Fleschampe

Remigius, Almoner of Fecamp, "a man of small stature but of lofty soul," was the first Norman ever appointed to an English see; and succeeded Wlfin of Dorchester in 1067, "in the great Bishopric of Mid England, a large part of whose diocese was not yet in William's power." He had furnished one ship and twenty knights to the Conqueror's expedition, and "it was in after times brought up as a charge against the new prelate that, before the fleet had sailed from St. Valery, an English Bishopric had been promised as the price of his contribution."—Freeman. He translated the see to Lincoln, and was one of the five Commissioners appointed for the compilation of Domesday. It can scarcely, however, be this churchman who is here designated. The name must stand for "Pierre de Bailleul, Seigneur de Fescampe," who is on Tailleur's list, or "Guillaume de Fecamp"^[1] (Dives Roll.) Gilbert de Feschaump witnesses a deed of Hugh Pudsey (consecrated Bishop of Durham in 1153); and Richard de Fescamp, of Hampshire, occurs four times in the Rotuli Curiae Regis of 1199; probably the same Richard who held in Kent in 1202 (Rotuli Cancellarii). William de Fiscamp is mentioned in the same record. They probably descended from Hugo de Fiscampe, who, in the time of Henry I., was of Surrey and Hants (Rotuli Magnus Pipae); contemporary with whom we find William de Fiscampo, in Gloucestershire and Hampshire. Walter de Fescamp, of Worcestershire, is found in the Great Roll of the Pipe, 1180-90. William de Fiscamp, the King's physician, was Prebendary of Bridgenorth in 1263.—Eyton's Salop. Alberic de Fescamp was one of the clerks and keepers of Henry III.'s wardrobe; and in November 1260 the King issued a writ to his Treasurer and Chamberlain, for payment to Alberic de Fescamp and Peter de Winton "of £100 to buy jewels, to be presented to Alexander, King of Scotland, and his retinue, as the King has enjoined on the said Albric and Peter." (Calendar of documents relating to Scotland.)

1. ↑ A William of Fecamp (probably another monk) is mentioned by Freeman as having devised a new mode of singing, which, in 1082, the monks of Glastonbury were commanded by their Bishop to use, instead of the immemorial Gregorian chants. They refused obedience; and when Bishop Thurstan called in his Norman archers, locked themselves up in the minster; but the soldiers, breaking in, "shot sorely" at the terrified fugitives, slaying some and wounding others, so that the blood came from the altar upon the grees, and from the grees upon the floor."

-- Cleveland