General Notes

Baldwin Fitz-Gilbert, of Brionis or Moels, 2nd son, a follower of the Conqueror, called Vicecomes, and Baldwin of Exetor. He was Seigneur de Meules and du Sap, in Normandy. After the death of his father, who was murdered by the son of Giroie, he and his brother Richard, who was ancestor of the de Clares, took refuge at the court of the Duke of Flanders. Duke William afterwards restored to Baldwin his estates of Meules and Sap, and to Richard FitzGilbert his estates of Bienfaite and Orbec, portions of their father's lands. Baldwin received from the Conqueror some 150 lordships in Devonshire, Hemington and Parlock and Apley in Somerset, and Iwerne in Dorset. Okehampton was the capital seat of his barony. He was Sheriff of Dorset 1080-1086 probably until his death. (After the Conquest the sheriffs were still the King's representatives in the county. As the King was nearly absolute, the sheriff was very powerful. The sheriff had important duties: 1. Finance. He farmed the shire at a fixed sum a year. 2. Justice. He was the King's representative in the shire court, and he sat there as president, or as a royal judge. 3. War. It was the duty of the sheriff to summon the forces of the county. The great lords led their own retainers, but the sheriff led all the rest of the troops.--Montague's Elements of English Constitutional History. E. E. W. Very different from modern sheriffs. This was from a textbook at Washington University.) In Domesday Book he is called Baldwin of Exeter, or Baldwin, the Sheriff. He married Emma or Albreda, niece of the Conqueror. He died 1090. They had Robert, Richard and William.