From: Richard Borthwick
I have just recently discovered your web page, Jan Barnes's fascinating article on the Brabazon genealogy and your invitation to comment.
I have no comment to make on her reconstruction of the Brabazon descent based on Farnham and the public records other than to say I find it impressive. What does seem to require some comment is her interpretation of the 1293 IPM of William Le Graunt and the associated passage from the CFR.
I think there is a mistake in identifying William le Graunt and William brother of Mancel Biset. Mancel (i.e., Manasser) was chamberlain of Henry II formerly duke Henry (mentioned in the IPM). Mannasser died in 1176/77 and his brother was William the Carpenter (Willelmus carpentarius). William le Graunt d.1293. Further, William le Graunt only held East Bridgeford, Notts, by courtesy. The proper heirs were those of his wife, Aubrey de Sproxton (i.e., Beatrice le Brabazon and the heirs of Beatrice's deceased sister, Constance). The descent from William the carpenter to Aubrey and her heirs is therefore most likely to be through the marriage of a Sproxton to a Biset coheir and certainly not through William le Gaunt..
Manasser's and William's father was another William who held in East Bridgeford (so the recital in the IPM is not quite accurate about who got the original grant). Manasser who would have inherited East B either enfeoffed his brother William or his nephew (William's son) Henry Biset (apparently d. before 1212). Henry of East B is to be distinguished from his homonymous cousin of Rockbourne and Kidderminster and Manasser's son and heir. Clearly East B was held by William the carpenter's descendants of the heirs of Mannasser Biset.
Just how the descent of East B to John de Bassingbourne and Aubrey de Sproxton occurs is not quite so clear. William the carpenter was succeeded by Henry Biset and then he had coheirs (daughters or granddaughters), Amabilia who married a Sproxton (possibly Aubrey's father) and Aubrey (Alberada) wife of Warin de Bassingbourne (possibly John de B's father). Henry Biset of East B had a wife Aubrey.
Thoroton (ed. by Throsby) Antiquities of Nottinghamshire, vol.I, pp.292-293 has interesting material on the descent of East Bridgeford from the Bisets. Thoroton conflates Henry son of William and Henry son of Manasser and has John Biset (d.1241) as a son of the former and not as son of the latter Henry (which he was). Even so Thoroton indicates his own sense of puzzlement over just how the fee passes to Beatrice and Constance and John Bassigbourne. There is also an interesting discussion on Sproxton in Farrer's Honours and Knights'Fees, vol.2 pp.317-20, There is in Farrer vol.3 p.403 material on Henry Biset and his wife Isolda. Farrer also has some puzzlement about the actual mode of descent.

When I can I will look at the Thurgaton Cartulary which has material of the Biset fees and again at keats-Rohan for precise references