -- History -- Stephen, 1135-1154; Mandeville, Geoffrey de, earl of Essex, -1144
An important addition is, however, represented by the grantee, Miles of
Gloucester, and the witness Payne fitz John. The former was a man of
great power, both of himself and from his connection with the Earl of
Gloucester, in the west of England and in Wales. The latter is
represented by the author of the _Gesta_ as acting with him at this
juncture.[38] It should, however, be noted, as important in its bearing
on the chronology of this able writer, that he places the adhesion of
these two barons (p. 15) considerably after that of the Earl of
Gloucester (p. 8), whereas the case was precisely the contrary, the earl
not submitting to Stephen till some time later on. Both these magnates
appear in attendance at Stephen's Easter court (_vide infra_), and again
as witnesses to his Oxford charter. The part, however, in the coming
struggle which Miles of Gloucester was destined to play, was such that
it is most important to learn the circumstances and the date of his
adhesion to the king. His companion, Payne fitz John, was slain,
fighting the Welsh, in the spring of the following year.[39]
It is a singular fact that, in addition to the charter I have here
given, another charter was granted to Miles of Gloucester by the king,
which, being similarly tested at Reading, probably passed on this
occasion. The subject of the grant is the same, but the terms are more
precise, the constableship of Gloucester Castle, with the hereditary
estates of his house, being specially mentioned.[40] Though both these
charters were entered in the Great Coucher (in the volume now missing),
the latter alone is referred to by Dugdale, from whose transcript it has
been printed by Madox.[41] Though the names of the witnesses are there
omitted, those of the six leading witnesses are supplied by an abstract
which is elsewhere found. Three of these are among those who attest the
other charter—Robert fitz Richard, Hugh Bigod, and Enguerrand de Sai;
but the other three names are new, being Robert de Ferrers, afterwards
Earl of Derby, Baldwin de Clare, the spokesman of Stephen's host at
Lincoln (see p. 148), and (Walter) fitz Richard, who afterwards appears
in attendance at the Easter court.[42] These three barons should
therefore be added to the list of those who were at Reading with the
king.[43]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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