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I



THE FIRST HISTORY OF WATTS' FAMILY OF ALEXANDER COUNTY IN ENGLAND.

GEN.    PG.     PG.
I	I	I	In the year 1211 A. D. during the 13th year of King
			John, there lived Sir Michael Le Fleming who bad five
			children as follows:
II	I	I	Sir Wm. Le Fleming
II	I	I	Sir Richard Le Fleming-Had a daughter Godith Le Fleming
II	I	I	Rev. Daniel Le Fleming
II	I	I	Anselm Le Fleming
II	I	I	Jordan Le Fleming
III	I	I	   Godith Le Fleming, daughter of Sir Wm. Le Fleming,
		married William De Esenby.  She received from her father
		three carucates of land in Agarsslith and was a bene-
		factress to the priory of St. Bees in Cumberland.
		(No Other Record)
III	I	I	   Sir Richard Le Fleming, second son of Sir Michael
		Le Fleming, called also Flandrensis and Flameng in
		several places and records, received the honor of
		Knighthood and seated himself at Caernavon Castle in the
		manor of Beckermet which Castle and Manor with the
		homage and service wards and reliefs of all the free-
		holders of Frisington, Rottington, Weddekar, Kelton,
		Salter, Arlochden and Burringg with the lands in Cumber-
		land and the lands in Lancashire were given to him by
		his father, some of which estates were, as late as 1811
		enjoyed by descendents of this family, either in lineal
		or collateral succession.  Sir Richard died during the
		term of King John, and was succeeded by his only son.
		   Sir John Le Fleming of Beckermet, Knight, who
		conveyed to his Richard by a deed without date the land
		which his father had given him in Coupland.  He also
		gave the patronage of the rectory of Arlochden and the
		land in Great Beckermet to the Abby of Chaldine in
		the 26th year of King Henry III 1241 A. D. Also, the
		Advowson of the church of St. John the Baptist of Beck-
		ermet was granted to this Abby which was confirmed by
		Archbishop of York 1262 A. D.
		   Sir John died in the rein of King Henry III Cira l250
		and was buried in the Abby of Caldne to which he had
		been a benefactor.  It is stated that the Abby contained
		a very ancient statue in freestone of a man in armor
		a frett of six pieces upon his shield, lying upon his
		back with a sword by his side, his hands elevated in a
		praying posture and his legs across which probably were
		so placed from the taking upon him the cross, after
		having been disposed of all his worldly goods and having
		been engaged in the Holy Wars (of the Crusaders) and
		which statue was placed here, most probably in the
		memory of this Sir John Le Fleming.
		   (The following quotation is from Washington Irvins
		sketch book which reads in part)("A scene in Westmini-
		sters Abby, beautifully illustrative of the character of
		the Crusaders, interesting to the Watts family as the
		coat of arms was granted to one of them")
		   "I pause to contemplate a tomb on which lay the
		effigy of a Knight in complete armor, large buckler was
		on one arm, the hands were pressed together in suppli-
		cation on the breast, the face was almost covered by


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