Complete Peerage Addition: Amice de Camville, wife of William Martin, 1st Lord Martin
Douglas Richardson
The authoritative Complete Peerage, 8 (1932): 535-537 (sub Martin)
includes a good account of the life of Sir William Martin, 1st Lord
Martin, who died in 1324. Regarding his marital history, the following
information is provided:
"He married before January 1281/2 Eleanor, widow of Sir John de Mohun,
and daughter of Sir Reynold FitzPiers."
That Eleanor Fitz Reynold was the mother of all of Sir William Martin's
children seems clear. It appears, however, that Sir William Martin
contracted yet another hitherto unnoticed second marriage. Research
indicates that Sir William Martin married (2nd) after 16 August 1305
Amice de Camville, widow of Henry de Pomeroy, of Berry Pomeroy, Devon,
and daughter of Geoffrey de Camville, Knt., 1st Lord Camville, by an
unidentified first wife.
Evidence of Sir William Martin's marriage to Amice de Camville is
provided by the published register of John de Grandison, Bishop of
Exeter. This register includes a transcript of the will of Lord
Martin's widow, Amice. The register specifically identifies Amice as
"Lady Amice de la Pomeroy, widow of the late nobleman, Sir William
Martin, Knight and Baron" [Domina Amicia de la Pomeroy, relicta quondam
Nobilis Viri, Domini Willelmi Martyn, Militis et Baronis]. The brief
will is dated 5 Feb. 1338/9, and proved 16 Feb. 1339/40. Lady Amice
requests burial at Berry Pomeroy, Devon "by the sepulchre of her
lord" [i.e., her first husband, Henry de Pomeroy]. She names her
daughter, Isabel, and James de Cockington as her co-executors. Isabel
de Pomeroy, daughter of Amice, is named in the following probate
[Reference: Rev. F.C. Hingeston-Randolph, The Registers of John de
Grandisson, Bishop of Exeter 2 (1897): 921-923].
I find that Amice is specifically called daughter of Sir Geoffrey de
Camville in a confirmation charter dated 1319 issued by her son and
heir, Henry de Pomeroy [Reference: Steven Hobbs, ed., Cartulary of
Forde Abbey (Somerset Rec. Soc. 85) (1998): 97]. Amice's father, Sir
Geoffrey de Camville, however, must have had three marriages, not two,
as stated in Complete Peerage, 3 (1913): 3-4 (sub Canville). Amice can
not be the daughter of Sir Geoffrey de Camville's early marriage to
Maud de Bryan, as records indicate that Maud de Bryan was the mother by
a previous marriage to Sir William Martin, 1st Lord Martin, who was
Amice's second husband. Thus, Amice de Camville must be the child of
Sir Geoffrey de Camville by a hitherto unknown first wife; Maud de
Bryan would necessarily become Sir Geoffrey de Camville's second wife.
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
Sonia
Do you have any more information on John de Grandison please?
Best regards
Sonia St.John
Douglas Richardson
Amice de Camville and her first husband, Henry de Pomeroy, were married
before November 1281, when custody of Henry, then aged 16 and already
married, was assigned to Amice's father, Sir Geoffrey de Camville, for
a consideration of £200 [Reference: Edward B. Powley, The House of de
la Pomerai (1944): 39]. Amice and Henry's son and heir, another Henry
de Pomeroy, was born in 1291.
Amice's father, Sir Geoffrey de Camville, 1st Lord Camville, married
his 2nd wife, Maud de Bryan, in or before 1268. Maud was still living
24 Sept. 1276, when she and Geoffrey had livery of the lands of her
maternal grandfather, Henry de Tracy. Maud died before 29 Sept. 1279.
Since Sir Geoffrey de Camville can not have married his 3rd wife, Joan,
until after 24 September 1276, it is impossible chronologically for
Amice to have been a child of Sir Geoffrey's marriage to Joan.
Likewise, Amice can not have been the daughter of Sir Geoffrey de
Camville's earlier wife, Maud de Bryan, as Amice's 2nd husband, Sir
William Martin, 1st Lord Martin, was the son of Maud de Bryan by her
first marriage, Nicholas Fitz Martin.
It follows therefore that Amice (de Camville) (de Pomeroy) Martin must
be the child of a hitherto unknown first wife of Sir Geoffrey de
Camville.
For further particulars regarding Sir Geoffrey de Camville, 1st Lord
Camville (died 1308), please see Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta
Ancestry (2005).
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
WJho...@aol.com wrote:
< In a message dated 12/13/06 11:16:09 AM Pacific Standard Time,
< royala...@msn.com writes:
<
< << Thus, Amice de Camville must be the child of
< Sir Geoffrey de Camville by a hitherto unknown first wife; Maud de
< Bryan would necessarily become Sir Geoffrey de Camville's second
wife. >>
<
< After I sent my last email, I see your reasoning and agree that it
makes
< sense. However Leo has Maud de Brian d in 1279. The chronology
would just allow
< Amicia to squeeze through as a child by a next rather than previous,
marriage.
<
< Will Johhnson