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62 BUCK INGHAM. BUCKINGHAM (county of ) or BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. [Mem. — " This is one of the most perplexing of our early titles of honour. Bishop Stubbs observes with truth that it is ' obscure in its origin,' and adds that it is ' pro- bably to be referred to William RufiiH ' (Const. Hist. I. 361), but, proceeding to speak of the reign of Stephen, he writes: 'two or three Earldoms of uncertain creation, such as those of Buckingham and Lincoln, which were possibly connected with hereditary Sheriffdoms, appear about the same period ' (Ibid p. 362.) The Lords' Jlepnvts (III. 154-155) throw no light upon the problem." " There appeal's to be some charter evidence for the existence of the Earldom of Buckingham under William Rufus, but the main authority is that of Ordericus. His statement that the Conqueror conferred that Earldom is believed not literally to b( that meaning, and Walter Giffard was, by that name, a Domesday Commissioner, r is he recognised as an Earl in Domesday (1086). But tho description by Ordericus of him as ' Comes Bucchiwiehnnicnsis ' in 1097, and again at his death in 1 102, outweighs any description of him, elsewhere, by the writer as ' Unallerus Gifardus ' merely ; yet the fact that this latter is his (Qy. his son's) style in the Charter of Liberties of Henry I. (1101) further complicates the question. His son is alluded to in the Cartulary of Abingdon (II. 133-34) as ' Wulterus Comes, Junior, cor/nomine Giil'ardus .' on the other hand, in the same work (II. So) writs of Henry I, are addressed to him merely as ' TvVfcr Giffard.' At the battle of Brenueville (1119) he is distinctly mentioned by Ordericus as one of the three Earls (' tres Comites ') on the side of Henry I." Ex inform. J. Horace Round.] Earldom 1. Walter Giffard, Lord of Longiieviile in Nor- mandy, a. and h. of Walter Giffard,(") Lord of Longiieviile, whoaccom. I. 1097 ? panied the Conqueror in the Norman invasion, 1066, by Ermengarde, sister of William, Bishop of Evreux, da. of Gerald Flaitkl, sue. his Father (who had received grants of no less than 107 Lordships, o{ which 48 were in Bucks) before 1085 when he was Justiciar of England, and mi probably by William II. cr. EAHL OF BUCKINGHAM. Ho m. Agnes, sister of Auselm de Ribemont. He d. in England 15 July 1102 and was bur. at Lniigueville, in Normandy. M.I. II. 1102, '2. Walter (Giffard), Earl of Buckingham, also Lonl of Longiieviile in Normandy, s. and fa., a minor at his Father's death. to He fought at the battle of Brenerilla in Normandy in Illy, and ma sometime Chief Marshal of the King's Court. He m. Errayngarde, 11G4. wit' 1 whom he was Founder of, or Benefactor to, the Abbey of Notley, Bucks. He d. s.p. 1164 and was 6«r. there. III. 1164 ^ 1. Richard (de Clare), Earl of Pembroke, (the famous " Strongbow ") who, in 1149, had sue. his Father in that to Earldom, being great-grandson of Richard Fit/.Gilbkiit by Robau, sister of Walter,, first Earl of Buckingham above-mentioned, having 1 1 70. inherited some of the lands of his said ancestor, appeals (rightly or wrongly) to have called himself and been generally considered EAUL OF BUCKINGHAM. He d. s.p.m. 1176. Sen fuller account under " Pembiioke." Earldom of, cr. 1138. (") This Walter Giffard (the First) was a cousin of William tho Conqueror, being the s. of Osborne de Bolebec by Avelina, sister of Gunnora, wife of Richard, Duko of Normandy.