Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Valognes, Philip de

706866Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 58 — Valognes, Philip de1899Albert Frederick Pollard

VALOGNES or VALONIIS, PHILIP de (d. 1215), styled a baron and lord of Panmure, came of a family which took its name from Valognes in the Cotentin. Peter de Valognes, given in the peerages as Philip's grandfather, is said to have accompanied William I to England, to have received from him ‘fifty-seven lordships in the counties of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hertford, Cambridge, and Lincoln,’ and to have been high sheriff of Essex in 1087 (Douglas, Peerage, ed. Wood, ii. 348; cf. Blomefield, Norfolk, passim). His son Robert left, by his wife Agnes, six sons, of whom Robert was father of two daughters: Gunnor, who married Robert Fitzwalter [q. v.], and Isabella, who married William de Mandeville, third earl of Essex [q. v.] Another son, Geoffrey, was lord of the manor of Burton in Yorkshire, and died in 1190.

Philip was the fifth son, and is said to have migrated to Scotland towards the end of the reign of Malcolm IV [q. v.], who died in 1165. He is said to have been a constant attendant on Malcolm's successor, William the Lion, and on 8 Dec. 1174, when William purchased his release from Henry II by acknowledging his feudal suzerainty and the superiority of the English church, Philip de Valognes was one of the hostages given into Henry's custody (Cal. Doc. relating to Scotland, i. 139; Palgrave, Doc. illustrating the Hist. of Scotl. pp. 64, 83; Rymer, Fœdera, Record ed. i. 30–1). As a recompense William granted Philip de Valognes the manors of Panmure and Benvie in Forfarshire, and about 1180 appointed him high chamberlain of Scotland. After the death of his brother Geoffrey in 1190, Philip seems to have held the manor of Burton in Yorkshire, for the seisin of which he paid 300l. and ten palfreys in 1208 (Hardy, Rot. de Oblat. 1199–1216, p. 428). He also held other manors belonging to Geoffrey during the minority of his niece Gunnor (ib. p. 425). On 7 Aug. 1209 he was again a hostage for William the Lion. He was continued in the office of chamberlain by Alexander II on his accession in 1214, and died on 5 Nov. 1215. He was buried in the chapter-house of Melrose Abbey, to which he had confirmed a grant of lands in Ringwood, Roxburghshire; he also gave the monks of Cupar an acre of land in Stichindehaven.

Philip left one son, William, who succeeded him as high chamberlain of Scotland, and, dying in 1219, left three daughters: Christian, who married Sir Peter de Maule, ancestor of the earls of Panmure; Sibilla, who married Robert de Stuteville [q. v.]; and Lora, who married Henry de Baliol, high chamberlain of Scotland and grand-uncle of John Baliol, king of Scotland (Notes and Queries, 6th ser. v. 142; other accounts make Sibilla and Lora daughters of Philip de Valognes).

[Authorities cited; Harl. MSS. 1160 ff. 75–6, 1233 f. 120, 1411 f. 55, 5804 f. 26; Addit. MS. 5937, ff. 132, 186; Stowe MS. 854; Roberts's Excerpta e Rot. Fin. p. 99; Eyton's Itinerary of Henry II; Crawford's Officers of State; Rymer's Fœdera, i. 31, 103; Cal. Rot. Claus. p. 85; Douglas's Peerage, ed. Wood; Nicolas's Hist. Peerage; Red Book of the Exchequer (Rolls Ser.), passim; Notes and Queries, 6th ser. v. 61, 142, 290, 389; Genealogist, 1882, pp. 1–6.]