Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 8.djvu/569

 10 s. VIIL DEC. 14, loo:.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

engraving of the portrait mentioned in Sarah Rogers's will ? And is there any other portrait of Woodes Rogers ?

4. What relation was Capt. Woodes Rogers to Mr. Francis Rogers of Bristol, one of the co-owners of the Duke and the Duchess privateers, and to Mr. Noblett Rogers of Cork, mentioned by Woodes Rogers in his account of his voyage ?

NEWTON WADE.

Newport, Mon.

BEAUCHAMP OF SOMERSETSHIRE. (10 S. viii. 307.)

IN vol. xxxvi. of the Somersetshire Archaeological Society's Proceedings is a 40-page article by the late Mr. John Batten, entitled ' The Barony of Beauchamp of Somerset.' This gives what appears to be a fairly exhaustive account of the family of Beauchamp of Hatch, and it should be con- sulted by MB. F. A. EDWARDS if he has not already done so. The article states that it is difficult to establish the relationship, if any, which existed between the Beauchamps of Somerset and the other noble families of that name : they certainly bore distinct arms, but they were probably branches of one Norman stock seated originally near Avranches.

Mr. Batten suggests that the Somerset Beauchamps were descended from " Robert the Constable," otherwise " Robert Fitz Ivo," who at the time of Domesday held extensive domains in the Western counties, part of the Honour of Moretain, those domains including the manor of Hatch. The Rev. R. W. Ey ton (' Domesday Studies ') also states that " Robert the Constable " was ancestor of the Barons Beauchamp of Hatch.

According to Mr. Batten, Robert Fitz Ivo was probably father of Robert Beauchamp (I.), who in 1092 was witness to a charter by which Ansger Brito gave his land at Preston (near Yeovil) to the Priory of Bermondsey, Surrey, and who also witnessed a charter of Henry I. confirming that gift.

Robert (T.) had a son, another Robert Beauchamp, who for the aid to marry the King's daughter in 1166 certified that he held of the King in chief seventeen knights' fees, all of the old feoffment, and who was Sheriff of Dorset and Somerset as early as 9 Henry II. (1162-3), and again from the 22nd to the 29th of the same reign

(1183) after which nothing more is heard of him.

There is strong presumption that the only child of this Robert (II.) was a daughter (Muriel) who became the wife of Simon de Valletort, the issue of the marriage being Robert (III.), who adhered to his mother's name of Beauchamp, but sometimes called himself " Robert Fitz Simon." Robert (III.) was a minor at his father's death, and Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent, became his guardian. He probably attained his majority before 13 John (1211-12), as in the Scutage Roll, 2 to 13 John, he is assessed for seventeen fees of the Honour of Moretain, as Robert (II.) had been in 14 Henry II. He was Sheriff of Dorset and Somerset in 7 Henry III. (1222-3) ; and it appears by his Inq. post mortem that he died before 1 Feb., 1251/2 (36 Henry III.), leaving Robert Beauchamp " le Jeune " (Robert IV.) as his son and heir.

Robert (IV.) was in 28 Henry III. (1243-4), and subsequently, one of the Justices in Eyre for the Western counties. In 38 Henry III. (1253-4) he was assessed for his seventeen knights' fees to an aid for making the King's son a knight. He married Alice, daughter of Reginald de Mohun, who on this marriage gave

" Robert Beauchamp, junior, in free marriage with. Alice his daughter, all his soke of Mohun, with its appurtenances, liberties, and advowsons of churches within the City of London and without, between the bridge of Flete and La Cherringe, to hold to him and the heirs from the said Robert and Alice issuing for ever."

This charter is not dated, but it must have been made before the death of Robert (III.) and not later than 1248. In 1251 (36 Henry III.) Robert (IV.) and his wife parted with the soke to Richard, Abbot of Westminster, who in return released to Robert and his heirs the annual rent payable by him for the view of frank pledge of his manor of Shepperton, and gave to Robert and Alice 85 marks of silver. This must be the transaction referred to by MB. EDWABPS.

Robert (IV.) died before 50 Henry III. (1265-6), as in that year mention is made of Alice as his widow. The issue of their marriage was two sons John, the elder, and Humphrey, who settled at Ryme, in Dorsetshire, and acquired by marriage con- siderable possessions in Devon. John Beau- champ (I.) married Cecilia, daughter of William de Vivonia (surnamed De Fortibus), and was enriched by her with her share of the Barony of De Fortibus, including the manors of Welton and Compton Dunden, in