Beauchamp. Other heirs contested his rights to them, but he won. A
curious story told about his claim, is as follows: "Beauchamp invited
his learned counsel to his house in Paternoster Row in the city of
London; amongst whom were Robert Charlton (then a judge), William
Pinchbek, William Brenchesley, and John Catesby (all learned lawyers);
and after dinner, coming out of his chapel in an angry mood, threw to
each of them a piece of gold and said: 'Sirs, I desire you forthwith to
tell me, whether I have any right and title to Hasting's lordships and
lands!' Whereupon Pinchbek stood up (the rest being silent, fearing that
he suspected them) and said: 'No man here, nor in England, dare say that
you have any right in them, except Hastings [Footnote: Evidently Edward
Hastings, a contesting heir.] quit his claim therein; and should he do
it 'being now under age, it would be of no validity.'" (Dugdale).

In 1387 [Footnote: According to Beltz, p. 229]when Richard II was
preparing for his assault upon the Gloucester faction with which William
de Beauchamp was evidently, as his brother the Earl of Warwick was
certainly, connected, he tried to remove Beauchamp from the office of
Captain of Calais, by messenger. Beauchamp refused to leave the office,
"saying that he received that charge and trust publicly from the King,
in the presence of his nobles, and therefore would not quit it in a
private manner" (Dugdale). When his successor arrived, Beauchamp
arrested him, and took him to England. There Beauchamp himself was
arrested but was soon released. In 1393 he was summoned to Parliament as
Baron Bergavenny (a title received in connection with the Pembroke
estates). From 1390-96 I find reference to grants of land made by him to
religious bodies. He seems to have been rather in disfavour in these
closing years of Richard II's reign, but under Henry IV he received new
grants, of the manor of Feckenham, rent-free, and of the custody of the
Castle and county of Pembroke. He died 12 Henry IV and was buried in