Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, vol 2 : England | Page 7

Etheling, of whom he alwaies made verie great account. [Sidenote: The
repairing and new peopling of Carleil.] Soone after king William
returned into the north parts, and (as it chanced) he staied a few daies
about Carleil, where being delited with the situation of the towne
(which had beene destroied by the Danes two hundred yeares before)
he set workemen to repaire the same (meaning to vse it in steed of a
bulworke against the Scots on those west borders) which when he had
fensed with walles, and builded a castell in the most conuenient place
thereof, he caused churches and houses to be erected for the benefit of
such people as he had determined to bring vnto the same. This being
doone, he placed a colonie of southren men there with their wiues and
children and gaue large priuileges vnto the towne, which they inioy at
this daie.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._] ¶ Here haue I thought good to aduertise you

of an error in Matth. West. crept in either through misplacing the matter
by means of some exemplifier, either else by the authors mistaking his
account of yeares, as 1072. for 1092. referring the repairing of Carleil
vnto William Conquerour, at what time he made a iournie against the
Scots in the said yeare 1072. And yet not thus contented; to bewraie the
error more manifestlie, he affirmeth that the king exchanged the
earledome of Chester with Rafe or Ranulfe de Micenis, aliàs Meschines,
for the earledome of Carleil, which the said Meschines held before, and
had begunne there to build and fortifie that towne: whereas it is certeine
that Ranulfe de Meschines came to enioy the earledome of Chester by
way of inheritance, as after shall appeare. For better proofe whereof ye
shall vnderstand, that we find by ancient records, how one Hugh Lou or
Lupus enioied the earledome of Chester all the daies of the Conqueror,
and long after, which Hugh was sonne to Richard earle of Auranges
and the countesse Emma daughter of a noble man in Normandie named
Herlowin, who maried Arlet the daughter of a burgesse in Falois, and
mother to William Conquerour. So that the said Hugh, being sisters
sonne to the Conqueror, receiued by gift at his hands the earledome of
Chester, to hold of him as fréelie by right of the sword, as he held the
realme of England in title of his crowne. For these be the words:
"Tenendum sibi & hæredibus ita liberè ad gladium, sicut ipse (Rex)
totam tenebat Angliam ad coronam."
Earle Hugh then established in possession of this earledome, with most
large priuileges and fréedoms, for the better gouernement thereof,
ordeined vnder him foure barons; [Sidenote: Foure barons. Nigell or
Neal. Piers Malbanke. * Eustace whose surname we find not. Warren
Vernon.] namelie, his cousine Nigell or Neal baron of Halton, sir Piers
Malbanke baron of Nauntwich, sir Eustace * baron of Mawpasse, and
sir Warren Uernon baron of Shipbrooke. Nigell held his baronie of
Halton by seruice, to lead the Uauntgard of the earles armie when he
should make anie iournie into Wales; so as he should be the foremost in
marching into the enimies countrie, and the last in comming backe: he
was also conestable and Marshall of Chester. [Sidenote: The Lacies.]
From this Nigell or Neal, the Lacies that were earles of Lincolne had
their originall. When earle Hugh had gouerned the earledome of
Chester the terme of 40. yeares, he departed this life, in the yeare 1107.

He had issue by his wife Armetrida, Richard the second earle of
Chester after the conquest; Robert, abbat of Saint Edmundsburie: and
Otnell, tutor to the children of king Henrie the first. [Sidenote: _Iohn
Bohun._] Moreouer, the said earle Hugh had a sister named Margaret,
that was maried to John Bohun, who had issue by hir, Ranulfe Bohun,
otherwise called Meschines, which Ranulfe by that meanes came to
enioy the earledome of Chester in right of his mother (after that earle
Richard was drowned in the sea) and not by exchange for the
earledome of Carleil, as by this which we haue alreadie recited may
sufficientlie be prooued.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 6.] Now to returne where we left. After that king
William Rufus had giuen order for the building, fortifieng, and
peopling of Carleil, he returned southwards, and came to Glocester,
where he fell into a greeuous and dangerous sicknesse; [Sidenote: 1093.]
so that he was in despaire and doubt of his life: [Sidenote: _Simon
Dun._ _Hen. Hunt._ _Matth. Paris._ The king being sicke promiseth
amendment of life. _Polydor._ _Eadmerus._] wherefore he repented
him of his former misdéeds, and promised (if he escaped that
dangerous sicknesse) to amend and become a new man. But when he
had his health, that promise was quickelie broken, for his dooings