Sir Robert de Beke Knight

  General Notes:

~The Visitation of Cheshire, 1580, p.201, called Sir Robert Beck of Tene ⁶⁸⁰

  Information about this person:

• Family Background. ⁶⁸⁵
Sir Robert Beeke of Teno (10 Edward III) had a son, Sir Nicholas Beeke, who married Joan, daughter of Ralph, lord of Stafford.

~Contributions Towards a History of the Ancient Parish of Prestbury, in Cheshire, 176

• Family Background. ⁹⁰¹
Robert de Beke was the son of Lettice, the daughter and heir of Robert Bek, who married a cousin of the same name. She afterwards married Richard de Draycote, who had issue by her, and consequently held the manors of Tean and Hopton after her death. When Robert de Beke is styled "the heir of Richard de Draycote," in law suites, the meaning if that he would inherit after the death of Richard, and not that he was heir of blood. The medieval right of the husband of a deceased heiress to retain the inheritance of the heir for his life invariably lead to conflict. Shortly after, Richard de Draycote died by foul means. Agnes, his widow, was tried for his murder at the assizes of 21 Edward I, but was acquitted.

From the Plea Rolls of the Reign of Edward I:

"Staffordshire. Robert de Bek sued Richard de Draycote for causing waste and destruction in the inheritance of Robert in Tene, which Richard holds by the courtesy of England. Richard did not appear, and is to be attach for three weeks from Easter. m 197, dorso

"Staffordshire. Margery Trussel was summoned by Richard de Draycote in a plea that she impeded his presentation to the Church of Checkelegh. Richard stated that one Gilbert Bek held the manor of Tene to which the advowson was appurtenant to whom succeeded, Gilbert his son and heir, after whose death Robert entered as uncle and heir, and presented to the Church on Geoffrey his Cleark in the reign of King Henry the King's father, who was admitted and instituted ; and to him succeeded Letitia as his daughter and heir, who was under age and in ward to William Wyther, who presented one Roger in the name of the said Lettice in the reign of the present King, who was admitted and instituted ; and at whose death the Church became vacant; and he claimed that the presentation belonged to him because he had married the said Lettice and had had children by her, and he now holds the said tenements by the courtesy of England.

"Margaret Trussel denied Richard's right to present, and pleaded as in her previous suit against Robert de Bek. The case was adjourned to the Octaves of St. Martin, on which day all the parties of the various suits appeared in Court, and Margaret and the Prior and Robert conceded that Richard de Draycote should present hac vice, and Richard gave to the King 40 shillings, and a mandate was sent to the Bishop Quod non obstante, etc ; and upon this the said William Wyther and Orabella, his wife appeared and stated that they held the fourth part of the manor of Tene to which the advovson was appurtenant to the matter let if be allocated to her so far as right, ect (ideo quo ad hoc allocatur ei quod de jur, etc.) m. 155 dorso.

~Collections for a History of Staffordshire, Vol. VI, Part I, pp. 210-211

Robert married Mariota.