C.P. Addition: Marriage date of Hugh le Despenser & Isabel de Beauchamp

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

The authoritative Complete Peerage, 4 (1916): 262-266 (sub Despenser)
includes a good account of the notorious Sir Hugh le Despenser, Earl
of Winchester, who was executed with his son, Hugh the younger, in
1326. On page 265, the following information is given regarding the
elder Hugh's marriage to Isabel de Beauchamp, widow of Sir Patrick de
Chaworth:

"[He] married in or before 1286, without the King's license (fine of
2,000 marks, afterwards remitted), Isabel, widow of Sir Patric de
Chaurces or Craworces, of Kidwelly, co. Carmarthen, Somborne, Hants,
etc. (who died shortly before 7 July 1283), and daughter of William
(de Beauchamp), Earl of Warwick, by Maud, ... 1st dau. of Sir John
Fitz Geoffrey, of Shere and Fambridge. She died shortly before 30 May
1306." END OF QUOTE.

As indicated by Complete Peerage, Sir Hugh le Despenser and Isabel de
Beauchamp were married sometime between 7 July 1283 (death of her
first husband) and 1286 (month and day not given). This range in the
date of marriage can be tightened. According to the published
Highworth Hundred Rolls, Isabel de Beauchamp was called Lady Isabel de
Chaworth (or Isabel widow of Sir Patrick de Chaworth) on various dates
after her first husband's death, namely 8 December 1283, 10 August
1285, and 10 September 1285 [Reference: Brenda Farr, The Rolls of
Highworth Hundred 1275-1287, 2 (Wiltshire Arch. & Natural Hist. Soc.
Recs. Branch 22) (1968): 251-252, 294-297]. Thus, it would appear
that Sir Hugh le Despenser and Isabel de Beauchamp were not married
until sometime after 10 September 1285.

Because Sir Hugh and Isabel were married without royal license, they
suffered the penalty of a fine. According to a letter from William de
Valence to John de Kirkby, the Queen exacted 1,000 marks from Hugh
because of this marriage [Reference: SC 1/10/109]. On 27 January 1287
Hugh le Despenser acknowledged that he owed the Queen 1,000 marks to
be paid by 29 November following [Reference: E 159/60, m. 15d.]. This
is doubtless the 1,000 marks relating to Sir Hugh and Isabel's
marriage mentioned by William de Valence.

Thus, it would appear that Sir Hugh le Despenser and Isabel de
Beauchamp were married sometime between 10 September 1285 and 27
January 1287.

For interest's sake, the following is a list of the numerous 17th
Century New World colonists that descend from Sir Hugh le Despenser
and his wife, Isabel de Beauchamp. For the connecting links down to
the individual colonists, please see my book, Magna Carta Ancestry
(2005), which is available for purchase directly through me.

Robert Abell, Elizabeth Alsop, Samuel Argall, William Asfordby,
Charles Barham, Anne Baynton, Marmaduke Beckwith, Essex Beville,
Joseph Bickley, William Bladen, George & Nehemiah Blakiston, Thomas
Booth, Elizabeth Bosvile, Mary Bourchier, George, Giles & Robert
Brent, Nathaniel Burrough, Elizabeth Butler, Charles & Leonard
Calvert, Edward Carleton, Kenelm Cheseldine, Grace Chetwode, James &
Norton Claypoole, William Clopton, St.Leger Codd, James Cudworth,
Francis Dade, Humphrey Davie, Frances, Jane & Katherine Deighton, Anne
Derehaugh, Edward Digges, William Farrer, Henry Filmer, John Fisher,
Henry Fleete, Edward Foliot, Muriel Gurdon, Mary Gye, Katherine Hamby,
Elizabeth & John Harleston, Warham Horsmanden, Anne Humphrey, Henry
Isham, Edmund Jennings, Edmund & Matthew Kempe, Mary Launce, Thomas
Ligon, Anne Lovelace, Anne, Elizabeth & John Mansfield, Anne &
Katherine Marbury, Anne Mauleverer, Thomas Owsley, John Nelson, Philip
& Thomas Nelson, Thomas Owsley, John Oxenbridge, Richard Palgrave,
Herbert Pelham, Robert Peyton, William Rodney, Thomas Rudyard,
Katherine Saint Leger, Richard Saltonstall, Anthony Savage, William
Skepper, Diana & Grey Skipwith, Mary Johanna Somerset, Rose Stoughton,
Samuel & William Torrey, Jemima Waldegrave, Olive Welby, John West,
Thomas Wingfield, Amy Wyllys.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah

[viridm...@gmail.com]

The Richard Saltonstall listed above was an ancestor of the
Saltonstall family of Massachusetts.I believe they were a Mayflower
family. Nathaniel Saltonstall was a judge at the Salem Witch Trials in
1692 but resigned before any verdicts were handed down because he was
displeased at the way the trials were proceeding. Several members of
the family served in the U.S. Congress. Leverett Saltonstall was
Governor of Massachusetts from 1939 until 1945 and Senator from 1945
until 1967. His daughter Susan (now deceased) bred horses and years
ago I once saw her compete in a horse show on the Eastern States
Exposition grounds. I had no idea they were descended from the
Despensers. I wonder if they were aware of it.

[viridm...@gmail.com]

> Despensers. I wonder if they were aware of it.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Another daughter Emily (now also deceased in 2006, aged 85) married
the son of the Antarctic explorer Richard Byrd, a descendant of the
Byrd family of Virginia. He was a descendant of Pocahontas and John
Rolfe. He was evidently somewhat troubled in his later years and died
tragically in the 1980's. They had 4 children and divorced in 1960.

[p...@irishnation.com]

http://www.genealogical.com/products/Magna%20Carta%20Ancestry/4887.html

Looks fascinating.

Thank You

PK

To know what you prefer instead of humbly saying Amen to what the
world tells you you ought to prefer, is to have kept your soul alive.

Robert Louis Stevenson