A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



he took advantage of the anarchy to possess himself of ' a third part of the 

 realm,' J the regions held for a time beneath his sway extending from sea to 

 sea and forming a great triangle with Chester at its apex and Lincoln and 

 Coventry at the extremities of its base. 8 We may briefly note the recorded 

 facts which probably led to the honour passing out of Stephen's hands. In 

 February, 1136, Stephen ceded Doncaster and Carlisle to Henry, son of 

 David of Scotland, and David then restored to Stephen the strongholds and 

 lands which he had seized. Three years later, by the treaty of Durham, 

 Henry was recognized by Stephen as earl of Northumberland. 8 It is not 

 improbable that David acquired the honour of Lancaster north of the Ribble 

 by this treaty, as between 1141 and 1143 David issued charters confirming 

 to the monks of Shrewsbury their possessions in Amounderness. Although 

 the charters are addressed to his justices, barons, etc., of the whole honour of 

 Lancaster, 4 it is most improbable that David was at this time in possession of 

 the remainder of the honour. In 1141 the earl of Chester made claim to 

 Carlisle and Cumberland as part of his rightful patrimony. 6 David however 

 continued to hold Carlisle and some portion of the honour of Lancaster until 

 May, 1 149, when the treaty of Carlisle was arranged between David, young 

 Henry of Anjou, and the earl of Chester, one of the conditions of which 

 included the grant to the earl by David of ' Lancaster ' north of the Ribble 

 in exchange for the withdrawal of the earl's claim to Carlisle. 6 There is no 

 evidence that David ever held any other part of the honour than that which 

 lay to the north of the Ribble. None of his charters to Shrewsbury Abbey 

 relate to that abbey's possessions between Ribble and Mersey, and the earl of 

 Chester was clearly in possession of Lancashire south of the Ribble in 1147 

 when he confirmed to the monks of Shrewsbury all the possessions which 

 they had received from Roger of Poitou and his sheriff. 7 The treaty at 

 Carlisle in May, 1149, was aimed against Stephen, who had regained much 

 of his lost position since 1 146, and the earl's desire to again humble the king 

 explains why he was willing to accept ' Lancaster ' from David and sacrifice 

 his cherished desire for Carlisle. But this triple alliance came to nothing, 

 for within a few weeks of the meeting at Carlisle, Stephen, who had led his 

 forces into Yorkshire to oppose the dangerous confederacy, won over the crafty 

 earl by the grant of numerous castles and lordships in the Northern Midlands, 

 including Tickhill and the honour of Blyth, the land between Ribble and 

 Mersey, the land of Roger of Poitou from Northampton to Scotland, except 

 the land of Roger de Montbegon in Lincolnshire, and the whole honour of 

 Lancaster. On 27 July, 1 149, about two months after the abortive treaty of 

 Carlisle, and doubtless after the agreement made with Stephen, the earl at 

 Lancaster confirmed to the priory of Lancaster all the possessions and liberties 

 which they had received from Roger of Poitou. 8 



Again, in 1153 the honour was the subject of barter in the conflict 

 between Stephen and Henry of Anjou, for just as in 1 149 Stephen had won 

 over the earl of Chester by vast concessions, so four years later, when Henry 



1 Gesta Stephani (Rolls Ser.), iii. 117. 



3 Round, Engl. Hist. Rev. x. 87, 91. Sym. of Durham (Rolls Ser.), ii. 287, 300. 



* Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. 274-5. 6 J kn ofHexbam (Twysden), 268. 



6 John ofHexham, Surtees Soc. vol. 44, p. 159. 7 Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. 277. 



8 Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. 396. Amongst the witnesses were William FitzGilbert (de Lancaster), Richard 

 the Butler, Michael le Flemyng, and Roger Gernet, all tenants of fees lying to the north of the Ribble. 



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