these broad acres came to the Redmans through a marriage alliance or alliances with the family of de Lancaster; and it seems to me possible that it was the bright eyes and rich dower of a de Lancaster heiress that lured Adam of Avranches into the north of England and led to his settlement there. However this may be, on no other than a supposition of this kind can one understand the very intimate relations between the two families; but, the probability conceded, many circumstances otherwise difficult to understand, become intelligible.

But enough of conjecture, which is often misleading in proportion as it is alluring. Norman seems to have transferred his duties as dapifer from Guarinus to William de Lancaster II., for when he witnesses a Confirmation of lands by William de Lancaster to William, son of Roger de Kirkby-Irleth, he is described as Normannus Dapifer (Farrer's Lancashire Pipe Rolls, &c., p. 443); and again as "Norman, the dapifer," he witnesses a grant by William to Hugh, the hermit, "pro salute animae meae et Helewisiae sponsae meae" (Ex Registro de Cockersand, f. 112; Monasticon vi., 909). As Norman de Redeman (Redeman, by the way, appears to be quite a favourite early spelling of the family name, of which we find something like a dozen variants) he witnesses the grant by Thomas, son of Cospatrick, of five acres of arable land in Hailinethait, one toft, pasture for ten cows, and an acre of meadow (Cartae Miscell., vol. ii., fo. 2).

Norman, who, as we have seen, had already inherited and acquired large estates adds to them the Manor of Tranton (variously called also Tranetherne, Trenterne, &c.) granted to him by Stiffinus, son of Dolphin de Trimbie (near Lowther, in Westmorland). In the grant it is described as

Totam terram de Tranton videlizet, quae propinquior est apud villam de Trinbe &c. cum omnibus pertinenciis suis in aquis et in agris et in pratis et in pasturis et cum communa pastura de Thrinbe reddendo annuatim octo Sollida (sic) pro omnibus serviciis

&c.

The witnesses to this grant are Robertus de Morisbe, Garnacius de Huencurte, Adam Morisbe, Huctredus, filius Osulfe, Willelmus de Lowdar, Willelmus et Thomas filius Adam de Morland, Adam Sillcet (Selside) &c.

We make further acquaintance with these Trantherne lands in a Confirmation (1201) to the Church of St. Mary, of Kildeholm, "ex dono Normaññ de Redeman t'rã de Tranethern cũ omibz ptiñ suis.”

"Now what," is the interesting question asked by Colonel Parker, of Browsholme Hall, who, I may be allowed to say, is beyond comparison the chief living authority on Redman history, "could possibly interest Norman de Redman in a remote nunnery in a distant part of Yorkshire to such an extent that he should help to endow it? He had no Yorkshire lands. Now Nicholas, the name of one of Norman's sons, is a Stuteville name and the name of the grandson and heir of the founder of the nunnery, Robert de Stuteville (temp. Henry I.) Is it not a reasonable presumption that Norman married a daughter of Robert de Stuteville or of William, his son ? The connection of the Stutevilles with Carleton and Drigg is interesting in this connection. I find that Hugh de Morville, Lord of Kirk Diomed (temp. Henry II.), married Hawisia daughter of Nicholas de Stuteville; so, at any rate, we have a Redman neighbour closely allied to the family."

That Norman's interest in the Knights Hospitallers was a practical one is proved by the fact that he gave of

his lands to the support of the Holy Hospital of Jerusalem. Some years after his death, we find a confirmation by Gernat (e), Minister of the Hospital of Jerusalem, “with the common and unanimous consent of the brothers of the order," of four acres of land in Levens, to Henry, son of Norman, "which we had of the alms of (Norman) the Dapifer, his father, tenendas de nobis in feodo et hereditate, libere et quiete, ab omni seculari servicio quod ad (elemosinam) pertinet, reddendo annuatim Domui nostrae XII in assumptione beatae (M) Virginis.'

At what time and for what reason Norman discarded the name of Yealand in favour of that of Redman I have been unable to discover. It is clear that he reached manhood a Yealand and that he lived for some time and died "de Redman." The change appears to have come towards the end of his life, and was probably inspired by the laudable wish to found a family of his own, distinct from that of his brother, Roger of Yealand; and for this purpose he identified himself with his Cumberland property and elected to be known as "de Redman." How these Redman lands came to him is another problem awaiting solution.

Norman probably died circa 1184, while Henry II. was still on the throne, and left behind him two sons, both under age, (1) Henry, his heir and successor, and (2) Nicholas, whose only legacy to posterity is his name.

14

CHAPTER III.

WITH

HENRY I. SHERIFF AND SENESCHAL.

TH Henry, Norman's successor, we reach firmer ground, where there are few will-o-the-wisps to seduce us from the well-marked track of history; although it is inevitable that in the story of a family covering more than seven centuries one must at times encounter gaps which the records do not bridge for us.

When Norman died, comparatively a young man, his heir was still in his 'teens, and probably had three or four years to wait for the full fruits of his inheritance. At any rate he must have reached manhood in 1187-8 when he proffered a mark in order that the Fine levied between himself and Ketel, son of Ughtred, concerning the territory of Levens in Westmorland, should be inscribed upon the Roll of the Curia Regis. By this agreement Ketel granted to Henry and his heirs the whole of the Manor of Levens, one moiety to be held by the said Henry in his demesne, the other to be held by Ketel of the said Henry by an equivalent service to that which Henry rendered to the chief lord for the same. Levens was parcel of the Barony of Kendal, and from that day to the present time. has continued in two moieties called, respectively, Over and Nether Levens. (Farrer's Lancashire Pipe Rolls, p. 71).

The different transactions relating to Levens at this time are not a little confusing; and it will be well to give them in detail. We have, in addition to the Fine above

mentioned, the following grant to Henry, by Gilbert Fitz Reinfrid, Baron of Kendal and Henry's overlord :

GRANT OF LEVENS TO HENRY REDMAN.

dena

Sciant tam praesentes (quam futuri quod) ego Gilbertus, filius Rogeri, filii Ranfridi, con(cessi) et mea praesenti carta confirmavi Henrico, filio Nor(manni), Levens per suas rectas divisas, scilicet, etc, tenendum de me et haeredibus meis in feodo et hereditate, libere et quiete etc, in bosco, in plano etc, salva aqua mea de Kent, etc, reddendo mihi et haeredibus meis, Henricus et haeredes sui, annuatim xvj solidos de firma et quinque solidos et rios de cornagio pro omni servicio. Hiis testibus :— :-Ricardo Adam decano, Gilberto de Lancastre, Radulfo de Arrundell, Willelmo Radulpho de Beethome, Rogero de Beethome, Rogero de (Bur)thon, Matheo Garnett, Willelmo de Kellet, Hugone de Poplington, Henrico de (I)nsula, Ormo de Irebie, Thoma de Torenthorn, Rogero de Kelland (Yelland), (Dav)id de Memecestre, Adam Garnett, Adam de Manser, Ricardo de fratre suo et multis aliis.

me, Gilberto,

Then there is another grant, recorded by Dodsworththis time of Selside as well as of Levens-by Gilbert Fitz Reinfrid to Henry de Redman :—

Notum sit omnibus, tam presentibus quam futuris, quod ego Gilbertus fil' Rogeri, fil' Reinfredi, concessi et hac presenti carta mea confirmavi Henrico de Redman, quod ipse et heredes sui teneant Levenes et Selesete (Selside), cum pertinentiis de me et heredibus meis in perpetuum. (Dodsworth, MS. 159, fo. 180).

And finally we have the following grant by Henry to Ketel of a moiety of Levens. (Nether Levens.)

Notum sit omnibus tam futuris quam presentibus quod ego, Henricus, filius Normanni de Readmane, concessi et hac carta mea confirmavi Ketello, filio Uthrid, medietatem de Levens, exce(ptas ) acras, scilicet ( Cros)thwaite et quindecim in Levens conces() Ketelli modo ut an(tecessores) nostri haereditalis scilicet predictam