• Richardson, Douglas, "Medieval Genealogy Newsgroup: C.P. Correction: Margaret le Gras (not Marshal), wife of Ralph de Somery and Maurice de Gant" (GEN-MEDIEVAL-L Mailing List, March 27, 2012 through April 16, 2012) (http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2012-03/1332897079).

• Category: Research

• Author: Richardson, Douglas
• Publisher: GEN-MEDIEVAL-L Mailing List, March 27, 2012 through April 16, 2012

• 

From: Douglas Richardson
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:11:19 -0700 (PDT)

As a followup to my earlier post, I should note that there is an interesting and well written article by the historian, Nicholas Vincent, on the le Gras family entitled “The Borough of Chipping Sodbury and the Fat Men of France (1130–1270),” which was published in Transactions of the Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, Volume 116 (1999): 141–159.

The article is available online at the following weblink:

http://www2.glos.ac.uk/bgas/tbgas/v116/bg116141.pdf

Mr. Vincent identifies William le Gras [father of Margaret (le Gras) de Somery] as the man who was Seneschal (or Steward) of Normandy in 1204, at the time of its collapse as an English possession.

Although Mr. Vincent apparently saw the Brooksby Charters, he appears to have missed the two charters cited by John Hunt which prove that Margaret, wife of Ralph de Somery, was a daughter of William le Gras.

From: Douglas Richardson
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2012 11:05:33 -0700 (PDT)

Below is a transcript of three charters concerning the le Cras (or le Gras) family which were published in London, Cartulary of Bradenstoke Priory (Wiltshire Rec. Soc. 35) (1979): 153–154. The surname le Cras is often rendered le Gras is other contemporary records. Either form seems to be acceptable. The Latin form is Crassus. The editor of the Bradenstoke Cartulary uses the form le Cras (and the Latin form Crassus), which I have followed below.

The first charter below is dated 1170x1180. It concerns land in Waleswood, Yorkshire surrendered to William le Cras (or Crassus) [which William le Cras was the father of Margaret le Cras, wife of Ralph de Somery and Maurice de Gant]. The property in question pertains to the manor of Leston, which William Taissy [Taisson], grandfather of Ralph Ierlum, gave to William Crassus, grandfather of William Crassus, as a marriage portion.

In the second charter dated 1205x1219, William le Cras, the eldest son of William le Cras, grants all the land of Wales [i.e., Waleswood, Yorkshire] to Bradenstoke Priory. The grant was made with the assent of his younger brothers, William the younger, Hamon, and Anselm, Treasurer of Exeter. The property had formerly been granted to William le Cras' brother, Robert le Cras, now deceased, who was buried at Bradenstoke. The editor dates this charter as being as early as 1199, but the earliest date possible date would be 1205, in which year the grantor's brother, Anselm, became Treasurer of Exeter [see Brooks, Knights’ Fees in Counties Wexford, Carlow & Kilkenny (1950): 72]. This charter is witnessed by Sir William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, who was the maternal uncle of the le Cras brothers. This charter is also witnessed by William Bluet, who presumably is the same person as the half-brother of Earl William Marshal's father-in-law, Richard Fitz Gilbert (de Clare), Earl of Pembroke.

The third charter is a gift in alms by William le Cras the younger, brother and heir of Robert le Cras, with the assent of his brothers, William the elder, Hamon, and Anselm, Treasurer of Exeter. Again this charter is witnessed by Sir William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah

+ + + + + + + + +
517. [1170 x 1180] Notification by Ralph Ierlum, about to depart, that he has surrendered to William Crassus the land of Wales pertaining to Ralph's manor of Leston, which William Taissy, grandfather of Ralph, gave to William Crassus, grandfather of William Crassus, as a marriage portion. Since Ralph had given part of that land to Robert, son of the seneschal of Normandy, while it was in his hand, and before William Crassus had claimed it, he wished that land of the same value should be given to William in exchange for Ralph's manor of Leston. Witnesses: Robert abbot of Fountains, Henry de Tilleio, Robert son of Erneis, Robert de Cambrai, Richard Dastmel, Hugh de Clinchampo, Ranulf' de Hamarr' and Rob. his son.

518. [1205 x 1219]. Confirmation by William le Cras, eldest son of William le Cras, with the assent of William le Cras the younger, Hamon le Cras and Anselm le Cras, treasurer of Exeter, his brothers, for the soul of Robert le Cras, his brother, at rest at Bradenstoke, of all the land of Wales, which he had given to Robert for his homage and service. The canons to hold from him and his heirs in alms. Warranty. They are to be quit of all services except that owed to the chief lord of the fee. Seal. Witnesses: Sir William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, William Marshall his son, William le Cras the younger, Hamon le Cras, Anselm le Cras treasurer of Exeter, brothers of the donor, Everard the German, Frank the German his brother, Alan son of Warin, William Bluet, John de Easton, William le Printz, Ralph de Hinton, Philip de Farley. Printed in Monasticon, VI, pp. 338-9, in a shortened form, lacking the last four witnesses.

519. [1205 x 1219]. Gift in alms by William le Cras the younger, brother and heir of Robert le Cras, with the assent of William le Cras the elder, Hammon and Anselm, treasurer of Exeter, his brothers, for the soul of Robert his brother, of all the land of Wales which William le Cras, his eldest brother, had given to Robert for his homage and service. To be held of William and his heirs. Seal. Witnesses: William Marshall, earl of Pembroke, William Marshall his son, William le Cras the the donor's eldest brother.

From: Douglas Richardson
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2012 20:36:20 -0700 (PDT)

Below is yet another charter which involves the Marshal and le Gras family. This particular charter is dated c.1220–25 and is taken from Elvey, Luffield Priory Charters 1 (Buckingham Rec. Soc. 22) (1968): 166. It concerns land at Norton, Northamptonshire.

The charter below was issued by William Marshal the younger (died 1231), Earl of Pembroke, and was witnessed by "Willelmo le Grate et Willelmo fratre suo Hamone le Guace." The names le Grate and le Guace are surely forms of le Gras or le Cras.

The charter mentions Sir Geoffrey Fitz Peter and his wife. This is surely Sir Geoffrey Fitz Peter (died 1213), Earl of Essex, and his wife, Aveline de Clare, which Aveline held land at Towcester, Northamptonshire. The "ditch of the Countess" is mentioned in another charter dated c.1216-1225 found on pp. 174-176. The editor identifies the Countess as being Aveline de Clare, Countess of Essex.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah

+ + + + + + +
Grant by William son of William, earl of Pembroke, to William de Clairvaux, his servant, for his homage and service, of 80 acres in a corner of his wood of Norton, rendering a pair of gilt spurs at Easter for all services. [c.1220–25]. Carta Willelmi Marescall'

Sciant presentes et futuri quod ego Willelmus Marescallus filius Willelmi Marescalli comitis Penbroc' concessi et dedi et hac presente carta mea confirmaui Willelmo de Clereuaus seruienti meo pro humagio et seruicio suo quater viginti acras terre in quodam angulo bosci mei de Norton' qui extendit se inter illam assartam quam dominus Galfridus filius Petri fecit de terra vxoris sue et assartam quam Henricus de Pery de terra comitis Baldewini assartare fecit et abuttat super terram Galfridi de Pauely, Tenendum de me et heredibus meis sibi et heredibus suis libere et quiete imperpetuum reddendo inde annuatim michi et heredibus meis vnum par calcarium deauratorum ad Pascha pro omni seruicio. Et ego et heredes mei warantizabimus dicto Willelmo et heredibus suis predictam terram contra omnes gentes. Et ut hoc ratum et firmum sit presens scriptum sigilli mei apposicione roboraui. Hijs testibus Willelmo le Grate et Willelmo fratre suo Hamone le Guace Alano de Hyda Galfrido de Norton' Baldewino filio eius Iohanne de Burcote Roberto de Marisco Ada de Langeboruwe Thoma de Waleshall' et alijs.

From: Douglas Richardson
Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2012, 22:33:29 -700 (PDT)

On Apr 7, 9:24 pm, John Higgins wrote:
< One result of this (not mentioned by Carter or Hunt) is that splitting
< one Roger of the "traditional" accounts into two Rogers may suggest
< that the assignment of two wives to the Roger who d. 1273 is also
< incorrect and that the first wife Nicola d'Aubigny should instead be
< assigned to the first Roger 9and thus becomes the mother of the second
< Roger, d. 1273). At a quick glance, this seems to make better
< chronological sense than the currently accepted arrangement, based on
< the limited dates that are known for various members of the Somery
< family.

Mr. Hunt is definitely wrong. The evidence is solid that Roger de Somery (died 1273), 3rd son of Ralph de Somery (died c.1210) and Margaret le Gras, married (1st) c.1232 Nichole (or Colette) d'Aubeney and (2nd) c.1254 Amabil de Chaucombe. We can be certain there was only one Roger de Somery and he was definitely living c.1235-47. This is proven by the following two records taken from the online Catalogue of the National Archives which concern Roger de Somery and his nephew, William de Englefield. These records are available at www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/search.asp. In the first record, we learn that Roger de Somery's mother was named Margaret. I earlier posted evidence which proved that Margaret le Gras, mother of Roger de Somery, was living as late as 1247.

E 210/2932: Confirmation by Roger de Sumeri of an agreement between Margaret his mother and William de Englefeld concerning a grant and exchange of lands at Bradfield, Berkshire.

E 210/7057: Roger de Sumery to William de Englefeld: Quitclaim of the service of one knight’s fee, viz: of a hide in Humeleye and of 4 hides in Englefield, which Isabella, the grantor’s sister, held in dower, so that the grantee and his heirs are not bound to render service except for one knight in Englefield and another in Craunford, in accordance with the charter which Ralph de Sumery, the grantor’s father, made to Alan de Englefeld, father of the grantee. END OF QUOTE.

Alan de Englefield, father of William, was living in 1226. William de Englefield, son and heir of Alan, was an adult in 1235 [see VCH Berkshire 3 (1923): 405-412; VCH Buckingham 4 (1927): 168-170].

I might add that the evidence is absolutely iron clad that Nichole (or Colette) d'Aubeney had only four daughters. As such she can't possibly be the mother of the Roger de Somery who married Amabil de Chaucombe, as suggested by Mr. Higgins.

From: Douglas Richardson
Date: Sat, 7 Apr 2012, 23:20:50 -700 (PDT)

On Apr 7, 11:33 pm, Douglas Richardson wrote:
< I might add that the evidence is absolutely iron clad that Nichole (or
< Colette) d'Aubeney had only four daughters. As such she can't
< possibly be the mother of the Roger de Somery who married Amabil de
< Chaucombe, as suggested by Mr. Higgins.

My previous comments above need to be amended. I've copied below some records from the Fine Rolls of King Henry III which are available online at the following weblink:

http://www.finerollshenry3.org.uk/home.html

The first record below indicates that Nichole (or Colette) d'Aubeney, 1st wife of Roger de Somery, died before 19 Oct. 1253, and that she was survived by an unnamed son who had been assigned a share of the estates of the earldom of Chester. The third record below dated 1254 implies that this son was named Roger, but if so, this son must have died young, as Nichole d'Aubeney's share of the Chester estates was subsequently divided between her four surviving daughters, Margaret, Joan, Mabel, and Maud. It is possible that the Roger de Somery in the third record below was Nichole d'Aubeney's husband, rather than her son, as her husband would have surely have held part of her inheritance for the term of his life by courtesy of England.

Source: Fine Rolls of Henry III available at

http://www.finerollshenry3.org.uk/home.html

37/1401 (19 October 1253)
Concerning lands to be taken into the king’s hand. Order to the king’s escheator of Lindsey in Lincolnshire to take into the king’s hand all the lands that fall to the share of the son of Roger de Sumery of the lands that Clemencia sometime countess of Chester held in dower in his bailiwick and to keep them safely such that he is to answer for the issues of the same at the Exchequer until the king orders otherwise.

38/55 (23 November 1253)
23 Nov. Westminster. Concerning lands to be taken into the king’s hand. Order to the king’s escheator of Kesteven in Lincolnshire to take into the king’s hand all the lands that fell to the purparty of the son of Roger de Somery of the lands that Clemencia, sometime countess of Chester, held in dower in his bailiwick and to keep them safely until the king orders otherwise, such that he is to answer for the issues of the same at the Exchequer. Witness Queen E. and R. earl of Cornwall. By the queen.

38/531 (16 May 1254)
16 May. Windsor. For Roger de Somery. Roger de Somery has bound himself to the king by letters patent to render £82 10s. in the queen’s Wardrobe on Monday next immediately after the Ascension of the Lord that are exacted from him by summons of the Exchequer for the aid towards the knighting of the king’s first-born son from one knight’s fee that he holds of his own inheritance and from other knights’ fees that he holds of a share of the fees formerly of Hugh de Albigny sometime earl of Arundel. Order to the barons of the Exchequer, that although the aforesaid Roger pledged before them to render the aforesaid £82 10s. at the aforesaid Exchequer on the Monday next immediately before the Ascension of the Lord, to permit the same to have respite therefrom until the aforesaid Monday. Witness as above. By the queen.

From: Douglas Richardson
Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2012 09:16:24 -0700 (PDT)

As a followup to my earlier posts, I might add that Google Books has a copy of the book by Percy C. Rushen entitled History and Antiquities of Chipping Campden, in the County of Gloucester, published in 1899. The discussion which is pertinent to this thread starts on page 5. It is available at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=0PUVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA5

Mr. Rushen quotes from the inquisition post mortem of Roger de Somery (died 1273). This inquisition makes it crystal clear that the Roger de Somery who married Nichole d'Aubeney is the same man who married Anabil de Chaucombe. He shows that at the time of his death in 1273, the manor of Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire was held by Roger de Somery by his first wife, Nichole's inheritance, and that Nichole then had four living daughters, Margaret (wife of Ralph de Cromwell), Joan (wife of John le Strange), Mabel (wife of Walter de Suley), and Maud (wife of Henry de Erdington). Apparently Nichole d'Aubeney's unnamed son who was living in 1253 had died sometime before 1273 without issue.

Mr. Rushen quotes from the actual document dated 1274 which divided the manor of Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire into four shares for the surviving daughters of Nichole d'Aubeney. This is unambigious evidence.

Elsewhere there are abstracts in print of two lawsuits which concern the inheritance of Nichole d'Aubeney. These abstracts are published in Wrottesley, Pedigrees from the Plea Rolls (1905): 531–532, 550. They may be viewed at the following weblinks:

http://archive.org/stream/pedigreesfromple00wrotrich#page/530/mode/2up

http://archive.org/stream/pedigreesfromple00wrotrich#page/550/mode/2up

The first lawsuit indicates that Nichole d'Aubeney was survived by a son, Ralph de Somery, who died in the lifetime of his father, Roger de Somery. Thus we have evidence that Nichole d'Aubeney's son was named Ralph de Somery.

Nichole d'Aubeney's inheritance of the Chester estates also included the manor of Olney, Buckinghamshire. A history of this manor is included in VCH Buckingham 4 (1927): 429–439. It may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=62610&strquery=Olney#s3

This source states that Ralph de Somery, son of Nichole d'Aubeney, predeceased his mother which statement is a manifest error. Ralph de Somery clearly survived his mother and was assigned her share of the Chester inheritance in or before 1253. By 1282, however, Ralph de Somery was dead without surviving issue, as the manor of Olney, Buckinghamshire was delivered to Nichole's four surviving daughters, Margaret widow of Ralph Basset the younger and wife of Ralph de Cromwell, Joan wife of John Lestrange, Mabel (or Elizabeth) wife of Walter de Sully, and Maud wife of Henry de Erdington.

In summary, we have excellent evidence in hand that Margaret le Gras' son, Roger de Somery (died 1273), married (1st) c.1232 Nichole (or Colette) d'Aubeney and (2nd) c.1254 Amabil de Chaucombe.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah

From: Douglas Richardson
Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2012, 10:47:54 -700 (PDT)

On Apr 8, 10:41 am, John Higgins wrote:

> 1) Whether Roger de Somery (d. 1273) was the son or the grandson of
> Ralph de Somery and Margaret le Gras. Carter, followed by Hunt, makes
> the argument that he was the grandson, not the son.

The contemporary records don't bear out Hunt's contention. Historians often make poor genealogists.

Hunt either ignored or suppressed evidence that Margaret le Gras' son, Roger de Somery, married (1st) c.1232 Nichole (or Colette) d'Aubeney and (2nd) c.1254 Amabil de Chaucombe.

For example, Complete Peerage (which Hunt saw) quotes the following record which shows that Margaret le Gras' son, Roger de Somery, was living in 1240:

PRO Assize Roll 1174 Staffordshire pleas, 1240, Dugdale, Warwickshire p. 608 m.4

"Descendit de Gervasio Paenel cuidam Hawisie ut sorori et heredit. Et de Hawise cuidam Radulphus ut filio et heredi. Et de Radulpho cuidam alii Radulpho ut filio et heredi. Et de isto Radulpho cuidam Willelmo ut fratris et heredi. Et de Willelmo cuidam Nicholao ut filio et heredi. Et de Nicholao isti Rogero ut avunculo quia non habuit heredem de corpore suo" END OF QUOTE.

The Roger de Somery living in 1240 is clearly the one who married c. 1232 to Nichole (or Colette) d'Aubeney and (2nd) c.1254 Amabil de Chaucombe.

> The two pieces of evidence cited above by DR simply say that Ralph de
> Somery and his wife Margaret had a son Roger.

Actually they do. One of the pieces of property involved in these records was Bradfield, Berkshire which was held by the Somery family of Dudley (in Segdley), Staffordshire. As such, we can be certain that the Roger de Somery who had a mother Margaret and a nephew, William de Englefield, in the period c.1235-1247 is same person as Roger de Somery, of Dudley. Furthermore, Alan de Englefield is clearly stated in the second record I cited as having married Ralph de Somery's daughter. I might add that the Englefield family were subtenants of the Somery family, of Dudley, which again confirms the identification of the people involved in these records.

The inquisition post mortem of Roger de Somery in 1273 makes it clear that he had two wives, Nichole d'Aubeney and Amabil de Chaucombe. The inquisition also makes clear that at the time of his death in 1273, he was holding Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire in right of of his 1st wife, Nichole's inheritance. Following Roger de Somery's death, this manor was divided in 1274 between Nichole d'Aubeney's four surviving daughters. That is established fact.


You're deliberately ignoring the evidence of the Fine Rolls which I put right in your path.

The Fine Rolls make it clear that until 1272 Roger de Somery, of Dudley, had not been succeeded by anyone. Rather he was living and controlled his own estates from c.1229 until his death in 1273.

Had there been an intervening Roger de Somery, this would have been reflected in the Fine Rolls. The Fine Rolls further indicate that Nichole d'Aubeney had been survived by an unnnamed son, living c.1253, and that he subsequently disappears from the records. The name of that son, Ralph de Somery, is supplied from other records [see my earlier post and the record cited below].

Here are the records in which Fine Rolls items which record the death of Nicholas de Somery in 1229, and his succession before 1233 by his uncle, Roger de Somery (died 1273):

1. Date: 4 July 1229. Concerning the land formerly of Nicholas son of Perceval. Order to the sheriff of Worcestershire to take into the king’s hand without delay all land in his bailiwick formerly of Nicholas, son of Perceval de Somery, who is dead, and to keep it safely until the king orders otherwise, saving his property and chattels found in the same land to R. earl of Chester and Lincoln.

2. Date: 4 July 1229. Concerning the land formerly of Nicholas son of Perceval. It is written in the same manner to the sheriff of Staffordshire.

3. Date: 7 June 1233. Concerning lands to be taken into the king’s hand. Because at this Pentecost last past Roger de Somery did not come to the king so that he could gird him with the belt of knighthood, order to the sheriff of Worcestershire to take the honour of Dudley and the other lands of the same Roger in his bailiwick into the king’s hand without delay, and to keep them safely with all chattels found therein, so that nothing is removed therefrom until the king orders otherwise. END OF QUOTE.

< either direction on the first issue - unless you presuppose that there
< was only one Roger here.

I don't presuppose anything. I go strictly by the evidence, not uninformed opinion. The evidence clearly shows that the Roger de Somery living in 1240 is the same person as married (1st) Nichole d'Aubeney and (2nd) Amabil de Chaucombe.

> I agree that that the possible conclusion suggested by the second
> issue above is rather speculative at this time: whether Roger de
> Somery (d. 1273) had one wife or two.

Actually it is not at all speculative if Roger de Somery had two wives. His inquisitions clearly states that he had two wives. That is contemporary evidence.

> DR also says in his subsequent post that "Nichole d'Aubeney's share of
> the Chester estates was subsequently divided between her four
> surviving daughters, Margaret, Joan, Mabel, and Maud." What evidence
> supports this?

I've cited clear evidence for the descent of Nichole d'Aubeney's properties.

There is additional evidence that Nichole d'Aubeney had a son, Ralph de Somery (not Roger), who died early without issue. This information is found in an ancient pedigree of the family of the Earls of Chester published in Stubbs, Chronicle of the Reigns of Edward I and Edward II 1 (Rolls Ser.) (1882): 126–127 (sub Annales Londoniensis). This may be veiwed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books/id=GlvSAAAAMAAJ&pg=GBS.PA126

This pedigree specifically states that Nichole d'Aubeney had one son, Ralph, and four daughters, Margaret, Joan, Elizabeth, and Maud:

"Nicholaa [d'Aubeney] nupsit Rogero [de Someri] et habuit quemdam filium Radulphum qui mortuus erat ante patrem suum, et habuit quator filias, Margaretam, Johannam, Elizabetham et Matilldam; Margareta nupsit Radulpho de Basset juniori, Johanna nupsit Johanni Lestrange, Elizabeth Waltero de [Souli], Matillda Henrico de Erdyntone." END OF QUOTE.

I wish to thank Charles Cawley for bringing this important record to my attention.

From: Douglas Richardson
Date: Sun, 8 Apr 2012, 11:58:23 -700 (PDT)

I might add that Charles Cawley's Medlands database shows that Sir Roger de Somery (died 1273) had two sons by his 2nd wife, Amabil de Chaucombe, namely Roger, born in 1255, and Percival.

As evidence, Mr. Cawley cites a charter of Roger de Somery, son of Sir Roger de Somery, dated 1277-8, which charter was witnessed by Roger's brother, Perceval de Somery. A transcript of this charter was published in Collections for a History of Staffordshire, Volume 8 (1887): 177. It may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=JgIVAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177

From: Douglas Richardson
Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:24:18 -0700 (PDT)

As I stated previously, the evidence is solid that Roger de Somery (died 1273), 3rd son of Ralph de Somery (died c.1210) and Margaret le Gras, married (1st) c.1232 Nichole (or Colette) d'Aubeney and (2nd) c. 1254 Amabil de Chaucombe. Roger de Somery's placement in the Somery family tree is proven by the following two records copied below taken from the online Catalogue of the National Archives which concern Roger de Somery, his parents, Ralph and Margaret, and his nephew, William de Englefield. These records are available at www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/search.asp.

Source: National Archives Catalogue

E 210/2932: Confirmation by Roger de Sumeri of an agreement between Margaret his mother and William de Englefeld concerning a grant and exchange of lands at Bradfield, Berkshire.

E 210/7057: Roger de Sumery to William de Englefeld: Quitclaim of the service of one knight’s fee, viz: of a hide in Humeleye and of 4 hides in Englefield, which Isabella, the grantor’s sister, held in dower, so that the grantee and his heirs are not bound to render service except for one knight in Englefield and another in Craunford, in accordance with the charter which Ralph de Sumery, the grantor’s father, made to Alan de Englefeld, father of the grantee. END OF QUOTE.

While the two records above are undated, the first record apparently dates from about 1232, in which year Margaret (le Gras) de Somery arraigned an assize of novel disseisin against her grandson, William de Englefield, regarding a tenement in Bradfield, Berkshire [see Cal. Patent Rolls, 1225–1232 (1903): 524].

In the same year, the king ordered that Nichole, 1st wife of Roger de Somery, be assigned 30 librates of land from the manor of Leeds, Yorkshire, which lands had been granted to Nichole for her marriage by her uncle, Ranulph, late Earl of Chester and Lincoln [see Cal. Patent Rolls, 1232–1247 (1906): 2–3; also see Geoffrey Barraclough, Charters of the Anglo-Norman Earls of Chester, c. 1071-1237 (Rec. Soc. of Lancashire and Cheshire 126) (1988): 437–438].

The Patent Rolls item cited above may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://sdrc.lib.uiowa.edu/patentrolls/h3v3/body/Henry3vol3page0002.pdf

http://sdrc.lib.uiowa.edu/patentrolls/h3v3/body/Henry3vol3page0003.pdf

While the assignment of these lands in 1232 does not indicate that Nichole d'Aubeney was then married, the implication is that she had married in recent time, as she did not have possession of her maritagium at the time her uncle, Earl Ranulph, died earlier in the same year.

That Nichole d'Aubeney and Roger de Somery were married in or before 1232, is further indicated by the fact that Nichole's next oldest sister, Maud d'Aubeney, was married before 1222 to Robert de Tateshale. Likewise it can be shown that Nichole's oldest daughter, Margaret de Somery, had a son Ralph Basset, who was an adult in or before 1275. Also that Nichole's 2nd daughter, Joan de Somery, had a son, John le Strange, who was born c.1253 (he being aged 23 in 1276). For Nichole d'Aubeney to have two adult grandchildren c.1275 would necessitate that she was married no later than say 1235, and probably a bit earlier.

Even though Grazebrook [see below] claimed that he could find no record of Roger de Somery between 18 Henry III [1233-4] and 27 Henry III [1242-3], Roger most certainly was alive in 1240 as proven by the following record cited by Complete Peerage:

PRO Assize Roll 1174 Staffordshire pleas, 1240, Dugdale, Warwickshire p. 608 m.4

"Descendit de Gervasio Paenel cuidam Hawisie ut sorori et heredit. Et de Hawise cuidam Radulphus ut filio et heredi. Et de Radulpho cuidam alii Radulpho ut filio et heredi. Et de isto Radulpho cuidam Willelmo ut fratris et heredi. Et de Willelmo cuidam Nicholao ut filio et heredi. Et de Nicholao isti Rogero ut avunculo quia non habuit heredem de corpore suo" END OF QUOTE.

Had there been an additional Roger de Somery living c.1232-1240, it would surely have been reflected in the pleading above or in the Fine Rolls. Instead we find no reference to a secondary Roger de Somery in this time period.

In a previous post, I indicated that Nichole d'Aubeney, 1st wife of Roger de Somery, had died sometime before 19 October 1253, by which date her son, Ralph de Somery, had been assigned her share of the Chester estates.

However, we can narrow down the death date of Nichole d'Aubeney a bit more. There is a helpful account of the Somery family by Grazebrook entitled Barons of Dudley published in Collections for a History of Staffordshire, 9(2)) (1888). On pages 18-19, he shows that Nichole d'Aubeney died before 20 Jan. 1247 (date of lawsuit), when her son, Ralph de Somery, was included in a lawsuit among the Chester heirs. I've copied a brief portion of that record below:

"Robert de Tateshale, junior, John FitzAlan, Ralph son of Roger de Somery, and Roger de Monhaut and Cecilia his wife, sue Roger de Quincy Earl of Wynton, to hold to a fine levied in the Court of the King between Hugh de Albini formerly Earl of Surrey (the uncle of the said Robert, John, and Ralph, and brother of Cecilia), whose heirs they are ..." END OF QUOTE.

The above record may be viewed at the following weblink:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Am44AAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA18

Grazebrook adds that in this same 1247 lawsuit that Ralph de Somery (son of Nichole d'Aubeney) allegedly "complained that Roger de Somery his grandfather [sic] held the manor of Barewe, by the courtesy of England, after the death of his mother Nichola." However the identification of Roger de Somery as Ralph de Somery's grandfather in this pleading is surely in error. Lands held by courtesy of England were assigned to a woman's husband, not to her father-in-law. Hence Roger de Somery (husband of Nichole d'Aubeney) can only have been Ralph de Somery's father, especially since Ralph names Nichole as his mother.

The 1247 lawsuit further makes it clear that Roger de Somery (husband of Nichole d'Aubeney) was living in 1247. We know that Roger de Somery (husband of Nichole d'Aubeney) did not die until 1273, as proven by Roger's own inquisition post mortem. By that date, Roger and Nichole's only son, Ralph de Somery, had long been dead and Nichole's lands were subsequently assigned to her four adult married daughters.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah

• 
• Text: From: Douglas Richardson
  Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:55:38 -0700 (PDT)
  
  In Charles Cawley's online Medlands database, he states the following:
  
  "RALPH de Somery (-[Jan/Jul] 1210). m as her first husband, MARGARET Marshal, daughter of [JOHN Marshal & his second wife Sibyl of Salisbury] (-after [1242/43]). The primary source which confirms her parentage and marriage has not yet been identified. The Complete Peerage names her and records her marriage but does not the cite the primary source on which this information is based[1033]. The Pipe Roll 1210 records that "Margareta que fuit uxor Radulfi de Sumeri" arranged to pay an instalment of her fine for the assignment of her dower in midsummer[1034]. She married secondly Maurice de Gant." END OF QUOTE.
  
  While Complete Peerage does claim in its Berkeley and Somery accounts that Margaret, wife of Ralph de Somery, was the sister of William Marshal (died 1219), Earl of Pembroke, I've always found that claim rather doubtful. Indeed the editor's comments in both the Berkeley and Somery accounts suggest that the identification of Margaret de Somery as the earl's sister is not at all certain.
  
  Recently I came across John Hunt's book, Lordship and the Landscape (1994), which discusses the early history of the Somery family. On pages 34–35, he presents concrete evidence from the Brooksby Cartulary that Ralph de Somery's wife, Margaret, was actually the daughter of William le Gras, which William is thought to have been married to a sister of Earl William Marshal. Thus, it would appear that Margaret de Somery was the Earl's niece, not his daughter as claimed by Complete Peerage.
  
  I can only provide partial abstracts from John Hunt's book as Google Books limit my view of his material. Regardless, this is what I can glean from the parts of pages 34 and 35 that I can see online:
  
  “The Marcher connection may also be reflected in the marriage of John and Hawise's son, Ralph I de Somery, to Margaret. There is a marriage recorded before 1194 between a Ralph de Somery, of the honor of Gloucester, and Margaret, the daughter of William le Gros; William was a Gloucestershire knight who served the earl of Gloucester and was married to a sister of William Marshal I, earl of Pembroke (d. 1219). That this represents ...[part is missing here DR] .... The marriage of the future baron of Dudley is suggested by two documents surviving in the Brooksby cartulary. The first is the marriage contract itself, in which it is stated that William le Gros gave his land at Little Dalby to Ralph de Somery as part of the marriage agreement. The second is a confirmation charter, which may be dated to not earlier than c.1210, by which William Crassus, Margaret de Somery’s brother, confirmed his widowed sister’s grant of lands in ...”). END OF QUOTE.
  
  That William le Gras' wife was the sister of William Marshal is supported to three references to kinship between the Gras and Marshal families. In the first reference below, William le Gras the elder is styled "consanguineum" by William le Marshal the younger in a letter dated 1224. In the second reference below, Anselm le Gras, Bishop of St. David's, is styled "nepos Marescalli" [i.e., kinsman of the Earl of Pembroke]. William le Gras the elder and Anselm le Gras are thought to be sons of the earlier William le Gras (living 1210, dead by 1219), who married Earl Marshal's sister. The son William le Gras is styled "the elder" or "first born" in records as the earlier William le Gras had two sons named William. The third reference below is a record dated 1221-2, in which Joan de Somery, daughter of Margaret le Gras, is styled "neptem" [kinswoman] by William Marshal the younger, Earl of Pembroke.
  
  1. Shirley, Royal & Other Hist. Letters Ill. of King Henry III 1 (1862) (Rolls Ser. 27): 500–503 [letter of William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke dated 1224 states he had dispatched his “cousin” [consanguineum], William le Gras, the elder, to relieve Carrickfergus [“Item .... misimus dominum W. Grassum primogenitum consanguineum nostrum ... as Enocfergus in Ultonia”])
  
  2. Luard, Annales Monastici 4 (Rolls Ser. 36) (1869): 422 (Annals of Worcester sub A.D. 1231: “Anselmus nepos Marescalli consecratur apud Cantuariam in episcopum Menevensem” [Anselm le Gras consecrated Bishop of St. David’s in 1231 styled “kinsman" of [William Earl] Marshal]).
  
  3. John Hunt's book, Lordship & the Landscape (1994): 34 and Complete Peerage refers to a record dated 1221-2 from the published Eyre Roll of 5 Henry III in which Joan de Somery, wife of Thomas de Berkeley, is styled "neptem" [i.e., kinswoman] by William Marshal the younger, Earl of Pembroke. Joan de Somery's mother was Margaret le Gras, as stated above. The Eyre Roll item is published in Selden Society, vol. lix, no. 301.
  
  Complete Peerage 12(1) (1953): 111 (sub Somery) states that Margaret, wife of Ralph de Somery, was living in 1242-43. Actually she was living as late as 14 June 1247, as proven by a document published in Hoskin, English Episcopal Acta 13 (1997): 152. This document indicates that Margaret de Somery reached agreement on that date with Henry de Gaunt, Rector of the almonry of St. Mark’s Hospital, Billeswick, she granting the said Henry the tithes of the mill of East Quantoxhead, Somerset and the right to pasture six oxen, two cows and two horses in Margaret’s pasture; Henry quitclaimed to Margaret for the rest of her life all the land which he held at Coke (?in Stogursey, Somerset) in return for 16 pence a year.
  
  Margaret de Somery held the manor of East Quantoxhead, Somerset in right of her dower from her 2nd marriage to Maurice de Gant.
  
  Lastly, the A2A Catalogue includes another record relating to Margaret, widow of Ralph de Somery, this one is undated:
  
  National Archives, E 210/2932 (undated confirmation by Roger de Sumeri of an agreement between Margaret his mother and William de Englefeld concerning a grant and exchange of lands at Bradfield, Berkshire) (available at http://www.catalogue.?nationalarchives.?gov.uk/?search.asp).
  
  Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah