Robert de Scales 2nd Baron de Scales

  General Notes:

Robert, 2nd Baron Scales (c.1278-1324), was made Knight of the Bath in 1305 by Prince Edward, whom he accompanied in the Scottish wars and whose coronation as Edward II he attended in 1308. His main residence was the Manor of Rivenhall, but he also held Middleton and numerous other estates in Norfolk. He had two younger sisters: Isabella (b.c.1281) and Catherine (b.c.1283). He married Egelina (Evelina) de Courteney, daughter of Hugh, Baron Courteney and Earl of Devon. He served in Parliament from 1306 until his death.

[Genealogy of the Scales Family website]

  Events

• Manorial Estate: Newsells Manor, Barkway, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8, GB. ³ Members of the Merk family were the immediate tenants of the manor in the 12th century. A Eustace de Merk was witness to the charter of Count Eustace [of Boulogne] confirming Barkway Church to Colchester Abbey, and as others of the same family were elsewhere tenants of the Counts of Boulogne it appears possible that he was already tenant of Newsells under the count. A Sir Eustace de Merk, kt., who was living in the reign of Richard I, was styled 'lord of Newsells' and founded a chapel at Royston within this lordship. He is probably identical with the 'Eustace de Oye, son of Henry de Merk,' living in April 1190. Sir Eustace de Merk, kt., was also styled 'de Rochester' and was succeeded as tenant (apparently within his own lifetime) by his nephew Ralph de Rochester. This Ralph had been preceded by a 'Baldwin de Rochester,' presumably the Baldwin de Rochester who witnessed a charter of Henry father of Eustace 'de Oye' and perhaps a son of the same Henry. In this case Ralph would be son of Baldwin de Rochester. Newsells was the 'caput' of the barony which Ralph de Rochester held of the honour of Boulogne. Ralph's son and heir William de Rochester died shortly before 24 October 1249 and was succeeded by his brother Peter de Rochester, parson of Rivenhall, co. Essex. Shortly before his death Peter took the habit of a Knight Templar. On the Saturday before Ascension Day, 1255, as he lay on his death-bed he granted Newsells Manor to his sister Alice widow of Robert de Scales, making her swear to provide a chaplain to celebrate for his soul, or in case of his recovery to compensate him from her own lands in Cambridgeshire. He died on the Ascension Day following. At the outbreak of the Barons' War Alice Scales was residing at Newsells and was there robbed of goods and chattels worth £50 by the bailiff of Gilbert Earl of Gloucester. In 1264, she subenfeoffed her youngest son Roger Scales of Wetherden of the manor; but in 1270 it was agreed between Roger and Alice that the former's tenure should be for life only. In the same year Robert son of Roger's elder brother Robert, heir to the manor under the new settlement, obtained a grant of a weekly market on Tuesdays and an eight days' fair beginning on the vigil of the feast of St. Mary Magdalene. This Robert was the first Lord Scales and married Isabel Burnell, possibly a relative of Robert Burnell, Bishop of Bath and Wells, the chancellor and adviser of Edward I. Roger Scales transferred to the bishop his life interest in Newsells Manor before the end of the year 1271.

In 1275 the jurors of Edwinstree Hundred returned that the whole barony formerly held by Ralph de Rochester had been alienated since his time, that the 'caput' (Newsells) was in the hands of Burnell, and that the heirs of the barony had nothing whereof they could answer to the king. In January 1279-80 Robert de Weston and his wife Hawise, who was niece of Peter de Rochester, released to the bishop all their right and that of Sir Robert Scales in Newsells Manor. In 1292 Burnell conveyed his interest to Robert Lord Scales and Isabel his wife. Isabel survived her husband and held the manor for life. About 1315 Robert son and heir of Robert and Isabel reserved Newsells in making settlement of other estates on his wife Egelina. His son Robert third Lord Scales granted a life interest in the manor to Sir Robert Thorp, kt. Upon the death of the latter, Newsells reverted to Roger Lord Scales, son of the third baron.

• Inquisition: Post mortem, 4 Sep 1305. ² 323.ROBERT DE SCALES.

Writ, 4 Sept. 33 Edw. I. Endorsed: Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge Hertford.

NORFOLK.Inq. 30 Sept. 33 Edw. I.

Middelton. A capital messuage, a windmill, a water-mill, 260a. arable, 69a. meadow, 10a. pasture with rushes, 5a. wood, 1a. turbary, 4l. rents, fowls, works and pleas &c. of court.
Ilsyngton. A capital messuage, 90a. arable, 5a. meadow, 40a. several pasture, 66s. rents, fowls, 4 bus. salt, works, and pleas &c. of court.
Howe. A capital messuage, 400a. arable, 7a. meadow, 15a. several pasture, and 45s. rent from free tenants.
Reynham. A capital messuage, 120a. arable, 14a. meadow, 16a. several pasture, a water-mill, 104s. 5d. rent, fowls, works &c. and pleas &c. of court.
All held of the king in chief by service of a knight's fee and two parts of a fee, rendering 45s. yearly for the guard of the castle of Dover, and doing suit at the court of Haule every month.
Berton Benediche. A capital messuage, 200a. arable, 20a. meadow, 4l. 6s. rents, fowls, 3 qr. of malt, works, and pleas &c. of court, held of the earl of Gloucester by service of a knight's fee.
Wylton. A capital messuage, 100a. arable, 6a. meadow, a fishery with turbary, 40s. rent, and works, and certain lands &c. in Fuldon, held by Edmund de Inggolfuesthorp at fee farm rendering 106s. 8d.; held of Michael de Ponyngges by service of 1/4 knight's fee.
Islyngton. 80a. arable held of Thomas de Hauvile by service of 9s. 6d. rent; 5a. land held of Thomas de [In]ggellesthorp by ….. rent yearly; and 5a. land held of William de Fenne …… rent yearly.
Middelton. [ (fn. 1) 28a.] 3r. arable, 5a. meadow,, ….., 10s. yearly rent, hens and works, held jointly with Isabel his wife, enfeoffed by Richard Waylaund and Joan his wife by fine levied in [the king's] court, of Robert de Monte Alto by service of 1/4 knight's fee.
Robert his son, aged 26 and more, is his next heir.

SUFFOLK.Inq. (undated).

Weidone. A carucate of land, 31s. 6d. rent, fowls, pasture, meadow and wood, held of the king in chief by service of a knight's fee.
Wrydlington. A carucate of land, held of William de Wychington by 1/2 knight's fee, and 10l. rent.
He held no other lands in the county.
Heir as above, aged 25 and more.

C. Edw. I. File 120. (1.)

• Inquisition: Post mortem, 20 Mar 1325. ⁴ 593.ROBERT DE SCALES alias DE SCALYS.

Writ, 20 March, 18 Edward II.

ESSEX.Inq. 4 April, 18 Edward II.
Rewenhale. The manor held jointly with Egelina his wife, who survives, of the gift of Isabel de Scales by fine levied in the king's court, of the king in chief as of the honour of Boulogne by service of a knight's fee.
Robert his son, aged 13 and more, is his next heir.

SUFFOLK.Inq. 9 April, 18 Edward II.
Wyrdlingtone. A moiety of the manor (extent given), including 50a. arable, which when uncultivated are in common for all of the townships of Wyrdlingtone and Frekenham, held of the heirs of John de Hasstingg', as of the manor of Badmundisfeld by 1/2 knight's fee.
Heir as above, his eldest son.

NORFOLK.Inq. 4 April, 18 Edward II.
Middilton. The manor (extent given), including 30a. marsh in Suthfen worth nothing because inundated, held, excepting 3a. land which are held of Thomas Bardolf by service of 6d. rent yearly, of the king in chief as of the honour of Boulogne by service of 1/2 knight's fee, 10s. for the guard of the castle of Dover, and suit at the court of Haughle; and 30a. land and 16s. rent, held of Robert de Monte Alto by knight's service as of his castle of Risingg; 3a. land and meadow in Swynisholm and Hesp, held of John de Warbelton by service of 12 1/2d. rent; 8a. arable held of Adam de Katfeld by service of 17d. rent; and 4a. marsh in South fen inundated as above, held of the prioress of Blakebergh by service of 12d. and a hen rent.
Bertone Benedich. 63a. arable, 6a. moor, 28s. 11 1/2d. rent &c. (extent given), held of Isabel late the wife of Roger Daumari as of the honour of Clare by suit at her court of Clare.
Fouldon. 106s. 8d. rent of assize from tenements held by John son of Edmund de Ingaldisthorp, tenure unknown.
Hoga. The manor, held jointly with Egelina his wife, by fine levied in the king's court with the king's licence, of the king in chief as of the honour of Boulogne by service of 1/2 knight's fee, and 5s. for the guard of the castle of Dover.
Ilsington. The manor, similarly held of the king as of the said honour by service of 1/2 (?) knight's fee and 10s. for the guard of the castle of Dover.
He died on 20 March last. Heir as above.

Writ of certiorari de feodis, &c., 15 April, 18 Edward II.

NORFOLK.Inq. 29 April, 18 Edward II.
Blakeburgh. The advowson of the priory of nuns.
Islington. The advowson of the church.
Northclenchwarton. The advowson of the church, presenting alternately with Thomas de Ingalnesthorp.
The advowsons of the aforesaid churches pertain to the manor of Islington, which with the advowsons was held jointly by the said Robert and Egelina as abovesaid.

SUFFOLK.Inq. 8 July, 19 Edward II.
Erswill. The manor, held by Robert de Todenham by service of 2 knights' fees.
Wetherdon. The manor, held by Ralph de Scales by service of a knight's fee.
Writhelyngton. The advowson of the church presenting alternately with Aymer (Adamarus) de Valencia, who last presented.

ESSEX.Inq. 9 July, 19 Edward II.
Sandon. The manor, held by William de Cleydon by service of a knight's fee.
Le Mourhall in Herlouwe. The manor held by Matthew de Wodeham and John Snow as of the manor of Ruwenhale, by service of a knight's fee; whereof Egelina, late the wife of the said Robert, was enfeoffed, jointly with him, by fine levied in the king's court, with the king's licence.
Little Lauvare. The manor held by John Le Bousser and others, as of the manor of Ruwenhale, by service of a knight's fee; whereof the said Egelina was jointly enfeoffed for life.
Ruwenhale. A messuage and 120a. land held by Edmund de Lenham, as of the manor of Ruwenhale, by service of 1/4 knight's fee; whereof the said Egelina was jointly enfeoffed for life.
Sandon. The advowson of the church.

Extent or summary of knight's fees and advowsons of the said Robert, as above, excepting those held jointly with the said Egelina.

SUFFOLK.Assignment of dower to Egelina late the wife of the said Robert, 24 May, 18 Edward II.
Wrydlyngtone. Part of the manor (full extent given with field names and names of tenants &c.), including a third part of the grange, court &c.

NORFOLK.Assignment of dower, as above, 30 May, 18 Edward II.
Bertone Benedich. Certain lands &c. (extent given with field names).
Middiltone. A third part of the manor (full extent given with field names and names of tenants &c.).
Fouldon. 35d. 4 1/2d. and a third part of 1/4d. rent to be received of Edmund de Ingaldesthorp, who renders 106s. 8d. yearly.

C. Edw. II. File 89. (21.)

Robert married Egeline de Courtenay, daughter of Hugh de Courtenay and Eleanor le Despenser.¹ (Egeline de Courtenay died before 10 Oct 1335 ¹.)