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Hugh le Wac.

Baldwin 1st.

and ruined our Name by the Same Means, by which it had been so mightily enlarged before.

Who this Hugh was, in whom our Name became first the Name of a Family, I have not found; and am apt to think, from his taking of his Wives Name, that he was not very considerable of himself, nor does it appear, that he did any extraordinary Matters after his coming to so high a Fortune. The only thing that I can learn of him is that being led away with the Superstition of the Age in which he lived, He was very profuse in his Gifts to the Church; and either founded, or endowed several Religious Houses, both here and beyond the Seas. And in this he seems to have been, not only comply'd with, but encouraged by 'Emma his Wife, of whose Charities, we find no less a Commendation, in the Monkish Historys of those Days.

What Children these two left, I cannot particularly say: But the Person who succeeded them, both in their Name, and Honour, was Baldwin le Wac: so called from his Grandfather by the Mothers side, Baldwin Fitz-Gil2nd. bert, of whom I have said so much before.

K.Hen.

An.1166.

1 Monasticon T. 1. p. 954. T. 2. p. 236 Baronag: T. 1. p. 539: B.

Richd.

How he pass'd the younger part of his Life King I am not able to say: But the first time, I find ist. any Mention of him, is at the Coronation of King Richard the 1st. where he was assign'd as one of the 'Barons, who was to attend upon the King at that Solemnity, And when that brave, but unfortunate Prince, was seized upon by the Emperour, in his Return from the 'Holy Land and forc'd with a great Sum to Redeem his Liberty Baldwin was one of those Nobles, who with Walter Arch-Bishop of Rouen was left as an Hostage to secure the Payment of the Money promised for his Ransome; and continued there, till the Payment of it accordingly.

From henceforth we find but little more of him, than what concerns his Works of Piety. In many of which he joyned with his Father, and Mother; in others he added to what they had before begun, and of which the 'Charters of the Abby of Brunne, which still remain, afford us a very particular Account.

It was about the third Year of King John, Baldthat this Baldwin dying, was succeeded by a

2 Brompton col: 1158.

3

Radulf: de Diceto. col: 672. 4 Monasticon To. ii. p. 236. &c.

win: ii.

Ε

An.1202.

Son of the same Name.

He married Agnes

Daughter of William de Humet, Constable of
Normandy, and by her, added the Mannor of

Witchenden to the other Estates of his Family. K.John It was, as I conceive, in right of this Agnes, that we find Baldwin himself called, in some old Charters, 'Domini Regis Constabular. But howsoever it were, long He enjoyed, not either that or any other Dignity: For in the 8th. of King John An: 1207. He dyed, not outliving his Father above five Years.

Baldwin iii.

Of his "Children I find only two mentioned; Isabella married to Simon de Beaucamp: and Baldwin his Son, who succeeded him. As for his Wife Agnes, who survived him, what became of her I cannot tell: but this I find that in piety to the Soul of her Husband, "She gave part of the Mannor of Wichenden to the Canons of Nuttle; and another part of it, for the same purpose to the Monastery of Thame.

To Baldwin the second, succeeded as I have said the Third of that Name. He married Isabella the Daughter of William de Briwer,

5 Monasticon To. ii. p. 236: B.

6 Ex Chartular: de Thame Vol: iii. p. 135. 7 Baronag: par: 1; p. 539. 8 Ex Chart: de Thame ib:

and by her brought the 'Lordship of Chester- K. John field, in the County of Derby, into his Family. He outlived his Father but a very little while, and dyed in the Year 1214. What other Children he left I cannot tell; but the Son who succeeded him was called Hugh, and is the second of that Name, which we meet with in this Line.

ii.

When this Baldwin dyed, his Son was left Hugh an Infant by Him. That therefore he might the better, both take Care of his Education, and preserve his Estate, 'William de Briwer his Grandfather obtained of the King the Wardship of Him. Being thus bred up, he took to Wife Joan Daughter and Heir of Nicholas de Stuteville, and so became Lord Wake and Stuteville: and added one half of the Demeans of that noble Family, to his own Estate.

iii.

From henceforth there occurs but little of K.Hen, him, excepting only, what concerns his Charity to the Monks of Biland. Yet he lived many Years, and deceased about the 26th. of King

9 Baronag: loc: cit:

1 Baronag: To. 1. p. 540.

2 Camb: Britan: p. 431. &c. 3 Estoteville in Gibsons Cambden. E. B.

K.Hen. Henry 3d. An° 1241. being succeeded by his Son, Baldwin, the fourth of that Name.

iii.

Bald

win IV.

It may seem forreign to the Subject I am now upon, to take Notice, that this Year was fatal to a great 'Number of Persons of singular Eminence, both in Church and State. But I ought to observe, that the concurrent Testimony of two of our most credible Historians will not suffer us to doubt of, that the next Year after dyed one 'Baldwin Wake. Of this Wake I meet with nothing more, nor can I give any other Account of him, but that he seems to have been a younger Brother of this Hugh; forasmuch as the three preceeding Heirs of the Family were called by the Name of Baldwin, So that he could not be Brother to any of them.

Hugh being dead and Baldwin his Son and Heir a Minor. Joan his Mother obtained of the King the Wardship of Him. It was about 18 Years before he came of Age; and then he was enstated in full possession of all such Lands, as by 'Right of Inheritance descended to Him. In a little while after which, the War breaking

4 Mat: Paris p. 578.

6

5 Mat: Paris p. 584. Westmr. pag: 308. 43 Hen: iii Ano. 1259.

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