C.P. Correction: Death date of Sir Simon de Montagu, 1st Lord Montagu (died 1317)

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

Complete Peerage, 9 (1936): 78–80 (sub Montagu) has a good account of Sir Simon de Montagu, 1st Lord Montagu. Regarding Sir Simon's date of death, the following information is provided:

"He died 26 September, and was buried 2 Nov. 1316, in Bruton Priory." END OF QUOTE.

On page 80, footnote e, the following documentation is provided for Sir Simon de Montagu's date of death:

"Cal. Inq. p.m., vol. vi, no. 118; Archaeologia, vol. xxvi, p. 339." END OF QUOTE.

So what do these two sources say:

Cal. Inq. p.m. 6 (1910): 75 [no. 118] is actually the inquisition post mortem for another individual, Alice widow of Humphrey de Beauchamp, which inquest was taken 30 November, 11 Edward II [1317].

The inquisition specifically states that immediately after the decease of Alice de Beauchamp, "Simon de Monte Acuto of his own will entered upon the said manor [of Silverton, Devon] and held it from the feast of St. Ambrose, 10 Edward II [4 April 1317] until Monday before St. Michael following [26 September], when he died."

In other words, Sir Simon de Montagu died 26 September 1317, not 1316 as claimed by Complete Peerage.

The other source cited by Complete Peerage is Archaeologia, 26 (1836): 318-345, which is an interesting article by the noted antiquarian, Thomas Stapleton. The article features a summary of the wardrobe account of the 10th, 11th, and 14th years of King Edward II.

On page 339, the following information is given by Mr. Stapleton from the wardrobe account:

"Laid, by the King's order, 2nd of November, 10th Edward II. viz. on the day of his burial, upon the body of Sir Simon de Montacute, buried in the priory of Bruton, two pieces of gold and silk tissue, ad aurum in serico." END OF QUOTE.

The above item may be viewed at the following weblink:

https://books.google.com/books?id=EcJeAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA339

If we are to trust Mr. Stapleton's statement, Sir Simon de Montagu was buried 2 November, 10th Edward II [1316]. But this date is in direct conflict with the inquisition of Alice de Beauchamp taken in November 1317, which specifically states that Sir Simon de Montagu was living 4 April 1317, and died 26 September 1317.

So which source is correct? Is 1316 the correct year of Sir Simon's death or 1317?

I note that Mr. Stapleton has dated the item from the Wardrobe account as being 10th Edward II [1316], but it appears that this item was actually taken from the wardrobe account for 11th Edward II [1317].

We can be certain that 1317 is the correct year as I find that Sir Simon de Montagu occurs as plaintiff in no less than two Common Pleas lawsuits dated Easter term 1317. Easter term in 1317 fell between 20 April and 16 May. As such, these lawsuits prove that Sir Simon de Montagu was living between 20 April and 16 May 1317, which dates agree with the inquisition post mortem of Alice de Beauchamp, which states that he was living 4 April 1317.

Below are abstracts of the two Common Pleas lawsuits dated Easter term 1317:

1. In Easter term Simon de Montagu sued Reginald de Clyfford of Cotesford, Devon in the Court of Common Pleas regarding a debt of £40. Reference: Court of Common Pleas, CP40/218, image 87f (available at http://aalt.law.uh.edu/E2/CP40no218/aCP40no218fronts/IMG_0087.htm).

2. In Easter term 1317 Simon de Montagu sued John Bozoun in the Court of Common Pleas regarding a reasonable account of the time he was his bailiff in Thurlbear, Somerset. Reference: Court of Common Pleas, CP40/218, image 107f (available at http://aalt.law.uh.edu/E2/CP40no218/aCP40no218fronts/IMG_0107.htm).

In summary, we see that Sir Simon de Montagu, 1st Lord Montagu, was living at Easter term 1317, as proven by the two Common Pleas lawsuits. Given these facts, I conclude that the inquisition of Alice de Beauchamp is correct that Sir Simon de Montagu was living 4 April 1317, and died 26 September 1317. Mr. Stapleton appears to have dated the record of Sir Simon de Montagu's burial in the wardrobe account of King Edward II to the wrong regnal year.

For interest's sake, the following is a list of the numerous 17th Century New World immigrants that descend from Simon de Montagu, 1st Lord Montagu:

Elizabeth Alsop, Samuel Argall, William Asfordby, Barbara Aubrey, Charles Barham, Henry, Thomas & William Batte, Marmaduke Beckwith, William Bladen, George & Nehemiah Blakiston, Elizabeth Bosvile, Mary Bourchier, George, Giles & Robert Brent, Edward Bromfield, Stephen Bull, Charles Calvert, Edward Carleton, Jeremy Clarke, St. Leger Codd, William Crymes, Francis Dade, Humphrey Davie, Edward Digges, Robert Drake, William Farrer, John Fenwick, Henry Filmer, John Fisher, Henry Fleete, Elizabeth & John Harleston, Warham Horsmanden, Anne Humphrey, Edmund Jennings, Matthew Kempe, Mary Launce, Hannah, Samuel & Sarah Levis, Anne Lovelace, Percival Lowell, Thomas Lunsford, Agnes Mackworth, Roger & Thomas Mallory, Anne, Elizabeth & John Mansfield, Anne Mauleverer, Richard More, Joseph & Mary Need, John and Margaret Nelson, Philip & Thomas Nelson, Ellen Newton, Thomas Owsley, John Oxenbridge, Herbert Pelham, Robert Peyton, George Reade, William Rodney, Thomas Rudyard, Katherine Saint Leger, Richard Saltonstall, William Skepper, Anne Skipwith, Diana & Grey Skipwith, Mary Johanna Somerset, John Throckmorton, Samuel & William Torrey, John West, Margaret Wyatt.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah