DESPENSER 259 DESPENSER(>) Sir Hugh le DespenseRjC") of Loughborough, Burton, Huggles- cote, Freeby, and Arnesby, co. Leicester, Parlington and Hillam, co. York, Sibsey and Aukborough, co. Lincoln, Ryhall and Belmesthorp, Rutland, s. and h. of Sir Hugh le Despenser, of the same (who d. between 23 Feb. and 30 May I238).() He was b. in or before 1223. (^) This article, down to the year 1449, is by G. W. Watson. () The arms of this family were, Quarterly, Arg., and Gules fretty Or, over all a bend Sable, arms obviously derived from those of the Constables of Chester. Their pedigree has been distorted by the unscrupulous efforts of many heralds and genealogists to derive the Spencers of Althorpe from an illustrious origin: with the result that (i) these Despensers, who appear to have been d'upematores of the Earls of Chester, (2) the Despensers of King's Stanley, co. Gloucester, who were dispensatorei Regis, and (3) the above-named (now ducal) family of Spencer, who emerge from obscurity, as wealthy graziers, towards the end of the 15th century, have been asso- ciated in a single pedigree in which "fact and fiction are cunningly intertwined." This elaborate imposture has been faithfully dealt with by J. H. Round {Peerage and Family History, pp. 279-329), and is now incapable of deceiving the most credulous. (f) Grant to Geoffrey le Despenser that, when Hugh his br. shall die, he shall keep the manor of Ryhall — which Hugh had of the King's gift — and the lands which Hugh held of the Earl of Chester in co. Chester and elsewhere, till the age of the sons and heirs of the said Hugh: 23 Feb. Grant to Hugh, s. and h. of Hugh le Despenser, for his father's faithful services, that he might marry where it should seem best: same date. {Patent Roll, 22 Hen. Ill, m. 9). The elder Hugh probably died on 23 Feb.; he was certainly dead before 30 May following. {Idem, m. 5). He had obtained Ryhall and Belmesthorp by various grants from 22 Aug. 1227 to 23 June 1233 {Charter Rolls, II Hen. Ill, p. 1, m. 4; 14 Hen. III,/. 2, m. I schedule; 17 Hen. Ill, m. 3: Patent Roll, 14 Hen. Ill, p. 2, m. 2: Close Roll, 17 Hen. Ill, m. 8 : Ancient Deeds, A, no. 3208), and had inherited Arnesby — and doubtless other manors named above — on the death of his eldest br., Thomas Dispensar , to whom he was heir, in or before Oct. 1218 {Fine Roll, 2 Hen. Ill, m. 2). Thomas was s. and h. of another Thomas le Despenser, for (i) Thomas Dispensator gave to Stephen de Segrave with Roese his daughter in free marriage a rent of 2;. in Burton, to them and the heirs of their bodies, (2) Hugh Dispensator confirmed to Stephen de Segrave and Roese sister of the said Hugh, and the heirs of their bodies, a virgate of land in Barwe in free marriage. {Segrave Cartulary, Harl. MSS., no. 4748, f. II r and v). As Round {op. cit., p. 304) has already observed, Elyas Dispensator was one of three persons enfeoffed in Arnesby by Hugh de Beauchamp {Testa dc Neville, p. 88), and must therefore be an ancestor of this family. It may be finally remarked that a great number of the charters of the Earls of Chester which passed in the earlier part of the 13th century are witnessed by a Thomas or by a Hugh Dispensator, or by both. It follows that this family must have taken its name from
