"Radulfus Murdac" donated his part "in molendino de Clifton" to Eynsham abbey, for the soul of "...Eue de Grai uxoris mee”, by charter dated 1192, witnessed by “...Simone Murdac...”.
King John confirmed land "juris eis descendit ex parte Roberti Basset et…in Tenford et Purston" to "Andr de Bellocampo et Eve de Gray uxoris eius" by charter dated 25 Apr 1200.
The Testa de Nevill includes a list of landholdings in Essex, dated 1219, which includes "Johannes filius Andree de Bello Campo debet...esse in custodia domini regis et Eva de Gray mater eius habet custodiam eius et terre sue de Asington per dominum Falk...et ipsa Eva est maritanda".
Exemptions were granted to "Hawise mother of W. archbishop of York" which the king had also granted to "Robert de Gray and his heirs for the land of Rutherefeld which the said archbishop had of the gift of Eve de Gray and gave to the said Robert" dated 9 Mar 1240.
Inquisitions (undated) following the death of "Eva de Gray" name "Beatrice Murdac late the wife of Robert Maudut, Alice the wife of Ralph Harang, Joan the wife of Ernald de Bosco and Julanus son of Jolland de Nevill and Maud his wife are her heirs". 1
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On 25 April 1200 King John granted to Andrew de Beauchamp and Eva de Grey his wife “all that ought to descend to her by inheritance from Robert Basset and his heirs in Tenford and Purston, to be held by the same service as Robert Basset held it in his time.” (Rot. Chart., p. 49a.) The Inq. Post Mortem of Osbert Gitfard and Alice Murdac, writ 24 July 31 Henry III., shews Alice as holding ½ of Teynford vill and 44 shillings rent in Nether Orton of the wardship of Osbert Giffard. (Cal. Inq. Post Mortem, Henry III., No. 112.) It is also evident that Ralph Meurdac the Judge had been seized of these manors jure uxoris, because in 1200 Andrew de Bello Campo, who had married his widow Eva, paid 50 marks to have seisin of Thenford, of which Ralph Meurdac had been disseised with other manors for adhering to the King when he was Count of Mortain. (Cal. Rot. Oblatis.)
In the 25 Henry III. (1241-42) Robert Fitz Ralph sued Gilbert Basset for four virgates in Nether Horton, claiming an escheat, because Henry son of John was a bastard and died without heirs, and had held of Viviano de By, brother of Robert, who is his heir. Gilbert, in reply, stated that he did not claim the lands except through John, son of Henry de Overton, who was in ward. (Oxon Assize Roll, 695, 25 Henry III.)
In the same Assize a plea was joined to determine whether Osbert, father of Osbert Giffard, was seized in demesne of three virgates in Horton when he died. This land Gilbert Basset holds, who came and by licence restored it. It was ordered that Osbert have his seisin (Assize Roll, 695, m. 14, held 15 days before Easter, 25 Henry III.).
In the 27 Henry III. Osbert Gitfard, son of Osbert, a minor under age, sued John de Overton for three virgates in Horton upon which John had entered, which lands Osbert had recovered in the King's Court, lately held at Oxford, from Gilbert Basset by an assize of mort d’ancestor. John appeared with his pledges, William de Horton and Nicholas Fitz Robert, and the case was adjourned. John pleaded that he acknowledged the land belonged to Osbert Gitfard as his patrimony, and an order was issued to give Osbert seisin. (Curia Regis Roll, 125, ms. 12 and 15.)
In the 31 Henry III. Alice Murdac, shortly before her death, then called the wife of Ralph Hareng, together with her sister Beatrice, released a moiety of Thenford, part of the inheritance of their mother Eva de Grey...
These items shew the descent of these lands from Eva de Grey down to her great-grandson Osbert Giffard, who, sometime in the reign of Edward I., sold Thenford to Sir Ralph de Lymesey.
Turning now to the Testa de Nevill, we find there several important entries. These entries shew that Eva de Grey held halt a knight’s fee in Thenford under the Carta of William Fitz Brian, and she is also stated to have held half a knight’s fee in Thenford under the Carta of William Fitz Hamon. Again, she is stated to hold half a knight's fee there among the “Fees of the Honor of Wallingford, which are in the King’s hand.” It would appear, therefore, that Thenford was divided into two half fees, that Eva held one of these of the Crown, and that in the other she was mesne tenant of William Fitz Hamon.
In the Testa there is a brief account of the history of the Honor of Wallingford, and under this head we have the following:—
“The aforesaid King Henry seized into his hands in the manor of Thenford those lands of the Honor which Robert Basset had held on account of the forfeiture of the sons of the said Robert, and afterwards he gave them, together with the manor of Esten, to Alan Fitz Homfray in exchange for the manor of Maumersche, which his father Homfray Fitz Robald had had by the gift of the said King Henry, and the King afterwards gave it back to Walter de Holebed.” (Testa de Nevill, p. 115.)
The King Henry referred to is of course Henry II., and the entry was made in Richard or John’s reign.
The Northampton Feodary (Henry 1. — Henry II.) gives Mainfenn de Walrenton as holding one hide in Teynford, and further states that Robert Basset holds one hide there of the fee ol Wallingford. The same survey gives Robert Basset as holding a small virgate of the fee of William de Aubeny in Rushton.
Robert Basset witnessed a charter of William de Druual's to Eynsham Abbey of lands in Gorings shortly prior to 1153-54 (Eyns. Cart., No. 127.)
These are the only references that I have been able to find concerning Robert. He does not appear in the Pipe Rolls, nor have I as yet discovered any of his charters. He may be identical with the Robert Basset whose son Reginald’s land in Corby is mentioned in a confirmation made in 1208 (10 John) to Robert Braybroc (Cal. Rot. Chart.), and Lipscomb in his “Bucks” states that he married Beatrice de Harcourt...
Two questions present themselves to us: first, what was the relationship between Eva de Grey and Robert Basset? and second, where does Robert belong in the Basset family?
Robert Basset was evidently of age about 1154, and his Northamptonshire lands were forfeited to King Henry II. by his sons. the onIy possible way therefore for Eva de Grey, who must have been born about 1165—1180, to be descended from him would be through her mother, and we may, I think, hazard the guess that John de Grey of Stanlac married the daughter of Robert Basset of Thenford...
It is, I think, quite probable that Robert Basset of Thenford was the maternal grandfather of Eva de Grey, but the question of his parentage offers still greater difficulties. 2
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Inquisition Post Mortem.
Eva de Gray. 3
Writ (missing). Inq. (undated.)
Beatrice Murdac late the wife of Robert Maudut, Alice the wife of Ralph Harang, Joan the wife of Ernald de Bosco, and Jolland (Julanus), son of Jolland de Nevill and Maud his wife, are her heirs.
Oxford.
Stanlak. 2 carucates land, and 17l. 17s. 3d. rents and customs.
Derneford. 3 carucates land with meadows and pastures, and 42s. 8d. rents and customs.
All held of Baldwin, sometime earl of Devon, whose heir is in the king's wardship, by service of 4 knights. (See Rot. Fin. 30 Hen. III. m. 7.)
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25 Jan 1246...
Pro pluribus. — Rex reddidit Beatrici Murdac', Radulfo Hareng' et Alicie uxori ejus, Ern' de Bosco et Johanne uxori ejus, et Jollano filio Jollani de Nevill' totam terram quam Eva de Grey tenuit in comitatu Oxon' de B. quondam comite Devon', cujus heres est in custodia regis, et que ipsos Beatricem, Aliciam, Johannam et Jollanum hereditarie contingit, et predicta Beatrix, que esneciam habere debet de terra predicta, fidelitatem inde regi fecit pro se et heredibus predictis, et mandatum est vicecomiti Oxon' quod de tota terra quam predicta Eva tenuit de predicto comite in balliva sua et de qua seisita fuit ut de feodo die quo obiit, ipsis plenam seisinam habere faciat, salva ipsi Beatrici esnecia de terra predicta. 4
Research Notes: