General Notes

William, who assumed, from what reason is unascertained, the surname ofAlb
ini, and was known as "William de Albini, Brito," in contradiction to anot
her great Baron, "William de Albini, Pincerna," from whom the Earls of Aru
ndel descended. William de Albini, Brito, Lord of Belvoir, in the Chapt
er House of St. Albans, confirmed all the grants of his father and moth
er to the Church of Our Lady at Belvoir, desiring that he might be admitt
ed in the fraternity as those his parents had been. This feudal lord acqui
red great renown at the celebrated battle of Tinchebray, in Normandy, wher
e, commanding the horse, he charged the enemy with so much spirit th
at he determine at once the fate of the day. Of the exploit, Matthew Par
is says, "In this encounter chiefly deserveth honour the most heroic Willi
am de Albini, the Briton, who, with his sword, broke through the enemy, a
nd terminated the battle." He subsequently adhered to the Empress Maud a
nd had his castle of Belvoir, with all his other lands, seized by King Ste
phen and transferred to Ranulph, Earl of Chester. He m. Maud, dau. of Sim
on de St. Liz, 1st Earl of Huntingdon, widow of Robert, son of Richa
rd de Tunbridge, and ding about the year 1155, left two sons, viz., Willia
m, surnamed Meschines, and Ralph. [Sir Bernard Burke, Dormant, Abeyant, Fo
rfeited and Extinct Peerages, Burke's Peerage, Ltd., London, England, 188
3, p. 160, Daubeney, Barons Daubeney, Earl of Bridgewater]
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From:  Vol II File 2: The Paternal Ancestry of Homer Beers James, http://h
omepages.rootsweb.com/~pmcbride/james/f019.htm
William de Albini, called the Briton, from having been born in Englan
d. He was a soldier of distinction, and acquired great renown in the celeb
rated battle of Tenercheby, in Normandy, when he commanded the cavalry, f
or "by a charge of spirit, he determined at once the fate of the day." T
he monk Matthew Paris records "in this encounter chiefly deserveth hono
ur the most heroic William de Albini, the Briton, who with his sword bro
ke through the enemy and terminated the battle." When he became a support
er of the cause of Empress Maud, his castle of Belvoir, with all his gre
at possessions, were seized by King Stephen, who presented them to Ranulph
gerons de Meschines, the Earl of Chester. William-Brito de Albini died abo
ut 1155, leaving by his wife, Maud, daughter of Simon St. Liz, an eldest s
on, William. See Chap 29, Wurts, Vol I.