ESSEX. 281 1st Earl of Essex, auut aud heirp 1 ) to the last Earl, obtained a large inheritance iu right of his said wife ; was made Sheriff of the counties of Essex aud Hertford, 1191, and was by Richard I., in 1198, made Chief Justiciar of England (gaining a victory over the Welsh) and Constable of the Tower of London. He was, 27 May 1199, on the day of the coronation of King John (for whose succession lie had taken an activo part) cr. or continued as EARL OF ESSEX.( b ) He was Warden of the Cinque ports, 120ti ; Joint Guardian of England, 1213, &c. He m. firstly, Beatrice de Say, as above stated, who d. iu childbed about 1200 and was bur. at Chicksaud Priory. He hi. secondly, before 1200", Avelinc. He d. 14 Oct. 1213, and was bur. at Shouldham Priory, Norfolk. V. 1213. ~> or 2. Geoffrey (de ^Mandeville), Earl of Essex, 1st s. and h. by 1st wife, b. about 1191 ; assumed the name of de Mandeville ; Constable of the Tower of London, Oct. to Nov. 1214. He in. Jany. 1213/1, Isabel, cue jure C0ONTBS8 or GLOUCESTER, the repudiated wife of King 1 John, and was accordingly jure uxaris called EARL OF GLOUCESTER in the convention (Magna Vharla) June 121 5, He d. s.p. soon afterwards, being slain in a tournament in Loudon 23 Feb. 1218. He was bur. at Trinity Priory, near Loudon. His widow m. (as his 4th aud penultimate wife) Hubert (de Bunou), Earl of Kent, who d. 12 May 1213. She (/. 1217. See fuller particulars of her sub " Gloucester" Earldom of. VI. 1216, fi or J. William (de Mandeville), Earl of Essex, to br. and h. of the whole blood, who also assumed the name of de 1227. Mandn-titc ; 6. about 1192 ; knighted 10 Feb. 1215 ; Joint Ambas- sador to France, 1225. He m. Christian, da. of Sir Robert Eitz Walteii, of Dunuiow, Essex (" Marshal of the Army of God and Ilohj Church "), by Gunnora, da. and h. of Robert DE Yaloines. He d. s.p. " in the flower of his youth" 8 Jany. 1227, and was bur. at Shouldham afsd.( a ) His widow m. Raymond DE BlBGH. [On the death of this Earl the Earldom of Essex probably reverted to the Crown. The heir general was, however, the sister of the last Earl and her s. and h. was within twelve years coufirmed or created anew as uuder.J 1227. Maud, Dow. Countess of Hereford, sister and heir (of the whole blood) to the late Earl of Essex, may, possibly, bo considered (as heir general), to be sua jure Countess of Essex. After the deatii, 1 June 1220, of her husband, Henry (De Sohnn), Earl of Hereford, she m. Bogeii dk Dantsey, from whom she was "ere long divorced." She d. 27 Aug. 1230. in; ( B ) This lady d. at a great age 19 April 1207. Her right of inheritance does not seem to have been much respected in her oini person. ( b ) Geoffrey de Say, his wife's uncle, wdio was second son but heir male of Beatrice de Say, nt* Mandeville (and who was by her recognised as her heir) opposed his claim to the Mandeville estates aud dignities. (°) Matthew Fan's speaks of him as "ruling the reins of government so that after his death the realm was like a ship in a tempest without a pilot." This was indeed most truly the case during the three years that King John survived him, tho' that King is said to have rejoiced at the Earl's death as freeing him from his subjection. (< l ) His br. of the half blood, viz., John Fitzpiers, s. of his father by his second wife Avelinc (and so, consequently, not descended from the Mandeville family) inherited a considerable part of his estates. He was grandfather of Richard Fitz John, sum. to Pari, by writ (Lord Fitz John) 1295.
