Chapter XXXVI: Appendix: V

WILLIAM OF ARQUES. (See p. 180.)

Separate treatment is demanded by that clause in the charter to Aubrey which deals with the fief of William of Arques:—

"Et do et concedo ei totam terram Willelmi de Albrincis sine placito, pro servicio suo, simul cum hæreditate et jure quod clamat ex parte uxoris suæ sicut unquam Willelmus de Archis ea melius tenuit."

The descent of this barony has formed the subject of an erudite and instructive paper by the late Mr. Stapleton.[1149] The pedigree which he established may be thus expressed:—

William = Beatrice.
of Arques, |
1086. |
|
|
(1) Nigel = Emma, = (2) Manasses,
de Monville. | heiress of | _Comte_ of
| her father's | Guisnes,
| English | d. _circ._
| fief. | 1139.
| |
Rualon = Matilda. Rose (or = Henry,
d'Avranches | Sybil), | Castellan of
(_de Abrincis_), | ob. v. p. | Bourbourg.
held part of the | |
Arques fief | |
_jure uxoris_, | |
Sheriff of Kent | |
1130. | |
| |
+-----------+ |
| |
William (1) AUBREY = Beatrice, = (2) Baldwin,
d'Avranches, DE VERE. sole heiress. Lord of
son and heir. Ardres.

This descent renders the above clause in the charter intelligible at once, for it shows that Aubrey was to reunite the whole Arques fief in his own holding _jure uxoris_.

Mr. Stapleton, who prints the clause from the translation given by Dugdale, justly pronounces it "extremely important, as establishing the fact of his marriage at its date with the heiress of the barony of Arques as well as of the _comté_ of Guisnes." With Aubrey's tenure of this _comté_ I have dealt at p. 188.

[1149] _Archæologia_, vol. xxxi. pp. 216-237.