Gervase d’Eyncourt

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ⁹¹⁰
The earliest d'Eyncourt in Westmorland was Gervase d'Eyncourt, who was granted Sizergh towards the end of the twelfth century by William de Lancaster II, lord of Kendal. The d'Eyncourt descent is found appended to a Westmoreland De Banco Roll of 1312 druing the course of some preceedings between Sir Walter de Strickland and John, son of Sir Roger de Lancaster of Sockbridge concern a common of pasture in the vill of Barton. It was stated Sir Walter's ancestor, Gervase d'Eyncourt was seized of this land in the time of Henry III. From Gervase, the right descended to a certain Ralph as his son and heir, and from Ralph to Ralph (the second) as son and heir, and from Ralph (the second) to Gervase as son and heir. From Gervase, who died without heirs, the right went to his brother Richard. Richard also died childress, so the right went to his sister, Elizabeth. From Eliabeth the right descended to William de Stirkeland, her son and heir who died without issue, the right descended to his brother and heir, Sir Walter de Stirkeland. [De Banco Roll, Westmorland, Easter, 5 Edward II (1312), no. 192, m. 158 d.]

Gervase first appearance in Westmorland as a knight of the household of the second William de Lancaster (lord of Kendal between 1170 and 1184). He attested a grant of half the land of Crook in Strickland Ketel, Westmorland mad by William de Lancaster to is cook, Walter, and another grant of the remaining portion of Crook to William fitz Geoffrey (Leven MSS). He aslo attested William de Lancaster's conveyance bestowing half of Sockbridge in Kendal upon his natural son, Gilbert. Among the other witnesses on that occasion being Walter, Abbot of Furness, Norman de Redman the Sewer and "Michael le Fleming of Furness and Anselum his son" [Lowther MSS].

Around about 1175-80, Gervase was formally enfeoffed of fifteen "librates" in Westmorland, includng the lands of Sizergh, to hold by the service of three-fourths of a Knight's fee. Other grants were made to Gervase and he became the holder of a considerable fief in the Kendal district.

Gervase was still living as late as 1210 when he served on two inquisition at Carlisle [Prescott, Wetherhal, p. 339]. Gervase probably died before May 1211, when the name of his son and successor, Ralph d'Eyncourt, replaces his own as witness to a grant made by Robert de Vieuxpont to the Abbey of Shap [Dugdale, Monasticon, 1st edit., II, p. 595].

The Early History of the Stricklands of Sizergh, pp. 57-62