Michael Linton's Bayeux Tapestry: 1066 - A Medieval Mosaic and Puzzles

Picard :

This name, which, like Le Gascon, L'Angevin, Le Poitevin, and others, plainly denotes the nationality of the bearer, occurs half a dozen times in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of 1180-95. There is a Robert Pichard of about the same date to be found in the Rotuli Curiae Regis, and the family is said to have been settled in Herefordshire during the preceding century. "That part of Ocle called Ocle Pichard derived its additional name from a family holding it soon after the Norman Conquest. Roger Pichard is mentioned in the Book of Fees made in the reign of Henry III. as holding of the honour of Webbeley; and in 1232 was a pledge for the fidelity of Walter de Laci, until the kingdom should be settled in peace."—Duncumb's Herefordshire. Miles Picard was uninterruptedly Sheriff of the county from 1300 to 1306, and twice served as knight of the shire. It was he who, according to Nash, gave its name to Sapy-Pychard in Worcestershire, which he held of Stuteville. Roger Picard, probably his son, was Sheriff in 1318 and 1327, and must have been the last of the name at Ocle Pychard, where Peter de Clavenhogh (Clanowe), who succeeded him, had a grant of free warren in 1334. Another Picard served as Sheriff in 1348 and 1349; and in 1356 Sir Henry Picard, Vintner and Lord Mayor of London, gave a great banquet in honour of the battle of Poitiers, at which both the Black Prince and his Royal captive were present. At a second and still more august entertainment, of even greater splendour, he feasted four crowned heads—his own Sovereign, and the Kings of France, Scotland, and Cyprus, with a great assemblage of the nobles of the realm. "And after," says Stowe, "the said Henry Picard kept his hall against all comers whosoever that were willing to play at dice and hazard. In like manner, the Lady Margaret his wife did also keep her chamber to the same effect." It seems that "the King of Cyprus, playing with Sir Henry Picard in his hall, did win of him fifty marks; but Picard, being very skilful in that art, did after win of the same King the same fifty marks, and fifty marks more; which when the same King began to take in ill part (although he dissembled the same) Sir Henry said unto him, "My Lord and King, be not aggrieved; I court not your gold, but your play; for I have not bid you hither that you might grieve;" and giving him his money again, plentifully bestowed of his own amongst the retinue. Besides he gave many rich gifts to the King, and other nobles and knights which dined with him, to the great glory of the citizens of London in those days." The Picards gave their name to Picard's Manor, near Guildford, where they were living at this time.—Manning and Bray's Surrey.

The name, however, continued in Herefordshire. "John Pichard was vicar of Ocle Pichard in 1446; the name also of John Pichard was returned amongst the gentry of this county 12 Hen. VI., and a branch of this family resided during several generations in the parish of Cradley; they bore arms Gules, a fesse Or, between three escallops Argent."—Duncumb. In Suffolk the Pykards were tenants of the Earls of Oxford. "Gilbert, son of Walter Pykard, 31 Hen. II., was in the custody of Gilbert de Vere, by grant from the Crown, of whom they held in chief Great Wratting, and was of the age of twenty years. Walter Pykard of Wratting, 14 Ed. I., held one hundred acres of land of the King, by the serjeantry of finding for him one footman, with a bow and four arrows, as often as he went into Wales with his army."—Page's Suffolk.