The Forgotten 14th Century Despensers
Brad Verity
Froissart, who was intimately acquainted with the family, states
expressly that Henry was the fourth son of this marriage, it is plain
that he must have been born in 1341 or 1342."
Sir Edward Despenser, of Buckland, the second son of the infamous Hugh
Despenser the Younger, married Anne Ferrers of Groby on 20 Apr. 1335,
according to CP. He died on 30 Sep. 1342.
Edward, Lord Despenser, born on 24 Mar. 1336, is the only son that CP
mentions. But we know from history that the Bishop of Norwich was
also a son of Sir Edward and Anne Ferrers, and Froissart must've known
what he was talking about, so who were the second and third sons of
the couple?
Collins' Peerage is slightly helpful, it states that Sir Edward and
Anne had three sons "Edward, heir to his uncle; Thomas le Despenser;
and Henry, the warlike bishop of Norwich." Who was this Thomas le
Despenser? Collins doesn't have anything to say, but the PRO database
sheds much more light:
E 40/4795
Grant by lady Anne late the wife of Sir Edward le Despenser, and Sir
Thomas, her son, to the king, of the castle of Morende and the manors
of Plumpton Pirie, and Yerdelegh Gobioun, and of all lands &c. which
they said Anne holds in Yerdlegh Gobioun, Morende and Potterespirie,
formerly the said Sir Edward's; for which the king is to obtain for
her a release from Sir Gerard del Isle of all right in the manor of
Burlegh, or else shall give her and her son other lands &c. Drayton by
Lufwyk, 30 June, 37 Edward III.
[This grant of 1364, when Thomas was in his mid-20s, proves that he
was the son of Sir Edward Despenser and Anne Ferrers, and also shows
that he was knighted by that year.]
E 40/5030
Letter of attorney by the king, authorising John de Newenham to
receive seisin o fthe castle and manor of Morend, the manor of
Plumpton Pyrie, and of all other lands &c. in morend Potterespirie and
yerdlegh Gobyon which Thomas le Despenser has given to the king:
N'hamp. Westminster, 30 September, 37 Edward III.
C 143/357/19
Thomas le Despenser, knight, and Henry le Despenser to grant land in
Stamford to the warden and friars Minors there, retaining messuages, a
shop, and land in Stamford. Lincoln. 39 EDWARD III.
[This grant links Sir Thomas Despenser with his younger brother Henry,
who was 24 or 25 in 1366. DNB says Henry was nominated as Bishop of
Norwich in 1370, so him not having a title in the above grant fits
chronologically.]
C 143/387/7
Thomas le Despenser, that he and his men of Burley and Alsthorp may
have a court leet and be quit of suit of counties and hundreds, and
that he may have a fair at Burley. Rutland. 49 EDWARD III.
[This grant shows that Sir Thomas Despenser was alive in 1376.]
Did Sir Thomas Despenser marry and have children? When did he die?
These questions remain unanswered.
And what of the third son of Sir Edward Despenser and Anne Ferrers,
since Froissart states Henry, Bishop of Norwich was their fourth son?
Collins had a footnote: "Sir William Dugdale in his Antiquities of
Warwickshire, under the manor of Solihull, mentions another son, named
Hugh, who married Alice daughter to Sir John Hotham, Knt. and by her
(who secondly wedded Sir John Trussell) had issue, Sir Hugh le
Despenser, who died 3 Hen. IV and was buried in the friars church at
Stanford [sic, he must mean Stamford, see C 143/357/19 above], leaving
no issue by Sibill his wife; so that the manor of Solihull descended
to his only sister and heir Anne, who at the death of the said Hugh
was thirty-two years old, and married to Sir Edward Boteler, Knt."
The PRO database has the following documents regarding Hugh Despenser,
his son Hugh Despenser and the latter's wife Sibill:
E 101/73/2/31
Parties to Indenture: Hugh le Despenser, kt. and William de Drayton,
kt. Nature of Service: Defence of town of Berwick-upon-Tweed. 9
Richard II
[If Anne Despenser Boteler was 32 in 1403, when her brother died, she
was born about 1371. Her brother Hugh was probably born within a few
years of her, so he would be too young to be the Hugh Despenser in the
above document, dated in 1386. So it must refer to their father, Hugh
Despenser, who apparently was a knight.]
E 210/521
Grant by John Rothewell and William Cossham, to Ralph de Ferrariis,
knight, for his life, of all the lands and tenements &c. in Rotheley,
which they had of the grant of the said Ralph; with remainder to Henry
de Ferrariis, knight, Ralph's son, for his life, and in fee to Hugh le
Despenser, knight : Leic. Tuesday after St. Dunstan the archbishop, 12
Richa
[This 1389 grant seems to tie this Sir Hugh Despenser to the Ferrers
relations of his mother Anne]
C 148/129
Subject: Warrant for Protection of Walter Jay (in The Service of the
King) going abroad with Hugh le Despenser, lieutenant of John Holand,
Earl of Huntingdon, Captain of Brest, for one year (12-16 Ric II)
[The Hugh Despenser in the above document is not mentioned as a
knight, though it's from the same period as the 1389 grant. This
probably refers to Sir Hugh's son and namesake, the one who died in
1403, who was in his late teens or early 20s in 1389.]
E 101/320/21
Particulars of the account of Hugh le Despenser, sent on an embassy to
Aquitaine, with list of his retinue. 1 & 2 Henry IV.
C 49/47/13
Copy writ of distraint against the executors of Hugh le Despenser to
make account for the goods, chattels and jewels of Peter de Bosco,
late bishop of Aquitaine 7 Hen IV
[The above document from 1407 fits with Dugdale's statement that Sir
Hugh Despenser the son died in 1403.]
C 1/6/334
Sibyl, late the wife, and John Brette, esq., and others, executors of
sir Hugh le Despenser, knt. v. Abbot of Whitland, late collector in
Carmarthen (Kermerdy), of of the tenth and a half granted in the late
King's third year.: Petition for a writ to thesheriff of Warwick to
attach the abbot to render account of the said collection (upon which
petitioners have an assignment ?).
E 326/1910
Release by Richard Prat of Bergholt, to Thomas Setheford, Thomas
Bentlee, Thomas Kyller, William Ropere, William Shales, and others,
tenants of lady Sibyl La Despenser in Lalford (Lawford), of all
actions against them: [Warw.] Tatyngestone, 3 August, 9 Henry IV
If anyone has further information on Sir Thomas Despenser and Sir Hugh
Despenser, the long-forgotten brothers of Edward, Lord Despenser and
Henry, Bishop of Norwich, please share with the newsgroup. I'd love
to know if either had descendants - certainly Hugh's daughter Anne,
the wife of Sir Edward Boteler, would be a strong candidate for
carrying a descent from King Edward I into further Warwickshire gentry
families.
Best regards, -------Brad Verity
Rosie Bevan
I enjoyed reading your research into the forgotten Despensers and can add a
little more to their story but I'm afraid that the prognosis seems rather
disappointing.
Sir Edward Boteler died on 10 Nov 1412 without issue, for his heir was
Philip Boteler, his cousin once removed. His wife appears to have
predeceased him as there is no mention of her in his IPM. Even if she had
remarried after the death of her husband she would have probably been past
childbearing, for stated to be aged between 30-36 years old on the death of
her brother Hugh in his IPM of 1401, would have been at least 41-47 on her
husband's death in 1412.
Additionally the IPM of Edward Duke of York in 1416 not only suggests that
she did not survive her husband but that she did not have issue either.
(CIPM ; XX, no.397)
"LINCOLN. Inquisition. Grantham. 14 Jan 1416
He held the manors of Bonby and Shillingthorpe for life, of the king in
chief by knight service, because the reversion of Bonby after the death of
Edward Boteler, knight, who held it for life and died on 3 March 1413, and
the reversion of Shillingthorpe after the death of Hugh le Despenser knight,
who held it for life and died on 12 Dec 1399, belonged to Thomas, late Lord
Despenser, and the king granted him all the possessions of Thomas to hold
for his life on 16 April 1414 with remainder as above [no.392]. The annual
values are Bonby L13 6s. 8d., Shillingthorpe 60s."
Bonby, being a Despenser holding, would have undoubtedly been held by Edward
Boteler by right of his wife, Anne, and it would have been almost certainly
settled on her for life and possibly on her heirs as well. The fact that
Edward is mentioned holding it last indicates that she predeceased him.
The IPM of John de Dodyngselles, knight 1414(CIPM v.XX no.266)
NORTHAMPTON Inquisition. Mears Ashby. 16 June.
He held in his demesne as of fee of Henry IV 1 knight's fee in Collyweston,
parcel of the manor, which John de Dodyngselles of Long Itchington ...
Edward Botiller and Anne his wife HELD in right of Anne; annual value of the
manor ...[3 lines illegible].
Note the past tense.
This particular manor had previously been granted to Sir Hugh Despenser and
his heirs by Henry le Despenser, Bishop of Norwich.
VCH Northants v.2 p. 551 has this to say about the Despensers in Collyweston
"Paul the son of William [Hauville] enfeoffed John de Hotham, bishop of Ely,
of the manor. John settled its reversion on various of his descendants in
1332 [ F of F Northants. 5 Edw III, no. 96]. In 1379 his niece Alice wife of
Hugh le Despenser, died holding the manor. It descended in turn to her two
children by Hugh le Despenser, Hugh and Ann, the wife of Sir Edward Boteler,
both of whom died without heirs.[CIPM 3 Ric II, no. 20]
Cheers
Rosie
brad verity
Your reply was very helpful, and I'm so glad you have access to the IPMs,
which are a tremendous resource in this kind of research.
So we know from the evidence you provided that the line of Hugh le
Despenser, the third son of Sir Edward Despenser and Anne Ferrers, did not
survive beyond one generation. Both his son Sir Hugh Despenser and his
daughter Anne Despenser Boteler died childless.
What remains undetermined is if Sir Thomas le Despenser, the second son of
Sir Edward Despenser and Anne Ferrers, married and had any children. We
don't even have a date of death for him yet, though the PRO document shows
he was alive in 1376.
If there were any surviving lines, it would have to be through this Sir
Thomas Despenser.
>From: "Rosie Bevan" <rbe...@paradise.net.nz>
>VCH Northants v.2 p. 551 has this to say about the Despensers in
>Collyweston
>"Paul the son of William [Hauville] enfeoffed John de Hotham, bishop of
>Ely,
>of the manor. John settled its reversion on various of his descendants in
>1332 [ F of F Northants. 5 Edw III, no. 96]. In 1379 his niece Alice wife
>of
>Hugh le Despenser, died holding the manor. It descended in turn to her two
>children by Hugh le Despenser, Hugh and Ann, the wife of Sir Edward
>Boteler,
>both of whom died without heirs.[CIPM 3 Ric II, no. 20]
If Alice Hotham Despenser died in 1379, and Dugdale was correct in saying
that her second husband was Sir John Trussell, then Hugh le Despenser,
brother of Edward, Lord Despenser and Henry, Bishop of Norwich, must have
died in the 1370s, and the below PRO document applies to his son and
namesake:
> > E 101/73/2/31
> > Parties to Indenture: Hugh le Despenser, kt. and William de Drayton,
> > kt. Nature of Service: Defence of town of Berwick-upon-Tweed. 9
> > Richard II
So, we don't know if the father Hugh Despenser was knighted. If the son
Hugh Despenser was a knight by 1386, he would have to have been born no
later than 1370, which fits with the chronology of his sister Anne, who we
know was aged 30-36 when he died in 1401. These birthdates for brother and
sister also fit with a birthdate of about 1339-1340 for their father Hugh
Despenser.
Thanks again, Rosie, for your help. It's great to fill in the missing
branches of the 14th-century Despenser family tree.
Best regards, ------Brad
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Rosie Bevan
I can finally answer the second part to your question. It appears that Sir
Thomas le Despenser died without issue too.
VCH Rutland v.2, p.114/5 sub Burley
"In the following year [1365] she [Anne Despenser] settled half the manor of
Burley on herself for life, with remainder to her second son Sir Thomas le
Despenser [Cal. Pat. R 1364-7, pp. 45, 57]. In 1369 Sir Thomas, the king's
kinsman, was in possession of the whole manor [Cal. Pat. R 1367-70, p. 219],
and in 1375 he had a grant of a court leet and a view of frankpledge and a
fair at Burley, and quittance of suit of counties and hundreds for the men
of his manor. The reason for this grant was that the vill of Burley having
been destroyed by fire, and the inhabitants being so impoverished by
excessive amercements for suits of hundreds and other demands by the
sheriff, they threatened to abandon their holdings unless some assistance
was given to them. [Abbrev. Rot. Orig. ii, 338 ; Cal Chart. R. 1341-1417, p.
230 ; Inq a.q..d. ccclxxxvii, 7]
In 1379 Sir Thomas granted Burley manor to trustees, two of whom were
his brother Henry, Bishop of Norwich, and his nephew Hugh le Despenser
Cal. Pat R. 1377-81, p.453]. Thomas died without issue in 1381, [CIPM 4 Ric
II, no 21] when at the outbreak of the Peasant's revolt Henry, Bishop of
Norwich was at Burley. It has been stated that the manor belonged to him
[ibid], but he probably held it only as a trustee for Sir Thomas, and the
manor actually passed to Hugh le Despenser, younger son of Edward, brother
of Sir Thomas."
Cheers
Rosie
----- Original Message -----
Brad Verity
> I can finally answer the second part to your question. It appears that Sir
> Thomas le Despenser died without issue too.
Rosie, many thanks for following up with this.
> VCH Rutland v.2, p.114/5 sub Burley
> In 1379 Sir Thomas granted Burley manor to trustees, two of whom were
> his brother Henry, Bishop of Norwich, and his nephew Hugh le Despenser
> Cal. Pat R. 1377-81, p.453]. Thomas died without issue in 1381, [CIPM 4 Ric
> II, no 21] when at the outbreak of the Peasant's revolt Henry, Bishop of
> Norwich was at Burley. It has been stated that the manor belonged to him
> [ibid], but he probably held it only as a trustee for Sir Thomas, and the
> manor actually passed to Hugh le Despenser, younger son of Edward, brother
> of Sir Thomas."
I'm a little confused here by what VCH Rutland is saying. Sir Thomas
Despenser had a nephew Hugh le Despenser, but he was the son of his
brother Hugh, not his brother Edward. I show the following
descendants of Sir Edward le Despenser and Anne Ferrers:
Descendants of Sir Edward le Despenser, of Buckland, Bucks (k. at
Morlaix, France 30 Sep. 1342), 2nd son of Hugh le Despenser 'the
Younger', Lord Despenser, and Lady Eleanor de Clare; m. at Groby, 20
Apr. 1335, Anne Ferrers (d. 8 Aug. 1367), dau. of William, Lord
Ferrers of Groby:
1) Edward le Despenser, 4th Lord Despenser, b. at Essendine 24 Mar.
1336, m. before 2 Aug. 1354, Elizabeth de Burghersh (b. 1342, d. 26
July 1409), dau. of Bartholomew, Lord Burghersh, and d. at
Llanbethian, co. Glamorgan 11 Nov. 1375. Issue:
A) Edward le Despenser, died young
B) Hugh le Despenser, died young
C) Cecily le Despenser, died young
D) Elizabeth le Despenser, m. 1st Sir John d'Arundel, and had 3
sons. She m. 2ndly, William, Lord Zouche, and d. 1408.
E) Anne le Despenser, m. 1st Sir Hugh Hastings of Fenwick, and had
issue. She m. 2ndly, Thomas, Lord Morley, and d. 1421.
F) Margaret le Despenser, m. Robert, Lord Ferrers of Chartley, and
d. 3 Nov. 1415, leaving issue.
G) Thomas le Despenser, 5th Lord Despenser, Earl of Gloucester, b.
22 Sep. 1373, m. by Jan. 1384, Lady Constance of York (d. 28 Nov.
1416), dau. of Edmund of Langley, Duke of York, and was beheaded 13
Jan. 1400. Issue:
1A) Richard le Despenser, b. 30 Nov. 1396, dsp. 7 Oct. 1414,
last known male descendant of Hugh Despenser the Younger.
2A) Elizabeth le Despenser, died young
3A) Isabel le Despenser, b. 26 July 1400, m.1st Richard
Beauchamp, Earl of Worcester. She m. 2ndly, Richard Beauchamp, Earl
of Warwick, and d. 27 Dec. 1439, the last of the Despensers.
2) Sir Thomas le Despenser, of Burley, co. Rutland, b. 1337/8, dsp.
1381.
3) Hugh le Despenser, of Solihull, co. Warwick, b. 1339/40, m. Anne
(m. 2ndly Sir John Trussell and d. 1379), dau. of Sir John Hotham, and
niece of John de Hotham, Bishop of Ely, and d. in 1370s. Issue:
A) Sir Hugh le Despenser, of Solihull, m. Sybil ----, and dsp. 12
Dec. 1399.
B) Anne le Despenser, heiress of her brother, b. 1365/70, m. Sir
Edward Boteler (dsp. 3 Mar. 1413), and dsp. before 1413.
4) Henry le Despenser, Bishop of Norwich, b. 1341/2, dunm. 23 Aug.
1406.
I think VCH Rutland must've confused the father of Sir Thomas le
Despenser's nephew and heir Hugh, making him the son of Edward Lord
Despenser (who did have a son Hugh that died young) rather than the
son of the third brother Hugh le Despenser.
This exhausts the issue of Sir Edward le Despenser, the second son of
Hugh Despenser the Younger and Eleanor de Clare. We know their first
son Hugh, 3rd Lord Despenser died without issue in 1349. That leaves
only their third and youngest son, Gilbert le Despenser, unaccounted
for. In "For Her Good Estate: The Life of Elizabeth de Burgh" by
Frances Underhill, Gilbert Despenser appears in the household books of
his aunt Elizabeth, Lady of Clare between 1347 and 1349 as a member of
her familia, but vanishes from the accounts after that. Collins'
Peerage says "Gilbert le Despenser of Melton Mowbray in
Leicestershire," but nothing further. If this Gilbert died without
issue, which seems likely, then Richard le Despenser, son and heir of
Thomas, attainted Earl of Gloucester, was the last male descendant of
the notorious Hugh Despenser the Younger, and his death in 1414
brought the male line to an end.
Thanks again for your help. Best regards, ------Brad
Douglas Richardson
If you're interested in the Despenser family, I recommend you locate
the fascinating book, Anglo-Norman Letters & Petitions, edited by M.
Dominca Legge, published in 1941 (Anglo-Norman Text Society, No. 3).
This source features full transcripts of many original letters from
around 1400, including quite a few letters to and from Henry
Despenser, Bishop of Norwich, and his relatives. Among other things,
this source indicates that Henry Despenser's niece, Anne Despenser,
wife of Edward Boteler, had at least one son (who died in infancy)and
that Anne's husband attempted to divorce her.
I might also recommend that you check out the following articles in
print which feature information regarding the Despenser family:
l. Notingham Medieval Studies 41 (1997): 126-156.
2. Bulletin of the Inst. of Hist. Research 58 (1985): 95-100.
3. Trans. Royal Hist. Soc. 3rd ser. 9 (1915): 21-64.
Best always, Douglas Richardson
bat...@hotmail.com (Brad Verity) wrote in message news:<8ed1b63.02052...@posting.google.com>...
Steven C. Perkins
I thank you all for the information on the Despensers and I ask if you
have seen any references to a Pierre De Morlaix, or Peter Morley, or
Peter More alias Parkyns/Perkins, and wife, Agnes Tayler, in your
research.
The Visitation of Berkshire, Harl. v 56, 1623 and 1665-66 under
Perkyns of Ufton, show him as "servus" to Hugh Lord Despenser, Lord
of Shipton in Oxford, and living in 1380.
His son, Henry Parkyns, is listed without dates or title, and he is
followed by his son Johes Perking,(sic) "ar. filius Henrici vixit j. H. 4,
Senescallus Tho: Comitis Gloucestr: 21 R 2". He is attested in the
court rolls from Madresfield, Worcester, in 1390, and in 1400, he and a
Thomas More, received custody of a water-mill at Shipton from Henry
IV, (Fine Rolls, 1 H IV, part 1, m.15).
His son, William Parkyns, Esq., was styled "Lord of Ufton, Donzell and
True Patron" of the living as recorded in the Sarum. Reg. He was
"baillous" to Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, see, Bloomfield, Hist.
Norf., v. iii, p.6.(1411). He is recorded in the records of the Corporation
of Reading, 1426, 1427, and 1428. Also see, Mary A. Sharpe, The
History of Ufton Court, of the Parish of Ufton, in the County of Berks,
and Of the Perkins Family, pp35 et. seq.
My interest is in Peter Morley, whom I suspect to actually be Peter
More of Madresfield and his son Henry Parkyns. Any reference to
further record evidence of them you may find when researching the
Despensers would be very welcome.
The Perkyns arms are shown as 1. Perkins, 2. Mychell?, 3. More, 4.
Atmore, impaling Eyston (MS Ashmole, 852, p.301)
Regards,
Steven C. Perkins
after 31 May 2002, SPer...@interaccess.com
Steven C. Perkins sper...@rci.rutgers.edu
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~scperkins/
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~sperkins/hdtv.html
Perkins Y DNA Study:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~scperkins/PerkinsDNA.html
Brad Verity
> If you're interested in the Despenser family, I recommend you locate
> the fascinating book, Anglo-Norman Letters & Petitions, edited by M.
> Dominca Legge, published in 1941 (Anglo-Norman Text Society, No. 3).
> This source features full transcripts of many original letters from
> around 1400, including quite a few letters to and from Henry
> Despenser, Bishop of Norwich, and his relatives.
Many thanks for the Despenser sources, Douglas. The one above with
letters from the Bishop of Norwich in particular sounds fascinating.
I'll try and hunt down all of them.
Best regards, ------Brad