General Notes

Ranulf or Randle de Meschines, surnamed de Bricasard, Viscount Bayeux, inNormandy, (son of Ralph de Meschines, by Maud, his wife, co-heir of herbrother, Hugh Lupus, the celebrated Earl of Chester), was given by KingHenry I the Earldom of Chester, at the decease of his 1st cousin, Richardde Abrincis, 2nd Earl of Chester, of that family, without issue. By somehistorians, this nobleman is styled Earl of Carlisle, from residing inthat city; and they further state that he came over in the train of theConqueror, assisted in the subjugation of England, and shared, of course,in the spoil of conquest. He was lord of Cumberland and Carlisle, bydescent from his father, but having enfeoffed his two brothers, William,of Coupland, and Geffrey, of Gillesland, in a large portion thereof, heexchanged the Earldom of Cumberland for that of Chester, on conditionthat those whom he had settled there should hold their lands of the king,in capite. His lordship m. Lucia, widow of Roger de Romara, Earl ofLincoln, and dau. of Algar, the Saxon, Earl of Mercia, and had issue,Ranulph, his successor; William, styled Earl of Cambridge, but of hisissue nothing in known; Adeliza, m. to Richard Fitz-Gilbert, ancestor ofthe old Earls of Clare; and Agnes, m. to Robert de Grentemaisnil. Theearl d. in 1128 and was s. by his elder son, Ranulph de Meschines. [SirBernard Burke, Dormant and Extinct Peerages,. Burke's Peerage, Ltd.,London, 1883, p. 365, Meschines, Earls of Chester]