Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-04

Remember, remember
The Fifth Of November,
Gunpowder, Treason and Plot
were put to death in the Old Palace yard at
Westminster and at St. Paul's.
TIE MANOR OF ST. LEDGERs,
the former home of the arch couspirator,
Sir Robert Catesby, is one of the most an
cient in Britain. 1t possesses an eventful
history l am indebted for its romantic
narrative 10 my host, Maj. H. P. Senhouse,
its present proprietor and lord of the manor.
Aside from its peculiar interest, in view Of
ST. Ledger's individual historic associa-
tions. it is most curious and fascinating as
illustrative of the extraordinary recorded,
not traditional. ag Of innumerable English
estates, their frequent strange vicissitudes.
E8nd the almost purely historic volumes
which might be written upon nearly any
single piece Of entailed immortal property in
England.
The manor was granted by William the
ConqIeror to Hugh De Grentmaisnil over
500 years ago. At the time "Domesday
Book, the first tax book of England was
prepared G0S0-6), this Hugh De Grent-
maisnil held four hides of land in AShby.
There were eight acres of meadow, and the
whole was then valued at sixty shillings.
This Hugh accompanied the conqueror on
his expedition to England and was re-
warded for his services with upward of 100
manors in different counties, twenty of
which lay in Northamptonshire. He was
associated with Odo, bishop Of Bayeaux,
and William Fitz-Osborn in executing the
high Office of justiciary OF England two
years after the conquest, and died in 1894,
six days after he had
ASSUMED RELIGIOUS HABIT,
He was succeeded by his son Robert,
from whom the estate descended in ll22 to-
Ivo de Grentmaisnil. his oldest surviving
brother and heir. This Two joined the con-
federacy in support of Robert, duke of
Normandy, in the reign of Henry l, but the
enterprise failing. and being heavily fined
for his delinquency, he applied for protec-
ton to Robert, earl Of Melleut, one of the
kings chief counsel0rs, at whose suggeS-
ton he undertook a pilgrimage to Jerusa-
lem. For this purpose the earl loaned him
500 marks, or about e333, for which he
mortgaged to him all his possessions in
England, by way of security, for fifteen
years. en- condition that it should be re-
stored to his son Ivo. whom the earl en-
gagged on oath should be married to his
own niece, the daughter of the Earl OF
Warwick. The king ratified his agreement,
but Ivo, the father, dying on his pilgrimage.
the son was deprived of both his wife and
his inheritance.
Another Hugh de Grentmaisnil. success
sor of the young Two, appears to have SUBJ
sequently recovered his patrimony, which
uSSCSHUcQ W MS uduSHtSt- L clEOull1d, SAO,
marrying Robert Rlanchmaines, earl of
Leicester. the grandson of Robert, earl of
Mellent, his possessions were all transfer
red into that family.
In the reign Of Henry IL, Ashby con-
tanned four hides of the fee of the Earl
of Leicester and subsequently became par
eel of the duchy OF Lancaster. From the
reign of King John to the latter part of the
reign of Edward Ill, this lordship was
in the hand of the family De Crawford, when
Emma. daughter of Robert de Crawford,
carried ii in marriage 10 John de Catesby
of Ladbroke, in Warwickshire.
Sir William Catesby, grandson Of John,
was one of the three favorites who ruled