General Notes

Two distinguished members of this ancient family, namely, Walter de Lacieand Ilbert de Lacie, fellow soldiers, if not kinsman, came into Englandwith William, the Conqueror, but in what degree allied, if at all, hasnot been ascertained. From Ilbert de Lacie, descended John de Lacie,Surety. Walter de Lacie, when power of his royal master was firmlyestablished in England, was one of the commanders whom William I sentinto Wales to subject the principality, and being victorious thereacquired large possessions, in addition to those already obtained as hisportion of the spoils of Hastings. He was killed in April, 1084, byfalling from a ladder, which he had ascended to inspect the completion ofthe church of St. Peter, in Hereford, of which he was the founder. Heleft three sons, Roger, Hugh and Walter, a monk in the Abbey of St.Peter's, in Gloucester, and two daughters, Ermeline and Emme. Roger deLacie, oldest son, through the bounty of the Conqueror, as well as byinheritance from his father, had large possessions in the counties ofBerks, Salop, Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester, where the Castle ofEwyas was the head of his barony. But joining in the rebellion againstWilliam Rufus, in favour of Robert of Normandy (Crusader, son of Wm., theConqueror), he was banished from England, and all his lands wereconferred upon his brother Hugh de Lacie, who, with many other Normansoldiers of fortune, had been permitted by Rufus to invade thePrincipality of Wales, and to acquire by their good swords, lands there,wherein the barons enjoyed a kind of Palatine jurisdiction, with power toadminister justice, hold courts, invested with divers privileges and suchwas the government of the Marches of Wales down to Henry VIII. Hugh deLacie, 2nd son of Walter, died sine prole bequeathing the great familyinheritance to his two sisters, Ermeline, who had no children, and Emmede Lacie, and her son Gilbert  who assumed the name of Lacie.