Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1876 edition. Excerpt: ... GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HOUSE OF WISHART. Nisbet's statement as to the family of Wishart having derived descent from Robert, an illegitimate son of David, Earl of Huntingdon, who was styled Guishart on account of his heavy slaughter of the Saracens, is an evident fiction.* The name Guiscard, or Wiscard, a Norman epithet used to designate an adroit or cunning person, was conferred on Robert Guiscard, son of Tancrede de Hauterville of Normandy, afterwards Duke of Calabria, who founded the kingdom of Sicily. This noted warrior died on the 27th July 1085. His surname was adopted by a branch of his House, and the name became common in Normandy and throughout France. Guiscard was the surname of the Norman kings of Apulia in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. John Wychard is mentioned as a small landowner in the Hundred de la Mewe, Buckinghamshire, in the reign of Henry III. (1216-1272) DEGREES During the same reign and that of Edward I. (1272-1307), are named as landowners, Baldwin Wyschard or Wistchart, in Shropshire; Nicholas Wychard, in Warwickshire; Hugh Wischard, in Essex; and William Wischard, in Bucks.J In the reign of Edward I. Julian Wyechard is named as occupier of a house in the county of Oxford. A branch of the House of Wischard obtained lands in Scotland some time prior to the thirteenth century. John Wischard was sheriff of Kincardineshire in the reign of Alexander II. (1214-1249). In an undated charter of this monarch, Walter of Lundyn, and Christian his wife, grant to the monks of Arbroath a chalder of grain, "pro sua fraternitate," the witnesses being John Wischard, "vicecomes de Moernes," and his son John.* John Wischard is witness to a charter, by Stephen de Kinardley, granting to the church of St Thomas the Martyr, of..."