General Notes

[GarlandPeter.FTW]
[2013555.ged]
Note: Baldwin Fitz-Gilbert, of Brionis or Moels, 2nd son, a follower of
the Con queror, 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 estate s of Bienfaite and
Orbec, portions of their father's lands. Baldwin received fr om the
Conqueror some 150 lordships in Devonshire, Hemington and Parlock and Ap
ley in Somerset, and Iwerne in Dorset. Okehampton was the capital seat of
his b arony. 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 t he King was nearly absolute, the sheriff was very
powerful. The sheriff had imp ortant duties: 1. Finance. He farmed the
shire at a fixed sum a year. 2. Justic e. He was the King's
representative in the shire court, and he sat there as pre sident, or as
a royal judge. 3. War. It was the duty of the sheriff to summon t he
forces of the county. The great lords led their own retainers, but the
sheri ff led all the rest of the troops.--Montague's Elements of English
Constitution al History. E. E. W. Very different from modern sheriffs.
This was from a textb ook 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. H e died 1090. They had Robert, Richard
and William.