A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



and 1 1 59.* To Richard Fitton he gave 8 carucates of land in the fee of 

 Penwortham ;* to the abbey of St. Werburgh of Chester the vill of RufFord;' 

 to Hervey, father of Ranulf de Glanvill, one knight's fee in Thorp Morieux, 

 CO. Suffolk ;* and to the predecessor of Henry Falconer one knight's fee in 

 Nether Broughton, co. Leicester.' At the foundation of Croxton Abbey, 

 before 1 1 60, he gave one carucate of land in Nether Broughton.' In the 

 same place he also gave to the priory of Lenton the church and 12 bovates 

 of land/ and died before 1 1 64, leaving no issue by his wife Margaret. Albert, 

 his brother, seems to have paid half his relief upon five knights' fees before 

 Michaelmas, 1 1 64, when the honour of Lancaster was resigned to the crown 

 by the representatives of William de Blois.* Albert Bussel, with his wife 

 Leticia, confirmed his father's and brother's gifts to Evesham, Albert adding 

 some further gifts thereto.' He died in or before 1 193, when his son Hugh 

 made fine with John, count of Mortain, by 40 marks for his relief.^" Between 

 1 189 and 1 194 he was engaged in litigation with his uncle, Geoffrey Bussel, 

 touching this honour, to which he established his title in the court of John, 

 count of Mortain." In 1199 Hugh Bussel obtained the king's confirmation 

 of the Lancashire portion of this honour which he had so recovered," but 

 the year following, Robert, son of Geoffrey Bussel, gave 100 marks for an 

 inquest touching this plea, averring that his father had been wrongfully and 

 without judgment disseised whilst ' in the essoins of Langvoie.' ^' For illegal 

 procedure in this plea and concealment of the truth on the part of Hugh, the 

 barony was taken into the king's hand and committed to the custody of 

 Benedict Gernet.^* In 1202 Hugh gave 400 marks of an amercement for his 

 default and for restitution of the barony ; " but, failing to meet the due terms 

 for payment, he and his kinsman Robert were constrained to alienate the 

 barony in 1205 to Roger de Lacy, constable of Chester, in return for 

 acquittance against the king of the sum of 390 marks still remaining unpaid." 

 From that time so much of the barony as lay within this county was 

 annexed to the possessions of the constables of Chester and earls of 

 Lincoln, and passing with the possessions of Henry de Lacy to the earls 

 of Lancaster, was ultimately merged in the duchy of Lancaster. Hugh 

 Bussel married Antigonia," but died without surviving issue soon after 

 1 2 10. His kinsman Robert, who had brothers, Thomas and Henry, living 

 in 1 2 14, and William, then deceased,^* was styled lord of Leyland, and with 

 Geoffrey his son made many grants to Evesham Abbey." From the sons of 

 Geoffrey Bussel descended various branches of this ancient family, whose 

 representatives possibly continue to this day in the families of Leyland and 

 Farington, and possibly amongst those bearing the name of ' Bushell.' 



1 Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. pass. * Ibid. 374. ' Lanes. Inf. Rec. Soc. xlviii. 32. 



* Abbrev. Plac. (Rec. Com.), 6jb. Ekewhere it is stated that Thorp was given hj Richard Bussel to 

 Geva, sister of Ranulf de GlanviU, in dower ; Testa de Nevill (Rec. Com.), 403. 



6 Testa de Nevill (Rec. Com.), 408. « Mm. Angl. vi. 877. 7 Ibid. v. 113. 



8 From the death of the earl in 1 159 to Michaelmas, 1 164, the honour seems to have been administered 

 by Reginald de Warren, Geoffirey de Valoignes being his sheriff. In 1 170 Albert owed 18^ marb, apparently 

 a moiety of 37^ marks, the relief upon five fees. Farrer, Lanes. Pipe ^.15. 



9 PrioTj of Penwortham, Chetham Soc. 5. i" Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. 78. 



11 Rot. de Oblat. (Rec. Com.), 49. ' ^"^ Chart. R. (Rec. Com.), 276. 



15 Rot. de Obkt. (Rec. Com.), 49. 1* Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. 1 70. « Rot. de Oblat. (Rec. Com.), 188. 



16 Duchy of Lane. Gt. Coucher, i. 73 ; Ckse R. (Rec. Com.), i. 60^. 



17 Priory of Penwortham, Chetham Soc. 7. '^ Rot. de Fin. (Rec. Com.), 535. 

 19 Knerden's folio MS. Chetham Lib. pass. 



