Family of Sir John Hawkwood
mj...@btinternet.com
Saunders, a well-researched and enjoyable biography of the 14th century
soldier of fortune, Sir John Hawkwood - recommended on the list last
year by Hap and Adrian.
In addition to detailing his Italian second marriage, and making
reference to the daughter of the first marriage, wife of Sir William de
Coggeshall, the author also provides some information about Sir John's
family in Essex.
His father, Gilbert, of Sible Hedingham, Essex, died in July 1340,
leaving a will (the details are taken from an article in the
Gentleman's Magazine in 1788; I will hunt this up next time I am at
leisure in London). Saunders calls him "a manorial lord" with "a
respectable portfolio of leaseholdings" [the former is probably
literary exaggeration]. There is no mention of his following a
butcher's trade, as I have seen alleged elsewhere.
He left three sons: John the elder, his heir; John the younger - the
knight, c1320 - 18 March 1394; and Nicholas, a priest, said to have
been beneficed at Clare Abbey, Suffolk from 1363 (no reference is given
for this).
The only other trace I have seen of the elder John Hawkwood is a
document in the Public Record Office at Kew, in which he is called "son
and heir" of Gilbert Hawkwood, in connection with real property in
Langham, Suffolk, and Stratford, Essex; he is said to have inherited
(sic) this land, together with one John le Summoner, from John de
Longwood [Duchy of Lancaster records, 25/1736, dated 1341-2]. Perhaps
this would give a clue as the identity of John Hawkwood's otherwise
unknown mother?
Sir John used the fortune he acquired in Italy to purchase lands in
England - including the Leadenhall in London, now the famous
market-site, then producing an income of over £28 per annum [Calendar,
London Plea Rolls, Vol 3, Roll A, membrane 7b], but chiefly, it seems,
in his home county of Essex.
By his second marriage at Milan on 3 May 1377 to Donnina, illegitimate
daughter of Bernabo Visconti, he had a son, John, and three daughters:
(1) Janet, born 1378; married 19 November 1392 Brezaglia di Porciglia
(2) Catherine, born 1379; married 21 January 1393 Conrad Prospergh,
styled "count"
(3) Anna, born 1381; married by 1399 Ambrogiuolo di Piero della Torre,
of Florence
John, Sir John's son and heir, born in 1388, is said to have relocated
to England in 1406, residing at Sible Hedingham where he had inherited
property from his father; he married a woman named Margaret, and was
living in 1464 (according to Saunders) but died without issue. There
had been considerable confusion after Sir John's death about his
English property, particularly as he died intestate; Saunders details
an inquest by the Lord Mayor in 1398 to investigate the whereabouts of
a chest of deeds that had gone missing. The Public Records office
on-line catalogue also lists a 1403 document detailing testimony by one
of Sir John's servants, concerning property in Essex and
Buckinghamshire (C 270/29/17).
Saunders states that Sir John also had an illegitimate son, John
Hawkwood, "probably born between 1353 and 1356", who was schooled in
London and became a priest; he was living in 1376 but it appears
nothing else is known of him.
MA-R
mj...@btinternet.com
mj...@btinternet.com schrieb:
> I have been reading "Hawkwood: Diabolical Englishman" by Frances Stonor
> Saunders, a well-researched and enjoyable biography of the 14th century
> soldier of fortune, Sir John Hawkwood
NB In relation to the claim in Berry's "County Genealogies: Sussex"
that Sir John also had a daughter, Beatrice, married to John Shelley,
MP for Rye ff 1415-1423, I note that according to Roskell et al in
"History of Parliament, 1386-1422 Vol 4 sub Shelley, his wife was named
Idonea.
The Visitation of Essex states that Sir William de Coggeshall's
Hawkwood wife (variously Mary or Antiocha) was daughter *and heir* of
Sir John Hawkswood; it would be true that she was a coheir, at least in
her issue, given that her legitimate half-brother appears to have died
childless.
MA-R
mj...@btinternet.com
m...@btinternet.com schrieb:
> mj...@btinternet.com schrieb:
>
> > I have been reading "Hawkwood: Diabolical Englishman" by Frances Stonor
> > Saunders, a well-researched and enjoyable biography of the 14th century
> > soldier of fortune, Sir John Hawkwood
>
> NB In relation to the claim in Berry's "County Genealogies: Sussex"
> that Sir John also had a daughter, Beatrice, married to John Shelley,
> MP for Rye ff 1415-1423, I note that according to Roskell et al in
> "History of Parliament, 1386-1422 Vol 4 sub Shelley, his wife was named
> Idonea.
I should add that this allegation ("John Shelley, MP for Rye 1417,
married Beatrice daughter and heir of Sir John Hawkwood") also heads
the Shelley pedigree in Burke's Baronetage.
mj...@btinternet.com
mj...@btinternet.com schrieb:
>
> The only other trace I have seen of the elder John Hawkwood is a
> document in the Public Record Office at Kew, in which he is called "son
> and heir" of Gilbert Hawkwood, in connection with real property in
> Langham, Suffolk, and Stratford, Essex; he is said to have inherited
> (sic) this land, together with one John le Summoner, from John de
> Longwood [Duchy of Lancaster records, 25/1736, dated 1341-2].
Three further possible references to John Hawkwood, Sir John Hawkwood's
elder brother and namesake, both from the Calendar of Patent Rolls (the
latter is particularly interesting as it links in with the de Vere
family, lords of Sible Hedingham]:
4 June 1348: Exemption for life of John de Haukewode the elder from
being put on any assizes, juries or recognitions, and from being made
mayor, sheriff, coroner, escheator or other bailiff or minister of the
King, against his will; this was confirmed 7 October 1378
25 June 1393: Grant to Thomas, Duke of Gloucester, of the reversion of
various properties after the death of Maud, wife of Thomas de Vere,
Earl of Oxford, they having been settled on her during the previous
reign [i.e. 1327-1377] by Nicholas Gernon, William de Wynkefeld, John
de Horsham, Walter de Wotton and John Haukwode the elder.
MA-R
Sutliff
the author theorized that either Hawkwood's mother or fist wife may have
been a de Vere? I believe this was based on the fact that Hawkwood
originated within five miles of Castle Hedingham.
HS
<mj...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:1143666600....@z34g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
mj...@btinternet.com
Sutliff wrote:
> I read this book about a year ago and if memory serves me, I believe that
> the author theorized that either Hawkwood's mother or fist wife may have
> been a de Vere? I believe this was based on the fact that Hawkwood
> originated within five miles of Castle Hedingham.
>
> HS
Yes, your memory is absolutely correct, Hap; she detailed the
proposition that Sir John's first wife may have been a de Vere, based
partly on the two families' respective residences at Sible Hedingham
and Castle Hedingham, and the name of the daughter of this first
marriage (Antiocha, name redolent with de Vere connections, although
she is elsewhere referred to as Mary).
I wonder whether the symbolism on the Hawkwood chantry monument at
Sible Hedingham might also be indicative: Saunders states that,
according to Holman, the tomb bore representations of "a hawk, a boar,
an allusion to the de Veres, a pelican and various hunting figures".
(A boar azure was the crest and badge of the de Vere family). There
were also a number of shields whose arms were indistinguishable by
Holman's day. I shall try to pop over to Essex to have a look -
perhaps this weekend.
Of course, monumental heraldry at this period was often reflective of
alliances rather than just relationships. Alternatively, the beasts
could simply have been illustrative without meaning to refer to
particular individuals or families: a boar and a hawk would not be out
of place in a pantheon of "hunting figures", and the pelican has other,
religious connotations as an image; furthermore, there is no suggestion
that the Viscontis (the family of Hawkwood's second wife) were alluded
to.
MA-R
gvo...@talktalk.net
Essex ancestors I came across a note under one Thomas Rolf, sergeant at
Law under Henry VI. Holman noted that he held Liston Hall in Gosfield
by right of his wife Anne. The previous holder had been John Hawkwood,
presumably from the dates, the son of 'Acuto' and usually as above
given as died without issue. Holman speculates she must have been Anne
Hawkwood. Thomas and Anne's only child Editha Rolf became a wealthy
lady by two marriages into the Helion and Green families and her
holdings also included other 'Hawkwood' properties including
'Hawkewoodes' in Gosfield.
So Holmans speculative line goes
Sir John Hawkwood m Donnina Visconti, they had 3 daughters as above and
son John
Son John m Margaret and they had a daughter Anne. (Jim Weber gives also
gives them son John who had a daughter Beatrice who m Shelley)
Anne m Thomas Rolf and they had a daughter Editha. She m 1 John Helion
and had two daughters Phillippa and Isabel. Isabel m Humphrey Tyrrell
and their daughter Anne m Sir Roger Wentworth
Editha m 2 John Green, their daughter Margaret m Sir Henry Tey.
Margaret d 24 Sept 1520 and was succeeded by her son Sir Thomas Tey;
she d in possession of Hawkwood's and Goddards croft, Makensfield,
Snokis Mead and Barnolds tenament, all part of the Hawkwood estate in
Essex, and various of the Tey estates.
Sir Thomas Tey died 1540 leaving four daughters co-heirs, one of which
Mary Tey m Thomas Neville son of Richard Neville Lord Latimer and I am
currently researching their descendants from another line given by
Holman
Regards
Geoff
mj...@btinternet.com
gvo...@talktalk.net schrieb:
> Whilst searching in one of Holman's original notebooks for some other
> Essex ancestors I came across a note under one Thomas Rolf, sergeant at
> Law under Henry VI. Holman noted that he held Liston Hall in Gosfield
> by right of his wife Anne. The previous holder had been John Hawkwood,
> presumably from the dates, the son of 'Acuto' and usually as above
> given as died without issue. Holman speculates she must have been Anne
> Hawkwood. Thomas and Anne's only child Editha Rolf became a wealthy
> lady by two marriages into the Helion and Green families and her
> holdings also included other 'Hawkwood' properties including
> 'Hawkewoodes' in Gosfield.
That's very interesting Geoff; thanks. I wonder if VCH Essex covers
the parishes in which Sir John acquired property.
Saunders quotes a letter dated 20 April 1393 in which Hawkwood's
servant John Sampson refers to his intention to bequeath Liston's and
Hostage's in Sible Hedingham to his son and heir, subject to an
intended life interest in favour of his second wife.
I'll see what I can find when I'm next at the British Library.
Regards
Michael
mj...@btinternet.com
mj...@btinternet.com schrieb:
> I have been reading "Hawkwood: Diabolical Englishman" by Frances Stonor
> Saunders, a well-researched and enjoyable biography of the 14th century
> soldier of fortune, Sir John Hawkwood - recommended on the list last
> year by Hap and Adrian.
>
> In addition to detailing his Italian second marriage, and making
> reference to the daughter of the first marriage, wife of Sir William de
> Coggeshall, the author also provides some information about Sir John's
> family in Essex.
I drove over to Sible Hedingham this afternoon; it is, for the most
part, a pretty little town, with many well-preserved mediaeval and
Tudor buildings, an Old Rectory, town mill etc. The local signs
feature a representation of Sir John Hawkwood and his arms. The
church, dedicated to St Peter, stands on the summit of hill at the
back of the town. I had intended to view Hawkwood's chantry tomb, for
which the church is noted, but the door was locked and no keyholders'
details were displayed. I telephoned the Vicarage, and was informed
that I "could not be trusted with the key": a sad indictment of modern
life and today's Church of England.
There is still a property named Hawkwood's Manor (I don't not know if
it is of ancient or recent origin), and next to the church stands
Prayors Manor House, the property that the 1st Lord Bourchier obtained
my marriage with the daughter of Sir Thomas Prayors in the early 14th
century.
I went on to Castle Hedingham, hoping to see something of the Norman
castle which formerly belonged to the de Veres, but I only arrived 20
minutes before closing time; they wanted the full £4.50 admittance
fee, and declined my offer of £2 to walk up the drive to take a
photograph.
When the roof of Sible Hedingham church rots and starts to fall in, and
the Castle crumbles and begins to collapse, I hope they won't come
begging to me for a donation.
The moral of the story: when history-hunting in England, plan and - if
possible - 'phone ahead...