I

THE MASSINGBERDS OF SUTTERTON,

GUNBY AND ORMSBY

T has been with considerable hesitation that I have undertaken to write an account of my own family. Nothing is more contemptible than mere pride of family, so well satirized by Pope

Go, if your ancient, but ignoble blood

Has crept through scoundrels ever since the flood,
Go, and proclaim your family is young,

Nor own your fathers have been fools so long.

But the history of private families is a subject of interest beyond those whom at first sight it seems to concern: it connects itself with that of the district, and of the times, they have lived in, while their gradual rise, or their sudden extinction, equally afford matter for contemplation. Moreover, there are some who think that family history is best written by those who have a personal interest in it, and in this case I have had access to charters and other documents which others might not find it so easy to search.

As regards the etymology of the name of Massingberd opinions seem to differ. There are writers who insist upon giving to the name a foreign origin, and with that object assert that it must have been originally spelt Massingberg. But the facts are strongly against them; the earliest notices of the name as well as the later are alike in favour of the present spelling. 'Berde' or 'berd' was used for 'beard' down to the times of Chaucer and Wycliffe, and even as late as thirty or forty years ago the country people, among whom a correct tradition is often preserved, used to write and pronounce the name Massingbeard, as we find it in the Visitation Pedigrees 1562 and 1592. Massing is said to signify in AngloSaxon 'brass,' so may denote that the first who bore the name was abenobarbus-a man with a 'brazen beard.'

In 1288 Richard son of Margaret of Suterton, Lambert Massyngberd and others were attached to answer to Walter son of Alexander of Algerkyrk of a plea why they assaulted

him at Algerkyrk by force of arms, and beat him, to the grave damage of the same Walter, and against the peace.'

In 1368 we find this document :

Edward by the Grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland and Aquitaine, to the sheriff of Lincoln greeting. Command John son of Walter Shephird of Soterton, that justly and without delay he render to Hugh Massyngberd of Soterton, and to Lambert his brother, one acre and a half of land with appurtenances in Soterton, which William Sourale, senior, gave to Alan son of Lambert Massyngberd in free marriage with Athelina daughter of the same William. And which after the death of the aforesaid Alan and Atheline ought to descend by the form of the aforesaid gift, as they say, to the aforesaid Hugh and Lambert, the sons and heirs of the same Alan and Athelina, etc.

Witness ourself at Westminster 15 Feb. in the 42nd year of our reign."

Thus we learn that Lambert Massingberd, who lived in the time of King Edward I., had a son Alan, who married Athelina daughter of William Sourale, and had two sons, Hugh and Lambert.

Alan Massingberd's name appears under Sutterton in the Subsidy Rolls of 1 Edw. III. and 6 Edw. III.3 In 1333 Lucy daughter of Thomas Sourale complained that Geoffrey Merlyn, Thomas de Multon of Fraunketon, knt., Alan Massyngberd, and others imprisoned her at Algerkirk, took her as a prisoner to Fraunketon, detained her there, and carried off her goods at Algerkirk.*

Alan's widow in 1359 claimed certain lands in Algarkirk as her dower. In 1406 Thomas Symond of Soterton by his attorney offers himself the fourth day against Hugh Massyngberd, Lambert Massyngberd, and John Leke of Soterton, of a plea why the corn in the sheafs of the same Thomas to the value of 40s. at Soterton were by force and arms depastured, trodden down and consumed. And they did not come, and the sheriff was commanded to attach them, etc. And he now reports that they have nothing: therefore let them be taken, etc., that they be here within 15 days from Easter Day."

About this time Hugh's son, Thomas Massingberd, left

1 De Banco Roll, 75, m. 101, Mich. 16-17 Edw. I.

2 Quoted by Robert Dale, Suffolk Herald, in his manuscript, Genealogical History of the Most Ancient Family of Massingberd,' compiled at the beginning of the eighteenth century.

3 Lay Subsidy Rolls, Lincoln, 15 and 195.
• Cal. of Patent Rolls, 1330-4, P. 496.
"De Banco Roll, 580, Hilary, 7 Hen. IV.

Sutterton for Burgh, having, according to the Lincolnshire Visitation Pedigree 1562, married Juliana daughter and heir of Thomas Bernak. And we find Thomas having 'common in le north common of Burgh' in 1410. In 1414 Thomas Massingberd of Burgh was witness to a charter of William Buttercake, and in February, 1434-5, he quitclaimed certain lands in Burgh, etc., to Thomas Whetecroft."

The lands at Sutterton seem to have been parted with, but the 'Massingberd Chapel' in Sutterton Church still commemorates the early home of the family.

The Bernak marriage is of interest. Thomas Bernak's father was Gilbert, brother of Sir William Bernak, the husband of Alice, daughter of Robert de Driby and Joan de Tattershall. His mother is said by Dale to have been Agnes daughter and heir of Owen Mablethorpe. His grandfather was Sir Hugh Bernak, and his grandmother Maud daughter and co-heir of Sir William de Woodthorpe. And in an illuminated pedigree, compiled in 1655 for Henry Massingberd, esqr., and given by Sir William Massingberd to Burrell Massingberd, as after his death the male representative of the family, these quarterings are in the Massingberd armsBernak (a crescent for a difference), Woodthorpe and Mablethorpe. The Bratoft and Arden arms were quartered after the marriage of Sir Thomas Massingberd with Joan daughter and heir of John Bratoft. And the second Massingberd coat, viz. gold a cross gules with the ends cut off between four lions sable and with five escallops gold upon the cross, is said to have been acquired by Sir Thomas Massingberd, who became a knight of St. John of Jerusalem on the death of his wife. The son and grandson of Thomas Massingberd continued to reside at Burgh. Robert, his son and heir, married Agnes, daughter and heir of Robert Halliday of Burgh, by whom he had five sons. Of these Thomas is stated by Dale to have married Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Thomas Lord

1 Court Rolls of the manor of Candlesby at Magdalen College, Oxford. 2 Charters at Gunby Hall.

3 The following Fine shows Hugh de Bernak in possession of lands at Woodthorpe in right of his wife, Feet of Fines, Lincoln, file 45 (73), 47 Hen. III. (1262). Between Hugh de Bernak and Maude his wife, Peter de Kyrketon and Elizabeth his wife, Richard de Marisco and Alma his wife, plaintiffs, and Roger, prior of Markeby, tenant, of eight acres of land in Wudethorp. Remise and quitclaim to the prior for themselves and the heirs of their wives.