Much written about the Paynels and Lacys is based on the conjectures of “wise men of old”, and have been given credence by successive generations slavishly repeating them, a feature accelerated in the internet age. The following might serve to suggest an alternative sense of things.
The Surdeval branch of the Paynel family were very likely to have been hereditary clerks of their kin, the Lacy family, barons of Pontefract, and bore the epithet “grammaticus”, deriving from the Greek γραμματικός = ‘literate/educated’, (Oxford Classical Dictionary, 2015). As a clerk to the Lacys their duties but involved administrative, bureaucratic, and record-keeping tasks, often requiring literacy in Latin, French, and English.
One method that may suggest the origin of early Norman families is that of ‘continuation of association’, or ‘foedus inter consobinos heredes’ – inheritance and associations passing down lines of cousins. The ‘connectivity’ between families is most visibly demonstrated by grants to religious foundations, which were a jealously guarded privilege, confined to those with association to the founders family.
The distant past is often treated as a blank canvass on which many paint an impressionistic version of their ancestry, but this canvass has clear compartments, based on principles of association, which can be filled with more realistic versions of ancestry. The first principle of researching the distant genealogical past is to consider what was the underlying imperative of associations; what need did they serve. Without this, we only give descriptive accounts of the past, of who were associated, rather than why.
PAYNEL 1. William Paynel. “There is no direct evidence that William held either Les Moutiers-Hubert (Dept. Calvados, arr. Lisieux, cant. Livarot; ca. 17 miles s. of Lisieux”), or Hambye (Dept. Manche, arr. Coutances, cant. Gavray; ca. 13 miles from Coutances), which together formed the principle tenures-in-chief in Normandy of William son of Ralph Paynel”. (Early Yorkshire Charters (EYC), vol. vi. (1939), p. 1). He was born ca. 1030, and died in 1087. (Orderic Vitalis (Prévost), vol. iii, Liber, viii., p. 259). He witnessed a charter of Roger de Montgommery to Caen Saint-Etienne, dated 1077. (Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniæ, vol. ii, p. xciv.). A charter dated 1070-1081 states that his 2nd marriage took place after William I succeeded as king of England, suggests a connection between William’s 2nd wife and Hugues de Briqueville, a suggestion which follows Le Prévost who indicated that “Guillaume Painel avait épousé l’héritière de la terre de Briqueville-sur-Mer, que le roi lui donna en dot”. (Orderic Vitalis (Prévost), vol. iii, p. 259, footnote 1). Clay speculated that “it is possible that Hambye with other lands in the Cotentin was acquired by William Paynel by the marriage”. (EYC, vol. vi. (1939), p. 2).
1.1. Ralph Paynel, D.B. tenant in chief, b. ca. 1055, ob. ante 1124. The most sensible proposition concerning the relationship between William and Ralph is that Ralph was born in Normandy from an earlier marriage, Ralph then being old enough to receive his Domesday holdings if born in the mid/late 1050s, which would also explain his 1080s marriage. His absence from English sources could then be explained if he was a minor in 1066, returning to Normandy after reaching his majority to administer the family’s lands. He would then have been brought back to England to be accepted as his father’s heir in the early 1080s. According to Ellis, Ralph was a younger brother of William II Paynel (Guillaume-le-Roux), with whom he founded le prieuré de la Sainte-Trinité d’York. (Ellis ‘Landholders of Gloucestershire’, p. 148).
“Radulfus Paginellus cognominatus” refounded York Holy Trinity as a dependance of Marmoutier, for the souls of “domini mei Guillelmi regis et uxoris ejus Matildis” and “pro salute ac statu regni filii ipsius Guillelmi qui eciam hoc donum autorizavit”, with the consent of “uxore mea Matilde atque filiis meis Guillelmo, Jordano, Elia atque Alexandro” (EYC, vol. vi. (1939), pp. 66, 69). He m. (1) a dau. of Ilbert de Lacy, b. ca. 1040 (Ellis ‘Yorkshire Tenants’ (1877), xvii, p. 222), which “would account for his being a tenant of so important a place as Leeds”. He m. (2) Matilda, daughter of Richard de Surdeval. The Complete Peerage states that land in Yorkshire, including the manor of Hooton Paynel), were acquired by Ralph Paynell “through his marriage to Maud, presumed to be daughter of Richard de Surdeval”. (CP viii. 284, footnote d).
Ralph, by his 1st wife, sister of Robert de Lacy:
1.1.1. William Paynel, of Drax. “Willelmus Paganellus” donated listed lands “in territorio de Drax.” to Drax priory by charter dated to 1130-39, witnessed by “Radulfo Paganello”. EYC, vol. vi. (1939), 13, p. 86).
1.1.2. Ralph Paynel, “Radulfo Paganello”, alias “Ralph Grammaticus”, who witnessed his brother’s gift to Drax. Henry I confirmed land given by Ralph Grammaticus and Robert de Lacy to Nostell Priory. Among Ilbert’s tenants, Ralph Grammaticus is mentioned first as Ilbert lists his gifts from those fees held jointly with Ralph, each holding half. The charter states “Rursus in Octono, Wulmerslee, Chamsala, Ermesela; in Lindessio, in Chorisbera, Frisbera; in Nottinghamshire, Hekelinga;in Oxenfordshire, Staintona, Lineham et totam decimam pollorum armenti sui, ac decimam piscatorie Knottingleie; harum rerum omnium supradictorum tenuit Ranulphus Grammaticus dimidiam partem”. Translated: ”Also in (Glass) Houghton, Womersley, Campsall, South Elmsall, in Lindsay (distrcit of Lincolnshire), Owersby, Firsby, of all this Ralph Grammaticus had half.
Robert de Lacy, brother-in-law of William, Ralph (“grammaticus”), and Jordan Paynel. Robert de Lacy granted Ralf le Rous (i.e. Ralph (“grammaticus”) Paynel, several manors of his Honour of Clitheroe in a charter dated Nov. 23, 1102. Robert de Lacy’s eldest son, Ilbert de Lacy, confirmed his father’s grants of Ralph’s lands in 1135, the charter repeating: “eidem Radulfo fratri meo”, not necessarily the same as “to my brother Ralph”, but, possibly, as examples of this time show, meaning “to my br.-In-law Ralph”; consider John de Stuteville’s gift (ca. 1160) to his br.-in-law, named as “Johanni fratri meo”. (The above account of Mr. Thoroton).
Robert de Lacy was lord of Blackburnshire, as he confirmed the original charter of Merlay, granted by Ilbert, his son, to Jordan le Rous … Little Mitton was granted by charter of Robert de Lacy, in the 3d of Henry I. to Ralph le Rous, progenitor of the family who were afterwards denominated from the place Ralph le Rous, the grantee under these charters, had Jordan, who granted the manor of Merlay to one Stephen, afterwards called de Merlay, and he had a daughter who married Adam de Nowell. The facts are proved by the following abstract of an Inquisition in the same collection: “Stephanus de Merlay proavus Adæ Nowell (the second; he is elsewhere called father in law of the first), seizitus fuit in feodo de et in manerio de Merlay (not by descent, as the Lancashire pedigrees have it), but ex dono et feoffamento Jordani f. Rad. le Rous,* habuit etiam Chaceam infra Sapeden Broke et Rimington Broke exceptis dominicis Haiis et ad feras in dicta chaceà sequendas infra haias prædictas sine arcubus et sagittis longum jactationis unius teli”. This was the origin of the Nowells in the parish of Whalley, of whom there is no evidence to prove where they were settled before this alliance. (Thomas Dunham Whitaker, An history of the original parish of Whalley, p. 277, 1806). Jordan Paynel, son of Ralph Paynel.
The said Ilbert de Lacey d. bef. May 1147, when Roger de Mowbray and his wife Alice (Ilbert’s widow) donated property to the abbey of St. Mary. Alice was the dau. of Walter de Gand, who donated property to Pontefract Priory, for the souls of “prioris domini mei Ilberti de Lacy”, and with the consent of “Henricus de Lascy”. “Rogerus de Molbrai” confirmed the donation by “uxor mea … pro anima prioris domini sui Ilberti de Lasci”, witnessed by “Willielmus Peverel”. (Dugdale Monasticon v., Pontefract Priory, xiii, p. 1250). Henry de Lacy was Robert’s brother.
Henry de Lacy, Baron of Pontefract, uncle of Richard Grammaticus, who held a quarter of a knight’s fee of Roger de Mowbray, whose relict m. Richard’s uncle, Ilbert de Lacy. In the foundation charter of Kirkstall, Henry de Lacy confirms to the monks the donation of land which William de Hedingleia, his wife and son, gave to the monks, which gift Robert his son confirmed by charter. Among the witnesses we find Henry Archbishop of York (1147-1153), Oto de Tilli, Richard Grammaticus, and Jordan, his brother. Henry his other son m Aubreye, dau. of Eustace FitzJohn and Beatrice de Vescy. Their son, “Robertus de Lasci” granted property Great Marsden to “Willelmo filio Eustachii avunculo meo”. (EYC v. iii., 1513, p. 203). The name of Henry de Lacy’s wife was not cited before the 16th century. (B.M. MS. Harley 2101, fo. 229). Robert’s son was John de Lacy, Constable of Chester. 1.1.2.1. Richard Grammaticus. Ralph’s son, Richard Grammaticus, witnessed a charter of Henry de Lacy to Kirkstall Abbey in 1166, with his brother, Jordan. He witnessed a charter of Henry de Lacy to Kirkstall Abbey in 1166. He held a quarter of a Knight’s fee of Roger de Mowbray* in Bickerton, near Bilton. (Red Book Exch., p. 420). He died ante 1188.
1.1.2.1.1. William Grammaticus, held the “Grammary Fee” (Testa de Nevill). A member of Roger de Lacy’s Court in 1201. (EYC, iii, 1526). Confirmation, of Hugh, son of William de Lelae for the souls of his family, to Kirkstall Abbey, all the land in Horsforth his father gave in alms to the Abbey, i.e. 2 carucates. (faded) Witnesses: Simon de Mohaud, William his son, Robert de Lelaie, William Ward, Nicholas his son, William Grammaticus, Richard his son, Geoffrey de Arthington, Hugh de Witon, Alan de Brerehag, Henry de Alwaldeleie, Nigel de Horsford, Serlo de Povill, Hugh de Casteleie, and many others (ca. 1200). (West Yorkshire Archive Service, SpSt/4/11/66/9).
1.1.2.1.1.1. Richard Grammaticus, witnessed St. John, Pontefract, charter 175 in 1210.
1.1.2.1.2. Richard de Nottingly; witnessed charter 278, ca. 1215; see charter 177, and as heir to brother, assumed the title of “Grammaticus”, i.e., became clerk to the Lacys.
1.1.2.1.3. Robert, parson of Aberford, accompanied John de Lacy in the Crusade of 1228. Pipe Roll, 12 H. III, Richard de Nott’ and Robert his brother are charged with 10s. 6d.
1.1.2.2. Jordan Paynel.
Mr. Holmes adds: In Pontefract, Fryston Mill was called Hamelin Mill, as Stump Cross (one of the boundary crosses between Pontefract and Ferrybridge, see Journal, xiii., 561) was styled Ralph’s Cross from Ralph Grammaticus at Knottingley. (York. Arch. Journal, vol. xiv, p. 25, 1898).
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A rare visit to the past.
Walter FitzGilbert de Hamilton 