Vol 1: The Bluets - Lackham Countryside Centre

The Bluets 37
of important positions – steward of Abergavenny, steward of the lordships
of Usk and Caerleon and sheriff of counties Cardigan, Carmarthen and
Glamorgan at different dates 138 .
Elizabeth and Bartholomew had no children and she apparently died in
1420 139
To return to the senior line - Ralph Bluet III died in 1199; in 1201 Nest was
in dispute with her uncle Robert over a half hide of land and appurtenances
140 at Daglingworth, sometime between January and Easter
141
.
The right to land associated with a wife was somewhat complicated and
involved two terms that can easily be confused.
The wife was given a dowry by her family on her marriage; these were
lands that they gave to her and her new husband. This was called the
wife‘s maritagium:
If marriage is mentioned the land so given may be called a
maritagium. A gift of this kind is made before marriage,
sometimes at the marriage, sometimes after it. 142
On his part the new husband gave, at the marriage, a dower, to his wife
Berkeley, and in 1425 Lord Berkeley agreed that he could continue to hold Raglan
for the duration of his life
138
Richardson, D & Everingham, KG (2005) Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in
Colonial and Medieval Families Genealogical Publishing Com p93
139
Richardson, D & Everingham, KG (2005) ibid p96
140
Curia Regis Rolls vol 1 Richard 1 - 2 John 1189 – 1201 p154 Hilary term 1 John
dated 1200 but would have been January 1201, the year starting in April, so dates
between January and March in one year are dated to the year before at this
period,.
141
The date isn‘t precise as it is not given in the record. It is dated to Hilary term
1 John. The legal year is divided into four terms : Michaelmas from October to
December, Hilary from 11 January to Easter, Easter from Easter to May and
Trinity from June to July. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_year]
142
De Legibus Et Consuetudinibus Angliæ (Bracton on the Laws and Customs of
England attributed to Henry of Bratton, c. 1210-1268) vol 2 p77, online version at
http://hlsl5.law.harvard.edu/bracton/Unframed/English/v2/77.htm