This document from September 1283 shows that Henry III appointed two men to look into what Agnes de Vescy had done in Yorkshire. Catalogue ref: C 66 /102 m. 10 from 1283
Transcript
[A commission [investigation]… is granted] to John de Reigate and Geoffrey Aguillun concerning a complaint by the prior and monastery of Malton in Yorkshire that although they had done nothing wrong, nor been excommunicated [no longer allowed to be a member of the church] by the church authorities, nor by orders of any church judge… Agnes de Vescy, Master Richard de Pywelsdon, Roger Clerk, John de Davile and other servants of Agnes attacked Brother William de Malton and
William de Cauncewyk, canons and other lay brothers [workers on the monastery’s estates] of the monastery in the common road near the church of St Leonard’s Malton. They seized them, imprisoned them and treated them badly and many times took their horses, sheep, oxen, cows and other animals and would not return them. They detained [kept] [the animals] without food… And by public proclamation [announcement] in Agnes’ market of Malton forbade anyone from selling or taking any food to [the monastery] and from talking to them. They stole food and by various means prevented the monks from farming their lands, carrying their hay or storing their corn in their barns.
Task 4 – Independent noblewomen
Source 4a
Agnes de Vescy (born de Ferrers) was a noblewoman in the thirteenth century. She was one of the many co-heiresses of the Marshal family in England and Ireland, through her mother, Sibyl Marshal. She married William de Vescy around 1244 and was widowed about ten years later. For the rest of her life, she did not remarry and died in 1290. As a widow and heiress, she controlled her own lands and money. There is a range of documents written about her, but we do not have any written by Agnes herself.
In the document, a prior means the person in charge of a priory where a group of monks lived and worked together. A canon means a member of the religious community who served a cathedral or other church.
- What was Agnes de Vescy’s role in the events that led to Malton Abbey’s complaint?
- Why do you think Agnes was involved in these events?
- Why was Agnes a woman of influence and power?