Milo de Venoix

DE VENOIS. From Venoix near Caen, Normandy. The barons of Venoix, Verbois or Venois held their fief as hereditary marshals of the stable (master of the horse) of the dukes of Normandy, hence they bore the name of le Marescal or Mareschal of Venois. Milo le Mareschal and Lasceline his wife, were living in 1050, when the duchess Matilda purchased lands at Vancelles from them for Holy Trinity at Caen. They had issue Ralph le Mareschal and other sons, who came to England at the conquest. Ralph was living in 1086 and had issue Robert, Roger le Mareschal, who had lands in Essex, Gerald, owner of estates in Sussex, and Goisfred, a baron in Hampshire and Wiltshire in 1086 (Domesday). The latter was the father of Gilbert ancestor of the Mareschals. Robert the eldest son, sometimes styled Fitz Ralph, de Hastings, and le Mareschal, was lord of Venoix and the king's sheriff or seneschal at Hastings, where, and at Rye, his descendants long held the revenue in farm from the crown. He had issue William de Hastings who c. 1100 married Juliana, granddaughter and heir of Waleran, a great baron in Essex, living in 1130. With Robert de Venoix his brother, he instituted a suit against his cousin, Gilbert Marescal and his son John, to recover the office of hereditary marshal, which Gilbert or Goisfrid his father had obtained and successfully held, although it could not have been theirs by right of birth. The suit failed, but William in compensation was created dapifer. Hence the celebrated and renowned family of Hastings, who married into the royalty of England and were so famous in history. From this line descended the Hastings, barons of Abergavenny, the marquesses of Hastings, the earls of Pembroke, and earls of Striguil in Ireland, as well as the earls of Huntingdon. This latter great branch of the family still exists in the male line which was ennobled in the person of sir William Hastings, created baron Hastings of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, by king Edward IV, in 1461, under which title he was summoned to parliament. He was one of the most powerful persons in the kingdom and erected at Ashby a magnificent castle, where afterwards Mary queen of Scots was kept in captivity. He possessed tremendous estates, the honours of Pevrel, Belvoir Hagenet, and Huntingdon, the lands of viscount Beaumont, Belvoir castle, with a great part of the possessions of lord Ros, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, which had belonged to the earls of Wiltshire, the castle and rape of Hastings. He was invested with many high offices; was ambassador to France, chamberlain to North Wales, constable of six castles and many more honours, too numerous to mention. Upon the death of king Edward IV, his greatness came to a sudden end, as he was lured to the tower of London by the new protector, Richard, duke of Gloucester, and beheaded forthwith in 1483. --(Falaise Roll).