Past and Present

    by Janet McNeilly  © 2002

01 April 2015

Ilbert de Lacy

Ilbert de Lacy was born c1045, the son of Hugh de Lacy.

http://elizabethashworth.com/the-de-lacy-family/ilbert-de-lacy-2/ states:

Ilbert de Lacy

Ilbert de Lacy was probably born in Normandy no later than the year 1045, which would make him at least twenty-one years old in 1066. He was still alive in 1090 but had died by the end of the reign of William Rufus who was shot dead in a hunting accident in the year 1100.

That Ilbert and Walter were brothers seems probable as their land in Normandy was subsequently held jointly by their descendants under the Norman tenure of parage where land was divided amongst sons and daughters whilst remaining a single fee. This would mean that both Ilbert and Walter inherited the land from the same father. Their mother was named Emma de Lacy and there is a record of her granting 22 acres of land at Montmain to the nunnery of St Amand. She is described as the mother of Ilbert de Lacy to differentiate her from the abbess whose name was also Emma. This would seem to indicate that Ilbert was the elder of the brothers.

Ilbert and Walter held their lands in Lassy of Odo, bishop of Bayeax - the man responsible for the tapestry. After the Conquest Walter was rewarded with lands in Herefordshire and Gloucestershire and Ilbert received over 150 manors in the west of Yorkshire, ten in Nottinghamshire and four in Lincolnshire. Ilbert built a castle at Pontefract and enclosed it in a park that was eight miles in circumference and from here he administrated his new estates.

Ilbert was married to a woman named Hawise. They had at least two sons - Robert de Lacy who succeeded his father at Pontefract and Hugh de Lacy who died and was buried at La Trinite-du Mont in Rouen (the Abbey of the Holy Trinity) possibly around 1090 when Ilbert de Lacy and his wife granted their manor of Tingewick in Buckinghamshire to that abbey.

Charter of a Norman conqueror recording gift of the manor of Tingewick in Buckinghamshire to the abbey of La Sainte Trinite. Authenticated by the crosses, presumably autographs, of King William Rufus, Ilbert de Lacy, and Hawise, his wife. Ilbert’s seal is attached to the charter (the hole below Hawise’s cross). One of the earliest knightly seals in existence (c. 1090). The scribe is inconsistent in spacing, size of script, and spelling, suggesting lack of familiarity with this type of document. From Michael Clanchy, From Memory to Written Record: England 1066-1307. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell, 1993, plate I.

Other grants made by Ilbert de Lacy were the manor of Hambleton to Selby Abbey (before 1997), the manor of Garforth to St Mary’s Abbey at York and a gift of two pence to Durham Cathedral priory. It is also probable that Ilbert granted permission for one or two hermits to live on land that later became Nostell Priory. He also made a grant to the chapel of St Clement, built within the walls of Pontefract Castle.

Exactly when Ilbert de Lacy died and where he is buried is unknown.

Robert de Lacy

The son of Ilbert de Lacy and Hawise. Robert married Maud de Perche and they had the following children -

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLISHNOBILITYMEDIEVAL3L-O.htm#RobertLacydied1099B states:

ROBERT de Lacy, son of ILBERT de Lacy & his wife Hawise --- (-after 23 Nov 1102, bur Pontefract Priory). A manuscript history of the Lacy family names "Robertum Lacy" as son of "Ilberto de Lacy" and his wife "Hauisia", adding that he founded "monasterium apud Pontefractum", died during the reign of King William II, and was buried at Pontefract. The Liber Vitć of Durham names "Ilbertus de Laceio, Hathewis sua uxor, Rodbertus et Hugo filii eorum". "Rodbertus de Laceio" confirmed the donation by "pater meus Hilbertus" to Selby Abbey, for the soul of "fratris mei Hugonis", by undated charter. "Robertus de Laceio" founded Pontefract Priory, for the soul of "Hylberti patris mei et Hawisić matris meć", by undated charter, dateable to the reign of King William II, witnessed by "W. Peverel…". Florence of Worcester records that "Beornardus de Novo Mercatu, Rogerius de Laceio…Rawlfus de Mortuo Mari…cum hominibus comitis Rogeri de Scrobbesbyria" threatened Worcester with an army of Normans and Welsh, dated to [1088]. A writ addressed to Robert Bishop of Lincoln and Osbert Sheriff of Lincolnshire, dated to [1095/1100], sanctioned an exchange of lands between "Ur de Abet" and "Rotb de Laceio de Ingoluesmaera", witnessed by "R. fil Haim". "Robertus de Lacy" granted "Magnam Merlay…et Tuisleton…et…in Cliderhou" to "Radulpho le Rus" by charter dated 23 Nov 1102.

m MATILDA (Maud), daughter of --- (-bur [Pontefract Priory]). "Henricus de Lasci" donated property to Pontefract Priory, for the souls of "patris mei Roberti de Lasci et Matilildis matris meć", by undated charter. A manuscript history of the Lacy family records that Ilbert de Lacy was buried "ad sinistrum cornu altaris sancti Benedicti" next to his mother.

Robert & his wife had four children:

1. ILBERT de Lacy (-1141, bur [Pontefract Priory]). A manuscript history of the Lacy family names "Hilbertum et Henricum" as the two sons of "Robertum Lacy" and his wife "Matilda", adding that he died childless and was buried "ad sinistrum cornu altaris sancti Benedicti" next to his mother. "Ilbertus de Lacy" confirmed the grant of "magna Merlay, Twisleton…et…in Poterton et…in Cliderh…" made by "pater meus" [see above for his father’s grant] to "Radulfo le Rus", with the consent and advice of "Roberti fratris mei", by charter dated to [1135/41]. "Ilbertus de Lacy" confirmed the grant of "magnam Mitton, Haghton, magnam Merlay, Twisleton…in Potreton et…in Cliderhou" to "Radulfo le Rouse" and granted further property to "eidem Radulfo fratri meo" by charter dated to [1135/41]. m as her first husband, ALICE de Gand, daughter of WALTER de Gand & his wife Mathilde de Penthičvre. "Aliz de Gant" donated property to Pontefract Priory, for the souls of "prioris domini mei Ilberti de Lascy" and with the consent of "Henricus de Lascy", by undated charter. She married secondly Roger de Mowbray. Her second marriage is confirmed by the undated charter under which "Rogerus de Molbrai" confirmed the donation of property to Pontefract Priory by "uxor mea…pro anima prioris domini sui Ilberti de Lasci", witnessed by "Willielmus Peverel…Turgis de Molbray…".

2. ROBERT de Lacy (-after [1135/41]). "Ilbertus de Lacy" confirmed the grant of "magna Merlay, Twisleton…et…in Poterton et…in Cliderh…" made by "pater meus" [see above for his father’s grant] to "Radulfo le Rus", with the consent and advice of "Roberti fratris mei", by charter dated to [1135/41].

3. HENRY de Lacy (-Holy Land 25 Sep 1177). A manuscript history of the Lacy family names "Hilbertum et Henricum" as the two sons of "Robertum Lacy" and his wife "Matilda". "Henricus de Lasci" donated property to Pontefract Priory, for the souls of "patris mei Roberti de Lasci et Matilildis matris meć", by undated charter. "Henricum de Laceio" founded Kirkstall Abbey, for the souls of "Ilberti avi mei et Hawis uxoris suć…et Matildis amitć", by undated charter. The Red Book of the Exchequer refers to "Henricus de Lascy xliv l xv s, de novo xxxl xvi d" in Yorkshire in [1171/72]. A manuscript history of the Lacy family records that the death "in terra sancta VII Kal Oct" of Henry de Lacy, adding that his burial place is unknown.

4. AUBREYE de Lacy . According to The Complete Peerage, Aubreye de Lisours, successor of Robert de Lacy was his cousin, implying that her mother was Robert’s paternal aunt. This appears to be confirmed by the 1130 Pipe Roll which records "Robt de Lusor" in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and that he married "sorore Ilbti de Laci". An apparently different version of Aubreye’s parentage is provided by a manuscript history of the Lacy family which records that "Albreda vel Aubreia, filia Roberti Lisours, soror ex parte matris" succeeded on the death of "Robertus Lacy". If this is correct, Aubreye’s father was the [first/second] husband of Robert de Lacy’s mother. As the husband of Aubrey junior died in 1163, the chronology suggests that, if this version is correct, it is more probable that Aubreye was the daughter of her mother’s first marriage. It appears from the 1130 Pipe Roll that the Complete Peerage version is to be preferred. m ROBERT de Lisours, son of FULK de Lisours & his wife --- (-after 1167). Military fee certifications in the Red Book of the Exchequer, in 1166, record the knights’ fees held from "F[ulconis] de Lisuris" in Northamptonshire, referring to land which "Ricardus Engaine avus meus" gave to "ultimć uxori suć in dotem, scilicet uxori Ricardi filii Ursi" and refers to land held by "duć amitć meć". The Red Book of the Exchequer refers to "Robertus de Lisures i m" in Huntingdonshire in [1167/68].

Robert had one illegitimate child by an unknown mistress:

5. RALPH le Roux (-after [1135/41]). "Robertus de Lacy" granted "Magnam Merlay…et Tuisleton…et…in Cliderhou" to "Radulpho le Rus" by charter dated 23 Nov 1102. His parentage is confirmed by the charter dated to [1135/41] under which "Ilbertus de Lacy" confirmed the grant of "magnam Mitton, Haghton, magnam Merlay, Twisleton…in Potreton et…in Cliderhou" to "Radulfo le Rouse" and granted further property to "eidem Radulfo fratri meo".

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