FEUDAL BARONAGE 



of Gilbert Woodcock, who had lands in Cuerden by the feoffment of 

 Roger, son of Henry de Cuerden. 1 She survived her husband, 8 whose 

 death occurred in lagi. 8 He had issue one son, James, who predeceased 

 his father, and a daughter Clemence,* who had Mollington Banastre in 

 marriage with William de Lea, of Lea, near Preston, whose son Henry de 

 Lea, kt., was beheaded in 1315^ participation in the rising which Adam 

 Banastre, kt., led against Thomas, earl of Lancaster ; 6 and a daughter Sibil, 

 married to Richard de Hoghton, of Hoghton, kt. James Banastre married 

 Elena, daughter of William the butler, of Warrington, and had issue an only 

 daughter Alesia, who was contracted in marriage to John, son of John de 

 Byron, kt. John de Byron, the father, was guardian of Alesia and of a portion 

 of her inheritance in 1292, at which time she is described as being under age 

 and the wife of the younger John de Byron, in the record of a plea at Lan- 

 caster, in which she and her husband had been summoned to prove their 

 warrant to hold a market and fair in Newton and to have free warren there 

 and in Makerfield, Woolston, and Walton-in-le-Dale. 6 Before November, 

 1295, young John Byron was dead without issue, and the earl of Lancaster 

 had granted the marriage of his widow to his friend John de Langton for 

 250 marks. 7 The grantee was probably John de Langton, Keeper of the 

 Rolls to Edward I., appointed chancellor in 1292, and bishop of Chichester 

 in 1305. If so he married the heiress to his younger brother, also named 

 John, before the end of 1297, when John de Langton and Alesia his wife 

 were found to hold a knight's fee in Newton of Edmund, earl of Lancaster. 9 

 Early in 1301 John de Langton, brother of the chancellor, at the latter's 

 instance, obtained a grant of a weekly market, two fairs yearly, and free 

 warren in Newton in Makerfield and also in Walton-in-le-Dale. 10 His wife, 

 who was living in 1310, predeceased him. 11 As John de Langton, kt., he had 

 frequent letters of protection from Edward II. whilst in his service. 1 * He was 

 living in 1328, but died before July, I333- 1 * In 1325 he was in the retinue 

 of the earl of Warenne in Guyenne, and the year previous was summoned from 

 co. Leicester to attend a great council at Westminster. 14 



His son Robert de Langton, chr., was one of the commissioners of array 

 in this county in 1335 to raise troops in the county and lead them to the 

 marches of Scotland. 16 In 1341 he had a licence to crenellate his mansion of 

 Newton in Makerfield. 18 In 1344 he was one of the commissioners of array 

 for the raising of 500 archers in the county for service in Scotland. 17 Upon 



1 Dr. Kuerden's MSS. See Ormerod, Hist. ofChes. ed. Helsby, ii. 574. 



3 Coucher ofWhallty, Chetham Soc. 117. 



8 He was living on 3 Feb. 1291, when lands in Walton-in-le-Dale were released to him (Add. MSS. 

 32,106, f. 150^). In Michaelmas term, 1291, Alesia, the relict of Robert Banastre, was claiming dower against 

 a large number of the tenants of Alesia, wife of John, son of John de Byron, of lands in Hindley, Walton, and 

 Cuerden, and against Ellen, the relict of James Banastre. Alesia de Byron's lands were partly in the custody of 

 her father-in-law, John de Byron, and partly of Edmund, the king's brother. (De Bane. R. No. 91, m. 157.) 



4 Add. MSS. No. 32,106, ch. 338. 



6 Dodsworth's MS. cxlii. f. 37. Plac. de Quo War. (Rec. Com.), 373^. 



7 Dodsworth MS. cliii. 136. 8 Foss, Judges of England, 1870, 395*. 



9 Lanes. Inj. Rec. Soc. xlviii. 298. 10 Chart. R. 29 Edw. I. m. 12. 

 Cal. Chse R. 1307-13, 257. Cal. Pat. R. temp. Edw. II. 



1' Cal. Chse R. 1327-30, 336 ; 1333-7, IZI - In ! 33 2 ne sealed a letter of attorney with his paternal 

 coat Vair. Chetham Soc. (Old Ser.), xcviii. 23. Seal of [? Ralph] de Langton, Argent, 3 chevronels gules. 

 Roll of Lanes, arms, temp. Edw. III. penes W. Farrer. See Hut. Soc. Lanes, and Ches. (New Ser.), i. p. 154. 



1* Gascon R. 1 8 Edw. II. m. 1 1 d. ; Palgrave, Par!. Writs, i. 640. 16 Rot. Scot. (Rec. Com.), i. 321^. 



18 Cal. Pat. R. 1340-5, 304. 17 Rot. Scot. (Rec. Com.), i. 649*. 



373 



