Following the investigation of G. Andrews Moriarty,1 there is the tricky question of who was the father of Osbert Gifford who married Isabel de Bocland.
This problem is greatly complicated by the fact that there were at the beginning of Henry Ill's reign three distinct Osbert Giffords, two of whom had wives Isabel. These were Osbert Gifford, son of Richard, the Justiciar of Henry II, whom I identify with Osbert Gifford of Norfolk ; Osbert Gifford, the natural son of King John ; and Osbert Gifford of Brimsfield. One of these three must be identical with the Osbert Gifford, who married Isabel de Bocland.
We shall consider first Osbert, the son of Richard Gifford the Justiciar. In 1226 William de Huntercombe sued Osbert Gifford for one-fourth of a knight's fee in Ispedene, co. Oxon. Osbert called on Elias Gifford of Brimsfield to warrant and stated that Elias Gifford, the grandfather of the Elias that now is, had given the lands in question to his nephew Richard (Curia Regis Rolls, 10 Henry III, No. 94). On 2 Sept. 13 Henry III (1229) the King granted to Henry, Bishop of Rochester, Henry de Walepole, Isabel de Frivill and Matilda Gifford, sister of Osbert, executors of Osbert's will, that they pay into the exchequer £20 of what remains to be paid on the fine for the custody of the lands and heir of William de Hastings. (Excerpt e. Rot. Fin., vol. i, p. 186.) In the Easter Term 1232 in Kent, Warine de Mountchensey sued Adam de Kailly and Mabilia his wife, Matilda Gifford and Isabel de Friville for the manor of Luddendon in Kent. The defendants pleaded that the Countess Cecilia gave the manor to Richard Gifford, father of Mabilia, and they offered the charter. They further state that Osbert, son of Richard, did homage for it to the Countess as Richard had done, and that both Richard and Osbert are dead. Richard is stated to be the father of Matilda and Mabilia. (Bracton's Note Book, No. 671.) In 13 Henry III (1229) the Sheriff of Kent was ordered to take into the King's hands the carucate of land that was Osbert Gifford's, since he was dead. (Excerpt, e. Rot. Fin., vol. i, p. 186.) In 9 John (1207) Osbert Gifford paid 40 marks to William de Caen for a hide of the manor of Rillesford in Kent. (Rot. Fin. et Oblat., p. 413.) On 4 Sept. 1227, the knights and free tenants of Osbert Gifford in Aylesbury were ordered to attend their lord. (Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1225-32, p. 142.) On 17 March 1216 (17 John) a letter of safe conduct was given to Isabel de Freiville, wife of Osbert Gifford, and her attendants, and it was extended 1 June 18 John (1216) to enable her to come and confer with the King regarding the release of her husband Osbert. This Osbert is evidently the one taken at Rochester Castle, concerning whom an order was made 2 Dec. 17 John (1215). (Rot. Lit. Claus. in tur. Lond. Asser.)
From the above we learn that this Osbert was of age as early as 1207, and that both he and his father held lands in Kent at Loddeston and Aylesford. He married Isabel de Friville and was one of the barons in rebellion at the close of King John's reign. He died shortly before 2 Sept. 1229, without issue, leaving as his heirs his sisters Matilda Gifford and Mabilia, wife of Adam de Kailly, and his own wife Isabel de Friville. He was clearly not Osbert Gifford, the father of John Gifford le Boef of Twyford.
We now turn to Osbert Gifford, the son of King John, concerning whom the records are very scanty and hardly enough to form any conclusion regarding his family and descendants. He is, I think, the Osbert Gifford who appears in the Litt. Claus. at the end of John's reign (1215 and 1216) as his loyal adherent at the very time that Osbert Gifford, son of Richard, was imprisoned for his rebellion at Rochester. In the Rot. Litt. Claus., in turre Lond. Asservati is an order to the Sheriff of Oxford to give seisin of the 30 librates of land that were those of Thomas de Arden, to Osbert Gifford son of King John. This was dated 21 Nov. 17 John, and on 1 Feb. 17 John, the Sheriff of Norfolk was ordered to give Osbert Gifford the lands of Thomas de Arden in Bundes ; and a similar order was issued to the Sheriffs of Suffolk, Essex and Sussex. On 7 July 18 John, the King issued an order to the Sheriff of Oxfordshire that all the lands of Aumaricus Dispencer and Roger Fitz Nicholas, which Ralph Bloet had in custody and also the lands which the said Ralph had in his own right, were to be given at once to Osbert Gifford the King's son (same, p. 276). These are all the references I have so far obtained regarding his lands. But it is to be observed that Osbert Gifford, who married Isabel de Bocland, had no land in any of these counties except Oxford, and all the Oxfordshire lands of the family came from Alice Murdac, with the exception of Nether Orton. Moreover, the arms used by this Osbert Gifford are entirely different from the arms used by the brothers Osbert Gifford and John Gifford le Boef, whose arms are those of the Brimsfield Giffords, with a label for difference. The arms used by Osbert Gifford, the King's son, were : " Ermine with 2 bars or gimel of Gules and a chief of Gules with a leopard Or in chief." (Cf., Ancestor, vol. iii, p. 22.)
The only remaining Osbert Gifford to be considered is Osbert, the brother of Elias Gifford, the Baron of Brimsfield, whom I identify as the Osbert Gifford de Brimsfield of the records.
On 11 May 1229 a grant was made to Osbert Gifford of the livery of a grant which Elias Gifford, his brother, made to him of the manor of Winterburn to be held by him and his heirs and assigns at farm with the advowson of the church and other appurtenances except Henry de Bovilla, Walter de Bochampton, Robert de Monte Acuto, Robert la Warre and Adam de Winterbourne, with their holdings, as well as other knights and free tenants, who are without the said manor of Winterbourne and retained by the donor. (Cal. Charter Rolls, vol. i, p. 95.) At first sight this appears to refer to the manor of Winterbourne Hueton in co. Dorset that appears in the Inq. Post Mortem of 31 Henry III, and it is so indexed in the calendar of the Charter Rolls, but a little reflection will convince one that this is Winterbourne in Wilts, the head of the Brimsfield barony and which was subsequently held by John, Baron of Brimsfield, and this becomes still more certain when we turn to the Testa de Nevill and learn that Henry de Bovilla holds one knight's fee in Orcheston of Elias Gifford, who holds of the Earl of Sarum, who holds of the King. This seems to make it clear that the Winterbourne in question is the one in Wiltshire, and consequently this entry does not help us in determining the parentage of Osbert Gifford, who died in 1236-1237, beyond showing us that Elias Gifford of Brimsfield had a brother Osbert. Furthermore, a fine levied at Wilton 15 days after Easter, 20 Henry III (1235-6) between Osbert Gifford, querant, and Reginald de Mohun, deforciant, of the manor of Winterburn Fercles to be held of Reginald at a rent of £14 10s., gives us the source from which Osbert acquired the manor of Winterburn Hueton which his Inq. Post Mortem states he held of Reginald de Mohun for £14 10s. yearly rent. (Cf. Dorset Fines, p. 61.)
It becomes therefore necessary to look further for the proof that Osbert, who married Isabel de Bocland, was identical with Osbert Gifford, the brother of Elias. The key to the solution of the problem lies, I believe, in the descent of the manor of Syde in the county of Gloucester. In the Gloucester Assize Roll, 5 Henry III (1221) General Wrottesley found a grant by William Peitevin to Osbert Gifford, brother of Elias, of all his " land of Side " and in consideration Osbert Gifford paid sixty marks and a horse worth eleven marks. (Cf. General Wrottesley 's Giffords from the Conquest.) In the Curia Regis Roll (11 Henry III, No. 97, m. 10 dorso) Osbert Gifford of Norfolk acknowledged that he owed Osbert Gifford of Brimsfield sixty marks for a quitclaim of the manor of Syde in Gloucestershire. This is evidently a conveyance by Osbert, brother of Elias, here called of Brimsfield to another Osbert Gifford called of Norfolk, whom I purpose to show was identical with Osbert the son of Richard the Justiciar.
We have already seen that the heirs of Osbert Gifford, son of Richard the Justiciar, were Matilda Gifford and Mabilia, wife of Adam de Kailey, his two sisters. In 1232 Adam de Cailly attorned John de Peitevin against Ralph de Wilinton and Olympia his wife, and Walter le Scott, plaintiffs in the case of Ralph and Olympia, against Adam and Mabel his wife, of one-third part of 2½ hides in Side. Isabel de Friville at the same time attorned Hamo de Wilton and William Fitz Roger against the same plaintiffs for one-third part of 2½ hides in Side, and Mabel de Kaily attorned Simon de Bradehem and Robert de Swenden against Ralph and Olympia for the same. (Cf. Cal. Close Rolls, 1231-34, p. 148.)
Turning now to the article of Sir Henry Barkley in the Bristol and Gloucester Archaeological Society Transactions, vol. xiv, p. 33, upon the Testa de Nevill in Gloucester, we find that Adam de Kailey held in the Testa 3 hides in Side — this was the full extent of the manor in the Domesday. In 1255 Matilda Kaylle passed a fine of half a knight's fee in Side and a quarter of a fee in Stoke Gifford and Brimsfield in favour of one Adam de Crombe, he to pay 100s. required of her by John Gifford and John le Brun. (Feet of Fines, Gloucester, 39 Henry III No. 420). In 1285 Simon de Caly held Side and he appears to have been the person who sold it to John Gifford of Brimsfield, who settled it upon his third wife Margaret.
This evidence shews that Osbert Gifford, brother of Elias, acquired land in Side from William Peitevin in 1221. In 11 Henry III be, styled Osbert Gifford of Brimsfield, passed the manor to Osbert Gifford of Norfolk, from whom it descended to Adam de Kailey and his wife Mabilia, sister of Osbert. The fact that Adam and Mabilia held 3 hides, the full extent of the manor in the Domesday, shows that Osbert Gifford, brother of Elias, must have acquired the entire manor in 1221, and we see that Osbert, brother of Elias Gifford of Brimsfield, is identical with the Osbert Gifford of Brimsfield. On 3 January, 14 Henry III, the King confirmed his charter to Osbert Gifford of Brimsfield, for his homage and service for 22 shillings rent and one carucate of land with appurtenances in Pichenecumb which Ralph de Verney once held in bail of King John, he rendering to the King by the Sheriff of Gloucester pro tern, 5 shillings (Cf. Cal. Close Rolls, 1227-31, p. 279). And we have seen that the Inquisition of Osbert Gifford and Alice Murdac, taken in 31 Henry III, shows Osbert as holding in Pichenecumb 1 carucate of the King by socage, rendering 5 shillings rent. So we may now conclude that Osbert Gifford, brother of Elias, also called Osbert Gifford of Brimsfield, was identical with Osbert Gifford, the son-in-law of Alice Murdac and the father of Osbert and John Gifford le Boef.
We may now turn to the Catalogue of the Records of the Corporation of Gloucester, p. 119, and we find a grant from Hosbert Gifford, son of Elias, of all his land in the manor of Brimsfield to the Hospital of St. Bartholomew for the souls of William de Bruere (Briwere) and of Helias Gifford and Maud his wife, mother of the said Osbert, and for the souls of Osbert and Isabel his wife. This was confirmed by Elias Gifford, Lord of Brimsfield, for his soul and the souls of his wives, Isabell, Alice and Yseud. This grant is apparently subsequent to 1226 as William de Briwere died in that year.
In 6 Henry III (1221-2) the King ordered the Sheriff of Gloucester to deliver Matilda, who was the wife of Richard de Acton, to Elias Gifford and Osbert Gifford of Brimsfield. Her sureties are Osbert Gifford of Norfolk, Elias Gifford, Gilbert Gifford, Osbert Gifford of Brimsfield, and Elias de Cailloe. (Rot. Litt. Claus., 6 Henry III.) The assize roll for 5 Henry III shows that Matilda was the daughter of Elyas de Cailleway (Cf. Bristol and Gloucester Archaeological Society's Transactions, vol. xi, p. 331) and the pedigree printed by General Wrottesley from the suit to determine the heir to the Barony of Brimsfield in the reign of Edward III states that Berta, sister of Elias Gifford, who married Alice Maltravers, had a son, Elias Cailway. (Cf. Wrottesley 's Pedigrees from the Plea Rolls, p. 61 of the reprinted edition, and The Genealogist, N.S., vol. x, p. 88.)
It may be well to observe in the above records that the name of the wife of Osbert Gifford, brother of Elias, was Isabel, and there can be no doubt that she was Isabel de Bocland, as the other Osbert, namely, the son of Richard, had married Isabel de Friville and died without issue.
There still remains two statements of General Wrottesley's to be considered. First, he naturally supposed that the Twyford family descended from Osbert, son of Richard, because they owned land in the Isle of Sheppey, and Richard is found owning land there in the Liber Rubeus. But the tenements held by the Twyford Giffords at a later date in Leisdon were originally part of the barony of Arsic and came from the marriage of John le Boef the younger with Alexandra de Gardinis, one of the heiresses of the Arsics. (Cf. Inq. Post Mortem Thomas de Gardinis ; Col. Inq., vol. vii, Ed. Ill, p. 107.)
Again, General Wrottesley states that Osbert Gifford of Brimsfield could have left no descendants, otherwise they would have been heirs to the barony of Brimsfield. This seems reasonable and is difficult to explain unless, as must have been the case, Osbert Gifford was only half-brother of Elias, in which event Berta de Caileway, if his full sister, and her descendants, would be the heirs of the lands of the Brimsfield Giffords, as was subsequently decided.
The wife of Elias Gifford, mother of Osbert, was, as the Gloucester grant shows, named Maud, and she is evidently the Matilda Gifford holding half of Helidon, one of the manors of the Twyford Giffords in later times, in 1199. She was apparently holding it as part of her dower, and in the Testa de Nevill we find Isabel Gifford holding a moiety of Helidon. This is evidently Isabel Bocland holding it as dower.
So far as I know, the ancestry of Maud, the second wife of Elias Gifford, has never been discovered, but in the Lives of the Berkeleys, vol. i, p. 123, we find that Thomas de Berkeley gave the manor of Foxcote to his nephew, Osbert Gifford, his sister's son, and the author gives as his authority a charter in Berkeley Castle. This accounts for the item in the Inquisition of 31 Henry III which shows that Osbert Gifford held Foxcote of Maurice de Berkeley. There can be no doubt but that Maud, second wife of Elias Gifford of Brimsfield, the father of Elias and Osbert Gifford, and the mother of Osbert, was the daughter of Maurice de Berkeley or FitzHarding, who died in 1189.
Research Notes: