Aubrey II de , Sheriff of London VERE

                   Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford, so created 1142 by the EmpressMatilda and recognised as such by Stephen I (c1152-53); MasterChamberlain of England, as which inherited from father; married 1st c1139(divorced by 1146) Beatrice, gdau of Manasses, Count of Guisnes, NorthernFrance, whom Aubrey inherited in that fief late 1139 on doing homage tohis overlord Thierry, Count of Flanders (though he was obliged tosurrender it on his divorce); married 2nd by 1152 Eufeme (dspm (certainlyand dsp probably 1153 or 1154), dau of William de Cauntelo; married 3rd1162 or 1163 Agnes, dau of Henry de Essex, feudal Lord of Rayleigh andHaughley.  [Burke's Peerage]

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Oxford, Earldom of: This title, held originally by the de Veres from 1142to 1702/3, was not the earliest post-Conquest earldom creation.  But byCharles I's reign it had been held in unbroken male succession for solong, and the Wars of the Roses together with the Tudor's use ofattainder to cut down overmighty subjects had so depleted the other greatmedieval families, that Chief Justic Crew could in 1626 deliver hisfamous rhetorical question with some cogency.  ["This great honour, thishigh and noble dignity hath continued ever since in the remarkablesurname of de Vere, by so many ages, descents and generations, as noother kingdom can produce such a peer in one and the self same name andtitle.  I find in all this length of time, but two attainders of thisnoble family, and those in stormy and tempestuous times, when thegovernment was unsettled, and the kingdom in competition.  I havelaboured to make a covenant with myself, that affection may not pressupon judgement, for I suppose there is not many that hath anyapprehension of gentry or nobleness, but his affection stands to thecontinuance of so noble a name and house, and would take hold of a twigor a twine thread to uphold it.  And yet, time hath its revolutions;there must be a period and an end to all things temporal--finisrerum--and end of names and dignities and whatever is terrene, and whynot de Vere? For where is Bohun?  Where is Mowbray?  Where is Mortimer?Nay, which is more and most of all, where is Plantagent?  They areentombed in the urns and sepulchres of mortality  And yet let the nameand dignity of de Vere stand so long as it pleaseth God."]

Aubrey de Vere's choice of Oxford as the name of his title in 1142 wassomewhat arbitrary, however.  The Empress Maud had conferred on him anEarldom of Cambridgeshire, together with the third penny of certainrevenues from the count for the upkeep of the dignity, which at that timewas a necessary concomitant of earldoms.  But if Cambridgeshire were inthe hands of the King of Scots [David I], which ultimately proved to bethe case, and the Empress could not effect and exchange, Aubrey was totake his pick of title from the Earldoms of Berkshire, Dorsetshire orWiltshire, besides Oxford (or Oxfordshire--there was little distinctionbetween a county name and county town name at this period where earldomswere concerned).  Aubrey only seems to have chosen Oxford(shire) becauseit was the least remote from his own principal land holdings inEssex--which is to say, not close at all, particularly given 12th centurycommunications.  [Burke's Peerage, Earldom of Oxford, p. 2178]
                  

                   Robert, feudal Lord of Twywell, Northants.  [Burke's Peerage]
                  

                   Adeliza; married Henry de Essex.  [Burke's Peerage]