The Norman elite can be identified when the method by which they formed familial associations is understood – “Foedus inter consobinos heredes” – inheritance (and close tenurial association) passing down non-consanguineous lines of cousins.

The following notes seek to correct the assumptions made in a post of some years ago, concerning the family of Jorz/Jort of Normandy, and Wymeswold, Leicestershire, England.

COURCY

1. Robert de Courcy, b. ca. 1000, m. Herleva de Bernieres, receiving as her dower land adjacent the river Dives, at Jort, Bernieres, d’Ailly, Couliboeuf and Morteaux. Jort had belonged to Lesceline, Countess of Eu, and was associated with the Courcis: “Cil de Courci e Cil de Jort”. (Roman de Rou, t. II, p. 245). Lesceline, comtesse d’Eu, qui fonda le monastère de St-Pierre-sur-Dive, était suzeraine de Jort, au moins en partie. Richard de Courcy donna, de son consentement, au couvent de St-Pierre, des biens qu’il possédait à Jort et à Pont; Raoul de Montpinçon, échanson du duc Guillaume, donna à St-Evroult trois moulins qu’ils possédait à Jort. (Annuaire des cinq départements de l’ancienne Normandie, vol. 19, p.30, 1853).

The Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy, vol. 2, ch. viii. The family of Mount-Pinçon (near Falaise), benefactors to the abbey of St. Evroult:

Ralph of Mount-Pinçon, steward of William the Great, king of England, devoted himself with entire fidelity to St. Evroult, and humbly requested the lord abbot Mainier, that some clerk, fit for God’s service, should be admitted into the monastery, and made a monk, for the purpose of constantly offering prayers to God for the souls of himself and his wife. … The said knight, in consideration of his maintenance, gave to St. Evroult for ever five mills, three at Jort, the fourth at a place they call Heurtevent, and the fifth at Mont-Pinçon; also, two sheaves of the tithes of the villeins of Vaudeloges, and one moiety of the tithes of Epanai, with two acres of meadow at Emendreville. Some years afterwards Ralph, the steward, died on the ides (13th) of February, and his body was carried to Ouche, and there buried by the monks in the cloisters at St. Evroult with great honours. His two sons were present, with their mother Adeliza, and truly devoted themselves, and all that their father had given, to St. Evroult, before many witnesses who were assembled at the funeral of so great a baron.

Thirty years afterwards, Hugh de Mont-Pinçon paid a visit to his spiritual brothers at St. Evroult, bringing with him his eldest son Ralph and his wife Matilda, the daughter of Hugh de Grantmesnil, who was in trouble for the recent death of her sister Adeline. Hugh now renewed his brotherhood with the monks which he had accepted in his childhood, and entreated their prayers for his brother Ralph, who had died on the road while performing a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Ralph, Hugh’s son, a young boy, was adopted by the monks as his relations had been, and being led round the chapter by Walter the Bald, a talkative knight, he kissed the brethren, and then consented to the grants made by his father and uncle to St. Evroult. At length Hugh also died at Rouen when he was sixty years old on the nones [7th] of March, and by order of his wife and sons his body was carried to St. Evroult, where the monks buried their brother’s remains with high honour in the chapter-house, and his sons, Ralph, William, and Arnulf devoted themselves and all that their ancestors had granted to the church of St. Evroult. Ralph, the eldest, married the daughter of Ranulph, chancellor to King Henry 2 and dying soon afterwards, was buried by the convent in the chapter-house by the side of his father. William then succeeded to the patrimonial estates in Normandy. Arnulf went into Apulia to seek his uncle William de Grantmesnil. Matilda, their mother, after her husband’s death, fell in love with a young adventurer named Matthew, in whose company, deserting her relations and friends, she undertook a journey to Jerusalem; but both were cut off by premature deaths in the same year, Matthew dying in Apulia, on the journey outward, and Matilda at Joppa, on her return.

Mont-Pinçon, the chief seat of this family, and the other places here named, are in the neighbourhood of Lisieux and Falaise, except Emendreville, which is now called St. Sever, a suburb of Rouen on the right bank of the Seine.

1.1. Richard de Courcy (b. ca. 1025, d. 1098), was described as of the family of the “seneschals de Corcie”. (Wace, III, vv, 8481-82, 8526). Richard de Courcy, was tenant-in-chief in England temp. William. (Reg., I; D.B, 159a; Loyd, Origins, p. 36; Green, Government, pp. 242-4). Richardus de Curseio tenuit de eadam comitissa in Macel, Jort, Pont (Pont-de-Jort), etc., (Gal. Christ, 7, 159).

1.1.1. Robert de Courcy (b. ca. 1050), m. Rohesia, dau of Hugh de Grentmesnil, thus, brother-in-law of Hugh de Montpincon, aforesaid.

1.2. William de Courcy/William Hostarius (b. ca. 1030), held land in Bramcote: “William Hosiarius has there one plough”. (D.B.).

1.2.1. Robert de Courcy/Robert the Usher, b. ca. 1060. Nichol’s Leicestershire, v. 1-2, p. 107: “Robert the Usher” (Hostarius) possessed lands in two lordships in this county, Claxton and Howes. He was the son of William the Usher, and his lordship devolved to Roger de Busli”. Wimeswold: “In 1086, Robert (“the usher”), and Serlo held the manor under Hugh de Grentemaisnel, Roger de Busli had 2 carucates, which 8 servants held; Robert de Jorz held 2 carucates; 2 servants held a plough; there were 5 acres of meadow” (John Curtis, A Topographical History of the County of Leicester, p. 187, 1831).

JORZ

1. Robert de Jorz, b. ca. 1040.

1.1. Robert de Jorz, b. ca. 1070, noted in the Leicestershire Survey of 1124-1129.

1.1.1. Robert de Jorz, appears in the returns of 1166 as a holder on the Blyth fief of the Buslis, and is entered as a Tickhill knight. on the Pipe Roll of 1162, as “Robert de Jort”. (Mr. Round).

1.1.1.1. Geoffrey de Jorz, of Burton Joyce, held of the Buslis. Temp. 1168-1179. Notification by Thomas the Despenser, Geoffrey de Jort, et al., that they have given Locholmewro de Fulefen’ beside Holywell Hall to Garendon abbey. Robert and William de Jorz also donated from this holding, as exampled: “Heremitorium de Halliwellhaga dedit nobis Robertus de Jort et decem acras terre in campo de Wymundewaldà”. (Garendon cartulary, ff 8v.-9 and ff. 18v.-19v.).

1.1.1.1.1. Richard de Jorz.

1.1.1.1.2. Robert de Jorz. Grant, for a consideration of 6s, by Robert Putrel of Wymeswold (Wimundewald), (Leicestershire), to Robert Blundel, of one acre and a half of land, paying 3d a year. Witnesses: John the chaplain, Robert de Jorz, et al.

1.1.1.1.3. Ranulph de Jorz, “holds of the king’s serjeanty in the vill of Wymundwold and Houton 32 virgates of land. Thomas Putrell held in Hoton 4 bovates of the serjeanty of Ranulf de Jorz, and Gilbert de Segrave 2 bovates of the same. 1247-1248. (Fine Rolls).

1.1.1.1.3.1. Robert de Jorz. Ranulf de Jorz gave 3 bovates in Wimeswould to the Hospitallers and in 1276, his successor Robert de Jorz of Wimeswould held that land of them. “Robert son of Ranulf, lord of Alfreton, Derby”. (William Farrer, Honors and Knights’ Fees, p. 76, 1924).

1.1.1.1.3.2. Stephen de Jorz. Grant. (1) Thomas de Chaworth. (2) Canons of the church of St. Mary and St. Cuthbert of Wyrkesop. (1) to (2), confirmation of gifts made by his ancestors; by Sir Robert, son of Ranulf (de Alfreton, the founder of Beauchief Abbey), of the church of Osberton; by William, son of Robert, and of Robert son of William, of the church; of the land which Robert son of William de Alferton (grandfather of (1)) quitclaimed lying between Happeleyheved and the wood of Osberton which was in dispute between Robert, son of William of Alferton and of Robin de Pykeburn, formerly prior of Wyrkesop. Witn.: Sir Roger, abbot of Beauchief, Stephen Mauluvel, Stephen de Jorz, William Castelland of Osberton, Walter de Gayteford. Temp. Hen. III (ca. 1260-1287). (Notts. Arch., DD/FJ/1/24/8).

The manor of Alfreton was held by Ingram, under Roger de Busli.

1. Ingelram, b. ca. 1040, held the manor of Alfreton of Roger de Busli. Domes.
1.1. Ranulf de Alfreton (b. ca 1070), Sheriff of Notts. and Derbys., “whose great-niece married the son of Robert de Chaucis,* of Marnham”. (John Pym Yeatman, Cecil George Savile Foljambe, The Feudal History of the County of Derby, p. 336, 1866).*Chaworth.
1.1.1. Robert FitzRanulf (b. ca. 1100). “Robert Fitz-Ranulf was a confiderable landholder; since, besides the four places already mentioned, Norton, Alfreton, Wymeswold, and Edwalton, the family had eftates at Monyash, Rowfley, Culver, Haffop, Blackwell, and Dronfield, in Derbyfhire. In Nottinghamshire, at Nuthall, Thurgarton, Watenho, Woodburgh, Bramcote, Markham, Osberton’, and Billeby. He appears as a witness, amongst other confiderable persons, to the foundation-charter of Welbeck abbey, by the description of “Rebert, son of the Sheriff'”. (Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica: 11, vol. 11, p. 23, 1801).
1.2. …de Alfreton, m. Robert de Jorz, b. ca. 1070, noted in the Leicestershire Survey of 1124-1129, aforementioned. This is a suggestion only, but one which makes sense of the data in the sense of “Foedus inter consobinos heredes”.

1.1.1.1.3.2.1. Simon le Jorz of Wymeswold; and Sir Nicholas de Segrave and Alice his wife, widow of Sir Gerard de Insula, and Maud daughter of Nicholas and Alice. Wed. the feast of St. Mark. Simon has quitclaimed to Nicholas, Alice and Maud, for their lives, all the lands of the honour of Tykehil, which Stephen le Jorz, his father, formerly held of the honour in Wymundwold. Witnesses: Sir John de Nevile, Sir Robert Poutrel, Sir Thomas de Meynil, Hugh de Prestewold, William le Broun of Burton, Reginald le Berges of the same. 1313. (BCM/D/5/54/3).

1.1.1.1.3.2.2. John de Jorz.

1.1.2. William de Jorz. The Garendon Cart. notes donations made to them at Haliwell-haw by Robert de Jort and William de Jort (Mr. Nichols,The Hundred of East Gascote, p. 122). Quitclaim by William de Jorrs to Beauchief Abbey of the church of Wymeswold which Robert son of Ranulph gave them. the abbey granted to William at the end of his life the spiritual succour it would give to one of its canons. (Beauchief Abbey Cart., ca. 1180-1194)
1.1.3. Thomas de Jorz.

The following translations from the latin text given by Mr. Nichols (The history and antiquities of the county of Leicester, vol. 3, pt. 2, p. 812, 1804), clearly show that the families of Despensor and Jorz/Jort were not the same family by different names. However, their very close association suggests a relationship based on “Foedus inter consobinos heredes” – inheritance (and close tenurial association) passing down non-consanguineous lines of cousins. The Despensor and Jorz/Jort families were almost certainly intermarried.

Thomas Dispensator.

Greetings to the children of our mother church, from Thomas the grantor. Know that W. de Jort, with the consent of his mother and his brothers R. & T. (Richard and Thomas) released to me and my heirs, in fee and inheritance, all the forest that he had in Haliwellehaw. And I, for the love of God and for the sake of my soul, and of all my ancestors and my heirs, with the consent of W., my lord, and his mother, and confirm to the monks of Gerondon all that they formerly had by donation of W. de Jort’s father, and of himself and his mother. And moreover I give the forest called le Chalenge (and confirm this charter of ours, by the same concession), from the corner of the monks’ fence, next to the old road as far as Halewelle, and from there next to that dry place as far as the forest, in pure and perpetual alms. And I, Thomas, and my heirs, will guarantee this gift. Witnesses; Roberto Frumentino, Asketillo.

William de Jort.

Salutation from the sons of William de Jort to the mother church. Be it known that I, W., release to Thomas the grantor what I had in Haliwellehaw, to himself and his heirs, in fee and inheritance. And he himself, with the good will his friends, granted and confirmed to the monks of Gerondon whatever they had before from the donation of my father, myself, and my mother. And moreover, with the consent of me and my father and my brothers (R&T), he gave to the aforesaid the wood from the corner of the monks’ fence near the old road and on both sides in Holewelle, and from there near that dry land as far as the forest called le Chalenge, in a pure and perpetual alms. and I have confirmed this charter, for the sake of my soul, and of all my ancestors and heirs. Witnesses: Thomas Dispensatore, Roberto Frumentino.

Greetings from W. de Jort and his children. Know that I, W. de Jort, after I had released my land, with the good will and consent of my mother E. and my wife, and my brothers R. and T. granted and confirmed the donations of my father to God and Saint Marie Gerondon, and the monks there serving God; namely, 10 acres of land in the field of Wimundewald, near the field of Burtun. But, because I could not guarantee them the aforementioned 10 acres, I gave them in exchange, in the same field of Wimundewald, another 10 acres; in Torphil 11 acres, in Langapeseland 11 acres & i rodam, in Milnehill 111 roods, in Balhobreche, 1 acre, in Brombga 111 acres; and moreover in Wulftanwellesica I gave them 6 acres of meadow near the meadow of Burtoni, for the sake of my soul, in pure alms. Moreover, I granted and confirm the hermitage of Haliwellhaw in perpetual alms, so fully in length and breadth as they had in the year of the Incarnation on Sunday 1180. And these aforesaid lands shall be held free from all earthly dues of the aforesaid monks, except that they shall give one cheese every year at Christmas. And I and my heirs will guarantee these gifts as a lasting charity. Witnesses: Gilbert de Setgrave, Ernald de Bartun.

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