A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



having had issue by his wife Maud, a daughter, Amabil, married to Geoffrey 

 Tregoz, 1 who had in marriage with her the vill of Bilsthorpe, co. Notts, 8 and a 

 son, Albert II., of whom an anecdote is related in the Life of St. William of 

 Norwich, under the date 1154. The story tells of the miraculous restoration 

 to life of a favourite falcon of Robert Grelley's son Albert, which had fallen 

 sick and had been taken to the saint by the owner in earnest belief of the 

 saint's powers of healing. 8 During his father's lifetime, Albert II. married 

 Maud, sister and co-heiress of William fitzWilliam, constable of Chester, 

 whose pourparty of her brother's estate consisted of the manor of Cuerdley, 

 in this county, Daresbury, co. Chester,* the manor of Woodhead with the vill 

 of Casterton, co. Rutland, the lordship of Pirton, alias Periton, co. Oxon., and 

 ij and J part of a knight's fee in Barnetby, Bigby, Somerby, Hainton, and 

 Sixhills, co. Lincoln. 6 He made several feoffments in his Lancashire lands, 6 

 and was benefactor to the abbey of St. Benet of Holme, co. Norfolk, remitting 

 to the abbot all claim in the church of St. Peter of Hoveton, for the good 

 of the souls of his father Robert, and grandfather Albert. 7 To Holy Trinity 

 of Ipswich he gave the church of Willisham, co. Suffolk. 8 At this time the 

 Grelleys lived at Tunstead in co. Norfolk, or at Sixhills, co. Lincoln. 9 Albert 

 probably died not long after attesting the agreement for the partition of 

 Furness Fells, made in or soon after 1163, probably before the honour of 

 Lancaster came into the hand of Henry II. 10 and certainly before 1 170." By 

 Maud his wife he had beside other issue 1S a son, Albert III., described in the 

 inquest of service of 1212 as ' Albertus juvenis, or junior,' who made 

 numerous infeudations in his fee between Ribble and Mersey, 18 and gave lands 

 and a corn mill, parcel of his manor of Woodhead, co. Rutland, to the abbey 

 of Swineshead, u and pasturage for nine score sheep in the fields of Bloxham, to 

 the nuns of Haverholme." He confirmed to Norton priory the grants made 

 within his fee by William FitzNigel, his maternal grandfather, and by 

 William FitzWilliam, his uncle. 18 He married Isabel, daughter of Thomas 



1 Grimaldi, Rot. de dominabus, 41. 



3 Testa de AVp;#(Rec. Com.), \b. In 1215, custody of Bilsthorpe was committed to Robert Grelley, 

 apparently after the death of William de Tregoz. Close R. (Rec. Com.), i. 215. 

 8 Op. cit. Camb. Univ. Press, 1896, Bk. vi. No. 19, p. 258 

 * Ormerod, Hist. ofCkes. edit. Helsby, i. 732*. 

 6 Tata de Nev ill (Rec. Com.), 101, 106, 308, 315, 332. 



6 To Wlvric de Mamecestre (probably Wulfrich, lord of Withington, and ancestor of the Derbyshire 

 Hathersages, whose estates passed by marriage to the Longfords) 4 oxgangs of land of the demesne ; to the 

 church of Manchester 4 oxgangs of the demesne ; to Henry son of Siward (of Lathom) i carucate of land 

 in Flixton. Testa de Nevill (Rec. Com.), 404^. 



7 Cott. MSS. Galba E. ii. xxxiii. 



8 Chart. R. (Rec. Com.), 1 1 6. 



9 Grimaldi, Rot. de dominabus, 4, 25. 



10 Hist. Soc. Lane, and Cbes. (New Ser.), xvii. 37. 

 "Mm.Jngl.v. 337. 



13 Seifred or Seffray had the manor of Grimsthorpe, co. Line., but dying, s.p., the manor passed to his 

 brother Albert. Assize R. No. 482, m. 1 8. Perhaps Bernard was another son. Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. 403. 



13 Lanes, and Ches. Hist. Soc. (New Ser.), xvii. 23', where a facsimile of a fine charter with Albert Grelley's 

 seal is given. He gave to Thomas Pierpont 3 carucates of land in Rumworth and Lostock for the service of 

 J- knight ; to Robert de Bracebridge 2 oxgangs of the Manchester demesne ; to William le Norreys 2 carucates 

 of land in Heaton (Norris) ; to Alexander son of Uvieth 2 oxgangs of land in Little Lever ; to Ellis de 

 Pendlebury the land of Snydal in Westhoughton ; to Richard son of Henry (of Lathom) 2 oxgangs in 

 Anlezargh. Testa de Nevill (Rec. Com.), 404 ; to William, the clerk of Eccles, the fourth part of the church 

 of Eccles. Coucher of If bailey, 40. 



14 Hund. R. (Rec. Com.), ii. 53. 16 Lansd. MS. 2O7A, 207. 



16 Ormerod, Hist, of Cbes. edit. Helsby, i. 7 3 23. The witnesses to his charter were Robert de Byron, 

 William son of Wulfric (of Withington and Hathersage), and Richard son of Henry. 



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