Page:VCH Lancaster 1.djvu/401

FEUDAL BARONAGE with remainder to her younger son, William fitz William, by her third husband, William fitz Godric, to hold of Roger de Lacy by the ancient service of eight knights. In 1194 Lacy accounted of £43 15s. of the scutage of his honour of Pontefract for the king's ransom, and the year following, in consequence of the agreement made with his grandmother, Albreda, gave the king a fine of 2,000 marks for livery of Robert de Lacy's honour of Clitheroe, with the lands and castles, except the castle of Pontefract, which the king retained in his own hand. In 1196 he was excused the scutage due from 8½ knights' fees of the honours of Clitheroe and Widnes for the second scutage of Normandy, but paid the quota due from his Yorkshire fees. He was, however, excused the quota due in that county for the third scutage of Normandy, and the year following had acquittance to the same scutage for his 8½ fees in this county. Between 1200—1205 he obtained three royal charters. The first restored the land which Guy de Laval and his predecessors had held since the time of King Stephen, representing twenty knights' fees of the honour of Pontefract. For this Roger proffered a fine of 500 marks, which was not discharged until 1207. The second granted to him the manor and soke of Snaith, to hold for the service of one knight. The third granted to him a fair with liberties to be held yearly at Clitheroe on the feast day and on the morrow of St. Mary Magdalene. The constable of Chester was a notable figure in both English and Norman affairs in the early years of John's reign. He was one of those barons who swore fealty to the king at Northampton, before the chancellor and justices, immediately after his accession. On 16 September, 1199, he was in the king's retinue at Bourg le Roi, in Maine, and in 1200 was sent to escort William the Lion to Lincoln, and was present when the Scottish king did homage there to John on 22 November. In 1201 King John sent him, in company with Willlam Marshall, earl of Striguil, each attended by 100 knights, to restrain the king's enemies in the marches of Normandy. During the progress of 301