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K.Wm. Estate to this Ivo Talbois, who was his Sisters Conqr. Son, and from whom Hereward was resolv'd by Force, to recover it. To help him in this Design, it happened very luckily for him, that at that very time, the Danes once more landed upon those parts, under the Command of Suenus their King. With these Hereward joynd his fforces: and so made that sad Havock of the Monastery of Peterburgh, of which I was speaking before. And thô being forsaken of these also, and having a powerfull Army raised out of all the neighbouring Countrys against him, He was reduced to great Straights; yet so well did he manage his Affairs, that by the Help of some Woods near the Town, to which he retired, he wearied out that great Army, and forced them to leave him, and in their Retreat fell upon them, and then (as some say) took not only the Abbot, but Ivo Talbois himself who commanded Them.

In short, so great was his Vigilance, and so good his Conduct, that thô all the rest of the Kingdom forsook him, and submitted to their new Master, yet the Conquerour plainly shewed himself afraid of Him; and resolv'd to try, by

7 Gunton Hist: of Peterburgh P. 262. 263.

Conqr.

an Honourable Composition, to bring him over K.Wm. to his Interest. And accordingly about the Year 1076. they came to an Agreement; By virtue whereof He was intirely restored both to his Estate and Honour, and after which He served the Conquerour with as much Fidelity, as ever he had with Constancy opposed him before.

Hugh

And thus have we seen how that Title came first to be ascribed to this Great Champion, from which our Family afterward took its Denomination. I have before said, That he left only one Daughter behind him marryed to Hugh Evermur; who in his own and his Wives Right, became thenceforth Lord of Brunne and Depyng. I must now add that this Hugh also "I left but one Daughter, his Heir; who marryed Richard de Rulos, Chamberlain to King William Rd. de the Conquerour, and carried away both the Honour and Estate of her Family to Him.

Ever

mur.

Rulos.

"It was now a kind of Fate to this Family to have no Male Issue to settle in: For as Hereward and Hugh Evermur before, So this Richard de Rulos now left only one Daughter and Heir, Adelhildis who married Baldwin Fitz-Gilbert; a very eminent Person, and a Adel

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Baldw.

Gilbert

and

hildis

D

noble Family, being Brother to Walter, 'the Father of Gilbert de Gant, the first Earl of Lincoln of that Race.

2

By this Baldwin she had a Son, whom in an Ancient Charter, relating to the Abby of Brunne, founded by this Baldwyn, I find by the Name of Roger, and in whom it was to have been hoped the Family might have fixed. But the time of its Settlement in the Male Line, was not yet come: For either this Roger dyed unmarried, Or he left no Children to succeed him. And so the Dignity and Estate fell to Emma his Sister; And by her came Hugh dewac: de Wac, her Husband: in whom that Name Wac first began to settle, and from whom the Family has eversince been call'd by it.

Hugh

Emma

But here I find one of our Learned Antiquaries adding another Discent, and of which therefore some Notice must be taken, He tells us that Baldwin left only a Daughter, and heir, As I have said, but then he adds, that the Name of this Daughter was Roesia, that she marryed William de Ruseis, that by him, she

1 Baronag: To. 1. P. 539.

2 Monasticon To. ii. p. 237. b. 40. ibid: p. 235. b. 25
3 Baronag: ibid: p. 236. a. 539. b.

4 See Mss. Rog. Dodsworth Vol: ii. fol: II.

had only one Daughter, Emma, marryed to Hugh de Wac, and who herself also took that Name, 'as is evident from an ancient Charter of the Abby of Brun, before mentioned.

How this can possibly be reconciled with the Charter of King Edward the III now quoted in which this Emma is expressly called the Daughter of Baldwin, I cannot tell: unless we should call in Question, and say, that she ought to have been stiled his Grand-daughter; which yet without some very good Reason for it, we ought not to do. But indeed I still think the Account already given to be the right; because, in an other Charter, belonging to the "Abby of Thorney, I find Baldwin Fitz-Gilbert, his Grandfather; and which, if he were, he must also have been Father, to Emma his Mother.

As for the Mistake of Dr. Dodsworth, if Sr. Wm. Dugdal be right in making Baldwin Fitz:Gilbert Brother to Walter, who was the Father of the famous "Gilbert de Gant. Earl of Lincoln, it may possibly have arisen from hence, that this Baldwin had a Sister of the Name of Roesia, whom Mr. Dodsworth took for his

5

Monasticon T. ii. p. 236. a. 12.

6 Monasticon ib: p. 469. b.

7 Monasticon T, i. p. 245. n: 54.

Daughter; and who possibly might be married to "William de Buscio, as that learned Gentleman has observed.

But be this Matter as it will: That Emma Wac was either Daughter or Grandaughter to Baldwin Fitz:Gilbert, that she carryed away both the Honour and Estate of her Family, and setled it, together with the Name, in Hugh de Wac, is on all hands agreed. and this is enough for my purpose. How our Family was from these continued, to the failure of its eldest House I shall now proceed, in my second Book to consider.

8 Wm. de Ruseis p. 18 and this Wm. de Buscio are surely the same Person. E. B.

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