The FitzHerbert Family

Piers FitzHerbert

Father: Herbert FitzHerbert

Mother: Lucy

Lucy of Hereford, daughter of Miles of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Hereford and Sibyl de Neufmarché.
Lucy , Lady of Blaen Llyfni and Bwlch y Dinas , da . and eventually coh . of Miles , Earl of Hereford . (The Complete Peerage vol 5 p465n ( (George Edward Cokayne, 1926))

Married (1st): Alice, daughter of Robert FitzRoger, in 1203

Alice, the daughter of Robert fitzRoger, Lord of Warkworth and Clavering and Margaret de Chesney,

The marriage settlement was dated 20 November 1203.
Curia Regis Rolls 5-7 JOHN pp6-7 (1926)
1203.
  Euerwikesir’.— Sciant presentes et futuri quod ita convenit inter Herebertum filium Hereberti et Petrum filium ejus de maritagio Alicie filie Roberti filii Rogeri, quam idem Petrus duxit in uxorem, quod predictus Herebertus dedit et concessit Petro filio suo ad dotandum Aliciam predictam uxorem suam totum tenementum suum de Euerwikesir’, de quo eum saisivit coram domino H. Cantuariensi episcopo G. filio Petri justiciario domini regis Willelmo de Cantilupo Reginaldo de Cornhull’ Ricardo de Seinghes et multis aliis: idem autem Petrus predictam Aliciam uxorem suam inde dotavit de assensu patris sui. Idem eciam Petrus concessit patri suo totum tenementum predictum tam de se quam de Alicia uxore sua tenendum ad firmam tota vita ipsius Hereberti pro centum marcis annuis in duobus terminis anni solvendis, scilicet quinquaginta marcis ad Pascha et quinquaginta marcis ad festum sancti Micaelis, ita quod, si predictus Herebertus firmam illam prefato Petro aut predicte Alicie uxori sue in terminis statutis non reddiderit, ipse Petrus et Alicia uxor sua totum tenementum illud in manum suam recipient sine aliqua reclamatione predicti Hereberti: et si Petrus aut Alicia uxor sua huic conventioni non steterit, predictus Herebertus quietus erit de predicta firma illis reddenda: si autem predictum Petrum ante patrem suum mori contingit, ipse Herebertus predicte Alicie uxori predicti Petri firmam illam in vita sua integre persolvet, ita quod, si predictus Herebertus firmam illam eidem Alicie ad terminos statutos non reddiderit, ipsa Alicia totum tenementum illud in manum suam recipiet sine aliqua reclamatione ipsius Hereberti: et si ipsa Alicia huic conventioni in aliqua contradixerit, predictus Herebertus quietus erit de predicta firma illi reddenda: et eadem Alicia post mortem pre[dicti] Hereberti, si ipsa supervixerit, totum tenementum illud tanquam dotem suam recuperabit. De ista conventione hinc inde firmiter tenenda plegii sunt predictus dominus Cantuariensis archiepiscopus et G. filius Petri justiciarius. Et si predictus Herebertus a conventione illa aliquatenus vellet resilire, predictus dominus archiepiscopus de [assen]su ipsius Hereberti eum distringet per justiciam ecclesiasticam secundum conventionem … et cartam inter eos factam … dictus itaque Herebertus cartam suam faciet prefato Petro filio suo secundum scriptum illud: Petrus etiam Hereberto [patri] suo secundum idem scriptum cartam suam faciet: dictus quoque Herebertus uxori ejusdem Petri, et eadem uxor predicto Hereberto, cartam suam inde faciet. Hec conventio recordata fuit apud Westmonasterium et concessa xx. die Novembris anno quinto regni regis Johannis coram Ricardo de Herierd Simone de Pateshill’ Godefrido de Insula Johanne de Gestinghes Oseberto filio Herveii Eustacio de Faukenberge Waltero de Crepinghes justiciariis et aliis fidelibus domini regis ibidem tunc presentibus.
This roughly translates as:
1203.
  Yorkshire.— Let those present and future know that it has been thus agreed between Herbert, son of Herbert, and Peter, his son, concerning the marriage of Alice, daughter of Robert, son of Roger, whom the same Peter has taken as his wife: that the aforesaid Herbert has given and granted to Peter, his son, for the dower of the aforesaid Alice, his wife, his entire tenement [estate/holding] of Yorkshire, of which he seized [legally put him in possession of] him in the presence of the Lord H[ubert], archbishop of Canterbury, G[eoffrey] fitz Peter, justiciar of the lord king, William de Cantilupe, Reginald de Cornhill, Richard de Seinghes, and many others; and the same Peter has endowed his aforesaid wife Alice therewith, with the assent of his father. The same Peter has also granted to his father the entire aforesaid tenement, both on behalf of himself and of Alice his wife, to be held at farm [leased] for the entire life of the same Herbert for one hundred marks annually, to be paid at two terms of the year: namely, fifty marks at Easter and fifty marks at the Feast of Saint Michael [Michaelmas]. So that if the aforesaid Herbert does not pay that farm to the late Peter or to the aforesaid Alice his wife at the appointed terms, Peter himself and Alice his wife shall receive that entire tenement into their own hand without any objection from the aforesaid Herbert. And if Peter or Alice his wife does not abide by this agreement, the aforesaid Herbert shall be quit [released] from paying the aforesaid farm to them. If, however, it happens that the aforesaid Peter dies before his father, Herbert himself shall pay that farm in its entirety to the aforesaid Alice, wife of the aforesaid Peter, during her life; so that if the aforesaid Herbert does not pay that farm to the same Alice at the appointed terms, Alice herself shall receive that entire tenement into her own hand without any objection from the same Herbert. And if Alice herself acts contrary to this agreement in any way, the aforesaid Herbert shall be quit from paying the aforesaid farm to her. And the same Alice, after the death of the aforesaid Herbert, if she survives him, shall recover that entire tenement as her dower. For the firm holding of this agreement on both sides, the pledges are the aforesaid lord archbishop of Canterbury and G[eoffrey] fitz Peter, justiciar. And if the aforesaid Herbert should wish to withdraw from that agreement in any respect, the aforesaid lord archbishop, with the assent of Herbert himself, shall distrain him through ecclesiastical justice according to the agreement… and the charter made between them… and so the said Herbert shall make his charter to the preferred Peter, his son, according to that writing; Peter also shall make his charter to Herbert, his father, according to the same writing; and the said Herbert shall make his charter thereof to the wife of the same Peter, and the same wife to the aforesaid Herbert. This agreement was recorded at Westminster and granted on the 20th day of November in the fifth year of the reign of king John [20 November, 1203], before Richard de Herriard, Simon de Pattishall, Godfrey de l'Isle, John de Gestinghes, Osbert fitz Hervey, Eustace de Fauconberg, Walter de Crepping, justices, and other faithful subjects of the lord king then present there.

Alice was da. of Robert fitz Roger , of Warkworth ( Pipe Roll , 5 Joh . , m . 5 : Close Roll , 19 Hen . III , m . 11 ) (The Complete Peerage vol 5 p465n ( (George Edward Cokayne, 1926)). See Medieval Lands (PIERS FitzHerbert) "ALICE, daughter of ROBERT FitzRoger of Warkworth & his wife Margery de Chesney. "

Children: Married (2nd): Isabel (de Ferrers) de Mortimer

Isabel was the daughter of Walkelin de Ferrers. She married, firstly, Roger Mortimer of Wigmore, with whom she had five children - Hugh, Ralph, Robert, Philip and Joan. Roger died in 1214. Isabel outlived Piers by many years, dying shortly before April 29, 1252, when her manor at Lechlade was ordered to be taken into the king's hands. She lived her final years as a nun and patroness of the St. John the Baptist Hospital at Lechlade, Gloucestershire, where she was buried.

Isabel is named as the wife of Piers and brother of Henry de Ferrers in an entry in the Fine Rolls in 1225.
Henry III Fine Rolls Project: C 60/22, 9 HENRY III (28 October 1224–14 June 1225)
1225.
12 April. Westminster. …
154 Order to the barons of the Exchequer to place in respite the demand for 15 m. that they make from Peter fitz Herbert and Isabella, his wife, for the debt of Henry de Ferrers, brother of the same Isabella, until the octaves of Trinity in the ninth year.

After her husband's death Isabella obtained he support of the king in a dispute with her stepson, Herbert, over lands that she had inherited in her own right.
Calendar of the Close Rolls Henry III 1234-1237 pp101-102 (1908)
1235.
  Pro Isabella que fuit uxor Petri filii Herberti.—Mandatum est Herberto filio Petri quod, in fide qua regi tenetur et sicut noluerit quod rex erga ipsum moveatur, Isabelle que fuit uxor Petri filii Herberti, patris sui, sine dilatione rationabilem dotem suam assignari faciat de omnibus terris et tenementis que fuerunt predicti Petri et sunt in manu ipsius Herberti, et, antequam rationabilem dotem ei assignaverit, nullum tallagium vel auxilium assideri faciat vel redditum capi in predictis terris, sciturus pro certo quod, nisi dotem suam ei sine dilatione assignaverit de terris predictis, rex eam ei faciet assignari. Teste ut supra [rege apud Rading’, xj. die Junii.].
…
  Pro Isabella que fuit uxor Petri filii Herberti.—Rex cepit fidelitatem Isabelle que fuit uxor Petri filii Herberti, de omnibus terris et tenementis que ipsam Isabellam hereditarie contingunt et quas predictus Petrus et ipsa Isabella uxor ejus de rege tenuerunt in capite de hereditate ipsius Isabelle. Et mandatum est vicecomiti Glouc’ quod de manerio de Lecheland’ cum pertinentiis, quod ipsam Isabellam hereditarie contingit et quod ipsi Petrus et Isabella prius tenuerunt, sicut predictum est, eidem Isabelle sine dilatione plenam seisinam habere faciat et ipsam in seisina sua manuteneas et defendas. Teste ut supra.
  Eodem modo mandatum est vicecomiti Rotel’ de manerio de Ocham cum pertinentiis. Teste ut supra.
This roughly translates as:
   On behalf of Isabella, who was the wife of Peter son of Herbert.—Command is given to Herbert son of Peter, by the faith in which he is bound to the King and as he would wish that the King not be moved against him, that he cause to be assigned without delay to Isabella, who was the wife of Peter son of Herbert, his father, her reasonable dower from all the lands and tenements which belonged to the aforesaid Peter and are in the hand of the same Herbert; and, before he has assigned her reasonable dower to her, he shall cause no tallage [tax] or aid to be assessed, nor rent to be taken in the aforesaid lands; knowing for certain that, unless he assigns her dower to her without delay from the lands aforesaid, the King will cause it to be assigned to her. Witnessed as above [by the King at Reading, the 11th day of June].
…
  On behalf of Isabella, who was the wife of Peter son of Herbert.—The King has taken the fealty of Isabella, who was the wife of Peter son of Herbert, for all the lands and tenements which touch the same Isabella by right of inheritance, and which the aforesaid Peter and the same Isabella his wife held of the King in chief from the inheritance of the same Isabella. And command is given to the sheriff of Gloucestershire that he cause the same Isabella to have full seisin without delay of the manor of Lechlade with its appurtenances, which touches the same Isabella by right of inheritance and which the same Peter and Isabella previously held, as is aforesaid, and that he maintain and defend her in her seisin. Witnessed as above.
  In the same manner, command is given to the sheriff of Rutland concerning the manor of Oakham with its appurtenances. Witnessed as above.
p357
1236.
  Berk’—Isabella de Mortuo Mari attoruavit loco suo Radulfum le Deen et Johanuem de Syvetoth versus Herbertum filium Petri de placito couventionis de dote ipsius Isabelle quod summonitum est coram rege. 
This roughly translates as:
  Berkshire—Isabella de Mortimer appointed in her place Ralph le Deen and John de Syvetoth against Herbert son of Peter concerning a plea of agreement of the dower of the same Isabella, which has been summoned before the King.

Calendar of the Close Rolls Henry III 1251-1253 pp82-83 (1927)
1252.
   De manerio de Lecchelad’ capiendo in manum regis.—Mandatum est abbati de Persore, escaetori regis, quod sine dilacione capiat in manum regis manerium de Lecchelade, quod fuit Isabelle de Mortuomari jam mortue, et quod debet esse in manum regis tamquam escaeta sua, et illud salvo custodiat donec rex aliud inde preceperit. Et mandatum est vicecomiti Glouc’ quod cum requisitus fuerit a escaetore vim resistentem in eodem manerio faciat amoveri. Teste ut supra [rege apud Westmonasterium xxix. die Aprilis]. Per R. Waler’.
This roughly translates as:
  Concerning the manor of Lechlade to be taken into the hand of the king.—Command is given to the abbot of Pershore, the King’s escheator, that without delay he take into the hand of the King the manor of Lechlade, which belonged to Isabella de Mortimer, now dead, and which ought to be in the hand of the king as his escheat, and that he keep it safely until the king shall command otherwise regarding it. And command is given to the sheriff of Gloucestershire that, when he shall be requested by the escheator, he cause any resisting force in the same manor to be removed. Witnessed as above [the king at Westminster the 29th day of April]. By R. Walerand..

Monasticon Anglicanum vol 6 part 1 p350 (William Dugdale, 1849)
  Priory of Wigmore
  Radulphus frater suus junior ex Isabella Ferrers, secunda uxore, collegii sive hospitalis de Lechelade fundatrice,c et ibi tumulata, procreatus, successit in dominium.
  c Ibid. [Fundatio Hospitalis de Lechelade.] fol. 51 b.
 This roughly translates as:
   Priory of Wigmore
  Ralph, his younger brother, born of Isabel Ferrers, the second wife, founder of the college or hospital of Lechlade,c and buried there, succeeded to the lordship.
  c Ibid. [Fundatio Hospitalis de Lechelade.] fol. 51 b.

The Complete Peerage vol 4 p191n ( (George Edward Cokayne, 1916)
  (c) … Walkelin , who was father of (1) Henry, Seigneur de Chambrais in 1202, (2) Hugh, of Lechlade, who d. s.p. in 1204, having m. Margaret, da. and h. of Hugh de Say of Richard’s Castle, and (3) Isabel (d. before 31 May 1252), who m., 1stly, Roger de Mortemer of Wigmore (d. 24 June 1214), and 2ndly, Piers fitz Herbert of Blaen Llyfni (d. 1 June 1235). Isabel inherited Lechlade, and also Oakham, which her eldest br., Henry, had lost at the time of the conquest of Normandy.

Notes:
  Piers FitzHerbert was a powerful 13th-century nobleman, courtier, and Marcher Lord. He was a prominent royal advisor to king John and as one of the barons named in the preamble of the Magna Carta in 1215. Through his mother, Piers inherited a lucrative one-third share of the barony of the Earl of Hereford including Blaenllynfi and Castell Dinas. He held extensive lands spanning Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Yorkshire, and the Welsh Marches.
  Piers was closely allied to king John. The king rewarded his loyalty by granting him the honour of Barnstaple in Devonshire and appointing him governor of Pickering Castle and sheriff of Yorkshire (1214–1215). Because he stayed loyal to the crown during the Papal Interdict (1208–1213), medieval chroniclers like Roger of Wendover branded him one of king John's "wicked councillors". Piers was chosen as one of the noble councillors listed in the opening of the Magna Carta in 1215 to advise the king. He rebelled against king John toward the end of the First Barons' War, resulting in the temporary seizure of some of his lands. However, he quickly returned to royal allegiance upon the accession of the young king Henry III in 1216, and his estates were restored. In October 1233, during the rebellion of Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, Piers's Welsh strongholds of Blaenllynfi and Castell Dinas were sacked and ruined by Marshal and prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth.

Piers is recorded in 1194-5, paying scutage of 15 shillings for three quarters of a knight's fee in Berkshire.
Red Book of the Exchequer part 1 p94 (ed. Hubert Hall, 1896)
A.D. 1194-5. … BERKESCIRA. … Petrus filius Herberti, xvs. in hoc comitatu—iij partes [militis].
This roughly translates as:
A.D. 1194-5. … Berkshire … Piers son of Herbert, 15s. in this county—three parts [of a knight's fee].

In 1210-1212, Piers is recorded in possession of one knight’s fee at Manekeford in Wiltshire, and three knight’s fees in Beverley, Yorkshire, as well as three-quarters of a knight's fee in Warwickshire held jointly with Willelmus de Boterellis.
Red Book of the Exchequer part 2 p484 (ed. Hubert Hall, 1896)
A.D. 1210-12. … WILTESCIRA … Petrus filius Herberti , Manekeford.
p492
A.D. 1210-12. … EBORWICSCIRA … Beverliga … Petrus filius Hereberti , iijes milites.
p550
A.D. 1210-12. … WARWICSIRA … Petrus filius Herberti et Willelmus de Boterellis tres partes.

Piers was named by Roger of Wendover as one of king John's "wicked councillors" for assisting the king in his expropriation of church property following John's excommunication by pope Innocent III in a dispute over who was to be named archbishop of Canterbury.
Rogeri de Wendover Chronica, sive Flores historiarum vol 3 pp237-238 (Roger of Wendover, 1841)
A.D. 1211. … Habuit autem rex hac interdicti tempestate consiliarios iniquissimos, quorum nomina pro parte hic ponere non omittam; Willelmus quoque frater regis et comes Saresbiriensis, Albericus de Ver comes Oxoniensis, Gaufridus filius-Petri Angliæ justiciarius, … Petrus filius-Hereberti et Thomas Basset, et alii multi, quos longum esset enumerare, qui regi in omnibus placere cupientes consilium non pro ratione sed pro voluntate dederunt.
This roughly translates as:
  Moreover, during this storm of the interdict, the king had most wicked councillors, whose names I will not omit to set down here in part; William, the king's brother and Earl of Salisbury, Alberic de Vere, Earl of Oxford, Geoffrey son of Peter, justiciar of England, … ...Peter son of Herbert and Thomas Basset, and many others, whom it would be tedious to enumerate, who, desiring to please the king in all things, gave advice not according to reason but according to their will.

As a consequence of his rebellion in the First Baron's War, Piers' lands were temporarily confiscated ("as long as it shall please us") in favour of the king's half-brother, Oliver. The lands were later restored to Piers.
Calendar of the Patent Rolls vol 3 pp42-43 (1901)
1217. … De terra concessa.—Rex omnibus militibus, libere tenentibus et aliis de terris Petri filii Herberti, ubicumque terre ille fuerint, salutem. Sciatis quod commisimus, quamdiu nobis placuerit, dilecto fratri nostro, Olivero filio Regis, totam terram que fuit Petri filii Herberti, ubicumque fuerit, cum omnibus pertinenciis suis, ad se sustentandum in servicio nostro. Et ideo vobis mandamus quod eidem Olivero in omnibus sitis intendentes et respondentes. Et in hujus rei testimonium etc. vobis inde mittimus. Teste eodem.
  De eodem.—Rex omnibus has litteras inspecturis, salutem. Sciatis quod concessimus dilecto fratri nostro, Olivero filio Regis, quamdiu nobis placuerit, totam terram que fuit Petri filii Herberti, cum omnibus pertinenciis suis, ad se sustentandum in servicio nostro. Et in hujus rei testimonium has litteras nostras patentes etc. eidem Olivero fieri fecimus. Teste eodem comite, apud Wintoniam, xx die Marcii, anno regni nostri primo.
This roughly translates as:
1217. … Concerning Land Granted.—The King to all knights, free tenants, and others holding the lands of Peter son of Herbert, wherever those lands may be, greeting. Know ye that we have committed, for as long as it shall please us, to our beloved brother Oliver, son of the King, the whole land which belonged to Peter son of Herbert, wherever it may be, with all its appurtenances, for his maintenance in our service. And therefore we command you that you be intentive and respondent to the same Oliver in all things. And in testimony of this matter, etc., we send this to you. Witnessed by the same.
  Concerning the Same.—The King to all who shall look upon these letters, greeting. Know ye that we have granted to our beloved brother Oliver, son of the King, for as long as it shall please us, the whole land which belonged to Peter son of Herbert, with all its appurtenances, for his maintenance in our service. And in testimony of this matter, we have caused these our letters patent to be made for the same Oliver. Witnessed by the same Earl [of Pembroke] at Winchester, the 20th day of March, in the first year of our reign."

The Complete Peerage vol 5 p465n ( (George Edward Cokayne, 1926)
  (d) … Herbert was s. and h. of Piers fitz Herbert (living 19 May 1235), by his 1st wife, Alice (marriage settlement, 28 Nov. 1203), da. of Robert fitz Roger, of Warkworth (Pipe Roll, 5 Joh., m. 5: Close Roll, 19 Hen. III, m. 11). Piers (who d. kal. Julii—seemingly a mistake for kal. Junii—was bur. at Reading—Annales de Theokesberia, p. 97) was 2nd but 1st surv. s. and h. of Herbert fitz Herbert (who d. before 18 July 1204), by Lucy, Lady of Blaen Llyfni and Bwlch y Dinas, da. and eventually coh. of Miles, Earl of Hereford.

The Complete Peerage vol 11 p94 (George Edward Cokayne, enlarged by Geoffrey H. White, 1949)
      ROS or ROOS OF HELMSLEY
… Piers FitzHerbert, lords of the Honour of Brecknock, whose castle was at Blaenllyfni. Piers FitzHerbert m. in 1203, his son Reynold not till 1249 (Curia Regis Rolls, vol. iii, p. 6; Close Rolls, 1247-51, p. 200).

Death: 1 June 1235
Annales de Theokesberia in Annales monastici vol 1 p97 (ed. Henry Richards Luard, 1864)
Kal. Julii obiit Petrus filius Hereberti, et sepultus est apud Radinges
This roughly translates as:
On the Kalends of July [1 July], Peter, son of Herbert, died and was buried at Reading.

Although the death of Piers is stated in Annales de Theokesberi to be 1 July, it is likely that this is an error for 1 June ("Kal. Junii" rather tham "Kal. Julii") as Piers is documented to have already died in a document related to his estate dated 6 June 1235.
Henry III Fine Rolls Project: C 60/34, 19 HENRY III (1234–1235)
1235.
306  6 June. Westminster. For Herbert, son of Peter fitz Herbert. The king has taken the homage of Herbert, son of Peter fitz Herbert, and heir of the same, for all lands and tenements which Peter fitz Herbert held in chief and which fall to Herbert by hereditary right. Order to the sheriff of Hampshire that, having accepted security from Herbert for rendering his relief to the king, he is to cause him to have full seisin of all lands and tenements of which Peter fitz Herbert died seised in his bailiwick and which fall to Herbert by hereditary right.
307  For Herbert, son of Peter fitz Herbert. Order in the same manner to the sheriffs of: Warwickshire. Worcestershire. Yorkshire. Shropshire. Berkshire. Wiltshire. Gloucestershire. Essex. Norfolk and Suffolk; [all of the above] with the exception that no mention is to be made of security, but that they are to cause the aforesaid Herbert to have full seisin of the lands and tenements etc. in the aforesaid form.

Burial: Reading Abbey, Reading, Berkshire, England

Sources:
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