in London; the other to march into the North,
for the wasting of those Countries; he constituted
this William one of the Principal Commanders of
that which staid near London.
In 18 Ioh. being in the City of Exeter, for the
defence of that Place; he procur'd the King's Pre∣cept
to Robert de Curtenay, Governour of the
Castle there, to be receiv'd into it (together with
the Citizens) in case the Town could not withstand
the Force of the Rebels. And, in 1 H. 3. being
made Governour of the Castle of Lidford, in Com.
Somerset. obtain'd a Grant from the King, of the
Lands of Maude Candos; as also of the Lands of
Henry de Columbers, in Wollaveton. Whereupon
the Sheriffs of Somerset and Dorsetshires had com∣mand
to deliver possession of them accordingly.
Furthermore, in 2 H. 3. he had a Grant of the
Wardship of the Heir of Alan de Archis, with his
Lands in Reminton, in Com. Ebor. whereof he had
been dispossess'd by reason of the War. And in
5 H. 3. was made Governour of the Castle at the
Devises, in Com. Wiltes.
In 7 H. 3. he was constituted Governour of
Newcastle upon Tine. And in 8 H. 3. the King
coming to a Conference with the Lords, wherein
they requir'd of him those Rights and Liberties
for which they had so stoutly contested with his
Father; the Archbishop of Canterbury then speak∣ing
on their behalf, and urging to the King,
That he could not refuse of yield thereto, by rea∣son
that, upon the Recess of Lewes of France
(whom the Barons had call'd in to bear Rule here)
both himself made Oath to them, That he would
so do; and that the whole Peerage of England
did the like: this William (then one of the
King's Council) standing up, said, That those
Liberties having been by force extorted, ought not
to be observed. Whereunto the Archbishop replied
thus; William, if thou didst love the King, thou
wouldest not be an impediment to the Peace of the
Realm. The King therefore discerning the
Archbishop to be moved, said, We have sworn
that they shall be observed, and will observe our
Oath.
In this eighth year of Henry the Third, he was
constituted Governour of Bolesover.-Castle, in
Com. Derb. and obtain'd the Wardship of the
Heir of Reginald de Mohun (whom he afterwards
married to one of his Daughters.)
And, as in the time of King Henry the Second,
and King Richard the First, he had for divers years
undergone the Care and Trust of the Sheriffalty in
several Counties of this Realm (as before is ob∣served;)
so did he, in like sort, for many years of
King Iohn's, and King Henry the Third's Reign,
during the time he lived; viz. for the Counties
of Nott. and Derb. in 1 and 6 Ioh. For Dorset, and
Somerset, in 11 and 12 Ioh. For Hantshire, in
1, 3, 10, 12, 14, and 17 Ioh. For Wiltes. in 10,
11, and 12 Ioh. For Cornwall, in 1, 4, and 5 Ioh.
For Berks. and Oxon. in 3, and 4 Ioh. For Devon.
in 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 Ioh. For Sussex, in 11
and 12 Ioh. and for Glouc. in 5 H. 3.
Having thus done with his Secular Employ∣ments,
I come lastly to his Works of Piety, which
were great and many. For first, in the time of
King Richard, he founded the Abby of St. Sa∣viour,
at Torre, in Com. Devon. for Premonstratensi••n
Canons, for the health of the Soul of that King,
and the Soul of King Henry the Second. Next,
viz. in 3 Ioh. he began the Foundation of the
Abby at Dunkiswell, in the same County, for Ci∣stertian-Monks.
After that, the Hospital of St.
Iohn, at Bruggewalter, in Com. Somerset. for the
health of the Souls of King Henry the Second, King
Richard the First, and King Iohn; for xiii poor
People, besides Religious and Strangers. Then
the Priory of Motisfont, in Com. Suthampt. for
Canons-Regular of St. Augustine.
Moreover, he built the Castle, and made the
Haven at Brugge-walter; and began the Stru∣cture
of that fair Stone-Bridge there, consisting of
three great Arches; which was afterwards finish'd
by one Triveth, a Gentleman of Devonshire.
And, having married Beatrix de Valle, a Con∣cubine,
as 'tis said, to Reginald Earl of Cornwall
(which is probable; for in a Grant made by
Henry Son to the same Reginald, unto this William,
of the Mannor of Karswell, and Land of Hakford,
he calls him his Brother) he had Issue by her two
Sons, viz. Richard, who died in his Life-time, as
it seems; and William: as also five Daughters,
viz. Graecia, married to Reginald de Braose; Mar∣garet,
to William de Ferte; Isabell, first to ...
Dovre, and afterwards to Baldwin Wake; Alice,
to Reginald de Mohun; and Ioane, to William
de Percy: and departing this Life in 11 H. 3. was
buried before the High-Altar in the Abby of
Dunkeswell before-mention'd.
Of which Richard, all I have father seen, is,
That in 13 Ioh. upon the Collection of the Scu∣tage
of Wales, he answered for xv Knights
Fees of the Honour of Moreton, which were for∣merly
belonging to Walter Briton, and, in 15 Ioh.
that, doing his Homage, he had Possession of the
Mannor of Cestrefeld, in Com. Derb. which his
Father held.
I now come to William, called William Briwere
junior, whilst his Father lived.
In 17 Ioh. this William obtain'd a Grant from
the King, of the Lands of Hugh Peverell of Er∣minton,
to hold during pleasure: and in 7 H. 3.
was constituted Sheriff for the County of Nor∣thumberland.
So likewise for Devonshire, in 8 H. 3.
And, upon the death of his Father, in 11 H. 3.
gave a Fine to the King of Six hundred Marks,
for Livery of the Mannor of Cestrefeld, with the
Wapentake of 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in Com. Derb. Like∣wise
of the Town of S••ointon, in Com. Nott. and
Fishing of Kingswere, in Com. Somerset. as also of
the Town of Axeminster, with the Hundred, in
Com. Devon. and the Lordship of Stoke, in Com.
Northampt. (all which William his Father, then
deceased, held:) and that he might be discharg'd
of his Relief for all his Lands.
But all that I have seen otherwise of him, is,
That he gave to the Canons of Torre, his Lands
at Ylsham, and Coleton; as also all his Meadow
lying on the West-side of the Causey, which go∣eth
from the Abby of Torre towards the Sea; and
betwixt that Causey, and Cokyngton-Meadow. And,
having married Ioane the Daughter of William
de Vernon Earl of Devon, with whom he had Fif∣ty
Pounds per annum Lands at Crust, in the Man∣nor
of Cruk, with the Advowson of the Church;
he departed this Life in Anno 1232. (16 H. 3.)
without Issue: Ioane his Wife surviving; who
had for her Dowrie an Assignation out of all the
Lands whereof he died seised, excepting the
Mannor of Bruges, which was to remain in the
King's Hands.
Whereupon those of his five Sisters, who were
living, and the Heirs of those who were dead,