General Notes

Say, Sai, of Shropshire.

Sai: Orne, arr. and cant. Argentan.

Picot, who was a substantial under-tenant of Earl Roger of Montgomery at Clun and elsewhere in Shropshire, is shown by the devolution of his lands to have been Picot de Say.  Robert, Abbot of St-Martin de Sees granted the privilege of burial to Robert and Henry their sons; and in return Picot (as he is henceforth called) and his wife gave to the abbey "edificium matris Picot cum virgulto quod habebat juxta ecclesiam sancte Marie de Vrou" and confirmed a third of the church of Sai which Osmelinus de Sayo gave at the same time, giving also meadow land in the meadows "de Juvigneio"; the charter is subscribed by Earl Roger, Picot and his wife and two sons.  "Vrou" is clearly Urou, the next parish to Sai, and Juvigni the parish immediately south of Sai.  An agreement was made on 17 May 1086 in the court of Robert de Belleme between Picot de Saio and Droco de Coimis as to the dower which Droco's brother William had given to Adeloia his wife, who had been remarried to Picot.  This is further evidence of Picot's tenure under the house of Montgomery-Belleme, and suggests that the charter to St-Martin de Sees was considerably later than 1060, the date to which it has been assigned.  [Origins of Some Anglo-Norman Families]