CALTHORPE of England (FORTESCUE)

[Chris Phillips]

Further to the query a couple of weeks ago about Sir John Fortescue, the
second husband of Elizabeth (nee Stapleton), the widow of Sir William
Calthorp (d.1494), and his relationship to Sir John Fortescue the Chancellor.

The Fortescues are discussed in depth by Thomas (Fortescue) Lord Clermont,
in 'Sir John Fortescue Knight, his Life, Works and Family History' (1869),
vol.2. According to this author, the Sir John Fortescue who married
Elizabeth was the son of Sir Richard Fortescue, who was a brother of Sir
John Fortescue the Chancellor. (To confuse matters, Sir John the nephew is
said to have had a brother of the same name.)

In summary, Lord Clermont gives the following details:
Sir John Fortescue the younger, of Punsborne, born not later than 1440.
He married (not later than 1475) first Alice, daughter of Sir Geoffrey
Boleyn of Norfolk.
About 1495, he married Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of Sir Miles
Stapleton of Ingham, Norfolk [citing an Inquisition Post Mortem of 16 Henry
VII], who had married Sir William Calthorp in 1467-68.
Sir John died 28 July 1500 at Punsborne [citing an Inquisition Post Mortem
of 10 Henry VIII (sic)], buried at Bishops Hatfield.
Elizabeth remarried (early in 1502) Sir Edward Howard, the Lord Admiral.

The other sources cited are Blomefield's History of Norfolk and 'Notitiae
and Pedigrees of the Fortescue Family', British Museum Add MS 15629. Lord
Clermont says that both Blomefield and Peter le Neve [the 17th century
herald] mistake the younger Sir John Fortescue for his uncle, as the dates
show. He also mentions Blomefield's assertion that Elizabeth also married
Lord Scroop, before Sir John Fortescue, but says this is not supported by
Le Neve. He cites an infeoffment made by Elizabeth in 17 H VII mentioning
her intention to marry Sir Edward Howard, and providing for prayers for the
souls of her husbands Sir William Calthorpe knight and Sir John Fortescue
knight.

Chris Phillips