This Reginald was[219] one of the illegitimate sons of King Henry the
First, (begotten, as it is generally believed,[220] on the daughter of
Robert Corbet,) and surnamed[221] de Dunstanvill.
In 3 Stephen, he was a stout adherer[221] to Maud the Empress, against
Stephen; but afterwards falling off, was in anno 1140 (5 Steph.)
made[222] Earl of Cornwall by that king. Howbeit, after this, being
surprised in Cornwall, at a certain castle then in the power of the
king, by one William Fitz Richard (a person of a noble extraction and
ample fortune in those parts) violating his faith to that king, he
married the daughter of this William,[223] and thereupon reduced that
whole country to his will, grievously oppressing all the king’s party,
and not sparing what was sacred, insomuch as he underwent the sentence
of ex-communication for so doing by the Bishop of Exeter. The king
therefore hearing of these his rebellious practices, marched suddenly
thither with a powerful army, and recovering those strong-holds by him
gained, committed[224] them to the trust of Earl Alan (of Richmond).
After this, scil. in 6 Steph. he was[225] in that fatal battle of
Lincoln, against King Stephen; but ere long, the tide turning, by the
success which the king had in taking[226] the Castle of Forandune, in
com. Berks, which Robert Earl of Gloucester had built on the behalf of
the empress, being by her sent with overtures of peace to the king, he
was taken by Philip, a younger son to that earl, who had revolted to
the king’s side.
After which time I find no more mention of him till 2 Henry II. that
he had the lordship of Meleburne, in com. Somerset, given[228] him by
King Henry, as also[229] the manors of Karswill and Depeford, with the
hundreds.
In 10 Henry II. he endeavoured (for the king’s honour as it is said) a
reconciliation betwixt King Henry and Thomas Becket, then Archbishop
of Canterbury; which not taking effect, he was the next year sent[231]
to visit him in his sickness, and after that to[232] acquaint him with
the judgment given against him.
Furthermore, upon the levying of that aid, in 12 Henry II. for
marrying the king’s daughter, he certified[233] his knights’ fees to
be two hundred and fifteen and a third part in Cornwall and
Devonshire; for which, in 14 Hen. II. he paid[234] two hundred and
fifteen marks, 4_s._ 5_d._ besides[234] £59. 6_s._ 8_d._ for the
knights’ fees of Richard (de Redvers) Earl of Devon.
Moreover, in 19 Henry II. upon that rebellion of Robert Earl of
Leicester, on the behalf of young Henry (the king’s son), he
marched[235] against him (with the Earl of Gloucester) to St.
Edmondsbury, and the year following joined with[236] Richard de Luci
(at that time Justice of England) in the siege of Leicester, then held
out by the forces of the earl, which town they took,[236] though not
the castle.
This Earl Reginald, for the health of the soul of King Henry his
father, gave[237] to the monks in the Isle of Sully, all the wreck of
sea happening upon that island, excepting Wales, and any whole ship.
And departing[238] this life at Certesey in anno 1175 (21 Hen. II.)
was buried[238] at Reading, having issue four daughters, viz. ――――
married[239] to Richard de Redvers, Lord of the Isle of Wight; Maud,
to[240] Robert Earl of Mellent; Ursula, to[240] Walter de Dunstanvill;
and Sarah, to[241] the Viscount of Limoges, who had,[241] in frank
marriage with her, the moiety of the manor of Thiwernhy in Cornwall.
He also left issue[242] two sons, but illegitimate; the one
called[242] Henry FitzCount, begotten[242] on the body of Beatrix de
Vaus, lady of Torre and Karswell; which Henry, through the bounty of
King Henry the Second, had a grant[242] of the whole county of
Cornwall, as also of[242] the manors of[242] Bradeneth and Ocford,
with other lands in com. Devon, and the lordship of Karswell, by the
gift[242] of Beatrix his mother.
The other son was called[242] William.
Upon the death of this Reginald, the king retained[243] the Earldom of
Cornwall in his own hands, and likewise all his lands in England and
Wales, for the use of John his own son (afterwards king),
excepting[243] a small proportion to his daughters before mentioned.
I come now to Henry (the older of his illegitimate sons) in regard he
was a person of note in his time.
This Henry, by the name[244] of Henry FITZ-COUNT, had in 4 Joh. an
assignation[244] of £20 (current money of Anjou) for his support in
that king’s service at Roan; and about that time gave[245] twelve
hundred marks for the lands of William de Traci, which lands Hugh de
Curtenai and Henry de Traci afterwards enjoyed.
In 17 Joh. this Henry had from the king a grant[246] of the whole
county of Cornwall, with the demesnes, and all other its
appurtenances, to farm, until the Realm should be in peace, and the
king clearly satisfied whether he ought to hold it by right of
inheritance, or as part of the demesne of the crown; and being then
made constable[247] of the castle at Lanceston, rendered[247] up the
government of the castle of Porcestre, which he had formerly held.
Moreover, by the assent[248] of that king, he held[248] the town and
castle of Totneis, as also[248] the manors of Corneworth and
Lodeswell, which Reginald de Braose formerly had by the grant of King
Henry the Second. And 1 Hen. III. obtained another grant[249] of the
county of Cornwall, with all its appurtenances, to hold in as full and
ample manner as Reginald Earl of Cornwall held it, and not to be
disseised thereof, but by judgment of the King’s Court.
In 4 Hen. III. it appears[250] that he stood indebted to the king in
five hundred ninety-seven pounds and one mark, which was due by him to
King John for the honour of Braeles (alias Broeneis), and that the
same year disobeying[251] the king’s commands, as also stubbornly
departing[251] the court without leave, the king discharged all his
subjects,[251] and in particular those of Cornwall, from having
anything to do with him. Howbeit, soon after, through the
mediation[251] of the Bishops of Norwich, Winchester, and Exeter, as
also[251] of Hubert de Burgh (then Justice of England) and some
others, giving[252] up the Castle of Lanceston, and the county of
Cornwall, with all the homage and services thereto belonging, as fully
as King John enjoyed them at the beginning of the war which he had
with his barons, his peace[252] was then made with a _salvo jure_, &c.
saving the right he pretended to for that county, wherein the king was
to do him justice when he should come of age.
But that as it seems was never done: for certain it is that the king
did not arrive to his full age till long after the death of this
Henry, it being evident[253] that he died about two years after, viz.
in 6 Hen. III. whereupon command was given to the Sheriff of Cornwall,
that he should permit his executors to enjoy all his goods, and
likewise the rents of all his lands whereof he was possessed when he
went to Hierusalem for the full term, for all those who were signed
with the cross.
It is by some thought that this Henry succeeded his father in the
Earldom of Cornwall, in regard that King Henry the Third in the first
year of his reign granted to him the county of Cornwall, with all its
appurtenances, as is above expressed. But considering that the title
of earl was never attributed to him after that time, I cannot conceive
anything more passed by that grant, than the barony or revenue of that
county. For it is observable, that in patent[254] to Richard Duke of
Gloucester, by King Edward the Fourth, whereby he grants him Castrum,
Comitatum, Honorem, et Dominium Richmundiæ, there passed no more than
the mere Seignorie, otherwise he would not have omitted the title of
Earl thereof amongst his styles. The like may be noted of Raphe Earl
of Westmerland, who had Castrum, Comitatum, Dominium, et Honorem
Richmundiæ granted[255] to him by King Henry the Fourth, yet never
enjoyed the title of Earl of Richmond.