Sir Ralph de Rocheford & Cecilia de Stepping

 5910216. Sir Ralph de Rocheford & 5910217. Cecilia de Stepping

~1250, Ralph born in England, heir & s/o 11820432. John de Rocheford & 11820433. Emma ?. [Documented in 9/1335 suit of son Sayer.]

~1255, Cecilia born in England.

By 1267, Ralph’s father died.

4/20/1267, Simple protection … for Emma late the wife of John de Rocheford until 29 September.

1269, Ralph and his mother Emma paid 2 marks to have a case heard at the King’s Bench dealing with properties in Lincolnshire and Nottingham.

1271, Ralph held half a carucate in Toft under his grandmother Joan.

2/1272, Ralph paid a mark to have a case heard at the King’s Bench.

[––Ralph & Cecilia––]

By 1272, Ralph married to Cecilia ?.

11/16/1272, Edward I succeeded Henry III as King of England. [While on crusade.]

12/1272, Ralph and Cecilia in a court dispute with William de Stepping.[Stepping and Rocheford families holding land in Toft for multiple generations.]

1274, Ralph and others claimed the assize of bread and ale in Skirbeck wapentake. [The right to regulate the making and sale of bread and ale.]

1279, Ralph is a suit with Thomas de la Gotere of Boston and Helewys de Ledenham.

1282, Ralph de Rocheford demands against William de Braytoft 2 messuages in Boston as his right, and into which William has not had entry unless through Nichola de Braytoft [paternal aunt] to whom Hugh le Breton [paternal step-grandfather] and Joan his wife (23640865, paternal grandmother) demised them, who held them as the dower of Joan of the grant of Ralph de Rocheford formerly her husband, grandfather of the aforesaid Ralph whose heir he is. (S) Lincolnshire N&Qs, V3, 1893, P140. [Ralph gave half a mark to have the properties.]

1284 at Lincoln, Le Grave manor in a fine levied between Theobald de Nevylle and Ralph de Rocheford, in which Theobald held it for life. (S) IPM of Theobald de Nevylle, 1316.

1287, Ralph a debtor in Boston of 20 marks and 2 sacks of wool.

1291, Ralph going to Scotland with Richard de Bosco. [King Edward going to Scotland to settle a dispute.]

By 1292, Ralph knighted.

6/11/1292, Ralph de Rochford …, knight, of Lincs, owed £24 and £16 to … merchants of Lucca, alien merchants in Boston. (S) UKNA.

1292, Ralph de Saint Lo before the justices of the King’s Bench, on trial for the murder of Ralph’s father during the Baron’s war. [Ralph fined 40s for not appearing. Court ruled for Ralph de Saint Lo.]

11/1293-5/1294, Debt: Ralph de Rocheford, knight, of Fenne, and of Boston in Lincs, owed John de Grey, knight, £12 8s. (S) UKNA.

1295-96, Ralph in the Lord Marshall’s and Collins’ rolls of knights.

7/3/1297, IPM of Edmund the king’s brother. Derby: … Ess. The manor held through his wife by Ralph de Rocheford for three parts of 1 knight’s fee. … Asch. The manor, held by Ralph de Rocheford through his wife for three parts of 1 knight’s fee … (S) CIsPM.

6/16/1298, Letters of respite of debts for Ralph de Rocheford staying in Scotland with John de Segrave, directed to the sheriff of Lincs. (S) Rotuli Scotiae, P315.

7/22/1298, King Edward defeated Sir William Wallace at the battle of Falkirk, Scotland. The Scots defensive position was strong, but based on spearmen with support of some cavalry and archers. Edward’s armored knights were repulsed by the amassed spear points. King Edward brought up his Welsh longbowmen. They cut gaps into the Scottish ranks through which the mounted English knights could charge. The Scots were routed, but Wallace escaped.

6/24/1300, Rocheford, Rad’us de … returned from the Co. of Lincoln as holding lands or rents either in Capite or otherwise to the amount of £40 yearly value and upwards and as such summoned under the general writ to perform Military Service against the Scots. Muster at Carlisle on the Nativity of St John the Baptist 24 June 28 Ed I. (S) Parliamentary Writs, Plagrave, V1.

1300, Siege of Caerlaverock castle in Scotland.

6/10/1301, Letters of respite of debts for Ralph de Rocheford with the king, to the steward of Lincoln. (S) Rotuli Scotiae, P331.

6/24/1301, Rochefed, Radulphus de … summoned from the Co. of Lincoln to perform Military Service in person against the Scots. Muster at Berwick upon Tweed on the Nativity of St John the Baptist 24 June 29 Ed I. (S) Parliamentary Writs, Plagrave, V1.

9/8/1301, Scots using Comyn of Badenoch’s estate as a base, attacked Lochmaben, and then menaced the main English force at Bothwell [commanded by Lord Edward]. The Scots had 240 men-at-arms and 7000 foot soldiers. (S) A History of Dumfries and Galloway, Maxwell, 2009, P82.

 [––Ralph & Alice––]

1305-06, Recording and process of a certain inquisition, taken 34 Edw I, of a diseissin which Ralph de Rocheford and Alice his wife [de Huntingfield, heiress of Riseholme, d/o Sayer de Huntingfield] and others made to Lucy Pecche. (S) Calendarium Genealogicum, V2, P743. [Ralph imprisoned over this suit.]

2/9/1307, Order to the sheriff of Lincoln to deliver Ralph de Rocheford and Martin Kackeson from the prison of Lincoln to which they were adjudged on account of a redisseisin done by them to Lucy Pecche of a plot of pasture …, whereof they were convicted … they having made fine … in 20 marks, (S) CFRs.

2/26/1308, To the sheriff of Lincoln. Order to cause a coroner for that county to be elected in place of Ralph de Rocheford, lately elected coroner, disqualified by non-residence in the county. (S) CCRs.

1308-14, Ralph in the Great Parliamentary or Bannerets’ Roll of knights.

6/19/1312, Piers de Gaveston murdered at Blacklow Hill by group of magnates led by Thomas, earl of Lancaster and Guy de Beauchamp, earl of Warwick.

10/16/1313, Pardon to Thomas, earl of Lancaster, and his adherents, … on account of Peter de Gavaston, …, or that which befel him. The like, for word, to the undermentioned persons, adherents of Thomas, earl of Lancaster, for the death of Peter de Gavaston, viz. … Ralph de Rocheford … (S) CPRs.

1315-16, Lucy Pecche recovered a pasture in Freiston from Ralph.

By 1316, Ralph died. [Alice predeceased Ralph.]

 (S) Rochford of Fenne, V1, Nettleton, 2016.

Family notes:

·         1242-43, Ralph de Rochford of Fenne held fees in Bennington and Toft. [Held by Saer in 1346.]

Children of Ralph and Cecilia:

i. Saier de Rochford (2955108), born ~1293 in England.

6/26/1316, Order not to intermeddle further with the manor of La Grave … it ought to remain to Saer son and heir of Ralph de Rocheford by virtue of a fine levied between Theobald de Nevill and the said Ralph de Rocheford at Lincoln, in the 12th year of the late king's reign. (S) CCRs.