EPONYMOUS FAMILIES OF DORSET. 145 



amount of wages which he had received on behalf of certain 

 knights of the shire, but had not paid to them. 



This questionable conduct does not seem to have lost him the 

 favour of his Sovereign, for the next year, 1319, the King 

 confirms to John de Chidiocke the Manor of Chideock at the 

 same rate as originally granted (to his father) by Geoffry de 

 Mandeville, and some years later (1328) he employs him on a 

 mission to Flanders on royal business. 



About the same time there was living a Sir John Chideock 

 belonging to one of the northern counties, Northumberland or 

 Cumberland, whose Arms are entered on the Roll of Arms 

 temp. Edward. II., but it is impossible to say if he was the 

 Dorset 'squire the subject of our quest. We should, perhaps, be 

 inclined to believe that, if anything was to be gained by an 

 inaccurate statement of this nature, he would probably be ready 

 either to make it or accept it, for he seems to have been a 

 pushing and successful man, not overburdened with conscien- 

 tious scruples. 



He was, perhaps, concerned in securing for his son, John 

 Chideock, the hand and fortune of Isabel, the only daughter and 

 heiress of the wealthy baron, Robert Fitzpayne of Okeford 

 about 1345. 



The Chideocks survived in the male line till 1450, when Sir 

 John Chideock died, leaving two daughters co-heiresses, 

 Katharine and Margaret, who were married to Lord Stourton 

 and Sir John Arundell respectively, and both left descendants. 



It is difficult to say why the title of Fitzpayne was not borne 

 by the Chideocks after the Fitzpayne heiress had been absorbed 

 into their family ; but they do not seem to have assumed it.* 

 Burke conjectures that the barony was suspended, but gives no 

 ground for this opinion, though so unusual a measure would 

 probably be recorded somewhere, and now that all State papers 

 are being so thoroughly examined one may perhaps hope that 

 the record will be discovered, if such a one exists. 



* Dormant extinct Peerages, " Fitzpayne." 



