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 duSap, in Normandy. After the death of his father, who was
murdered by the sonof 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 hisestates 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 fixedsum 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 dutyof the sheriff to summon the forces
of the county. The great lords led theirown retainers, but the sheriff
led all the rest of the troops.--Montague's Elements of English
Constitutional History. E. E. W. Very different from modernsheriffs.
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.

Baldwin Fitz-Gilbert, of Brionis or Moels, 2nd son, a follower of theConqueror, called Vicecomes, and Baldwin of Exetor. He was Seigneur deMeules and du Sap, in Normandy. After the death of his father, who wasmurdered by the son of Giroie, he and his brother Richard, who wasancestor of the de Clares, took refuge at the court of the Duke ofFlanders. Duke William afterwards restored to Baldwin his estates ofMeules and Sap, and to Richard FitzGilbert his estates of Bienfaite andOrbec, portions of their father's lands. Baldwin received from theConqueror some 150 lordships in Devonshire, Hemington and Parlock andApley in Somerset, and Iwerne in Dorset. Okehampton was the capital seatof his barony. He was Sheriff of Dorset 1080-1086 probably until hisdeath. (After the Conquest the sheriffs were still the King'srepresentatives in the county. As the King was nearly absolute, thesheriff 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'srepresentative in the shire court, and he sat there as president, or as aroyal judge. 3. War. It was the duty of the sheriff to summon the forcesof the county. The great lords led their own retainers, but the sheriffled all the rest of the troops.--Montague's Elements of EnglishConstitutional History. E. E. W. Very different from modern sheriffs.This was from a textbook at Washington University.) In Domesday Book heis called Baldwin of Exeter, or Baldwin, the Sheriff. He married Emma orAlbreda, niece of the Conqueror. He died 1090. They had Robert, Richardand William.