Re: Llywelyn ap Iorwerth's step-father, Wion ap Ione
Douglas Richardson
Back in 2001, I posted the following document dated 1197-1205 which
proves that
Margaret/Margery, mother of the famous Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, Prince of
North Wales, married (2nd) a certain "W. ap Ione."
No. 251. "Reverentissimo patri et domino H[uberto] dei gratia
Cantuariensi Archiepiscopo tocius Anglie Primati, R[obertus] eiusdem
permissione Bangor[ensis] Episcopus, De Bildewas, de Cumbremar', de
Hageman Abbates, salutem et tam devotam quam debitam per omnia
revertiam. Constitutis nobis apud Bankebir' die Martis proxima post
ascensionem domini causam que vertebatur inter nobilem mulierem M.
matrem Lewelini Principis Norwallie et W. filium Ione audituris,
exhibuit nobis dicta M. litteras vestras continentes quod rei
veritatum super tribus Capitulis inquireremus: videlicet, utrum
consanguineam ipsius M., Guladus nomine, antea cognovisset idem W.
quando ad sepedictam M. accessisset. Item, de matrimonio, utrum inter
ipsam et illum fuisset legittime contractum, necne. Item, de altera
consanuinea memorate M., utrum eam iamnunc in lectuli sui admisisset
participium, necne. Is ergo qui pro memorata M. verba faciebat
adversus dictum W. proponebat quod consanguineam ipsius M. cognovit
antequam ad eam accessisset, asserens super hoc capitulo prius quam de
ceteris plene faciendam esse inquisicionem, tum quia id factum quod
adversus ipsum W. proponitur precessit tempus quo idem W. dicit
matrimonium inter eos fuisse contractem, tum quia eo sufficienter
inquisito et probato, superfluum esset de ceteris inquirere. Preterea
idem Clericus proponebat hanc eandem inquisicionem Domini de sancto
Asaph et Abbati de Basingwerth antea fuisse commissa et coram eis
attestaciones partium in scripturam redactas excellentie vestre
transmittendas, nec a nobis debere super inquisicione matrimonii
procedi donec quid inde factum fuerit innotesceret, et dilationem
dominos dare instanter postulabat quoad usque de hoc innotesceret.
Nobis vero mandatum vestrum accelerare volentibus, et ne mora partibus
periculosa esset formidantibus, attendentibus etiam (sicut nobis
videbatur) prime inquisitioni per litteras vestras de hac eadem
inquistione ab utraque parte nobis porrectas a partibus fuisse tacite
remittatum: Ideoque dilationem dare nolentibus: Memoratus Clericus in
vocem appellationis prorupit, terminum appellationi sue prefigens
crastinum Apostolorum Petri et Pauli. Valeta in domino paternitas
vestra." [1197-1205]. [Reference: Report of Manuscripts in Various
Collections 1 (Historical Manuscripts Commission) (London, 1901):
240-241].
An abstract of the above document has been printed elsewhere:
"[28] no. 251. M., mother of Llywelyn, prince of North Wales and W.,
son of Ione. Robert, bishop of Bangor and the abbots of Buildwas,
Cwmhir, and Haughmond report that M's clerk has appealed from their
attempt to hold, pursuant to the archbishop's mandate, an inquest into
her consanguinity and into the legitimacy of her marriage with W."
[Reference: Norma Adams, ed., and Charles Donahue, Jr., eds., Select
Cases from the Ecclesiastical Courts of the Province of Canterbury,
c.1200-1301 (Selden Soc. 95) (London, 1981): Introduction, Appendix
I, pg. 107].
Recently, by pure chance, I located a charter for Llywelyn ap
Iorwerth's mother and step-father in the published charters of
Combermere Abbey found in Monasticon Anglicanum. I've copied below the
abstract of this charter which is undated. The charter names
Llywelyn's step-father and mother as "Wyon filius Jonae" [that is, Wion
ap Ione] and his wife, "Margeriae filia Madoci" (that is, Margery ferch
Madoc." It mentions Wion ap Ione's lordship and mill in Overton, which
locality is presumably in Cheshire.
"Wyon filius Jonae, omnibus filiis S. ecclesiae, presentibus et
futuris, Francis, Walensibus, et Anglicis salutem. Sciatus quod ego
cum bona voluntate et concessione fratrum meorum, concessione et
consilio uxoris meae Margeriae filiae Madoci, dedi et concessi Deo et
sanctae Mariae, et sancto Michaeli, et ejus monachis de Cumbermare, pro
salute animae meae, et patris mei Jonae, et pro anima Madoci, et omnium
parentum et amicorum meorum, decimam totius piscis et piscarie de
gurgitibus tam de retibus vel ingeniis qualitercunque evenientem sive
contingentem qui capitur per totam aquam de De, ubique prope et longe
per totum dominium meum de Overton, ex utraque parte per totum; et
decimam totius tholneii de molendino meo de Overtone eum omni
incremento tholneorum vel molendinormum quae quomodocunque vel
ubicunque super aquam supradictam aedificari contigerint, in puram et
perpetuam elemosinam, sicut rem quae datur Deo Domino nostro; et
habebunt monachi praedictu hoc sine fine de me et haeredibus meis,
liberè, quietè, honorificè, sine omni servicio, vel mercede vel
exactione saeculari; et quicunque fuerit ibi molendinarius meus, vel
haeredem meorum et custos piscariae, dabit fidem suam et juramentum
fideliter et legitimè se decimaturum sicut Deus piscem miscrit et
sicut venerit, ne ego perdam elemosinam meam, et parentes mei, et
monachi aliquod dampnum habeant, et quemcunque monachi ibi posuerint
vel habuerint in loco suo, recipiet decimam de pisce sicut captus
fuerit, et de aqua venerit, ut fideliter et statim monachis mittatur.
Et quicunque hanc elemosinam bene et legitimè post meos dies et meorum
fratrum servaverit, et persolverit, Dei benedictionem et sanctae Mariae
sanctique Michaelis, et omnium sanctorum habeat, et omnis cognacio
ejus: et quicunque retinuerit vel abstulerit, vel diminuerit, vindictam
sancti Michaelis inveniat super corpus suum, et non possit unquam de
hac subtractione guadere, quia nos pro vero intelligimus quod quicquid
in bono et in elemosina prefatis monachis donatur, Dominus coeli ad
grates suscipit. Testes, Johannes abbas de Cumbermare, et Godfridus
supprior, Simon Johannes cantor, et Lucas frater ejus; Henricus
sacrista, et Robertus infirmarius; Lever presbiter de Overton, et
domina Margeria filia Madoci; David frater meus; magister Gilbertus
cementarius; et Petrus cementarius, et multi alii satis." [Reference:
William Dugdale, Monasticon Anglicanum, 5 (London, 1825): 324-325].
If anyone has any further records to add to the above information, I'd
appreciate very much it if they would post them here on the newsgroup.
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
Website: www.royalancestry.net
John P. Ravilious
Dear Douglas,
That's an excellent find!
In particular, there had been some uncertainty over the correct
identification of Llywelyn's mother Margaret/Margred, most clearly set
forth by Stewart Baldwin some time ago [1]. There are certain items
that merit closer inspection (identifying Margaret's cousin Gwladys
being an item of interest), but this would clearly identify Margaret as
the daughter of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys (d. 1160).
Many thanks for sharing this.
Cheers,
John
NOTES
[1] See Stewart's webpage, Llywelyn ap Iorwerth ancestor table,
located at http://www.rootsweb.com/~medieval/llywelyn.htm
Specifically, Stewart wrote the following concerning Margaret:
3. Margred ferch Madog [JC.29] [Note: It has been suggested, on the
basis of a statement in Dugdale's Monasticon Anglicanum (6:497), in
which Llywelyn refers to a certain Walter Corbet as "frater Willielmi
Corbet avunculi mei", that Llywelyn's mother was a Corbet. (See, for
example, Meisel's Barons of the Welsh Frontier, which, however, does
not even mention the Welsh version of Llywelyn's maternity in JC.)
However, as the source of JC.29 appears to have been written during
Llywelyn's lifetime, and there are others ways in which an uncle-nephew
relationship between William Corbet (an obscure individual) and
Llywelyn could be explained, there seems to be no good reason to reject
the statement of JC.29 regarding the identity of Llywelyn's mother.]
Douglas Richardson wrote:
> Dear Newsgroup ~
>
> Back in 2001, I posted the following document dated 1197-1205 which
> proves that
> Margaret/Margery, mother of the famous Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, Prince of
> North Wales, married (2nd) a certain "W. ap Ione."
>>>>>>>>>> [Snip of much appreciated material] <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Douglas Richardson
Thank you for posting the link to Stewart Baldwin's excellent ancestor
table for Prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth. Much appreciated. Thank you
also for
pointing out that the charter I found confirms the identity of Llywelyn
ap Iorwerth's maternal grandfather, Madog ap Maredudd. Every piece of
evidence
helps!
The following information pertains to Llywelyn ap Iorwerth's kinsman,
Walter Corbet, named in the charter Stewart Baldwin cited. It is taken
from A.T. Gaydon, ed., VCH Shropshire, 2 (1973): 80.
"Priory of Ratlinghope: Between 1199 and 1209 Walter Corbet, an
Augustinian canon presumably professed in the abbey of Wigmore,
acquired the manor of Ratlinghope either from the coheirs of Robert
Corbet or from the king and gave it to Wigmore.[1] Llywelyn, prince of
North Wales, a kinsman of Walter Corbet, wrote to his border chieftains
instructing them not to molest the land, which had been acquired for a
pious purpose.[2] A tiny dependent cell of Wigmore was established
here. The region was extra-parochial and the cell has left few records.
The canons extended cultivation by making a purpresture on the Long
Mynd in the mid 13th century.[3] In 1291 the total value of the
property was said to be £3 12s. [4] and in 1535, when the property was
assessed as part of the rents and farms of the abbey of Wigmore, the
valuation was £4.[5] The records do not indicate whether there were
still canons of Wigmore in Ratlinghope at that date. The manor was
granted in 1545 to the London mercer Robert Long.[6] Nothing remains
of the buildings, though Cranage recorded a tradition of foundations
existing north of the parish church.[7]"
1 Eyton, vi. 159-60
2 Dugdale, Mon. vi. 496-7.
3 Rot. Hund. (Rec. Com.), ii. 63, 77.
4 Tax. Eccl. (Rec. Com.), 165.
5 Dugdale, Mon. vi. 496; Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), iii. 203.
6 L. & P. Hen. VIII, xx (2), pp. 228-9.
7 Cranage, v. 424; x. 1005.
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
Website: www.royalancestry.net