Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 2.djvu/217

 ii s. vin. SEPT. 13, 1913.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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very improbable, as Ranulf can hardly have been more than 14 years old in 1118, though Doyle thought that he was born before 1100 ; and from the reference given, it seems to be based on a misunderstanding of the worth- less interpolation in the Lindsey Survey.

(c) Cobbe, writing of the claims made in 1140 by Lucy's son William de Roumare, says that the earldom of Lincoln, " once held by William de Roumere the elder, had not descended to his brother and heir, Roger, father of William the younger" ('Norman Kings of England,' p. 297). But William the elder never existed. It is true that Roger fitz Gerold had an elder brother, but his name was Robert, he was always styled " fitz Gerold," not " de Roumare " or " Rou- mere," and he was never Earl of Lincoln. I believe that Cobbe was misled by some blunder in the " apocryphal chronicle " at- tributed to Peter of Blois.

(4) William d'Aubigny the Butler, Lord of Buckenham and (jur. ux.) of Arundel, w r as probably the first Earl of Lincoln. The fact is only known by his so styling himself in two charters (' Geoffrey de Mandeville,' pp. 324-5). We may conjecture that he held the earldom for a very brief period only before receiving the earldom of Sussex, presumably in exchange. The creation can- not have been earlier than 1137, as in that year he witnesses a charter of Stephen as William d'Aubigny the Butler : " Willelmo de Alb[ineio] pincerna " (' Cal. Documents in France,' No. 570) ; and it may have been a couple of years later. He was not con- nected with the Countess Lucy.

(5) William de Roumare was created Earl of Lincoln by Stephen, date uncertain ; " ? 1139-40 " (' Geoffrey de Mandeville,' p. 271), perhaps on the surrender of the earldom by William d'Aubigny. The ' D.N.B.' dates the creation " about 1138," J. C. R. " 1140," Doyle " before 1142." He was son of Lucy by Roger fitz Gerold. The 'D.N.B.' calls his grandfather " Gerald," but from charter evidence the name was clearly not Gerald (or Girald), but Gerold (Geroud, Girold, or Giroud). As William is styled Earl of Cam- bridge in a charter of 1139, it seems probable that he may have held that earldom for a short time before obtaining Lincoln (' Feudal England,' pp. 186-7). He was still Earl of Lincoln in 1142, when Stephen granted him Kirton-in-Lindsey (' Geoffrey de Mande- ville,' pp. 159-60), but subsequently " he seems to have been deprived of his earldom, which was conferred on Gilbert de Gand " (' D.N.B.'). Why was he deprived ? Did he assist the Empress against Stephen ?

The ' D.N.B.' gives no hint that William recovered his earldom from Gilbert, but he seems to have done so ; unless he were recognized as earl by Maud, whilst Gilbert was recognized by Stephen. For William styles himself Earl of Lincoln in two charters of c. 1150 and 1150-55 (' Cal. Documents in France,' Nos. 275, 10). He died before 1168, perhaps about 1153 (' D.N.B.'). By Hawise de Redvers he had a son William (II. ), who died v.p. 1152, leaving issue William (III.) and another son (' D.N.B.').

(6) Gilbert de Gand (or Gant) was created Earl of Lincoln not before 1142. J. C. R. says that he became earl in 1141 "on his marriage with the Countess Roheis," whilst Doyle merely notes that he was " Earl of Lincoln (jure uxoris) [1148] " ; but the earldom was not vested in any lady at either date. Nor could Gilbert have been earl " contemporaneously with William de Rou- mare," unless one were recognized only by Stephen, and the other by Maud. The fact that William styles himself Earl of Lincoln c. 1150 (v. sup.) suggests the possibility that Gilbert had lost the earldom by that date. Gilbert died 1156 (Doyle).

(7) The Countess Roheis. The 'D.N.B.' says that Gilbert de Gand had married a sister of the Earl of Chester, but this seems to be a conjecture of Stapleton's which Round states to be erroneous ('Feudal England,' p. 185). Doyle describes her as " d. and h. of William, Earl of Lincoln " i.e., of William de Roumare. She was certainly not his heir ; is there any evidence that she was his daughter ?

(8) William de Roumare (III.), grandson of William (I.), is not included in J. C. R.'s list, and the ' D.N.B.' says that he never held the earldom of Lincoln, though he was often styled Earl William de Roumare. Doyle, however, includes him as second Earl of Lincoln, stating that he so styles himself on his seal, and is styled Earl William de Roumare in the Black Book of the Ex- chequer. Also he witnesses a charter of John, Count of Mortain (1191-3), as " comite Willelmo de Rummara " ('Cal. Documents in France,' No. 61). If he were not Earl of Lincoln, why was he styled " Earl " ? There is nothing irregular in his styling himself Earl William de Roumare instead of Earl of Lincoln ; cp. " Earl Robert de Ferrers " (Derby), &c. He died s.p. before 1198. The 'D.N.B.' does not say whether he married or not. Doyle says that he married " Agnes de Albemarle," but this is presumably the " Agnes, sister of William, Earl of Albemarle," who was his