Elizabeth Louches, 1st wife of Sir Thomas Camoys, K.G., 2nd Lord Camoys

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

Complete Peerage 2 (1912): 507–508 (sub Camoys) includes an account of Sir Thomas de Camoys, K.G., 2nd Lord Camoys, who died in 1421.

Regarding his first marriage, the following information is provided:

“He married, 1stly, Elizabeth, daughter of William Louches, of Milton, Oxfordshire.”

Here is the documentation that Complete Peerage gives for this marriage:

Nothing.

Actually the marriage between Sir Thomas Camoys and Elizabeth Louches is quite sound. Salter, Boarstall Cartulary (Oxford Hist. Soc. 1st Ser. 88) (1930): 9–10, for example, includes an undated memorandum which fully establishes this marriage:

“Memorandum quod anno domini millesimo CCLXIIII Gilbertus Wace armiger et Elena uxor eius fuerunt seisiti de omnibus terris vocatis Waceslondes in comitatu Oxonie; qui quidem Gilbertus et Elena habuerunt exitum inter se viz. Willelmum Wace militem. Et predictus Willelmus et Agnes uxor eius habuerunt exitum inter se viz. Hugonem, Willelmum, Iohannem, Humfridum, Thomam, Iohannem, Isabellam, Elenam, Radulfum, et Thomam. Et predictus Willelmus filius predicti Willelmi supervixit. Et predicta Elena maritata fuit Ricardo Louches militi de Miltone … Et predictus Willelmus filius Willelmi et Cecilia uxor eius habuerent exitum inter eos viz. Gilbertum Wace militem, Agnetam, Matildam, Sibillam et Margaretam. Et dictus Gilbertus [Wace] … obiit seisitus de terris predictis. Cuius propinquior heres est Ricardus Camoys miles filius Thome Camoys militis et Elizabeth uxoris eius, filie et heredis Willelmi Louches de Milton, filii et heredis Iohannis Louches de Milton, filii et heredis predicti Ricardi Louches militis de Milton et predicte Elene, filie Willelmo Wace militis, uxoris predicti Ricardi Louches.”). END OF QUOTE.

The Camoys-Louches marriage is also found in Benolte et al., Visitations of Sussex 1530, 1633–4 (H.S.P. 53) (1905): 25–30 (Lewknor ped.: “Tho. Lord Camoys = Elizebeth d. & heire of Wmi. Louches.”).

Further documentation regarding the marriage can be found in VCH Oxford 5 (1957): 47–56, 96–116; 7 (1962): 5–16, 117–146.

I note that Complete Peerage doesn’t provide any indication of a death date for Elizabeth Louches. According to a series of records filed in the Court of the King’s Bench in 1391, however, I find that Elizabeth, 1st wife of Sir Thomas Camoys, occurs in Common Pleas lawsuits dated from Hilary term 1385 through Easter term 1389. These lawsuits involve 40s. rent in Wheatley (in Cuddes​don), Oxfordshire, which presumably was part of Elizabeth's inheritance. Elizabeth is further stated to be “already deceased” [iam defunctam] in Hilary term 1391. Reference: Court of King’s Bench, KB27/519, image 65f (available at http://‌aalt.law.uh.edu/‌AALT2/‌R2/‌KB27no519/‌aKB27no519fronts/‌IMG_0065.htm).

In summary, we see there is sufficient evidence to support Complete Peerage’s statement that Sir Thomas Camoys, Lord Camoys, married (1st) Elizabeth Louches.

We find that Elizabeth was living as late as Easter term 1389, and that she died before Hilary term 1391.

For interest’s sake, the following is a list of the 17th Century New World immigrants that descend from Sir Thomas Camoys, 2nd Lord Camoys, and his 1st wife, Elizabeth Louches.

Samuel Argall, Charles Barham, Joseph Bickley, Charles & Leonard Calvert, St. Leger Codd, James Cudworth, Henry Filmer, Henry Fleete, Warham Horsmanden, Anne Lovelace, Katherine Saint Leger, John and Margaret Nelson, Mary Johanna Somerset, Rose Stoughton.

Douglas Richardson, Historian and Genealogist