The Battle Abbey Roll. Vol. II.
by
The Duchess of Cleveland.
Prepared by Michael A. Linton
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Maurewarde : for Maurouard, as it is given on the Dives Roll, or Malruard, as written in Domesday; an unmistakeable nickname, which I am quite at a loss to explain. When, in many cases, it was subsequently turned into Malregard—under which form, we are told, it lingered on for several centuries—it clearly signified Evil Eye. But the original Maurouard or Malruard could admit of no such sinister interpretation.
Geoffrey Malruard founded the family in Somersetshire, where Norton-Malreward [1] has kept his name. He held Twertona (Tiverton) in 1086 of the Bishop of Coutances; and his descendants "were people of eminence and distinction in the county, and in Dorset and Devon; but their principal seat was at this Norton, where they had free-warren in their estate. In a chartulary of Kington Abbey in the county of Wilts, Sir William Malreward is set down as one of the principal benefactors to that monastery. Geoffrey Malreward confirmed the grant."—Collinson's Somerset. He further informs us that the name was, "in after days, contracted to Marwood." It is still borne by Kingston-Maureward in Wiltshire, Winterborne Maurewarde in Dorsetshire, and Godeby Maureward in Leicestershire. The latter was acquired by Geoffrey Maureward, towards the end of Henry III.'s reign, through his marriage with Ada, only daughter of Sir Adam Quatremars of Overton-Quatremars, the last male of his house. It had been previously known as Godeby-Quatremars; and a marginal comment inserted in Burton's History by Mr. Peck gives a disagreeable account of its climate:
"Every day a shower of rain,
And upon Sundays, twain:
Anglia ventosa; si non ventosa, venenosa."
But, whether in rain or shine, the Maurewards remained there for six generations: the last was Sir Thomas, living 5 Richard II.—6 Henry VI. His only child Philippa married Sir Thomas Beaumont, a younger son of John, fourth Lord. This Sir Thomas twice served as knight of the shire for Leicester, 1 Hen. IV., and 8 Hen. V.; and was High Sheriff of Warwick in the latter year.
There are traces of the family in other counties. Walter Maureward and Ivetta Marreward are found in Lincolnshire, about 1272 (Rotuli Hundredorum): and in 1292 William de Manreward held Somerby and some other lands of Philip Marmion "by the service of one knight's fee and suit of court at his honour and castle of Tamworth." Copsi Maureward, in the time of Henry II., witnesses William Breton's grant to St. Mary's Abbey, York.