In 42 Henry III. this Edmund being possessed of the honour of Eye,
(his father then living,) upon levying the scutage of Wales, paid one
hundred and eighty pounds for ninety knights’ fees and an half
belonging thereto.[341] And in anno 1266, (51 Hen. III.) obtained[342]
of a certain nobleman, lord of Seyland, a large proportion of the
blood of Christ, which he deposited in the abbey of Hales (so founded
by his father as aforesaid.)
Furthermore, in 55 Hen. III. accomplishing[343] his full age of
twenty-one years, he received[344] the honour of knighthood, upon St.
Edward’s Day, and soon after that was invested with the title of Earl
of this county by cincture with the sword; before the end of which
year he likewise married[344] Margaret the sister of Gilbert de Clare,
Earl of Gloucester, and shortly after had livery of the castles of
Knaresburgh, Walingford, Okham, and Berkhamstead, of his
inheritance.[345]
Moreover, in 13 Edw. I. he obtained a charter[346] for a weekly market
every Friday at his manor of Cosham in com. Wilts; and the same year
had another[347] for free warren in his lordship of Great Cestreton,
and Little Cestreton, in com. Oxon, as also for free chase[348] in his
lands of Wasseley and Wymbureholt.
In 15 Edw. I. he had a grant of[349] the castle of Ockham, to hold in
fee with the sheriffalty of the county of Rutland. And in 16 Edw. I.
being made warden of England during the king’s absence (in the wars of
Scotland), marched into Wales, and laid siege to Droselan Castle, the
walls whereof he demolished.[350] Furthermore, in 17 Edw. I. he was
constituted sheriff[351] for the county of Cornwall in fee. And in 25
Edw. I. obtained the king’s precept[352] to the barons of his
Exchequer, that they should not exact more from him for the honour and
castle of Walingford, then the service of three knights’ fees, by
which it had been granted[353] to his father and his heirs in 15
Hen. III.
This Edmund founded[354] a certain college at Asherugge, in co. Bucks,
in honour of the blood of our Saviour, for certain brethren called
Bonhomes; and for the soul of Richard King of Almaine his father,
gave[355] to the monks of Rewley, in the suburbs of Oxford (being
fifteen in number), all his lands in North Osney, as also his manor of
Erdington and mills at Karsington, in that county; likewise one acre
of land in Bel juxta Roslin, with the advowson of the church of
Wendrove, in the hundred of Kerier, in com. Cornub.; also all his
woods at Nettlebed, and divers houses in London, situate in the parish
of St. Thomas the Apostle, with certain lands in Wylauston, and sixty
shillings yearly rent, payable by the monks of Thame, out of the manor
of Stoke Talmach; and departed[356] this life ――――. 28 Edw. I. being then
seised[356] of the honours of Eye, St. Waleries, and Wallingford, as
also of the castle and honour of Knaresburgh, likewise of the manor of
Launceton, of the castle and town of Restormell, of the borough of
Lostwithiel and castle of Tintagell, with the borough, in com.
Cornub., also of the castle and borough of Trematon, with the borough
of Ashe and manor of Calistoke, in the same county; of the manor of
Fordington in com. Dorset; Mere, with the castle; Corsham, Wilton, and
Claiton, in com. Wilts; Little Weldon in com. Northampton; of the
castle of Ocham, with the manors of Egelton and Langholme, in com.
Rutl., and likewise of the whole county of Rutland. Moreover, he died
seised of the city of Chichester, in com. Sussex; of the castle of
Berkhamstead in com. Hertf.; and of the manors of Bensington and
Watlington, with the four hundreds, viz. the hundred and half of
Chitren, the hundreds of Piriton, Lewkenore, Benfield, and Ewelme,
likewise of the half hundred of Swabby, the castle and honour of
Walingford, and manor of Henley, in com. Oxon.
Upon this, his death, which happened[357] at Asherugge on the calends
of October, anno 1300 (28 Edw. I.) without[357] issue, the king, by
his letters to the Bishop of Hereford, signified that he resolved to
have him buried in the Abbey at Hales upon Thursday after Palm Sunday
next ensuing; and, therefore, for the more honourable solemnity of his
funeral, purposing to be there himself, desired that bishop to meet
him and give his assistance in the celebration thereof. The like
letters he wrote to the Bishops of Worcester and Exeter, as also to
the abbots of Evesham, Tewkesbury, Winchcomb, Pershore, Eynesham,
Cirencester, Osney, Stanley in com. Wilts, Bordesley, Rewley near
Oxford, Gloucester, and to the prior of Worcester;[358] but the King’s
mind altering, he was interred at Asherugge.[359] At the solemnizing
of this great funeral, there was[360] likewise Prince Edward, with the
Bishops of Durham and Chester, as also the Earl of Warwick, and divers
others of the nobility.
After which, viz. the next ensuing year, I find that, through the
mediation[361] of the peers in the Parliament then held at Lincoln,
the king was pleased to allow[361] unto Margaret his widow five
hundred pounds per annum for her support; and that for the making good
thereof these lordships, lands, and rents were assigned,[362] viz. the
castle and manor of Ocham in com. Rotel. with the hundreds of
Martinesely, Alnestow, and East Hundred; the hamlet of Egilton (part
of the manor of Langham); in the same county; also fourteen pounds
sixteen shillings and fourpence yearly rent, issuing out of the Court
Leets and Sheriffs’ Aid in Keten, Preston, Okeham, Hameldon, and
divers other towns in that county; the manor of Baketon in com.
Norfolk; the manor of Haghleigh in com. Suffolk; the castle and manor
of Eye; the hamlets of Dalingho, Alderton, and Thorndon, in the same
county; the manor of Kirketon, with the towns, hamlets, and hundreds
of Kirketon, Haselhou, Coringham, and Maule, with the issues of the
sokemote of those manors, all in com. Linc.; the manor of Harewell in
com. Berks; the manor of Isleworth, with the hamlets of Heston,
Twickenham, and Wicton, in com. Middlesex; twenty-one pounds yearly
rent out of Queenhithe, in the city of London; the town of Rockingham,
and manor of Little Weldon, in com. Northampton; the manor of Glatton,
with the hamlet of Holme, in com. Huntingdon; the manor of Fordington,
with the hamlet of Whitwell, in com. Dorset; twenty pounds yearly rent
of the ferme of the town of Malmsbury in com. Wilts; twenty pounds,
fifteen shillings, and sixpence yearly rent of the ferme of the
borough of Ivelcester, in com. Somerset; ten pounds, seventeen
shillings, and sevenpence yearly rent, out of Old Shoreham, in com.
Sussex; the manor of Cippeham, and hamlet of Stor, in com. Bucks, with
the manor and town of Henley in com. Oxon.