92 



four other counties, custodian of Windsor and other castles, and 

 one of the judges of the land. 



Our townsmen rejoicing in the name of Vipond^ — for it is the 

 same name — can therefore claim a very great ancestor. 



A curious phase of life is recorded of Vetripont's time, he became 

 liable to the King for a fine of a hundred marks by reason of the 

 marriage of the widow of Hugh Hastings, who held the manor of 

 Crosby Ravensworth under him ; but the King excused the fine, 

 perhaps considering that although it might be law it was not 

 reason, to expect Vetripont to prevent a widow marrying again if 

 she had so determined. 



Succeeding Robert Vetripont, we find his son John selling off 

 considerable portions of the land of his barony, thereby founding 

 some of the now ancient families of Westmorland. Here is an 

 item for the antiquarians from the records : — " His tenants of 

 Kirkbythore and other places were acquitted of the" (unfortunately 

 the word or phrase is left blank in the copy, the original having 

 been defaced or unintelligible) • • • "when they did belong 

 to the Forests of Oglebirds, alias Whinfell, which it seems was a 

 great servitude in those days. 



"This seal of arms is yet" (Countess of Pembroke's time) 

 " extant in wax, the mipression being a man on horseback bearing 

 a shield charged with anmdcfs, also his horse trapped with these 

 arms of the annulets, being the proper arms of the family of Vetri- 

 ponts. 



" And it is to be noted the greatest of the gentry in Westmor- 

 land who held their lands from him and his father, hath their coat 

 of arms charged with the like annulets, though differing in one 

 colour from another, and in the manner of setting them on their 

 coats." 



Then follows another Robert, a great warrior, slain fighting 

 against the King in one of the battles between Henry HI. and his 

 barons. He left only two daughters as his co-heiresses — Isabella, 

 ten years old, and Idonea, twelve months. 



Robert was the last of the Vetriponts, and with him had nearly 

 ended his family's connection with Westmorland ; for the King 



