NOTES ON THE EARLY SAVILLE PEDIGREE AND THE BUTLERS OF SKELBROOK AND KIRK SANDAL.

[SECTION III, PAGES 82-88]

[Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, vol. 29, pp. 68-89 (1929)
Electronic text and additional notes kindly provided by David Hepworth
HTML version by Chris Phillips]

BY THE LATE W. PALEY BAILDON, F.S.A.

[Continued from vol. xxviii, p. 419.]

It is there stated that the Edmund Butler mentioned in this inquisition was the son of Theobald le Butler, by his wife Joan, sister and coheir of Richard Fitz John. It is very confusing to have two Edmund Butlers thus associated with Skelbrook, but it is quite clear that Edmund, the tenant, was the son of Robert of Skelbrook, and was no relation to Edmund son of Theobald, whose mother was one of the coheirs of the over-lordship.

1303, Trinity Term. - Edmund son of Robert le Botiller v. Maude widow of William de Bello campo, formerly Earl of Warwick, Richard de Burgo, Earl of Ulster, Joan widow of Theobald le Botiller, Robert de Clifford and John de Crumbewell and Idonia his wife, to acquit him of the service which Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, requires for the free tenement which he, Edmund, holds of them in Skelebrock (De Banco, Trin. 31 Edw. I, m. 213d.). The defendants were the coheirs of Richard Fitz John, who died in 1297; Maude and Joan were his sisters, Richard de Burgh was the son of Aveline, another sister, Idonia de Cromwell was daughter of Isabel de Vipont, and Robert de Clifford was son of Isabel daughter of Isabel de Vipont, another sister. Idonia de Cromwell had been previously married to Roger de Leyburne (Cal. Gen., vol. 2, p. 540).

1311, March 24. - Grant to Edmund le Butillier and his heirs, of free warren in all their demesne lands in Skelbrok and Slephull [Sleephill] (Charter Roll, 4 Edw. II, m. 14; Yorks. Arch. Journal, vol. 12, p. 69).

1313-14. - Edmund le Boteler witnessed a charter of William son of William de Wentworth Woodhouse, relating to lands in Thorpe near Wentbrig (Yorks. Arch. Journal, vol. 13, p. 130).

1317, Trinity. - Fine between Edmund le Botiller and Agnes his wife, plaintiffs, and William de Calthorn, deforciant, of a messuage, 2 mills, 180 acres of land, 10 acres of meadow, 10 acres of pasture, 40 acres of wood, and 100s. rent in Skelbroke, Skelale [Skellow] and Burgh Waleys, which Edmund admits to be the right of William as of his gift. William grants the property to Edmund and Agnes and the heirs of their bodies, with remainder to the right heirs of Edmund (Feet of Fines, case 270, file 90, no. 47).

1320, Aug. 8. - Edmond le Botiller witnessed a grant by Robert del Pitt to Nostell Priory of a messuage and lands in Crofton (Yorks. Arch. Journal, vol. 7, p. 121).

1322. - Edmund le Boteler witnessed a charter of William del Pit, relating to South Kirby. Dated at Pontefract, Sunday before St. Andrew, 16 Edw. II (Yorks. Arch. Journal, vol. 12, p. 292).

1325, July 23 [?]. - Order to Thomas de Eyvill, Keeper of the Castle and Honour of Pontefract, to cause a mill at Ledes to be constructed

anew in place of the decayed (putrefacti) mill there, by the view of Edmund le Botiller and Thomas de Finey (Close Roll, 19 Edw. II, m. 32).

1326, Morrow of St. James the Apostle. - Inquisition taken at Pontefract, before Simon de Grymmesby, the Escheator. It is not to the damage, etc., if Edmund le Botiller have license to inclose a road in Skelbroke leading under his house (subtus mansum) towards the north to a pasture called Skelbrokthornes, and to hold it to himself and his heirs, for enlarging the court (curia) of his said house (Inq. ad quod damnum, file 191, no. 1).

1326-7, Feb. 5. - License to Edmund le Botiller to inclose a road at Skelbrooke, after an inquisition ad quod damnum, etc. (Patent Roll, 1 Edw. III, part I, m. 37).

1328, Michaelmas. - William de Lyam, executor of the will of John de Lyam, sued Edmund le Boteler for a debt of £40 (De Banco, Mich. 2 Edw. III, m. 82d.).

This is the latest note I have found relating to Edmund Butler; he died before 1334, leaving a widow, Agnes, and a son John. Agnes was probably the daughter and heir of William de Langthwaite of Langthwaite. I think she is the Agnes de Langthwaite returned in the Nomina Villarum, 1315-16, as holding jointly with John de Crumbwell (Surtees Soc., vol. 49, p. 366), but if so it is strange that she should be described by her maiden name. Possibly the Agnes of 1315-16 was her mother, holding one-third in dower, though the inquisition of 1336 (below) suggests that her mother's name was Hawise.

1333, July 4. - To Henry de Percy, John de Eland, [and others], Justices of oyer and terminer in the West Riding. The King has learned that whereas Edmund de Brereleye, Hugh his brother, and William son of Richard Hebbul, indicted for the death of Edmund le Botiler and for divers other felonies, were placed in exigent to be outlawed because they did not come before the said justices to answer for the said felonies; etc. (Close Roll, 7 Edw. III, part 1, m 6d.).

Mr. Ellis states that "Edmund le Butler, the last of this family, died s.p. 1338, and seems to have obtained a remainder of this manor [Skelbrook] and Spaldington to his wife, Agnes, and they went, through her, to the family of de la Hay" (Yorks. Arch. Journal, vol. 5, p. 309).

No authority for this assertion is given, and it is incorrect both as to the date and the dying without issue.

Undated; after 1334. - Pontefract Rolls. Agnes, late wife of

Edmond le Botiler, for the mannor of Scelbrok (Yorks. Arch. Journal, vol. 12, p. 69).
 

WILLIAM BUTLER, 7.C., was the third son of Robert, 6.B.

1328, Easter Term. - Thomas Ode of Moseley sued William le Botiller of Skelbroke for a debt of 7 marks and 10s. [£5 3s. 4d.] (De Banco, East. 2 Edw. III, m. 81d.)

He was dead in 1336, when the chantry at Skelbrook was founded; see below.
 

JOHN BUTLER, 8.A., son and heir of Edmund, 7.B., was probably born about 1300.

1328, Easter. - John de Eland and Joan his wife sued John le Boteler of Sandale for novel disseisin of one third of a messuage, a windmill, 9 bovates of land, 6 acres of meadow, 10 acres of pasture, 10 acres of moor, 20 acres of wood, and a fishery in the water of Done, in Great Sandale near Waytelagh [Kirk Sandal, near Wheatley].¹ John appeared, and said that there were only 7½ bovates of land, 3 acres of meadow, 3 acres of moor and 3 acres of wood, besides the messuage, the mill and the fishery. As to the one third of the mill and fishery, he said that the plaintiffs were never seised as of their free tenement, which the plaintiffs denied, and as to the one third of the residue, he said that they were his tenants at will, which was also denied. Jury (De Banco, East. 2 Edw. III, m. 135).

1333, Michaelmas Term. - Cicely, widow of Warin de Scargill, claimed as dower one third of 6 messuages, 6 bovates of land, 10 acres of meadow, 20 acres of wood, and 100s. rent in Stapelton, against John son of Edmund le Botiller. He did not come. William de Sharpelowe, Bailiff of the Liberty of Osgotecrosse, who was ordered to summon John, has done nothing. The Sheriff is to summon him for the octave of Martinmas (De Banco 296, Mich. 7 Edw. III, m. 164).

1334, Michaelmas Term. - Fine between Nicholas de Sutton and Joan his wife, plaintiffs, and Robert de Kelkefeld and Richard de Beauvayr, deforciants, of 6 messuages, lands and rent in Eastrington, Newland, Laxton, Kilpin, Skelton, Howden, and Balkhom; to hold to Nicholas and Joan and the heirs male of their bodies; remainder to John son of Edmund le Botiller and Joan his wife and the heirs of their bodies; remainder to the right heirs of Nicholas (Record Series, vol. 42, p. 71).

This fine and the subsequent one in 1336 suggest that Joan wife of John Butler was a daughter of Nicholas de Sutton.

¹ Great Sandal generally means Sandal, near Wakefield, but the reference to Wheatley makes it clear which place is here referred to.

1334, Michaelmas Term. - Fine between Agnes widow of Edmund le Botiller, plaintiff, and Thomas de Everyngham, parson of Birkin, and Thomas Viker of Brampton, deforciants, of the manor of Skelbrooke and lands in Burghwallis and Skellow; to hold to Agnes and the heirs of her body; remainder to John son of Edmund le Botiller and Joan his wife and the heirs of their bodies; remainder to the right heirs of John (Record Series, vol. 42, p. 74).

1335-6. - Inquisition taken at Polington, Thursday before St. Gregory the Pope, 10 Edward III. It is not to the damage, etc., if Agnes widow of Edmund le Botiller and John son of Edmund le Botiller have license to grant 2 messuages, 4 tofts, one bovate, and 12 acres of land and 40s. rent in Skelbroke, Polington, Doncastre and Balneheck to a chaplain to celebrate daily in the newly built chapel of St. John the Evangelist in the north part of the church of Skelbroke, for the souls of Edmund le Botiller and Agnes his wife, William de Langethawit, Hawise de Langethawit and William le Botiller, and their ancestors. One messuage, one toft and one bovate are held of Henry de Arnethorpe,¹ by the service of 2s. a year, who holds of Philippa, Queen of England, as of the soke of Snayth. Another messuage and 4 acres of land are held of Sir Robert de Clifford, by knight service, who holds of the said Philippa, as of the Honour of the Castle of Pontefract. Three tofts are held of Nicholas de Portington in right of Sibil his wife, by the service of 2s. a year, who hold of the said Philippa, as of the soke of Snayth. Eight acres of land are held of Sir Peter de Mauley, by the service of 16d. a year, who holds of the King in chief. The rent of 40s. is held of Katherine, widow of Laurence de Helk [sc. Heck], by the service of 3s. [?] 6d. a year, who holds of the said Philippa, as of the soke of Snayth. The whole is worth 4 [?] marks a year. There will remain to Agnes, beyond the said gift, the manor of Langethawit, held of Sir Peter de Mauley by knight service, and worth £10 a year, and to John the manor of Spaldington, held of Sir ............ [perhaps Mauley], and worth 10 marks a year (Inq. ad quod damnum, file 236, no. 23).

The statement as to the manor of Spaldington is very puzzling, for it belonged, at least from the date of Kirkby's Inquest, 1284-5, to the De la Hay family (Surtees Soc., vol. 49, pp. 83, 252, 309), a member of which subsequently acquired the manor of Skelbrook, as we shall see presently.

1336. - John son of Edmund le Botiler held the day that he died lands in Skelbrook, Pollington, Spaldington, etc. (Yorks. Arch.

¹ Probably a descendant of one of the earlier Armthorpes; see above.

Journal, vol. 11, p. 458; also vol. 12, p. 71, where the regnal year is wrongly given as 19 Edw. III, instead of 10). This note appears to be based on the erroneous assumption that the inquisition just given was taken after the death of John Butler.

1336, Easter Term. - Fine between Nicholas de Sutton, plaintiff, and Thomas de Brayton [and others], deforciants, of 15 messuages, lands and rent in Campsall, Sutton and Askern; to hold to Nicholas and the heirs male of his body; remainder to John de Brayton and Elizabeth his wife and the heirs of their bodies; remainder to John le Botiller and Joan his wife and the heirs of their bodies; remainder to the right heirs of Nicholas (Record Series, vol. 42, p. 97).

1336, June 4. - Agnes, widow of Edmund le Boteler, lord of Skelbrook, founded a chantry in the chapel of Skelbrook, which she endowed with two messuages and lands in Skelbrook, a toft which John son of Edmund le Butiller released to her after the death of William le Botiller, his uncle, and rents of 32s. 2d. in Pollington and Balnehecke, which formerly belonged to Edmund, John's father, and which John released to her (Yorks. Arch. Journal, vol. 10, p. 352).

1336, Oct. 24. - License in mortmain to Agnes the widow and John the son of Edmund le Botiller to endow a chantry in the newly-built chapel on the north side of Skelbrook church (Patent Roll, 10 Edw. III, part 2, m. 19).

I have no further information about John Butler. He was apparently dead in 1346, and there is some indication that he left a daughter and heir, Agnes, who carried the Butler property to the De la Hay family (see below). His mother, Agnes, survived as late as 1348.

1346, Monday after St Lucy. - Thomas de Arnthorpe of Polynton sued Henry de Arnthorpe of Polynton, Agnes la Botelere of Skelbroke and John de Farbourne, for novel disseisin of 8 acres of land and 2 acres of meadow in Polynton [Pollington, near Snaith]. Farbourne said that the property was only two crofts, of which he held three fourths jointly with Richard de Friston, who is not a defendant. Agnes said that, as to one fourth, Thomas released all his right to Henry de Arnthorpe by a deed dated at Snaith on the Assumption B.V.M., 9 Edw. III (Aug. 15, 1335). Thomas denied it (Assize Roll [JUST 1/]1127, m. 52).

1348, Mid-Lent. - Thomas de Armethorpe of Polyngton sued John son of Thomas de Sutton, Henry de Armethorpe of Polyngton, Agnes widow of Edmund le Botelere, John de Farburn, chaplain, and Richard de Fryston, chaplain, for novel disseisin of a messuage,

a toft and a bovate of land in Polyngton in Northbalne. Farburn and Fryston said that the plaintiff, by the name of Thomas son of Henry de Armethorpe, released to themselves, Agnes, and John son of Edmund le Botiller and to the chaplains for the time being celebrating divine service in the Chapel of St. John the Evangelist newly constructed in the north part of Skelbroke Church, by a deed dated on the morrow of St. Andrew the Apostle, 1336. Judgment for the defendants (Assize Roll [JUST 1/]1127, m. 49d.).
 

WILLIAM BUTLER, 8.B, a younger son of Edmund, 7.B. The following notes are all the information I have concerning him.

1331, Monday after St. Matthew the Apostle. - William son of Edmund le Boteler discontinued his assizes of mort d'ancestor against Richard Poly as to a tenement in Wrangeswortht [sic, sc. Wrangbrook], and against John de Scargill as to a tenement in Stapelton [Thorpe Stapleton]. He and his pledges, Robert de Skelbroke and John his brother, were amerced (Assize Roll [JUST 1/]1404, m. 2).

1354. - William son of Edmund Boteler discontinued his claim against Robert de Staynton and Joan his wife for novel disseisin of lands in Spaldington; his pledges were Robert and William de Bradelay (Assize Roll [JUST 1/]1130, m. 15).

1365, Michaelmas. - Fine between John Fitz William, knt., and Elizabeth his wife, plaintiffs, and Thomas del Haye and Agnes his wife, deforciants, of the fourth part of the manor of Darthyngton [Darrington] near Pontefract; to hold to John and Elizabeth and the heirs of John. Warranty by Thomas and Agnes for themselves and the heirs of Agnes (Record Series, vol. 52, p. 113).

This document implies that Agnes had some interest in her own right in a quarter of Darrington manor. The early history of Darrington is very obscure; it is not mentioned in Kirkby's Inquest or the return of Knights' Fees in 1302-3, while the Nomina Villarum of 1315-6 merely names it as belonging to Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. Shortly afterwards it was in the possession of Sir William Fitz William of Emley and Sprotborough, who in 1324 had license to settle the manors of Emley and Darrington on his eldest surviving son, Sir John, and failing male heirs of John on his 3rd son Thomas (Inq. ad quod damnum, file 175, no. 13). Sir John died seised of it in 1349 (Inq. p. m., C., Edw. III, file 110, no. 6). His son, another Sir John, was the purchaser of Agnes de la Hay's fourth part of Darrington; he was murdered at Howden in 1385. It is possible that one of these Fitz Williams had settled the fourth part on a daughter from whom Agnes inherited it.¹

¹ [To this sentence Mr. Baildon has a marginal query.]

1365-6, Hilary Term. - Fine between Robert de Staynton, chivaler, plaintiff, and Thomas de la Haye of Spaldington and Agnes his wife, deforciant, of the manor of Skelbrooke and of 3 messuages, lands and rent and ¼ of 5 messuages, lands and rent, in Pontefract, Preston [? Purston Jaglin], Ferrybridge, Stapleton, South Elmsall, Campsall, [Kirk] Bramwith, Burgwallis, Skellow and Carcroft; to hold to Robert for life, of Thomas and Agnes and the heirs of Agnes, paying yearly 10 marks to them, and doing service to the chief lords; reversion to Thomas and Agnes and the heirs of Agnes (Record Series, vol. 52, p. 107).

[Mr. Baildon's consecutive notes stop at this point. There are some further notes relating to the de la Hay family, indicating that he was endeavouring to establish more conclusively how they became possessed of the Butler property; but there does not appear to be any further evidence among the notes to support, and certainly nothing to disprove, his theory that Agnes wife of Thomas de la Hay was the daughter and heiress of John Butler. One other note should be quoted with reference to the Butler family: "A Simon Butler or Pincerna occurs some five or six times in the Pontefract Chartulary, but his relation, if any, to the other Butlers, with whom we are dealing, nowhere appears."]