Auuerne
Or, according to Leland's rendering, Aveneris, probably Avesnes, from a plan so named in Normandy, called in the Exchequer Rolls of 1180-98 "Avesnes in Vulcassino." Nicholas de Aveines and William Avennes are there entered; and "Bertinus de Avesnis, one feod lig." with "Galterus de Avesnis et frater eius," occur in Duchesne's list of Norman feudatories. In England Richard de Auene held two knight's fees in Hampshire of John de Port (Lib. Niger). Nigel de Havene, of the same county, is mentioned in 1202 (Rotulus Cancellarii). At the same date, Robert de Avesne held in Oxfordshire (Ibid.). A knight of this name had been with Coeur de Lion in the Holy Land. "On the Saturday evening, when the Christian soldiers were mustered after the battle" (of Arsoof) "the renowned knight, James d'Avennes, the friend and companion of King Richard, was amongst the missing warriors; and the next morning at sunrise the Templars and Hospitallers went out to search the field of battle in quest of him. They found his dead body, disfigured with blood and dirt, amid a heap of the slain, and placing it upon their lances, they brought it into the camp at Arsoof amid the tears and lamentations of their brethren. It was Sunday, the 8th of September, the day of the Nativity of the blessed Virgin Mary, and the army halted at Arsoof the whole of that day for the purpose of burying the dead. A solemn mass was said by the priests, and Richard Coeur de Lion, and Guy, King of Jerusalem, accompanied by the Grand Masters of the Temple and the Hospital, and the other chieftains of the army, attended the funeral of the brave James d'Avennes, which was celebrated with great solemnity amid the tears of the warriors of the Cross."—Addison's Knights Templars. I am sorry, however, to add that this gallant knight was not an Englishman, but the "Jacques D'Avesnes croise en 1189," who belonged to the great Flemish house of that name.
Nevertheless, it is evident that he had kinsfolk in this country; for his coat of arms, "Bande d'or et de gueules de six pieces," tallies almost exactly with that assigned by Robson to the English house of Avenes or Avesness: Bendy of six, Gules and Argent, or Argent and Gules. Unfortunately no clue to its domicile is afforded us. Perhaps John de Avennes, the third husband of Anne de Valence, eldest sister and co-heir of Aymer, last Earl of Pembroke, may have belonged to it. He was no doubt the same "John Daveines, pardoned, by consent of Parliament, for all felonies and trespasses committed up to 7 August, 1318."—Palgrave's 'Parl. Writs' The great heiress whom he had married brought him no children.
In some cases the name was certainly local. William and Walter de Avene of Wilts, entered in the Hundred Rolls about 1272, must have derived it from Avene in that county, a manor "mentioned in the Saxon chartulary of Wilton Abbey, in a grant of King Eadgar."—Sir Richard Hoare. The Avenes or Avones of Avonescourt in Gloucestershire, enfeoffed by the Berkeleys as early as the reign of Coeur de Lion "in processe of time drewe that sirname of Avone to them from the water or small ryver[1] running neere unto it. Their landes were in the time of kinge Edward the thirde the landes of John Walter, by maryage of the heire of Avone."—Lives of the Berkeleys. They were sometimes called Avery, and bore Gules three chevrons Argent. Another coat of the Avenes was Gules a chevron Argent. In Dorsetshire John de Aven gave evidence at an Inquisition held at Brockhampton 32 Ed. I.—Hutchin's Dorset.
Faringdon . Ward was originally the property of this family. William Faryngdon, goldsmith, in 1229, "purchased of Ralph le Feure all the aldermanrie, and the appurtenances, within the city of London and the suburbs of the same, between Ludgate and Newgate, and also within the same gates which Ankeritus de Auene held, during his life, by grant of Thomas Auerne. To have and to hold to the said Ralph and his heirs, yielding one clove, or slip of gilliflower, at the feast of Easter."—Stowe. This flower is then said to have been "of great rarity."
The Norman house still existed in the last century. D'Avesnes seigneur de Familly in the bailifry of Orbec, was represented at the great Assembly of the Nobles in 1789.
-- Cleveland
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