GUILLAUME PECHE.

Guillaume Peche

Peche is the French word for sin, and was probably acquired in the early annals of the family. William Peche the companion of the Conqueror at Senlac occurs as Willielmus Peccatum in Domesday, where he is listed as an under-tenant in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. In the latter county he held Netherhall of Richard de Bienfaite, son of Gilbert, count of Brionne, whose kinsman he is believed to have been. Ralph Peche, perhaps his son, about 1113 received from Robert de Clare, the second son of Richard de Bienfaite, the manor of Birdbrook in Essex.

The relationship of these families is borne out by the fact that some of the sons of Robert bore the name of Peche or Peccatum. Hamon Peche was ancestor of the barons of Brunne, which barony he acquired in 1134 in right of his wife Alice, a co-heir of William Pevrel. He held one of his own of twelve knights' fees in Suffolk and was sheriff of Cambridge from 1164 to 1166. Another son of Robert Fitz Richard named Robert Peche was bishop of Ely and still another, Simon Peche or Peccatum Fitz Robert, possessed estates in Suffolk and Norfolk in 1130, including probably Trillawe, Suffolk, which had belonged to Richard de Bienfaite in 1086. Simon was baron of Daventry by his father's gift and was the ancestor of the Thurlows of Burnham, Norfolk, lord chancellor Thurlow and the lords Thurlow. --(This name appears on the Falaise Roll).