"Terra Regis. Manerium in Larun. Hauuard III. Carucatas ad Geldum, Terra “ að I. Car. IIII Solidos.” Domefday-Book. FROM which it appears, that Yarm was ancient demefne of the crown, and contained three carucates of land, rated (ad geldum) befides which, there was land fufficient for one plough, valued at four fhillings. YARM continued in the crown, till it was given by the Conqueror to Robert de Brus, or le Brus (from whom the Kings of Scotland of that name, and the noble family of Bruce, Earl of Aylesbury, are defcended ;) a perfon of fo much note, and fo much confided in by the Conqueror, that he rewarded him with no less than forty-three lordships in the east and weft ridings, and fifty-one in the north-riding of Yorkfhire; whereof the manor and castle of Skelton was the capital of his barony. He lived to an extreme old age, and died in the fixth year of King Stephen, leaving this and his other eftates in England to Adam, his fon and heir; whofe defcendants enjoyed this lordship for many fucceffions; till Peter de Brus dying without iffue (55. Henry III.) his four fifters became his heirs; of whom, Lucia, the fecond, marrying Marmaduke de Thweng, had Yarm and fome other eftates for her fhare, upon the divifion.-From the Thwengs this lordship paffed by marriage to the Hiltons of Hilton in Cleveland, and from them to the Meinills of Whorlton-Castle; which last family enjoyed it, till maleiffue failing, Elizabeth the daughter of Nicholas de Meinill, marrying John, Lord D'arcy; and having children by him (though fhe afterwards married Peter de Malo-lacu, or Mauly 6th,) when she died in the forty-fecond year of Edward III. left this, and her other estates to Philip, Lord D'arcy, her fon, then fifteen years of age. This Philip had livery of his lands in the 47. Edward III. and was fucceeded by John, his son and heir, who married Margaret, daughter of Henry, Lord Grey de Wilton, and died 13. Henry IV. Philip his fon fucceeded, and died 6. Henry V. without male-iffue, leaving two daughters, his heirs; viz. Elizabeth and Margaret; the latter of whom, marrying Sir John Conyers, Knight, had Yarm, and divers other lands allotted to her, upon the partition. Yarm continued in the poffeffion of the Conyers' family for feveral generations; till the 3d and 4th of Philip and Mary, when John, Lord Conyers, dying without male-issue, his three daughters became his heirs; viz. Anne, married to Anthony Kemp, Efq. and died fine prole; Catherine was married to John Atherton, Efq.; and Elizabeth, to Thomas D'arcy, Efq. whofe fon, Conyers D'arcy, Knight, and the faid John Atherton fold this manor and estate in the year 1614 to Sir Henry Bellafife of Newborough, Bart, ancestor to the Earls of Fauconberg; in which family they continued till the death of Henry, the laft Earl, who, on failure of iffue-male, divided his estates among his four daughters, when Yarm became the property of Sir George Wombwell, Bart. by marriage with Ann, fecond daughter of the faid Earl. A Pedigree of the family of Bellasise, Viscount Fauconberg, Baron of Yarm, &c. The name of this family, in old deeds and records, has been variously written Bellafife, Bellafyes, Bellafyfe, &c. from the town of Bellafyfe, in the Bishoprick of Durham, of which they were owners foon after the conqueft. Roger de Bellafife-Joan, daughter of Sir Robert Harbottle, Knt. Sir Robert de Bellafife, Knt.-Anne, daughter of Sir Wm. Gouldboume, Knt. Sir John de Bellafife_Ofward, daughter of Sir Wm. Tailbois, Knt. Thomas. John de Bellafife_Alice, daughter of John de la Hay. Dionife Sir Gerard Sallveyn. John. of Billingham, Esq. William de Bellafife_Maud, daughter and coheir of Wm. Billingham fon and heir. * John de Bellafife_Alice, daughter of Sir Robert Hanfard fon and heir. Joan John Buffy, Efq. 1 Elizabeth Sir John Waddome, Knt. 2 Julian Sir John Carlington, Knt. of Walworth, Knt. William de Bellafife_Cecily, daughter and heir of fucceeded his brother. Wm. Hoton of Butterwyke. Robert de Bellafife. John de Bellafife died without male iffue, 18. Henry VI. *He gave to the Prior and Convent of Durham all his lands, tenements, &c. within the manor of Wolvifion, and lordship of Bellafife, in exchange for the manor of Henknowle; upon which this proverb had its rife; viz. "Bellafife' Bellafife, daft was thy nowle "When thou gave Bellafife for Henknowle." Richard Bellafife, con-Margery, daughter and heir of Richard Errington of Morton, || William Bellafife of New-Margaret, brough, Knt. heir to his uncle. ob. 1604, aged 81. Urfula, daughter of Sir Thomas, created Lord Fauconberg and daughter of Sir 2. Brian born____ 1599, had Morton. Barbara, daughter of Sir 3. Nicholas. 4. Charles. Cath. Tho. Metham, Efq. 5. Richard, four daughters died young. Dorothy Sir Conyers D'arcy, Knt. THIS William was a juftice of the peace for 60 years, and a knight 50; and faw his fon and grandfon knighted before his death. § He erected a monument, in his life-time, in the cathedral of York, with the effigies of himfelf and his lady, his fon and two daughters, with the following infcription: Henricus Bellafis, Miles et Baronettus, Filius Mors certa eft, in certa Dies, nec certa fequentum Henry. Anthony. Bridget. Frances. Brabara. Anne. † BISHOP Burnet fays, that Cromwell's daughter, married to the Lord Fauconberge, was a wife and worthy woman, more likely to have maintained the poft of protector, than either of her brothers; according to a faying that went of her, "that thofe who wore breeches deferved petti"coats better; but, if thofe in petticoats had been in breeches, they would have held fafter." It may be prefumed that he was influenced by her lord her husband; and, (from what has been faid) concurred with him in the refloration. |