A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



justice of the king's court.^ In April, 1190, Richard I, acquitted him from 

 payment of neatgeld in respect of his Kendal and Westmorland possessions, 

 and confirmed to him his forest of Westmorland, Kendal, and Furness, with 

 6 librates of land in Kendal, to hold as freely as Nigel de Albini, or William 

 fitz Gilbert de Lancaster, had held that forest.' He was excommunicated 

 in 1 191 by Longchamp with many others, including his father and brother 

 Reinfred." In 1194 he was summoned to answer the monks of Furness in 

 the king's court in a plea that he had taken from them 1,009 wether sheep with 

 their wool, and 88 lambs.* This matter was no doubt connected with the 

 old dispute about the division of Furness Fells, and, like the former dispute, 

 was settled by an agreement made in the king's court, in February, 1196, 

 confirming the previous agreement made before Henry II., and containing in 

 addition a clause by which Gilbert and Helewise released to the monks all 

 right of venison and hawks in the monks' part of the fells, and all claim to 

 lands in Newby, near Clapham ; the monks on their part granting to them 

 Ulverston with all its belongings for the yearly rent of ioj.' He was 

 appointed, in 1197, with Richard Briwere, receiver of the issues of the 

 bishopric of Durham whilst in the king's hand," He and his wife Helewise 

 confirmed many grants of land made by their predecessors, including the 

 grants of churches and lands in Ewcross wapentake, and in Lonsdale, Kendal, 

 Westmorland, and Cumberland, made by Ivo Taillebois to St. Mary's Abbey 

 in York.^ To Cockersand Abbey they gave the church of Garstang, and 

 confirmed all other gifts made to that house within their fee.^ 



After John's accession Gilbert obtained, in 1200, a confirmation of the 

 royal grants made to him, and a new grant of gallows and pit in his Lan- 

 cashire fief.' The year following he gave 30 marks in respect of his one 

 knight's fee in Lancashire and two fees in Westmorland in lieu of performing 

 military service.^" In April, 1205, he was appointed sheriff of the honour 

 and county of Lancaster, which office he retained until the end of John's 

 reign," and in 1209 was also appointed sheriff of Yorkshire, which office he 

 held for three years.'^ In May, 121 3, he was one of the twelve barons whom 

 the king named in his letter to the primate and episcopate as pledged to 

 support the king's declaration for the defence of the Church and its pro- 

 perty.^' In March, 1215, he was one of the delegates sent by the king to 

 negotiate with Llewelyn and Madoc, princes of Wales," and the same year 

 had the king's writ authorizing payment of his expenses in munitioning 

 castles and raising forces on his behalf." But before the end of the year he 

 was won over to the party of the barons against the king, who seized his 

 land in Dunnington, co. Berks, on 16 November, in revenge for his defec- 

 tion." A fortnight later Gilbert's son and heir, William de Lancaster, was 

 captured at the fall of Rochester Castle, and, the lives of the defenders being 



1 Eyton, Itin. of Hen. 11. z6l. 2 Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. 396-9. 



s HoveJen (RoUs Ser.), iii. 153. •* Cur. Reg. R. No. i, m. i </. 



^ Feet ofF. Pipe R. Soc. vol. xvii. 101-4. 



6 Gauf. de Coldingham, Surtees Soc. u. 16 ; Hodgson Hinde, Cumb. and WestmU. Pipe R 107 



7 Mon. Angl. iii. 566. t • ^i- 



8 Cockersand Chartul. (Chetham Soc), 56, 278-9. 



' Rot. de Oblat. (Rcc. Com.), 67 ; Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. 107. 



10 Rot. de Oblat. (Rec. Com.), 167. u Pat. R. (Rec. Com.), i. 53^. 



13 Dep Keeper's 3 xst Rep. 363. is p^t. R. (Rec. Com.), i. 98-0, , ,+3. 



" Ibid. I3ii. IS Close R. (Rec. Com.), i. 193. ^ ^' leYbJd. ^37. 



362 



