“Willielmus comes de Ferrariis, filius Willielmi comitis de Ferrariis” donated property to Tutbury Priory, for the soul of “Agnetis uxoris meæ”, by undated charter.
He succeeded his father in 1190 as Earl of Derby. “Willielmus de Ferrariis comes Derbiæ” confirmed donations to Derley Priory, for the soul of “uxoris meæ Agnetis”, by undated charter.
The Annales Londonienses record the death in 1246 of "Willelmus comes de Ferreres". The Annals of Burton record the death “X Kal Oct” in 1247 of “Willelmus de Ferrariis…comes Derbeiæ”. 1
--------------------------------
21 Oct 1234
To the barons of the Exchequer. W. de Ferrers, earl of Derby, and Agnes, his wife, are bound to render one hawk or 40s. each year to the king at the Exchequer for land between the Ribble and Mersey , which the king gave to R., formerly earl of Chester, and which has been assigned to the same earl and Agnes as part of the portion that falls to her of the lands formerly of the earl of Chester.
16 Nov 1234, Westminster
To the barons of the Exchequer. Because it is clear to the king by an inspection of the rolls that R., formerly earl of Chester, had his scutage for the king’s army of Painscastle in the county of Staffordshire by order of the king, order to cause Earl W., earl of Ferrers, and Agnes, his wife, who is one of the heirs of the aforesaid earl of Chester, to be quit from the demand for the same scutage that they make from them by summons of the Exchequer in the same county.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 18 Hen. III, 397, 19 Hen. III, 17
--------------------------------
28 Feb 1235
Appointment, during pleasure, of William de Ferariis to the custody of the castle of Bolleshovre; with mandate to Richard Suhard to deliver the castle to him.
24 Nov 1235, Colne.
Exemption of William de Ferrariis and his heirs from suit at the king's court of Hadfeld Peverel by reason of his manor of Stubing, which is of the land of the Normans, until the right heirs [regain] it either by peace or the king's will.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 3, pp. 95, 131
--------------------------------
4 Feb 1242, Westminster
William de Ferrers, earl of Derby, has made fine with the king by £100 for having seisin of the three wapentakes between the Ribble and Mersey , namely the wapentakes of West Derby, Leyland and Salford, which were taken into the king’s hand for a trespass of the earl and his bailiffs , and the king has returned the aforesaid wapentakes to the earl with their appurtenances and all things that pertain to them, saving to the king all pleas of the crown and livestock detained against gage and pledge and all attachments pertaining to the pleas of the crown, so that the sheriff and coroners will have entry into the wapentakes in order to take inquisitions pertaining to all pleas of the crown and the peace. The earl has granted for himself and his heirs that they will treat the men between Ribble and Mersey with regard to the pleas that pertain to the forest and other things as they were treated and used in the time of King John and the time of King Henry who now is until the time at which King Henry gave the aforesaid land between Ribble and Mersey to Ranulf, earl of Chester, so that the earl of Ferrers and his heirs will not have other liberties in respect of those wapentakes and free customs of those men who held the aforesaid wapentakes had before the king conferred them upon the earl of Chester....
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 26 Hen. III, 134
--------------------------------
21 Jun 1243
The king has granted to his beloved and faithful William de Ferrers, earl of Derby, that he is to render those 10 marks which are newly exacted from him by summons of the Exchequer for a certain default that he made against the abbess of Barking together with other debts which he owes to the king, for which he had made a fine with him to render £50 per annum at the Exchequer, so that the aforesaid fine does not increase by reason of the aforesaid 10 marks.
Order to the barons of the Exchequer to cause William de Ferrers, earl of Derby, to have respite, until 15 days from Michaelmas in the twenty-seventh year, from the debts that are exacted from the aforesaid earl by summons of the Exchequer and that are not clear.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 27 Hen. III, 296, 297
--------------------------------
10 Feb 1244, Oxford
The king has granted to W. de Ferrers, earl of Derby, that the fine which he made before the archbishop of York whilst the king was in Gascony for rendering at the Exchequer £50 per annum for all manner of debts he owed to the king, namely a moiety at the Exchequer of Easter and the other moiety at the Exchequer of Michaelmas, is to stand until all of the aforesaid debt is paid....
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 28 Hen. III, 100
--------------------------------
29 Apr 1247, Woodstock
Licence for William de Ferariis, earl of Derby, to make his will of all his goods; Saving to the king the debts wherein the earl is bound to him. Licence for him to make his will of all his moveables, when he will, and that will shall be established so that the executors thereof shall not be impeded by the king or any bailiffs of the king for any debt due to the king, but for such debt the king will betake himself to the heirs of the earl.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. III, vol. 3, p. 501
--------------------------------
17 May 1249, Reading
The king has granted to W. de Ferrers, formerly earl of Derby, that his heirs may answer the king for all debts in which he was bound to him, both for his own debts and the debts of others. Order to the barons of the Exchequer to cause no distraint to be made upon the executors of his testament or upon the executors of Agnes, formerly countess of Derby, his wife, for the aforesaid debts. If they have done anything towards them, they are to remit it.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, 33 Hen. III, 221
Research Notes: