Roger de Albo Monasterio

Probably the surname was Blancminster or Whitminster in English.

Events

Date of Birth: unknown.

Place of Birth: unknown.

Date of Death: unknown.

Place of Death: unknown.

Relationships

Father: possibly Richard de Albo Monasterio.

Mother: unknown.

Richard was Roger’s ancestor in the assise of mort ancestor related below in the evidence section, assuming this is the same Roger. See the Commentary section.

Spouse: unknown.

Children:

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)

Eva de Oswaldestre married Adam de Chetwynd.

Evidence

from Eyton (3:134-5):

Thomas Noel seems to have died in 1206 ; for in the end of that year or beginning of 1207, Thomas de Blancminster gives the King 100 merks and two palfreys, that he may have to wife Margaret le Strange, formerly wife of Thomas Noel, together with her inheritance and marriage portion, and reasonable share (of her former husband's estate). His Sureties in this matter were Thomas de Muleton, in twenty merks, and Reginald de Blancminster, also in twenty merks.

Thomas de Blancminster, otherwise called Thomas de Albo Monasterio, does not appear to me to have been connected witb Shropshire except by his marriage. If Reginald de Blancminster just now mentioned were his relation, I should look to distant Counties for some trace of his origin, viz., to Berkshire, Oxfordshire, or Devonshire. Our immediate concern is to state that in 1211, Thomas de Albo Monasterio and Griffin de Sutton, Knights, are found holding Weston in capite by Knight's service, viz., half a Knight’s-Fee, and also holding Alvitheleg, a Manor of Royal Demesne, by service of another half-fee.

Thomas de Blancminster had a grant of escheated lands in Essex and Hertfordshire firom King John, dated April 1, 1216.

On April 18, 1217, as Thomas de Albo Monasterio, he has letters of safe conduct firom Henry III.

He occurs in Somersetshire, August 11, 1217; and in the following year apparently, by the will and consent of Margery le Strange his wife, enfeoffed Henry de Audley in the Manors of Mixne and Bradenhope, to hold to him and his heirs of the Grantor and his heirs — rendering therefore yearly, on the vigil of Easter, a pair of white gloves to him or his servant at Alveley. Thomas and his heirs would warrant the premises to the Grantee against all men. Also Margaret aforesaid, by her separate but contemporary Deed, granted the same feoffment, — '' to hold to the Grantee and liis heirs,of her and her heirs, according to the tenor of the first charter.”

It is probable that Thomas de Blancminster survived his wife Margaret le Strange ; — at least such a person occurs in Essex after her death. That he had no surviving issue by her is evident on two grounds : — first, because her daughters by Thomas Noel were her sole heirs ; secondly, because Thomas de Blancminster held nothing of her estate after her decease.

The last event happened shortly before March 8, 1222…

from the Book of Fees:

p. 145

Salop 1212

Thomas de Albo Monasterio et Griffinus de Sutton, milites, tenent de domino rege Weston’ per servicium dimidii militis, et valet terra eorum v.m.

p. 147

Thomas de Albo Monasterio et Griffinus de Sutton’ tenent Alvutheleg’ per servicium dimidii militis.

from the Cartulary of Muchelney Abbey:

61. Charter of Thomas de Albo Monasterio concerning land of Yle.

Thomas de Albo Monasterio acknowleges that he did homage to Richard, the Abbot and the Convent of Muchelny, for the land of Lim Pestregard with 2 acres of meadow, all which the abbot and convent granted to him for his homage and service, to hold of them for 2s. yearly.

Editor’s note: This charter belongs to the period 1197-1237. The family of de Albo-Monasterio (Blancmusters) had land in the neighbourhood, probably at Fivehead. Richard de Blaminster made default in the Hundred of Abdick at the Assizes in 1242 (Som. Pleas, 11 89, and 1296). Roger, son (query) of Richard de Albo-Monasterio, granted lands in Aysford, Bradene, and Hysebar to the Hospital of St. Thomas the Martyr of Akonia in 1260 (Ped. Fin., 44 Hen. HI, 21; 52 Hen. HI, 120. See Stubbs Lectures on Mediaeval and Modern History, pp. 209-212.) A Geoffrey de Albo-Monasterio came to a violent end in the Hundred of Bruton in 1225 (Som. Pleas, 231, 233, 237.)

Yle is Yle Abbots.

[The ‘Hospital of St Thomas the Martyr of Akonia’ was the Hospital of St Thomas of Acre, London headquarters of the Order of the Knights of St Thomas of Acre. The order, which Stubbs describes as “semi-military”, was founded during the Third Crusade and active in the 1200s and 1300s.]

19. “Ricardo de Albo Monasterio” is a witness to a confirmation of a charter dating to shortly before 1242.

from Somersetshire Pleas:

1225 Somerset

Robert the miller of Middelton and Robert his son killed Geoffrey de Albo Monasterio, and fled to the monastery. The confessed the death and abjured the realm. Their chattels were worth 12d., for which the sheriff must answer.

Herbert Drail, accused of the death of the beforenamed Geoffry and of theft, comes and defends the whole, and puts himself [upon the country.] Twelve jurors and the four townships aforesaid…

Concerning Herbert Drail, they say that his is guilty of the death of is lord [Geoffry de Albo Monasterio] and of many thefts. Therefore let him be hanged.

1244 Dorset

Richard de Blancmoster, whom Thomas de la Ware vouched to warranty, against Mabel, formerly the wife of Robert Martun, on a plea of land, by Gervase de Aysseford. A day is given him on Monday, and Mabel puts in her place Richard de Cathanger.

from Somerset Fines:

5 Henry III [1221]

At Westminster within a month after Trinity; between Thomas de Blanc-muster, claimant ; and William de Thorn, tenent ; for half a knight's fee in Esse; when a duel in arms was waged between them in the Court; (unde duellum vadiatum armatum percussum fuit inter eos in prefata curia). William acknowledged the land to be the right of Thomas; for this Thomas granted the same to William to hold from him for ever, rendering therefor annually one marc.

29 Henry III [1244-5]

At Westminster in the octave of the Purification ; between Mabilia who was the wife of Robert Martin, claimant ; and Richard de Blancmuster who Thomas La Ware called to warrant ; for half a virgate and five acres of land in Staueya. Mabila acknowledged the right of Richard and quit claimed to him ; for this Richard gave her seven marcs.

44 Henry III.[1260]

At Westminster in three weeks of Easter; between Roger de Albo Monasterio, claimant; and Brother William, Master of the house of St. Thomas Aconye, tenent; for forty acres of land in Asseford. Roger acknowledged the right of the Master and Brethren as by the gift of his ancestor, to hold of him, doing therefor to the chief lords of the fee all services belonging; and Roger warranted against all men: for this the Master gave Roger four marcs.

52 Henry III [1268]

At Schyreburn in five weeks of Easter; between Roger de Albo Monasterio, claimant; and Brother William de Huntingefeld, Master of the Hospital of St. Thomas the martyr of Akonia, by Brother William le Rus in his place who Richard Fromund called to warrant; for a messuage and twenty eight acres of land in Aysford. Assise of mort ancestor was summoned. Roger acknowledged the said messuage and land, and likewise all the lands and tenements which the predecessor of the Master of the said Hospital had, by the gift of Richard de Albo Monasterio antecessor of the said Roger, in the vills of Aysford, Bradene, and Hysebare, as in demesnes, homages, rents, service of free men, wards, reliefs, escheats, woods, meadows, pastures, waters, pools, fisheries, and all other things belonging, to be the right of the Master and Brethren of the said Hospital and quit claimed the same: for this the Master gave Roger twenty shillings sterling.

from the 1301 inquisition post mortem of Edmund, earl of Cornwall:

Cornwall:

Stratton. 1 fee held by the heir of Roger de Albo Monasterio.

Commentary

Probably Roger de Albo Monasterio was from the Somerset family, since that is the only plausible Roger I can find in the records, and a generation or two earlier a Thomas de Albo Monasterio is holding land in Somerset and in Weston, Shropshire, where the Chetwynds later held land. A Roger de Albo Monasterio was parson of Deneford in the 1280s and 1290s, but I assume that was someone else.

References

Bates, E.H. (ed.) Two Cartularies of the Benedictine Abbeys of Muchelney and Athelney in the County of Somerset (Somerset Record Society, 1899).

Eyton, Rev. R.W. Antiquities of Shropshire. (12 volumes, 1854-1860).

Green, Emanuel. Pedes Finium commonly called Feet of Fines for the County of Somerset: Richard I to Edward I, A.D. 1196 to A.D. 1307. (Somerset Record Society, 1892).

Stubbs, William. Seventeen Lectures on the Study of Medieval and Modern History and Kindred Subjects. (Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1887).