Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Salveyn, Gerard
SALVEYN, Sir GERARD (d. 1320), judge, was son of Robert Salveyn of North Driffield, Yorkshire, by Sibilla, daughter of Robert Beeston of Wilberfoss. The family claimed descent from Joce le Flemangh, who came over with the Conqueror and settled at Cukeney, Nottinghamshire, and whose grandson Ralph obtained the surname Le Silvan from his manor of Woodhouse. In March 1295 Salveyn was enfeoffed of Croham and Sledmere by his cousin Gerard Salveyn, who died in 1296 (Surtees, Hist. Durham, iv. 117; Roberts, Calendarium Genealogicum, ii. 517). On 26 Dec. 1298 he was a commissioner ‘de Walliis et fossatis’ on the Ouse, and on 24 Oct. 1301 an assessor of the fifteenth for Yorkshire (Cal. Pat. Rolls, Edward I, iii. 459, 611). In 1303 he was employed on a mission to France, and on 23 Nov. 1304 was one of the justices of trailbaston in Yorkshire. He was a knight of the shire for the county of York in 1304 and 1307. Early in the reign of Edward II he was appointed escheator north of the Trent, and held the office till 10 Dec. 1309, and afterwards was sheriff of Yorkshire from 1311 to 1314. In July 1311 he was a justice for the trial of forestallers in Yorkshire, and in November of that year was employed beyond seas in the royal service (Cal. Pat. Rolls, Edward II, i. 334, 361, 404). He was one of the royal bailiffs whom the ordainers removed from office in 1311 (Chron. Edw. I and Edw. II, i. 200, ii. 40). In August 1312, as sheriff, he was directed to hold York against Henry de Percy (Cal. Close Rolls, Edward II, i. 477). He was removed from his office as sheriff before 31 Oct. 1314 (ib. ii. 123). Complaints had been made in the parliament of 1314 concerning his oppressions as sheriff and escheator, and a commission was appointed for his trial (Rolls of Parliament, i. 316, 325). As a consequence he was imprisoned in York Castle, but was released on bail in June 1315, and in October 1316, by ceding the manor of Sandhall, Yorkshire, to the king, obtained pardon (Cal. Close Rolls, Edw. II, ii. 183, 433; Surtees, Hist. Durham, iv. 121). On 5 March 1316 he was returned as lord of Okingham, North Driffield, and other lordships in Yorkshire. He had pardon as an adherent of Thomas of Lancaster in November 1318. He died before 3 May 1320. By his wife Margery he had two sons, John and Gerard, and a daughter Joan, who married Sir Thomas Mauleverer. John Salveyn died in his father's lifetime, leaving by his wife Margaret Ross a son Gerard, born in 1308, who was his grandfather's heir; this young Gerard Salveyn was ancestor of the family of Salvin of Croxdale, Durham (ib. iv. 117–120; Cal. Close Rolls, Edward II, iii. 201, 659). Gerard, son of Gerard Salveyn, fought for Thomas of Lancaster at Boroughbridge in 1322 (ib. iii. 596).
[Calendars of Close and Patent Rolls Edward II; Palgrave's Parliamentary Writs, iv. 1394; Foss's Judges of England; Foster's Yorkshire Pedigrees; other authorities quoted.]