The earlier parts of many
visitation pedigrees should not be trusted without some corroborating evidence
from contemporary documents. Recently I have been looking at the early part of
the pedigree of Rocliffe of Rawcliffe in Yorkshire.
The hamlet of Rawcliffe lies
about 3 miles north-west of York. In medieval times, it was on the edge of the
royal hunting forest of Galtres, partly in the parish of St. Olave, York and
partly in the parish of St. Michael le Belfry, York and was in the North Riding
of Yorkshire. This Rawcliffe should not to be confused with Rawcliffe, in the
parish of Snaith and Roecliffe in the parish of Aldborough. The hamlet was the
home of a minor gentry family which rose to knightly status during the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. There are numerous spellings of the family
name.
The pedigree given by Flower in
the 1563-64 visitation of Yorkshire [1]
starts with a “Sir Rychard Roclyff of Roclyff by York” who is given three sons:
Rychard Roclyffe, who married a daughter of Everingham of Laxton; John
Roclyffe; and Sir Robert Roclyffe who is given two wives, Constance Malbysse
and Margaret daughter of … Aldborough. This part of the pedigree seems to have
been accepted by most subsequent writers and genealogists and is repeated with
small variations in numerous internet pedigrees. However, it is certainly not
correct.
The youngest of the three
brothers was Sir Richard de Rocliffe. In September 1386, Sir Richard de Roucliffe
of Pickering deposed in the Scrope-Grosvenor case that he was aged sixty-five and
armed fifty-two years. [2]
Thus, he was born in 1321 or earlier. The oldest of the brothers was John,
since his granddaughter Ellen carried the manor of Rawcliffe to her husband
John Ingleby of Ripley.
I have looked in vain for
contemporary evidence of a Sir Richard Rocliffe who should have been alive in
the period 1280 to 1340 and I can say with certainty that he never existed. So,
who was the father of the three brothers? The answer lies in a fine dated in
1332, where the eldest son John is identified as “John son of David de
Routheclyf” [3].
The only information that I have
been able to discover about David de Rocliffe is that he was one of the
hereditary Galtres forest officials. Between 1296 and 1305, he was a witness or
juror at four inquisitions concerning forests in Yorkshire. [4]
In one of the inquisitions he is described as a “regarder” of Galtres forest. He
was certainly not a knight.
Below are brief biographies of
the three sons of David de Rocliffe taken from contemporary records:
John de Rocliffe
John de Rocliffe was probably born
about 1310. He became a soldier and on 13 April 1333, John son of David Rouclif
had protection, going to Scotland until Michaelmas. He had a further protection
on 1 November 1334, going to Scotland with Sir Thomas Ughtred.[5]
John died before 6 April 1348 when the sheriff of York was ordered to cause a
verderer for the forest of Galtres to be elected in place of John de Rouclyf,
deceased.[6]
John married a lady named Margery
(not shown in Flower’s visitation) before Easter 1332, when Stephen Sampson and
Margaret his wife, granted two messuages and 10 bovates of land in Skelton near
Rawcliffe to John son of David de Routheclyf and Margery his wife.[7]
In Easter Term 1346, John de Rouclif and Margery his wife sold property in Wighill,
Catterton, Walton and Follifoot, to John son of Brian de Folifait.[8]
Margery survived John for many years. Before April 1353, she sued John de
Herthill, chaplain, for not rendering an account of the time when he was her
bailiff in Rawcliffe, and receiver of her money. [9]
In 1364, Brian de Rouclif, chivaler, and Katherine his wife sold property in
Rawcliffe, Skelton, Clifton and Aton to Margery widow of John de Rouclif,
William Fairfax, and Guy de Rouclif son of Margery. [10]
In November 1375, she claimed the marriage of her granddaughter, Ellen daughter
and heir of Brian de Rouclif. [11]
She was living in October 1380, when she and her son Guy are named as executors
of Thomas de Middleton, citizen of York. [12]
John and Margery had three
children:
- · Sir Brian de Rocliffe, about whom little is known. He married Katherine before 1364.[13] He was living in 1366 and died before 1375, when his heir was his daughter Ellen [14], who later married John son of Thomas de Ingleby of Ripley.
- · Guy de Rocliffe, king’s clerk, warden of the king's mint who died in December 1392 and was buried in the church of the Friars Preachers, London.[15]
- · Ellen de Rocliffe, who is said in Flower’s pedigree to have married Bygod and Fairfax. There is no evidence of a Bigod marriage, but she almost certainly married William Fairfax of Walton, Yorkshire.
Sir Robert de Rocliffe
Sir Robert de Rocliffe was probably
born about 1315. He became a soldier like his elder brother and was a retainer
of John de Beaumont, second Lord Beaumont, whom he served in Scotland in 1336-7
and the Low Countries in 1339. He was knighted about 1339.[16]
In September 1344, January 1346, June 1348, and October 1349, he had
protections when serving in the defence of Berwick.[17]
He was appointed a justice of the statute of labourers in Yorkshire in July
1354, October 1354, and February 1355; on commissions of oyer and terminer in
November 1356, December 1358, and May 1364; in August 1357, he was collector of
a tax in the North Riding [18]
and a commissioner of array in the North Riding in October 1366. [19]
In February 1362, he was one of those accused of illegally hunting in the parks
of queen Philippa in Yorkshire.[20]
In 1362, he granted land in Scarborough to the Carmelite friars there. [21]
He was one of the knights of the shire for Yorkshire at the Parliaments of
February 1371, June 1371, and November 1373.[22]
The will of Sir Robert de Rouclyf, knight is dated 16 September 1381 at
Helperby. To be buried in the church before the altar of St. Mary, Scarborough.
He mentions his sons, Robert, Brian, Guy, John, Reginald, daughter Margaret,
and his wife Margaret. He makes Margaret his wife, Guy Rouclyff, canon of Ripon
and canon John de Kereby his executors.[23]
Robert de Rocliffe married
firstly, about 1339, Joan Ughtred, daughter of John Ughtred of Scarborough
(died 1298) and Isabel de Meaux his wife. She was much older than Robert and widow
of John de Routh who died in 1310 and Thomas de la Rivere of Brandsby,
Yorkshire who died about 1338. She was born about 1293 in Gowthorpe in the
parish of Fangfoss, Yorkshire. [24]
It was probably through possession of his wife’s property and her dower lands
that Robert qualified for knighthood. In Trinity term 1342, John de Rouclif and
John de Middelton (probably Joan’s feoffees) conveyed property in Scarborough
and Gowthorpe to Robert de Rouclif, chivaler, and Joan his wife in tail to the
heirs of Joan.[25]
About the same time, William de Bayeux (Bayous) brought a writ of formedon in
the descender against Joan late the wife of Thomas de la Ryvere, concerning
tenements (probably in Helperby) which Joan held and which William claimed were
held in tail from William's ancestor.[26]
In Easter term 1344, John Wacelyn and Hugh Martell granted the manor of
Helperby to Robert de Rouclyf, chivaler, and Joan his wife, to hold to Robert
and Joan and the heirs of Robert. John son of Thomas de la Ryver of Brandesby (Joan’s
son) put in his claim. [27]
About 1235, Helperby was granted by Geoffrey Dean of St. Peter's, York to Bevis
son of Alexander de Bayeux and his issue by Isabel daughter of Richard de la
Rivere, the ancestors of William de Bayeux. In 1375, after the death of William
de Bayeux, the dean and chapter attempted to recover the manor from Robert de
Rocliffe and Joan, because the issue of Bevis and Isabel had failed. [28]
Robert tried to delay the court case by obtaining letters of protection going
to the garrison in Berwick, but the king revoked the letters on a complaint by
the dean and chapter.[29]
The church recovered Helperby, but Robert must have made some agreement with
them because his will was written there in 1381.
Robert is said to have married
secondly, Margaret de Friston, daughter of John de Friston of Marston,
Yorkshire by Joan Bustard his wife, but there is no contemporary evidence of
this marriage. Margaret was a co-heir of her brother Richard (Bustard) de
Friston who died on 7 November 1363, when she was aged 19 (born about 1344).[30]
In April 1366, after the death of her grandmother Maud, widow of John Bustard,
she was said to be aged 22 and married to John de Clifton.[31]
It is unclear when John de Clifton died and when Margaret married Robert. After
Robert’s death, she is said to have married Thomas Fairfax (died January 1395),
but this seems unlikely. She died on 1 June 1422. [32]
Robert and Margaret had the
following children mentioned in Robert’s will:
- · Guy Rocliffe, esquire, was made recorder of York in 1426. He married Joan, daughter of Thomas de Burgh, of Kirtlington, Nottinghamshire, by whom he had a large family.
- · Robert Rocliffe who is said to have married Anne, daughter of Miles Etton.[33]
- · Brian, John, Reginald, and
- · Margaret who is said to have married Richard de Aldeburgh.
Sir Richard de Rocliffe
Sir Richard de Rocliffe was born
about 1320. He became a soldier like his elder brothers and in 1386 he stated
that he was aged sixty-five and had been armed for fifty-two years.[34]
Like his brother Robert, he appears to have entered the service of the Beaumont
family. He was knighted before November 1341, when Sir Richard de Rocliffe had
protection going to Scotland in the company of Henry de Beaumont.[35]
The inquisition post mortem of Henry de Beaumont who died in June 1369 shows
Richard holding half a knight’s fee in South Witham, Lincolnshire of Henry. [36]
After Henry’s death, Richard became one of the household knights of John of
Gaunt. Before June 1372, Gaunt appointed him as chief forester of Pickering. [37]
In July 1354, he was on a
commission concerning the statute of labourers in Pickering; on commissions of
oyer et terminer in August and September 1356 in Scarborough. [38]
In February 1367 and May 1378, he was a commissioner of array in Yorkshire. [39]
He gave evidence in the Scrope-Grosvenor controversy, but was too old and
infirm to travel, so his deposition was taken at his house in Pickering on 24
September 1386. Richard stated that he had served on campaigns in France,
Scotland, Brittany, Normandy, Spain, and Gascony. He appears to have died around
1390.
Richard de Rocliffe is said in
Flower’s visitation pedigree to have married a daughter of Everingham of
Laxton. His wife’s name was Elizabeth and numerous secondary sources make her a
daughter of Adam de Everingham of Laxton (died February 1388) and his wife Joan
Deiville. However, there is no contemporary evidence that Elizabeth was an
Everingham of Laxton (or that she had a sister Margaret who married Hugh de
Hastings).
On 20 October 1351, Richard de
Rauclif and Elizabeth his wife were pardoned by the king for acquiring in tail
from Henry de Bayeux the manor of Little Markham, which is a third part of one
third part of the manor of Tuxford, held in chief, and entering therein without
licence; and licence for them to retain the same in tail, with remainder to the
right heirs of the said Richard.[40]
This moiety of the manor of Tuxford appears to be the one ninth which was held
by John de Bayeux who died before 1327. Sir Henry de Bayeux who conveyed the
property to Richard and Elizabeth was probably his heir after the death of
William de Bayeux, John’s son.
Richard and Elizabeth had three
children:
- · Sir David Rocliffe, knight, married Margery Hesill in 1393 and died s.p. on 20 June 1407, when his heir was his sister Joan, wife of William Lascelles. [41]
- · Sir Richard Rocliffe, knight, who died s.p before his brother David.
- · Joan Rocliffe, who married William Lascelles of Sowerby, near Thirsk, Yorkshire and died on 7 August 1418 at Pickering. [42]
[1] Charles Best Norcliffe, ed., The
Visitation of Yorkshire in the Years 1563 and 1564 Made by William Flower
Esquire, Norroy King of Arms, Harleian Society 16 (London, 1881), 265.
[2] N. Harris Nicolas, The Controversy
Between Sir Richard Scrope and Sir Robert Grosvenor in the Court of Chivalry,
vol. 2, 1832, 351.
[3] Feet
of Fines: CP 25/1/272/106, number 56 (YASRS, xlii, 47).
[4] William
Brown, ed., Yorkshire Inquisitions, vol. 3, Yorkshire Archaeological Society,
Record Series, 31 (1902), 45 and William Brown, ed., Yorkshire Inquisitions,
vol. 4, Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Record Series, 37 (1906), 88, 91,
134.
[5] Grant
S. Simpson and James D. Galbraith, eds., Calendar of Documents Relating to
Scotland, vol. 5 (Supplementary) (1970), 491, 494.
[6] Calendar
of Close Rolls, Edward III, vol. 8: 1341-1349 (1905), 444.
[7] Feet
of Fines: CP 25/1/272/106, number 56 (YASRS, xlii, 47).
[8] Feet
of Fines: CP 25/1/274/117, number 40 (YASRS, xlii, 185).
[9] Calendar
of Patent Rolls, Edward III, vol. 9: 1350-1354 (1907), 425.
[10] Feet
of Fines: CP 25/1/276/126, number 50 (YASRS, lii 102).
[11] Calendar
of Patent Rolls, Edward III, vol. 16: 1374-1377 (1916), 223.
[12] Chancery:
Certificates of Statute Merchant and Statute Staple, C 241/166/31.
[13] Feet
of Fines: CP 25/1/276/126, number 50 (YASRS, lii 102).
[14] Calendar
of Patent Rolls, Edward III, vol. 16: 1374-1377 (1916), 223.
[15] John W. Clay, ed., North Country Wills
Being Abstracts of Wills Relating to the Counties of York, Nottingham, Northumberland,
Cumberland and Westmorland at Somerset House and Lambeth Palace 1383 to 1558,
Surtees Society 116, 1908, 248.
[16] Andrew
Ayton, Knights and Warhorses: Military Service and the English Aristocracy
Under Edward III (1999), 215.
[17] Grant
S. Simpson and James D. Galbraith, eds., Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland,
vol. 5 (Supplementary) (1970), 516. 518.
[18] Calendar
of Fine Rolls, vol. 7, Edward III: 1356-1358 (1923), 45.
[19] Calendar
of Patent Rolls, 1354-1358, 61, 122, 124, 227, 493; 1358-1361, 160; 1361-1364,
539; 1364-1367, 364.
[20] Calendar
of Patent Rolls, vol. 12: 1358-1361 (1912), 207.
[21] List
of Inquisitions ad Quod Damnum, Part 2, Lists and Indexes, 22 (1906), 521.
[22] Calendar
of Close Rolls, Edward III, vol. 13: 1369-1374 (1911), 289, 316, 611.
[23] James
Raine, ed., Testamenta Eboracensia, Part I, Surtees Society, 4 (1836), 118.
[24] Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, vol. 4: Edward I (1913), 272, No. 403.
[25] Feet
of Fines, CP 25/1/274/115, number 50.
[26] Luke
Owen Pike, ed., Year Books of the Reign of King Edward the Third, Year XVI
(Second Part) (1900), 160-2.
[27] Feet
of Fines: CP 25/1/274/116, number 53.
[28] William
Page, ed., A History of the County of York North Riding, vol. 2 (1923), 100.
[29] Calendar
of Patent Rolls, vol. 16: 1374-1377 (1916), 68.
[30] Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, vol. 11, Edward III (1935), 427, No. 561.
[31] Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, vol. 12, Edward III (1938), 44, No. 56.
[32] Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, vol. 22, Henry VI (2003), No. 19.
[33] Vicary
Gibbs and H. A. Doubleday, eds., Complete Peerage, vol. 5 (1926), 193.
[34] N.
Harris Nicolas, The Controversy Between Sir Richard Scrope and Sir Robert
Grosvenor in the Court of Chivalry, vol. 2 (1832), 350.
[35] Grant
S. Simpson and James D. Galbraith, eds., Calendar of Documents Relating to
Scotland, vol. 5 (Supplementary), 1970, 514.
[36] Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, vol. 12, Edward III (1938), 294, no. 321.
[37] Sydney
Armitage-Smith, ed., John of Gaunt's Register, vol. 1, Camden Third Series, 20 (1911),
286, No. 765.
[38] Calendar
of Patent Rolls, Edward III, vol. 10: 1354-1358 (1909), 60, 453, 454.
[39] Calendar
of Patent Rolls, Edward III, vol. 13: 1364-1367 (1912), 431, Calendar of Patent
Rolls, Richard II, vol. 1: 1377-1381 (1895), 205.
[40] Calendar
of Patent Rolls, Edward III, vol. 9: 1350-1354 (1907), 177.
[41] Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, vol. 19, Henry IV (1992), No. 161-2.
[42] Calendar
of Inquisitions Post Mortem, vol. 21, 6 to 10 Henry V: 1418-1422 (2002), No. 77-8.
