par M. Ange Petit, 1859 …

In the illiterate centuries, when a population centre was formed, usually many years went by before any monument, stone or parchment came to reveal its existence and preserve its memory; even the origin of the largest cities usually remained hidden in impenetrable darkness.

(Our first) knowledge (of Damville) is a charter of 1070, by which William the Conqueror confirmed various donations made by the Crespin family to the Abbey of Bec. These concessions are from Gilbert Crespin, including the gift of the Church of Damville, the tithe of all income of the village, and that of windmills and furnaces located in the vicinity. At this time, thanks to these gifts, we see Damville arise suddenly through the clouds of the past. It was already a considerable town, since it had a church, mills, ovens, etc. All indications are that there was also a castle, for, in a time when force too often took the place of law, where people lived constantly exposed to the horrors of war and the excesses of banditry, populations would naturally settle in the shade of feudal fortresses. However old the village, it belonged, as shown, to Gilbert, a member of the Crespin family, who held at the same time the lordship of Tillieres.

The deed that we consider is only a confirmatory act; but the original donation could not be much earlier, as the founding of the Abbey of Bec goes back to just before 1040. This foundation was of a spontaneous and devotional nature, which represented the liberality marking the end of the previous century. Fearing the sinking of the world as in a vast shipwreck, each sacrificed to save his property (and soul), enriching religious institutions, or founding a multitude of new ones. In the charter of 1070, we see, included among the signatories, Richard, son of Count Gilbert, who, apparently, succeeded his father in the lordship of Damville.

By 1188, Gilbert (great-grandson of the donator of 1070) had ceased to possess Damville. He had probably sold it to Simon Anet (Simon II. d’Anet) before leaving for the Holy Land, where he died in 1190, at the siege of Acre (‘Isti obierunt eodem anno [1190] in obsidione Acrae: vicecomes of Turonia, Gilibertus of Tillers’). But, having changed masters, Damville did not change its fate: It still sorely suffered the blows of the quarrel of the kings of France and England.

On September 1, 1188, the day of Saint-Gilles, Henry I. ordered the burning of the Castle of Damville, owned by Simon Anet. Amidst the looting and fire, the Welsh soldiers of the King of England slaughtered everyone they could reach. (‘Die autem jovis, in die Sancti Aegidii, Wallenses regis Angliae, ipso nesciente, ingressi sunt in terram regis Franciae and combusserunt Castellum Simonis Anette, scilicet Danevillam and multas alias villas and prædas abduxerunt, and nemini parcentes, omnes quos interfecerunt invenerunt’). The English chroniclers did not record this in the story of the wars. They only talked of kings, military leaders, and castles. (Memories of my school history lessons flood back).

Simon I. Anet was a vassal of Ascelin Goel’s family. Simon Anet II., afors., d. 1191. Ascelin’s grandfather, Robert I. d’ Ivri had almost certainly married a daughter of his lord, Hugh, Bishop of Bayeux, count of Ivri. He was also a kinsman of Richard FitzHerluin, fl. 1066, a nepos of the Count of Meulan. Robert I. d’Ivri, and his son and namesake, were milites castri of Ivri, which belonged to William FitzOsborn’s son, William de Breteuil.  Ascelin’s son, William Louval, was the grandfather of Robert IV. d’ Ivri, nepos of Albereda, sister of Simon II. d’ Anet. The name of Simon’s sister may indicate descent from the earlier lords of Ivri. (See Daniel Power, The Norman Frontier, p. 207, 2004).

Mr. Power’s comment may be explained by the connection between the Crispin and Ivri families proposed here:

BEC/CRISPIN

1. Rodolf d’ Ivri, uterine brother of Duke Richard I.
1.1. Emma, m. Osborn de Crepon, his niece  … d’Anet (sister of Foulques d’ Anet), m. Gilbert Crispin I. (Osborn de Crepon was the grandfather of William de Breteuil. (Rodolf de Ivri’s son, Bishop Hugh, gave lands centred around Guernanville to William FitzOsborn, his nephew, and Gilbert Crespin I.).
1.2. Hugh, Bishop of Bayeux.
1.2.1. … d’ Ivri (of the earlier lords of Ivri), m. Robert I. d’ Ivri.
1.2.1.1. Robert II. d’ Ivri.
1.2.1.1.1. Ascelin Goel.
1.2.1.1.1.1. William Louval (grandfather of Robert IV. d’ Ivri, nepos of Albereda, sister of Simon II. d’ Anet. The name of Simon’s sister may indicate descent from the earlier lords of Ivri.
1.2. Aubree, m. Albert de Cravant.
1.2.1. Rodolf de la Cunelle (La Cunelle Eure, cant. de Damville, comm. de Buis-sur-Damville).
1.2.1.1. Gilbert de la Cunelle, who held Grandvilliers.
1.2.1.1.1. ‘Rodulfus de Cunella’. Gilbert Crispin 11., the donator of 1070; his gift was witnessed by his overlord, Richard de Bienfaite, son of Gilbert de Brionne, who also ratified the gift of Raoul de la Cunelle (‘Rodulfus de Cunella’), vassal of the Crispins, of land at Tillieres, and 30 acres at Damville.

The entire subject of the Crispins, and their relationship to such as the Ivri’s, drowns in a sea of repeated myths. No one has seen any necessity to enquire into how the Crispins were connected to the Ivri’s, thus answering M. Le Prevost’s cunundrum. It is far less trouble to repeat myths, whether in academic works (academic only in the sense of referencing nonsense in an ‘academic’ way), or in ‘amateur’ postings that perpetuate on the internet.

The Crispins and other such families also drown in a sea of false expectation – that everyone associated in deeds are near blood relatives. Associations of kinship and lordship were often of a thinner thread than this, as seen in the above example of the proposed (and likely) relationship of the Cunelles and Crispins.

copyright m stanhope 2016