Page:VCH Herefordshire 1.djvu/430

 A HISTORY OF HEREFORDSHIRE Bernard of Neufmarche, besides considerable demesne lands in Gloucester- shire, between the Severn and the Wye. Henry also restored to him the earldom, the mote, and the castle of Hereford, the third penny of the borough and of the pleas of the shire whereof he made him earl, and the three manors of Marden, Lugwardine, and Wilton from the royal demesne.^" In the same year Roger died without issue, and although his brother Walter inherited the family estates and the shrievalties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire,'^^ he did not receive the earldom, which was retained in the hands of the crown,'^' probably because the re-grant in 1 155 extended only to Roger's issue. Mortimer was more obdurate, and in the summer the king laid siege to his three castles. After the capture and destruction of Cleobury he made his peace by yielding up Bridgenorth and Wigmore.^'" One of the best indications of the efficiency of Henry's rule is to be found in the peaceful condition of the shire during the remainder of his reign. The king visited Hereford in 1 158,"' but this was probably the only occasion when he entered the city during his long reign. Troubles with the Welsh were, however, not entirely wanting, especially when the sons of Rhys ap GrufFydd became too old to be controlled by their father. Between 1184 and 1186 strife arose between the Welsh and the men of Cheshire and Herefordshire, which was only appeased in 1 186 by the intervention of Ranulf de Glanville."^ On 9 October, 11 89, the citizens of Hereford received their earliest charter from Richard I, binding them to pay yearly rent of forty pounds sterling for the ferm of the city.'*"* A more extensive charter was subsequently granted by John on 10 July, 1215, and others by Henry III on 23 March, 1226-7, ^^^ 23 February, 1264-5. ^^ ^5 November, 1383, the chief bailiff was granted the rank and title of mayor.'^* During the absence of Richard I on crusade, the country was divided by the strife between William of Longchamp, bishop of Ely, and Prince John. In 1 191, when hostilities broke out between them, Roger de Mortimer of Wigmore, who had succeeded his father Hugh in 1181, allied himself with the Welsh on John's behalf. But Longchamp promptly attacked Wig- more, forced Mortimer to yield the fortress, and banished him from England for three years. ''^ On the overthrow of Longchamp in the same year Here- ford was one of the three places he was allowed to retain in his hands.^^° In 1 197 it was secured for the king by Hubert Walter."' Since the re-establishment of the central government by Henry II the -distinction between the administrative shire and the Marcher districts in its western border had become well defined. Geographically the shire included the lordships of Wigmore and Lugharness in the north-west, those of Clifford, '"This charter is recapitulated in that granted to Henry de Bohun by John. See Rot. dart. (Rec. Com.), 1, 53- ™ Pipe R. 1 155-8 (Rec. Com.), 48, 50. "" Robert of Torigni, Chnn. (Rolls Ser.), 185. "" Ibid ; cf. William of Newburgh, Hist. Rer. Angl. (Rolls Ser.), i, 105. "' Eyton, Court, Household and Itinerary of Hen. 11 (1878), 37. '" Benedict Abbas, Gesta Regis Henrici II (Rolls Ser.), 355-6. "' Printed in Richard Johnson's Ancient Customs of Here/. (1882), 48. '^* Ibid. 49-56. "'^ Richard of Devizes, De Rebus Gestis (Rolls Ser.), 407. "° Giraldus Cambrensis, Opera (Rolls Ser.), iv, 406 ; Ralph de Diceto, Opera Hist. (Rolls Ser.), ii, 100. '" Ciron. Rog. Hoveden (Rolls Ser.), iv, 35. 360