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C.P. Addition: Sir Robert de Swinnerton, 4th Lord Swinnerton, and his two wives, Elizabeth de Beek and Joan Hameldene

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Douglas Richardson

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Jan 29, 2021, 2:59:05 PM1/29/21
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Dear Newsgroup ~

Complete Peerage 12(1) (1953): 588 (sub Swynnerton) has a rather incomplete account of Sir Robert de Swinnerton, 4th Lord Swinnerton (died 1396).

Regarding his two marriages, the following information is provided:

"He married, 1stly, in or before 1356, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir Nicholas Beck. He married, 2ndly, Joan. He died before 12 November 1396, when his widow is recorded as having dower." END OF QUOTE.

As for evidence of Sir Robert de Swinnerton's two marriages, the following two records provide evidence for them:

1. . Papal Regs.: Letters 4 (1902): 372; 6 (1904): 67 (dispensation dated c.1364 for marriage of Robert de Swinnerton and Elizabeth de Beke; citation kindly provided courtesy of Peter Sutton).

2. Colls. Hist. Staffs. 16 (1895): 40 (plea dated Easter 4 Henry IV [1403] states the reversion of the manor of Barrow, Cheshire was previously settled on “Robert de Swynerton and Elizabeth his wife, the daughter of Sir Nicholas de Beek, .... and after her death Robert married Joan Hameldene, by whom he had issue, Thomas, the plaintiff.”).

The 2nd item may be viewed at the following weblink:

https://books.google.com/books?id=uW84AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA40

I find that Sir Robert de Swinnerton and his 2nd wife, Joan Hameldene, were married in or before Hilary term 1374, which is proven by the following Common Pleas lawsuit:

In Hilary 1374 Robert de Swynerton, Knt., and Joan his wife sued William atte Spene in the Court of Common Pleas in a Buckinghamshire plea regarding dower.

The above lawsuit can be viewed at the following weblink:

Court of Common Pleas, CP40/453, image 141f (available at http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT4/E3/CP40no453/aCP40no453fronts/IMG_0141.htm).

Inasmuch as Joan, wife of Sir Robert de Swinnerton, was suing regarding dower rights, this suggests that she was a widow before he married her.

For interest's sake, I've copied my current file account of Sir Robert de Swinnerton and his two wives, Elizabeth de Beek and Joan Hameldene, below.

Douglas Richardson, Historian and Genealogist

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9. ROBERT DE SWINNERTON (or SWYNERTON), Knt., 4th Lord Swinnerton, of Swinnerton, Alstonefield, Quarnford, and Rushton Spencer, Staffordshire, and Great and Little Barrow, Cheshire, Knight of the Shire for Staffordshire (but not summoned to Parliament), son and heir. He married (1st) in or before 1356 (dispensation dated c.1364, they being related in the 4th degree of kindred) ELIZABETH DE BEEK (or BEKE) daughter and co-heiress of Nicholas de Beke, Knt., of Hopton (in St. Mary’s), Stafford, and Tean (in Checkley), Staffordshire, and Munslow, Shropshire, Sheriff of Staffordshire, by Joan, daughter of Ralph de Stafford, K.G., 1st Earl of Stafford [see STAFFORD 8]. They had one daughter, Maud. He was pardoned for outlawry in 1370. In 1372 William de Coton and Agnes his wife sued Robert de Swynnerton, Knt., Richard Wodemon, and others in the Court of Common Pleas regarding the manor of Rideware Hampstall, Staffordshire. His wife, Elizabeth, died in or before 1373. He married (2nd) before Hilary 1374 (date of lawsuit) JOAN HAMELDENE, widow of _____. They had one son, Thomas. In Hilary 1374 he and Joan his wife sued William atte Spene in the Court of Common Pleas in a Buckinghamshire plea regarding dower. He had protection in October 1374, he then going overseas. In 1380 Humphrey de Swynnerton sued him in the Court of Common Pleas that he warrant to him one messuage and lands in Eccleshall, Staffordshire. In 1381 he sued William de Swynesheved in the Court of Common Pleas regarding a trespass [vi et armis] in his close of Swinnerton, Staffordshire, and cutting down trees to the value of £20. SIR ROBERT DE SWINNERTON, 4th Lord Swinnerton, died before 7 April 1387, when Joan, his widow and administratrix, is mentioned. He was “probably killed by the fall of a tower at Brest in Brittany, when in the retinue of John of Gaunt.” Joan died before Easter term 1403 (date of lawsuit).

References:

Ormerod, Hist. of Chester 1 (1819): 526–527; 2 (1819): 185. Burke, Hist. of the Commoners 3 (1836): 602. Earwaker, East Cheshire 1 (1877): 207 (Beke arms: Gules, a cross ermine). Reliquary 20 (1879–80): 21–25. Glover et al., Vis. of Cheshire 1580, 1566, 1533 & 1591 (H.S.P. 18) (1882): 201 (Swinerton ped.: “Robert de Swinerton. = Elizab: d. & heire to Sr Nico’ Beck.”) (Beck arms: Gules, a cross ermine), 202–204 (Savage ped.: “Rob't de Swinarton. = Elizabeth d. & heire [to] Sr Nicho’ Beck”). Bridgeman, Hist. of the Parish of Church Eaton & its Members (Colls. Hist. Staffs. 4(2) (1883): 73–77. Bridgeman, Fam. of Swynnerton (Colls. Hist. Staffs. 7(2)) (1886): 24–46. Colls. Hist. Staffs. 13 (1892): 65–66, 94–95, 163, 168; 16 (1895): 40 (plea dated Easter 4 Henry IV [1403] states the reversion of the manor of Barrow, Cheshire was previously settled on “Robet de Swynerton and Elizabeth his wife, the daughter of Sir Nicholas de Beek, .... and after her death Robert married Joan Hameldene, by whom he had issue, Thomas, the plaintiff.”); 1917 (1919): 124–125. Genealogist n.s. 15 (1898): 210; 31 (1915): 69–78. Papal Regs.: Letters 4 (1902): 372; 6 (1904): 67 (dispensation for marriage of Robert de Swinnerton and Elizabeth de Beke; citation courtesy of Peter Sutton). Wrottesley, Peds. from the Plea Rolls (1905): 254. Chetwynd, Hist. of Pirehill Hundred 1 (Colls. Hist. Staffs. n.s. 12) (1909): 139–144; 2 (Colls. Hist. Staffs. 3rd Ser. 1914) (1914): 4–5. Parshall, Parshall Fam., A.D. 870–1913 (1915): 102–105. Colls. Hist. Staffs. 1917 (1919): 124–125. C.P. 12(1) (1953): 588 (sub Swynnerton). Roskell, House of Commons 1386–1421 3 (1992): 479–480 (biog. of Sir John Ipstones). VCH Stafford 7 (1996): 13, 51, 225. Court of Common Pleas, CP40/448, image 235f (available at http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT4/E3/CP40no448/aCP40no448fronts/IMG_0235.htm). Court of Common Pleas, CP40/453, image 141f (available at http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT4/E3/CP40no453/aCP40no453fronts/IMG_0141.htm).



Douglas Richardson

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Aug 5, 2021, 2:20:03 PM8/5/21
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Dear Newsgroup ~

Earlier this year, I posted regarding Sir Robert de Swinnerton, 4th Lord Swinnerton [died c. 1387], and his 2nd wife, Joan "Hameldene". I previously found evidence in a Common Pleas lawsuit which suggested that Joan was earlier the wife of an unknown man who held lands in Buckinghamshire. At the time of my post, however, I was unable to determine the identity of Joan's former husband.

Happily this past week, I found yet another Common Pleas lawsuit which proves that Sir Robert de Swinnerton's 2nd wife, Joan, was in fact the widow of Reynold de Hampden, of Hughenden, Buckinghamshire. Here is a brief abstract of this new lawsuit:

In Easter term 1374 Robert de Swynerton, Knt., and Joan his wife sued John de Middelton in the Court of Common Pleas regarding the third part of one messuage, lands, and rent in Hughenden, Buckinghamshire, which the said Joan claimed by the dotation of Reynold de Hampden her former husband.

Reference:
Court of Common Pleas, CP40/454, image 1362d (available at http://‌aalt.law.uh.edu/‌AALT4/‌E3/‌CP40no454/‌bCP40no454dorses/‌IMG_1362.htm).

Elsewhere I see that Lipscomb, History & Antiqs. of Buckingham 2 (1847): 231 indicates that John de Hampden, of Great Hampden, Buckinghamshire [died c. 1375] had a son Reynold (or Reginald) de Hampden who died without issue:

"John Hampden, eldest son and heir of Sir Reginald, about seven years before his father's death, married, in 1329, Joane daughter of Sir Philip de Alisbury, Knt. of Middleton Keynes; and in 33 Ed. III. having inherited the estate at Hampden, had joint custody of the lands of John de Molins in Bucks, which had been sequestered into the King's hands. He died about 1375, leaving two sons; Reginald, the youngest, deceased s.p.; and Edmund, who was Sheriff of Beds and Bucks 14 and 19 Rich. II. and succeeded to the family estates." END OF QUOTE

The way Lipscomb words his sentence, he states that Reginald was John de Hampden's younger son. But I suspect he was actually his eldest son and that he predeceased his father without issue. I assume he is the Reynold/Reginald de Hampden who was the first husband of Joan, wife of Sir Robert de Swinnerton, 4th Lord Swinnerton.

For interest's sake, I've copied below my current file account of Sir Robert de Swinnerton, 4th Lord Swinnerton, and his two wives, Elizabeth de Beek (or Beke) and Joan _____, widow of Reynold de Hampden.

Douglas Richardson, Historian and Genealogist

+ + + + + + + + +

13. ROBERT DE SWINNERTON (or SWYNERTON, SWYNARTON), Knt., 4th Lord Swinnerton, of Swinnerton, Alstonefield, Quarnford, Rushton Spencer, Staffordshire, and Great and Little Barrow, Cheshire, Knight of the Shire for Staffordshire, 1378 (but not summoned to Parliament), son and heir. He married (1st) in or before 1356 (dispensation dated c.1364, they being related in the 4th degree of kindred) ELIZABETH DE BEEK (or BEKE) daughter and co-heiress of Nicholas de Beek, Knt., of Hopton (in St. Mary’s), Stafford, and Tean (in Checkley), Staffordshire, and Munslow, Shropshire, Sheriff of Staffordshire, by Joan, daughter of Ralph de Stafford, K.G., 1st Earl of Stafford [see STAFFORD 7.ii for her ancestry]. They had one daughter, Maud. He was pardoned for outlawry in 1370. In 1372 William de Coton and Agnes his wife sued Robert de Swynnerton, Knt., Richard Wodemon, and others in the Court of Common Pleas regarding the manor of Rideware Hampstall, Staffordshire. His wife, Elizabeth, died in or before 1373. He married (2nd) before Hilary term 1374 (date of lawsuit) JOAN _____, widow of Reynold de Hampden, of Hughenden, Buckinghamshire. They had one son, Thomas. In Hilary term 1374 he and Joan his wife sued William atte Spene in the Court of Common Pleas in a Buckinghamshire plea regarding dower. In Easter term 1374 Robert de Swynerton, Knt., and Joan his wife sued John de Middelton in the Court of Common Pleas regarding the third part of one messuage, lands, and rent in Hughenden, Buckinghamshire, which the said Joan claimed by the dotation of Reynold de Hampden her former husband. He had protection in October 1374, he then going overseas. In 1380 Humphrey de Swynnerton sued him in the Court of Common Pleas that he warrant to him one messuage and lands in Eccleshall, Staffordshire. In 1381 he sued William de Swynesheved in the Court of Common Pleas regarding a trespass [vi et armis] in his close at Swinnerton, Staffordshire, and cutting down trees to the value of £20. In Hilary term 1385 Robert Swynarton, Knt., sued Roger Basyere and Roger Mareys, of Little Kimble, Buckinghamshire, in the Courtof Common Pleas in a Buckinghamshire plea regarding a trespass [vi et armis] at Wardeleye [Whorley Wood in Ellesborough], Buckinghamshire. SIR ROBERT DE SWINNERTON, 4th Lord Swinnerton, died intestate before 7 April 1387, when Joan, his widow and administratrix, is mentioned. He was probably killed by the fall of a tower at Brest in Brittany, when in the retinue of John of Gaunt. Joan died before Easter term 1403 (date of lawsuit).

References:

Ormerod, Hist. of Chester 1 (1819): 526–527; 2 (1819): 185. Burke, Hist. of the Commoners 3 (1836): 602. Lipscomb, Hist. & Antiqs. of Buckingham 2 (1847): 227–232 (re. Hampden fam.). Earwaker, East Cheshire 1 (1877): 207 (Beke arms: Gules, a cross ermine). Reliquary 20 (1879–80): 21–25. Glover et al., Vis. of Cheshire 1580, 1566, 1533 & 1591 (H.S.P. 18) (1882): 201 (Swinerton ped.: “Robert de Swinerton. = Elizab: d. & heire to Sr Nico’ Beck.”) (Beck arms: Gules, a cross ermine), 202–204 (Savage ped.: “Rob’t de Swinarton. = Elizabeth d. & heire [to] Sr Nicho’ Beck”). Bridgeman, Hist. of the Parish of Church Eaton & its Members (Colls. Hist. Staffs. 4(2) (1883): 73–77. Bridgeman, Fam. of Swynnerton (Colls. Hist. Staffs. 7(2)) (1886): 24–46. Colls. Hist. Staffs. 13 (1892): 65–66, 94–95, 163, 168; 16 (1895): 40 (plea dated Easter 4 Henry IV [1403] states the reversion of the manor of Barrow, Cheshire was previously settled on “Robert de Swynerton and Elizabeth his wife, the daughter of Sir Nicholas de Beek, .... and after her death Robert married Joan Hameldene, by whom he had issue, Thomas, the plaintiff.”); 1917 (1919): 124–125. Genealogist n.s. 15 (1898): 210; 31 (1915): 69–78. Papal Regs.: Letters 4 (1902): 372; 6 (1904): 67 (dispensation for marriage of Robert de Swinnerton and Elizabeth de Beke; citation courtesy of Peter Sutton). Wrottesley, Peds. from the Plea Rolls (1905): 254. Chetwynd Hist. of Pirehill Hundred 1 (Colls. Hist. Staffs. n.s. 12) (1909): 139–144; 2 (Colls. Hist. Staffs. 3rd Ser. 1914) (1914): 4–5 (“It was probably in 9 Ric. II (not 19) that he [Robert de Swinnerton] was killed by the fall of a tower at Brest, in Brittany, when in the retinue of John of Gaunt.”). Parshall, Parshall Fam., A.D. 870–1913 (1915): 102–105. Colls. Hist. Staffs. 1917 (1919): 124–125. C.P. 12(1) (1953): 588 (sub Swynnerton). Roskell, House of Commons 1386–1421 3 (1992): 479–480 (biog. of Sir John Ipstones). VCH Stafford 7 (1996): 13, 51, 225. Fox, Great Cloister: A Lost Canterbury Tale (2020): 625–626. Court of Common Pleas, CP40/448, image 235f (available at http://‌aalt.law.uh.edu/‌AALT4/‌E3/‌CP40no448/‌aCP40no448fronts/‌IMG_0235.htm). Court of Common Pleas, CP40/453, image 141f (available at http://‌aalt.law.uh.edu/‌AALT4/‌E3/‌CP40no453/‌aCP40no453fronts/‌IMG_0141.htm). Court of Common Pleas, CP40/454, image 1362d (available at http://‌aalt.law.uh.edu/‌AALT4/‌E3/‌CP40no454/‌bCP40no454dorses/‌IMG_1362.htm). Court of Common Pleas, CP40/496, image 117 (available at http://‌aalt.law.uh.edu/‌AALT6/‌R2/‌CP40no496/‌496_0117.htm).


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