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THE OGLES OF OGLE AND
BOTHAL |
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| I.—. . . De Ogle tempore Willelmi
Conquestoris,’ as Dodsworth has it in his pedigree, or tempora
Guilielmi Conquestoris’ in his introduction, of the family,
representing him as the figure of a man, holding in his right arm a
shield, and his left extended to his line of descendants1.
He has been named Robert and also Gilbert, but with no authority
whatever.2 By a comparison between the pedigrees of the
Ogles and the Bertrams, he appears to have been of the same
generation as Sir Richard Bertram, who dates from the Norman
Conquest. It has been said that ‘Humphrey Ogle esquire, lived at
Ogle castle at the Conquest, to whom William the Conqueror by his
deed without date, confirmed to him, all his Liberties and Royalties
of his manor and estate of Ogle, in as ample a manner as any of his
ancestors enjoyed the same before the coming of the Normans,’ and
these words were actually inscribed on the walls of Bothal church3,
but they are not the original words and a mistake has been made4;
it is quite possible that there may have been two Ogles named
Humphrey, and that this was one of them, and it is clear that he was
the father of a Humphrey Ogle who, to judge from his charter, held
by inheritance.5 He was probably born not later than the
year 10556 in which year Siward, earl of Northuinbria,
died and Tosti became earl in his room. The latter having been
expelled went abroad, and returning with Hardrada, king of Norway,
invaded Yorkshire, but was defeated by Morkar, his successor, in the
earldom, and Edwin, earl of Mercia. In 1066 after the battle
of Hastings, Morkar joined Malcolm, king of Scotland, with other
Englishmen and Danes disaffected towards the Conqueror, having in
the meantime constituted Osulf, the son of Eadulf, earl of the
present county, in his place. In 1068 the Conqueror defeated
Edgar Atheling and Malcolm, king of Scotland, at Gateshead Fell, and
constituted Copsi, earl in Osulf’s room. Gospatrick and Robert Comyn
followed as earls of Northumberland, and after the death of the
latter at Durham, William in 1069 invaded that county, upon which it
is related the monks fled to Lindisfarne with the body of St.
Cuthbert: at this time Gospatrick was again earl but disliking the
Conqueror’s severe proceedings fled with Edgar Atheling and Malcolm,
who in 1071 roused the North against William, who passed through
Northumberland the next year on his way to the Tay where Malcolm
agreed to do homage for his lands held in England. In the same year
Waltheof became earl, but being discovered in a conspiracy, was
beheaded at Winchester. He was followed by Walcher, bishop of
Durham, who was burnt to death in a fire at Gateshead. In 1080
Robert Curthose, son of the Conqueror, on returning from an
expedition against the Scots, erected a small New-castle. It is
conjectured that about this time,..this Ogle’s son, Humphrey, was
born, and the baronies of Alnwick, Morpeth, Mitford, Bolam, and
probably Whalton, were formed. 1 Doclsworth MS. 18 f. I b. 2 MS. of 1706 Eg. D. Extracts from Ilopkinson’s MS. Collections from Hodgson’s MSS. 3 Arch. Ael. XIX, p. 251. 4 See p. 19. 5 Ap. 3. 6 See p. 26. |
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In 1088 Geoffrey, bishop of Coutance, seems to have
become earl of Northumberland, but soon after Robert, son of Roger
Mowbray, was earl of the county. In 1093 King Malcolm again invaded
the county and besieged Alnwick, but Earl Mowbray assisted by Morrel
of Bamburgh, the steward and sheriff, defeated and killed Malcolm
and his son, who were afterwards buried at Tynmouth7. In
1095
Mowbray being in a conspiracy against William Rufus was by that
king beseiged in Bamburgh castle. Mowbray having fled to Tynmouth,
Morrell surrendered the castle. For some years after this, no earl
is mentioned in history, and this Ogle having lived through these
turbulent times, probably died in the reign of Henry I (To
[Henry] II)
[1100-1135] |
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| him,whereupou a truce was concluded,
but getting no satisfaction, David besieged Wark and overran the
country as far as the Tyne, and fixed himself at Corbridge. On the
approach of Stephen he returned to his own country, Stephen making
an inroad into Scotland. After Easter in 1138 David invaded the sea
coast of the county, captured Norham, then advanced to Bamburgh and
Mitford, crossed the Tyne and ravaged as far as the Tees, but on the
22nd of September, 1138, he was defeated at the battle of the
Standard. On his way back, however, he, on the 11th of November,
took Wark castle. There was a treaty made on the 9th of April, 1139,
when Henry, David’s son, received the earldom. How far Humphrey
Ogle was connected with these turbulent times history does not
relate, but not. many years after he, about 1145, and Gilbert, his
son, witnessed certain letters14, of the ‘ highest lord Walter fitz
Willia.m ‘ which certified the issue of a duel at Whalton between
William Tascha and Bertram Widdrington and the judgment of Odonell
Umfreville thereupon15. In these duels the special interference of
heaven was expected to give the victory to him who fought on the
side of justice. A similar duel was fought and won by Robert Bertram
of Bothal. Many consider the duel a Norman institution but Worsaae16
says that the duel called Holmgang was carried by the Normans with
them into Normandy and there can scarcely be a doubt, that the
Danes and Normans, long before the Conquest of England, long before
Canute the Great’s time, introduced it into the Danelag in the
North of England, where at least, the word Holmgang in the pure
Scandinavian meaning was in use for many generations. That Anglo-Saxon names
appear in the above letters or Charter would tend to confirm
Worsaae’s opinion. The manor of Widdrington in the time of King
Stephen or Henry II was holden of Walter fitz William as of his
barony of Whalton17. Humphrey de Ulgel (sic) was a witness to Walter
fitz William’s grant of Gosford to Otwer de Lisle18. He was evidently
dead in 1166.19 (To III.) III - Gilbert de Hoggal or Ogle, etc., occurs about 1145 as son of Humphrey Ogle in the list of witnesses who signed the document of the final issue of the trial by duel between William Tascha and Bertram Widdrington20. In 1153, David I., king of Scotland, summoned the barons of Northumberland to do homage to the infant successor of his son Earl Henry, who died that year, and whose eldest son, Malcolm, was heir to the crown and William, Earl David Died the same year as Stephen, in 1154, and Malcolm resigning Cumberland to Henry II., did not assist his brother William’s claims to Northumberland. Gilbert Ogle held half a knight’s fee of land under Walter fitz William, baron of Whalton21, who certified his knights fees at the same time as Richard Bertram baron of Bothal. His name occurs in the Pipe Rolls in the years 1169 and 1170,22 and he was a witness to Walter fitz William’s grant of Gosford to Robert de Lisle;23 in this deed his name appears fourth, in a long list of witnesses, so he must have been of some age, and as his name does not occur in the Pipe Rolls after 1170, and is replaced by Robert Ogle in 1181, it seems that died must have died before the later date. A pedigree quoted by Collins24 calls him William, now William, in Latin, is sometimes written Guilielmus25, and if in the contracted form and badly written would look very much like Gilbertus, especially when the spelling of that time is also considered, and that the French eouivalent Guillaume is also similar. This seems to be the reason for the appearance of the name William. (To IV.) Robert Ogle occurs as son of Humphrey Ogle26, but there is no proof of his having existed. 14See below. 15An. 4. 16Worsaae, p. 160. 17Hodgson II., ii., p. 233 18Ap. 124. 19Ap. 5. 20Ap. 4. 21Ap. 5. 22Ap. 275. 23Ap. 121 24CAV & Ogle, p. 344. 25See p. 25. 26Harl. MS. 1554f., 132 b. |
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IV - Robert de Oggil or Ogle occurs in the Pipe Rolls in 1181,27 and
also as grandson of Humphrey28. ‘In his Majesties Rolles of the Pipe Office
it is recorded in the 27th year of King Henry the second, and that
amongst them of Northumberland; that Robert de Ogle was to bringe fower
[Note 1 Ed] pledges, to be bound to the king, that he should continue his true
and loyall subject, for defence of his castel of Ogle against the
Scotts29. This Robert, called Sir Robert, captured the baron of
Rutherford30, although Collins makes out that it was his son who
captured both this baron and Alexander Ramsay in battle at Hexham31.
This battle of Hexham probably occurred during the inroad of William the Lion, who was seeking restitution of the earldom of Northumberland, and who, in 1173, laid seige to Wark, destroyed
Warkworth, advanced upon Newcastle, but passing by beseiged Prudhoe,
and subsequently Carlisle32, most likely passing Hexham; however the
date is given 1172, when £20 was paid to Odonel de Umfreville to
support the soldiers of the castle of Prudhoe on account of losses
to the Scots33. In 1174, William attacked Wark, Bamburgh. and, not
being able to reduce Wark, marched upon Carlisle, and then beseiged
Prudhoe again, but being repulsed by Odonel, marched to Alnwick
where he was taken prisoner and afterwards surrendered Berwick. In
1175 the Scots sacked Harbottle castle. (To V.) Gilbert de Hoggill, Oghell, etc., or Ogle, called William for the same reason as shown under Gilbert above, as son of one of the same name, and dying without issue was succeeded by his brother John34. In the accounts of Roger Stuteville, then sheriff, Gilbert de Hoggell is fined one mark for bringing a writ against his lord in 33rd reign of Henry II.35 Hodgson states that he witnessed a deed respecting Milburne in the parish of Ponteland between the years 1184 and 1189. About the year 1190 he is mentioned in connection with the monastery of Tynemouth36, but Gibson, quoting from the same source, says that between 1209 and 1216 Gilbert de Hoghill witnessed a charter of Ralph, prior of Tynemouth. He was evidently dead in 1221, when Agnes is called his late wife and has a difference with Roger de Oghell concerning land in Burradon, which her husband had acquired from Constance de Crammavile and also from her heir Robert de Cramrnaville.* [M1159] He married Agnes who as late wife in the fifth year of Henry the third had a ‘precipe’ against Roger de Oghell concerning 8 acres of land in Burradon. In 1222 she is stated to owe half a mark for having ‘a pone’ [Note 2] against Reginald de Hoghill concerning land in Burradon. Sir John de Ogghill, or Ogle, who Collins states succeeded his brother [Gilbert]who had died without issue 39. The name is also noted in Harleian MS No 1554. Sir John and Richard de Oggill occur about 1230-1240, as witnesses with John Morrell of Middleton and others to a deed of Thomas of kenton giving to Thomas, son of Sir John of Belshow, all his share, viz, one sixth part, in the mill of Middleton Morrell 40. Richard de Oggill, or Ogle, occurs about 1230-1240 with Sir John de Oggill as a witness as above41, and was dead in 40 Henry III., [1256] when Roger his son complains against William de Madle concerning land in Riplington42 which William’s cousin Simon had leased for 29 years to Richard de Oggill, who died in 1252.43 This Richard probably held lands in Riplington or Whalton for he never seems to have held Ogle, for his son Thomas, in 20 Henry III., [1236] held Ogle and half Burradon44. The one doubtful point is whether he was a son or a brother of John, whose signature stands before his 27Ap 275. 28 Harl. MS. 1554 f. 132 b. Cav. & Ogle, p. 344. 29Ap. 156. 30Ap. 162. 31Cav. & Ogle, p. 344. 32Hodgson I., p. ‘216. 33Hodgson II., ii., p. 431. 34Car. & Ogle, p. 344. 35Ap. 121. 36Brand II.. p. 78. 37Ap. 18. 38Ap. 275. 39Cav. & Ogle. p. 344 40Ap. 127. 41Ap. 127. 42See Ap. 21. 43Ap. 288. 44Ap. 21. * Arc. Ael. XXIV., P. 115. Note 1: Meaning four or four times - from "A concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, 4th edition", may be spelled feower also. Note 2: A pone was a writ issued from the chancery transferring an action entered in the county court or some other local court to one of the courts at Westminster. From "The publications of the Selden Society". |
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| as a witness and so was probably
younger. It is known that Richard lies in the line of direct descent
from Humphrey of the original charter, as the charter passed through
the line of Richard’s son Thomas, who was a contemporary or nearly
so of Richard Bertram, third baron of Bothal, in 1236,45 and his name
occurs in the Pipe Rolls in 1219. This fact prevents the insertion
of another generation, besides Agnes, late wife of Gilbert, had in
1221 1222 a case against Richard’s son Roger concerning lands in
Burradon46, who no doubt inherited these lands from his uncle, and the
case was a question of dower: thus it seems Richard must have been
brother to John; it is not unlikely, moreover, that the Reginald
mentioned in the Pipe Rolls, 1222, is not this Richard. (To V. B.) V - Robert de Oggil is mentioned by Collins as son of Robert and dying in the lifetime of his father, 6 Richard I., [1195] and is probably the same person as shown in Harleian MS. No. 1554, as dying in his father’s lifetime although the dates conflict47. There is no proof of his having existed, but, even if he did, his father’s estates passed to his cousin. B. - Sir Thomas de Oggil, D’Oggil, etc., occurs in the Pipe Rolls in 1219, 1221) and 1221, in which latter year also Roger de Hoggill paid half a mark for summoning him48. He and his brother Roger occur as witnesses to a grant by Henry, son of Ralph de Stikelaw, to Richard. son of Geoffrey de Newsham, of land in Stikelaw49. Roger Bertram and he witnessed certain grants to Stannington church50, also to Roger Merley the third’s grants of Plessy, Shotton, and Blagdon to John de Plessy51, and to Merley’s grants in Stannington. and Plessey to Sir John de Plessey, also in 1236, Sir Roger Bertram and he witness the grants of Richard Bertram of Bothal to the monastery of Tynmouth concerning the tithes of Bothal52, also at Morpeth, etc.53, and these two occur together so often that it appears that Thomas Oggil must have been a justice itinerant as well as Sir Roger Bertram. Thomas was also during the sheriffalty of Hugh de Bolbeck from 1236 to 1245 a witness to a deed respecting the mills of Plessey and to another deed of Roger de Merley54. King Henry III. gave him and Roger Mauduit respite concerning the bearing of arms until the feast of Saint Hillary in the 25th year of his reign55 [1241]. As Sir Thomas Oggil he witnessed Sir Walter Corbeth’s grant of Colwell, and in 1260 a grant to the convent of Hexham; he thus appears to have been a most active man. In 20 Henry III. [1236], he held Ogle and half of Burradon and later is returned as holding those lands of the heir of John fitz Robert by one and a half knight’s fees56. In 1249, he and three other knights were ordered to interview Sir Walran de Horton, and in the same year the sheriff had orders to arrest Sir Thomas and the other knights and to have their bodies at the Strand in Middlesex because they did not appear on a trial of John Baard and Walran de Horton to report upon their view whether the defendant was sick in bed as he pretended and therefore unable to be present at the trial57. In 1250, he is fined two marks and Alexander Oggil half a mark for non appearance. His name occurs in the assize roll 40 Henry III.59 [1256] In 1259, he and Alexander Oggill are fined the same sums as before60. In 1260, he appears at Hexham61, and in 1263, he made an agreement at Whalton to make reasonable boundaries between Belsay and Ogle62, and he occurs last as a witness in 55 Henry III.63 [1271] when he must have been upwards of seventy years of age. The principal events of his period were the revolt of the baronage against King John in 1215 and their homage 45Ap. 20. 46Ap. 18. 47Ap. 162. 48Ap. 275. 49Ap. 291. 50Wallis II., p. 284. 51Ap. 24. 52Ap. 20. 53Hodgson II. ii., pp. 342-3, 482; Hist. MSS. VI. 54Ap. 24. 55Ap. 22. 56Ap. 21 and 21*. 57Hodgson II., ii., p. 259: III., ii.. p. 342. 58Ap. 275. 59Surt. Soc. 88, P. 64. 60Ap. 275. 61Hist. North. IV., p. 305. 62Ap. 25. 63Wallis II., p. 503. |
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to Alexander II, and John’s burning of Wark,
Ainwick, Mitford and Morpeth and the Crusades under Richard I In 1249,
Northumberland was formally and legally united to the British Crown. In 1263-65 the barons revolted against
King Henry III |
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| daughter in marriage annuities out of
Warden, Fourstones and other places. His name occurs in a deed
whereby Adam, son and heir of Gilbert de Stokesfield, quit-claims
to Alexander Baihol land in Bywell82, and in a numerous number of
deeds his name appears83. Sir Robert Bertram and he were Justices in a case
for the Prior at Tynemouth84; and in 1295/6 as John, son of Thomas
de Oggill, he gave to Robert de Oggill, his son, a carucate of land
in his demesne of Oggill85; two years later he was knight of the shire
for Northumberland and served in Parliament. He was at Morpeth a
year or two afterwards, and witnessed, with William de Denum, a
grant by Roger Craw of Longstratton, Norfolk, to William, son of
Roger Bokenfield, of a rent of twenty shillings out of Shotton and
Plessey. By a deed dated at Oggehill, 29th December, 1305, he gave
to Robert his son and heir all the land of Northstrother in his
field of Oggehill, to which deed Sir Hugh Gubium and Roger Gubium
were witnesses87. Sir Hugh Gubium with Sir Robert Bertram also
witnessed his
gift of Newham to his daughter Isabel88. In 1300 at Oggell, on the
Thursday next after the feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross, he
granted to William son of William de Denum lands in Oggell89, and
three years later gave his son Robert six acres of land in Oghill90,
and in 1316 all his meddow in Ogill called Milnefordhaugh to
William de Denum91. A black letter MS. (Chronicle?) in the library of
All Souls’ College, Oxford, tells how John de Oghell 'received
at Ogle castle David Dunbar a knight of a foxes tail’ and treated
him first with the courtesy due to a stranger, but that after
dinner they fell into a quarrel when he rising up slew his guest
with a pole axe; another account says, Sir David Dunbar having
travelled through several countries wearing a foxes tail in his cap
as a challenge for anyone to fight and later coming through England
on his way to his own country was fought and slain by Sir Robert
Ogle with a pole axe which remained as a monument in the great hall
of Bothal castle, which event gave rise to the following lines: As the spray of the Ocean, breaks high on the rock So rushed the fierce warriors, on to the shock And the steeds which they rode, rnock’d the lightning in speed When the thunderbolts level by heav’ns dark deed On they came, and Sir Robert’s half moons glisted white, Whilst, his mighty pole axe, as a meteor shone bright, Presaging dark fate, like the Demon of War That whispered the requiem to gallant Dunbar, They met, and his fox crested helmet was crushed, And low hurl’d the warrior down on the dust, Whilst Ogles brave chieftin sped safe from the field, Elate with the trophies he bore on his shield. The history of the period, besides the barons’ war, comprised the settlement of John Balliol’s claim to the throne of Scotland in 1291, who two years later, renouncing his allegiance, led to war during which Hexharn abbey was pillaged and partially destroyed; in 1296, Edward I summoned Balliol to do homage, and, on his refusal, Berwick was stormed and taken, Corbridge was burnt by Wallace, and Harbottle castle besieged by the Scots. In 1297, Wallace having taken Berwick had to relinquish it, and in 1305 he was captured and executed. In 1306, Robert Bruce became king of Scotland. He married Annabella, daughter of Sir Walter Selby (see x), as Annabella, widow of Sir John de Oggel, knight; she quit-claimed to Robert her son the manor of Oghill. reserving the chapel of the manor with a garden, etc.93, and released all right she had as a dower; these transactions are 81Ap. 27. 82Hodgson II ii, p. 48. 83Hodgson II, ii., p. 303; Arch. AeL II, p. 10; Cal. Pat. year 1305; Surt. Soc. Vols. 66 & 88. 84Hist. MSS., VI. 85Ap. 28. 86Hodgson II, ii., p. 326. 87Ap. 31. 88Ap. 35. 89Ap. 32. 90Ap. 42. 91Ap. 34. 92Eg. D. 93Ap. 40. x Glover. |
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witnessed by Sir John de Fenwick who was sheriff 13 to 15 Edward
II [1320-1322].94
([jump]To VII
[below]). M - Gilbert de Oggill, or Ogle, occurs by name in the assize roll of 7 Edward I 95 [1279], and in 1313 one of the same name, Robert Bertram of Bothal, and others, received pardon as adherents of the earl of Lancaster and for the death of Gaveston96; he seems also to have been on an inquisition, 24th of June, 8 Edward III [1335], where mention is made of Sir Robert Bertram of Bothal97. William de Oggill, or Ogle, was bailiff of Newcastle in the years 1283, 1289, 1292, 1294 to 1303, 1305, and 1306.98 In 1292 he was a witness to a deed of benefaction to St. Mary’s Hospital;99 and a witness and bailiff of eweastle in 1300.100 Later he occurs as having given a messuage in Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Gilbert Oggill.101 ([jump]To VII M.) John Oggill, or Ogle, occurs in a list of gentlemen who should have been knights 22nd of September, 1278; he held land under William de Ros and Roger de Coygners.102 VII - Sir Robert Oggle, or Ogle, baron of Ogle, etc., son and heir of Sir John Ogle who in 1295 gave him a carucate of land in Oggill.103. Hodgson says he was a ward of John de Denum, but the latter was probably only a trustee for in the year 1302 he won a case in the king’s court against John de Denum and his father John de Oggle, concerning land in Oggle,104 and his father later in 1305 gave him land called Northstrother in Oggehill to which deed Sir Hugh Gubium and Roger Gubium were witnesses, so the gift was probably given on his marriage.105. In 1313 his father augments his gifts of land.106. On the 24th of August, 1318, Letters Patent by Sir William Ridel, sheriff, acknowledged the receipt by the hands of Robert de Ogle, 20 quarters of wheat and a cask of wine to store in Mitford castle.107. This store was no doubt to guard against the attacks of King Robert Bruce, who in 1311/14, ravaged Tynedale and Redesdale and the injuries done in the counties of Northumberland and Durham were very great. In 1314, Edward II assembled an army at Berwick previous to his defeat at Bannock burn. In 1318, Bruce captured Berwick, the Scots beseiged Norham in vain, and afterwards Mitford castle was taken and destroyed in 1323. In 1319, Edward II failed to take Berwick, and Norham was taken by the Scots and retaken by the English. In the same year Edward II thanked Sir Thomas Grey, constable of Norham, for the letters sent by Robert de Oggel, the present bearer, whom he also thanked for his good services.108. Shortly before his mother had released to him the manor of Oghill and all rights by which she held dower.109. In 1323 he is returned in a list of men of arms in the county; these men at arms were the same as knights but had not taken the degree of knighthood upon them,110 and as such he was summond to the Council at Westminster.111. He was also a witness in 1323 at Ainwick of a grant by Gilbert de Aton, kinsman of Wm. de Vesey, to Sir Henry Percy.112. He was with Edward III at Stanhope Park in Durham when the king was unable to bring the Scots to battle,113, and on their return over the Border they took Norham. A peace was concluded in 1328, when Princess Joanna, sister to Edward III, was married to Prince David. In 1329, Robert Bruce died, the peace was broken, and Berwick was beseiged by sea and land by Edward III, and the tragedy of the two sons of Sir Alexander Seton, the deputy governor, is said to have taken place. On the 9th of September, 1329, Robert Oggle 94Ap. 41. 95Surt. Soc. 88. 96Parl. Writ. Westr., 16 Oct. 1313. 97Arch. Ael. IV., p. 45. 98Brand I. p. 71. 99Ib., 31. 100Ap. 251 and see Hist. MSS., XIII. 101Ap. 249. 102Hodgson I., pp. 295-6. 103Ap. 28. 104Ap. 29. 105Ap. 31. 106Ap. 42. 107Cal. Scot. 108Cal. Scot. 109Ap. 40, 41. 110Hodgson I., p. 303. 111Parl. Writs. 112Dodsworth MS., 74 f., 143. 113Wallis II., p. 551. |
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occurs as a juror on an inquisition at Newcastle114. On the 28th of March, 1330 he received a pardon from the Crown115. On
the 10th of October, 1331, there is an enquiry into a complaint of
Gilbert de Umfreville, earl of Angus, that Robert Ogle, William de
Felton, and others broke into his park at Birtle and took the deer116. In 1333 Sir Archibald Douglas attempting to relieve Berwick was met
and defeated with great slaughter at Halidon Hill. Berwick was then
surrendered to the English and Edward Balliol nominally appointed
king of Scotland. In 1335 Robert Oggle and others had orders to
array the militia at Newcastle to meet Edward III on his way to
Scotland117, but on the 13th of May Thomas de Heton, he, and others
were ordered to cancel the array of men in Newcastle itself,
although they had had orders to array all men at arms, hobilers,
archers, etc., in the county to be ready to go against the invading
Scots, because the mayor of Newcastle had promised his men to serve
upon the sea118. On the 25th of November he was deputed to raise all
men capable of bearing arms in the franchise of Hexham, to spare
none, and such as were disobedient to his orders to arrest and
imprison, he being high bailiff of the dominion of Tynedale120. He
occurs as a witness to grants by Sir Philip de Somerville lord of
Witton, Underwood, and of John Corbit lord of Stanton, in which
later grant he is described as a knight and Sir Ralph de Eure,
sheriff121. In 1338, Christiana, widow of Hugh de Acton, calls him
lord of Ogle and gives him lands in Whalton122. In 1339, in a licence
to Henry Percy mention is made of the moiety of Thrasterton being
in the tenure of Robert Oggle.123 In 1340, Edward III was at Berwick
with 46,000 men, on which occasion a tournament was held which ended in a
real contest, when two Scottish and one English knight were killed. In 1341 Edward III proceeded to Wark castle to relieve the
countess of Salisbury who was beseiged in it. In the same year King
David Bruce made three incursions into England, in the second of
which he encamped at Hedden Law, 6 miles from Newcastle, on Sunday,
the 26th of August, when five knights were captured by the strategy
of Sir Robert Oggle. It appears that he decoyed them into a morass,
a full description of the transaction is given in the Chronicle of
Scotland, with the names of the knights captured who were held for
ransom124. On the 11th of May of the same year he had a grant of free
warren in Oggle, Aldensheles, Rouley, Shilvington, Haselrig,
Folbiry, Thrasterton, Hurtheworth,
with permission to crenillate
and strengthen his manse of Oggle in consideration of his service
against the Scotch125. There is no doubt that, at this time he was equivalent to a feudal baron126. Shilvington came to him from the
Gubiums who held it in chief, and although some of his lands were
held under other lords, it was evidently considered a barony by a
committee of the House of Lords and he was called lord of Ogle at
the battle of Neville’s Cross; Hodgson Hinde, however, thought
differently127, but evidently had not seen his inquisitions post
mortem128; moreover a writ of Edward III was directed to Robert de
Ogle and Robert Bertram concerning the conducting of John Douglas,
prisoner, to the tower on the 8th of December, 1346, see below129, his
name standing before the baron of Bothal, the sheriff and governor
of the castle of Newcastle. The same year Thomas de Burneton
quit-claimed to him all his rights in Seaton near Woodhorn, and
the fishing in the Wansbeck130. On the 10th of May, 1344, he was a
commissioner to array the militia of the county, and on the 10th of
April, 1345, in a similar commission with Robert Bertram and Adomar
de Atheles131, and in the same year the Scots having invaded
Cumberland burnt Carlisle and Penrith, he, John de Kirkeby, bishop
of Carlisle and Sir Thomas Lucy raised |
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| forces to oppose them; a party of
foragers under Sir Alexander Straghan, their chief commander, were
fiercely attacked, entirely routed, Sir Alexander being run through
the body with a spear and killed by Sir Robert Oggle., he himself
being dangerously wounded; after this the Scots returned to their
own country132. On the 9th of May, 1346, at Aldenscheles, Robert
Doggie, seneschal of Annandale, in the name of William de Bohun,
earl of Northampton, agreed with Richard de Thirilewalle to keep
Lochmaben castle for one year, and a letter from Henry le Clerk
reports Lochmaben will soon be victualled if he gets money to pay
for stores at Carlisle and urges attention to the affairs of Robert
Doggille and others in the castle. He, as R. Doggle, occurs as a
surety, on the 9th of May, 1346, the deed has 4 shields in wax
including a shield couché a fesse between 3 crescents, crest on a
helmet a plume of feathers ‘Sr Roberti [Oggle].'133 In 1346, the Scotch, under
David II, having burnt Corbridge, etc., invaded Durham and encamped
near the town of that name. On the 17th of October, he was met by
four bishops, the Lords Neville, and Percy, Sir Robert Ogle, Sir
Robert Bertram, and others, with 10,000 men and completely
defeated at Neville’s Cross. David himself was taken prisoner by
John de Coupland who took him for the time being to Ogle castle, and
it seem Sir Robert Ogle captured John Douglas, brother to the earl
of that name, in addition to the earl of Fife, Henry de Ramsey and
Thomas Boyd134. Froissart says that on the morning of the battle the
Lords Ogle and Deincourt commanded the strong and gallant party
which formed the Guard of Queen Philippa135. On the 20th of October,
Lionel, the king’s son, Guardian of the Realm, signified to him and
eleven others ‘That after thanks to God for the many benefits
bestowed on him, and the king’s subjects, in the deepest sense of
gratitude, he acknowledges himself bound to him for his approved
loyalty and valour, for the honour of his name, and defence of the
kingdom of England against the Scotch his enemies, beseeching him to
be vigilant in those parts, that no damage may happen by the
iniquity of his said late adversaries.’ Furthermore, he signified
to him on December 8th, 1346, ‘ That for avoiding the escape of
prisoners taken in the battle of Durham and elsewhere in the North
he had ordered them to he carried to the Tower of London136.” He
therefore commands him to convey those prisoners in his custody so
as to be there and delivered to the constable of the said Tower on
Wednesday before the feast of the Epiphany137. On the 20th of
December, both he and Sir Robert Bertram were summoned to meet the
prelates and nobles of the Kingdom at Westminster to consult on
matters relative to the state and defence of the nation and to an
expedition into Scotland138. In 1346 and 1350, he appears as steward
of Hexhamshire, in which latter year he appears to have died, for
his son in 1351 and later appears to deal with and hold the estate139;
he died possibly from the plague which seems to have then raged at
Hexham140. His son in 1352, gave Thomas his son some land141.
He married, probably, in 1305,142 Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Hugh Gubium, high sheriff in 1294, who had married Joan, daughter and sole heir of Nigell Morell and had two sons killed by the Scots, thus dying without issue male143. Sir Hugh was lord of Shilvington144, and the name occurs in the roll of Battle abbey. The name Morell occurs in 1093 as of Bamburgh, the earl’s deputy, who killed Malcolm, king of Scots, and in 1095, as sheriff of Bamburgh and kinsman to Robert Mowbray, earl of Northumberland, when he was besieged by William Rufus; Morell for his gallant defence of Bamburgh, was received into the king’s court and favour145, but another account says he died in exile146. It is probably through this match 132Ridp., p. .336. 133Cal. Scot. 134Rymer V., 533. 135Ridp., p. 336. 136Rymer V., pp. 528, 533. 137Ib. p. 535. 138Ridp, p. 762. 139Ap. 52, 53, 54, 55. 140Hist. North. III., p. 65. 141Ap. 57. 142Ap. 31. 143Harl. MS., 1554. 144Hodgson III, I, p. 208. 145Cox, p. 631. 146Hodgson I., p. 195. |
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