BRIWERE and DEVAUX

[PEhle...@aol.com]

1. Gracia (Alice) Briwere (1186-Before 1215
2. William I Briwere (1145-1226); Lord of Horsley
3. Beatrice de Vaux (Valle) (1149-1216
4. Henry de Briwere
5. ? de Walton

Will someone verify the accuracy of the above information? Also, can anyone
extend these lines further back in time? Thanks for your help.

Regards
Phyllis in Louisiana

[Dcrdcr4]

Beatrice de Valle (or Vaux), wife of William Briwerre, was almost certainly the
daughter of Hubert de Vaux, baron of Gilsland, Cumberland, by his wife, Grace.
The evidence for this is slim but compelling. Beatrice had property in
Devonshire as her maritagium. The early history of this property is shrouded.
However, Hubert de Vaux is known to have owned property in Devonshire, and
probably lived there during part of his life. Beatrice de Valle had a
daughter Grace Briwerre who I presume was named for her mother, Grace de Vaux.
Grace was rather rare as a woman's name in that period. I have proven that
William Briwerre acquired property from one of Beatrice's Vaux brothers and I
have proven that William Briwerre was involved in a suit with the widow of
another brother. If nothing else, this proves that the two families knew each
other well.

I should also note that Beatrice de Valle was almost certainly the mother of
Henry Fitz Count, bastard son of Reginald, Earl of Cornwall. This is
indicated by two successive charters which unfortunately I don't have in hand.
In these two charters, Henry Fitz Count makes a gift to some religious house
and in the next charter, Beatrice's Briwerre son refers back to his "brother"
without naming him, as if the parties understood who he meant. This would only
make sense if the two charters were recorded at the same time and if Henry Fitz
Count was the "brother" named by Beatrice's Briwerre son. The charters are
published in Monasticon Exoniensis.

The name Vaux, by the way, was usually written in Latin as Vallibus but I
have seen it on rare occasions as Valle. Beatrice's maiden name is given as
Valle in one charter I have seen. Probably additional evidence could be
located regarding Beatrice's parentage. I feel this is a good start.

I hope this helps! DR