The Battle Abbey Roll. Vol. II.
by
The Duchess of Cleveland.

Prepared by Michael A. Linton
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Meletak : Male Kake according to Leland's version; a name that has suffered much transmutation in spelling. The true form is Malecache, but we find it given as Malechac, Malecake, Maletak, Maletoc, Melkay, Malekahe, &c, &c. It is a sobriquet, the reverse of Bonekake (John Bonekake held in Kent 38 Hen. III.) but I have no idea of its Meaning.

It occurs as early as the reign of Stephen, when Roger de Maletoc (this is the sole occasion on which I find it given with a de), witnesses a deed of Ran die Gernons, Earl of Chester.—Ormerod's Cheshire. Not long after, a charter of Henry Pudsey, the son of another Prince Palatine, Hugh, Bishop of Durham 1153-89, is witnessed by "Alano Malecache" (v. Surtees' Durham): probably the same Alan Malekake who is mentioned as a benefactor of Fountains Abbey and Rosedale Priory. He was a Yorkshireman, in some way connected with the Amundevilles, for the two oxgangs of land in Wheldrake that he bestowed on Fountains had been the gift of Helewise de Amundeville; and may likewise have been of kin to Richard Malebisse, two of whose charters to Whitby he witnesses as "Alano Malechac." His own grants to Rosedale in Rydale, as enumerated by Burton, accurately describe the locality of his property. He gave "lands and pasture in Loketon, liberty of hewing timber in his wood of Stayndale, all his land from Abunescard to Nordrane, that is nearer Liteldale, in Ketelthorpe, and all his meadow in Mideldayl, in Pykeringe meadow, extending in length from Pykeringe water to the water of Costa."—Mon. Eleor. His son William, who confirmed these gifts, must have been the William Malekake who held three bovates of land at Pickering in the time of Henry III.—Testa de Nevill. At the same date, Galfrid Malecake held eight bovates at Lokinton.—Ibid. William witnesses a great number of grants to Whitby; and another William—no doubt his son—who occurs in the Hundred Rolls of 1272, gave some land at Lokinton to the Abbey. Thomas Malecake, between 1293 and 1296, married Alice, widow of John de Armenters of Stowe.—Baker's Northants. Richard Malecak' was of Little Smeaton, Yorkshire, in 1378.—Rotuli Collectorum Subsidii Regi a laicis. Aschetin de Malecake witnesses Theobald Fitz Pagan's grant to Wickham Abbey, in the same county.—Mon. Angl. The arms of the Malecakes (as given by Robson) were Vert a saltire lozengee Or.