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THOMAS LORD LE DESPENSER

278. 12 June 1414. [Waker]. (copy) Addressed to the escheator of Oxfordshire and Berkshire. Richard Beauchamp of Abergavenny, knight, and Isabel his wife, sister and heir of Richard, son of Thomas late lord le Despenser, have petitoned that – whereas the castles, manors, lands, etc., which Thomas held on 5 Jan 1400 were taken into the king’s hand by virtue of a judgement in parliament in the octave of Hilary 1401 that they ought to be forfeit; and that all the castles, manors, lands, etc., which Elizabeth, mother of Thomas, held in dower from his inheritance, or jointly with Edward le Despencer, knight’, her husband, from his inheritance, were taken into the king’s hand after her death, by reason of the same judgement, and by the minority of Richard son of Thomas, brother of Isabel, whose heir she is - however, forfeiture should not extend to lands held by Thomas or his ancestors in fee tail, or to lands held ?in the same way (ut predictum est) by Elizabeth; and that we should inquire what lands Thomas held in fee tail to which Isabel is the lineal heir, and which lands Elizabeth held in dower or jointly of Thomas’s inheritance, entailed to Thomas’s ancestors, to which Isabel is heir, or of her own inheritance, entailed to her or her ancestors, to which Isabel is lineal heir, and to inquire of whom the lands are held and by what service and Isabel’s age and other necessary articles. Inquire accordingly. Per ipsum regem

OXFORDSHIRE Inquisition Oxford 31 Oct. [James].

Jurors: Robert Leukenore esquire ; John Spicer of Bampton ; John Lynton ; John Whytefeld ; Robert Damori ; William Coubrygge ; Robert Boxe ; William Burgh ; Walter Coubrygge ; John Nowell ; William Hickes ; and John Symmes .

Thomas died on 5 Jan. 1400 holding in his demesne as of fee of the king in chief by knight service as parcels of the earldom of Gloucester: the vill of Burford with the view of Lower Heyford, annual value £20; the manors of Burford, annual value £26 19s.3 1/2d., Shipton under Wychwood, £44 8s.4d., and Caversham, £60; 11s.2d. rent in Great Tew; and 10s rent in Nether Worton; and the advowson of the chapel on the bridge of Caversham extending at 6s.8d., in virtue of letters patent of Edward I dated 26 May 1289 [CPR 1281–91, pp.359–60] granting them to Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester and Hereford , Joan his wife, the king’s daughter, and the heirs of their bodies. Isabel wife of Richard Beauchamp is their lineal heir. Owing to the death of Thomas and the minority of Richard, his son and heir, these holdings were taken into the king’s hands.

Richard died aged 16 and Isabel is his sister and heir, aged 14 on 27 July last. Elizabeth, widow of Edward and mother of Thomas, held the hundred of Chadlington with the view, also parcel of the earldom of Gloucester, in dower of his inheritance, of no annual value beyond a fee farm to the king of 110s. She died on 26 July 1411.

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ENHANCEMENT OF TEXT: The text of this IPM which appeared in the print edition of CIPM XX has been enhanced in certain respects: see the About pages.

279. [Writ: see 278.]

BERKSHIRE Inquisition Grandpont 31 Oct. 1414 [James].

Jurors: John Spycere ; John Tynteyn ; Richard Wyghtham ; William fitz Waryn ; William Warde ; Richard Aubyn ; Walter Colet ; William Wyntere ; William atte Welle ; Richard Hamelden ; Richard ?Saumpton ; and John Hardyng .

Thomas held nothing in fee tail when he died on 5 Jan. 1400, but Elizabeth his mother, widow of Edward le Despenser , held the manor and advowson of Stanford in the Vale [interlineated: with the view of West Hanney] in dower of his inheritance. They were parcel of the premises granted to Gilbert de Clare by Edward I, as above [no. 278], and held of the king in chief by knight service. Owing to the death of Elizabeth on 26 July 1411 and the minority of Richard son of Thomas they were taken into the hands of Henry IV .

Richard died on 11 Oct. 1413, aged 16. Isabel is his sister and heir, aged 14 years on 27 July 1414.

[A heavily corrected copy or a draft; holdings in Oxfordshire, as above [no. 278], included but deleted. No Chancery copy is extant, nor was one recorded in the 1828 Calendarium, vol. 4.]

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ENHANCEMENT OF TEXT: The text of this IPM which appeared in the print edition of CIPM XX has been enhanced in certain respects: see the About pages.

279A. [Writ not extant.]

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Inquisition Retford 18 Sept. 1414 [Leek]. Taken pursuant to a royal writ, probably in same terms as 278.

Jurors not given.

Thomas, late lord le Despenser, held on 5 Jan. 1400 in fee tail to him and the heirs of his body, the manor of Perlethorp, by grant of William de la Lee and John de Knyghton to Edward le Despenser and Anne his wife and the heirs of their bodies, by their charter dated 26 June 1335. They were seised in demesne as of fee tail and had issue Edward. Edward husband of Anne died, and afterwards Anne. The manor descended to Edward as son and heir and he was seised in demesne as of fee tail. After his death the manor descended to Thomas named in the writ as son and heir of Edward the son. He was seised in demesne as of fee tail by virtue of the grant and died seised of such estate on 5 Jan. 1400. After his death the manor descended to Richard, son and heir of Thomas, a minor at his father’s death and the manor was taken into the king’s hand. Richard died a minor in royal custody in his 16th year seised of such estate on 11 October last. After his death the manor descended to Isabel, wife of Richard de Bello Campo, of Abergavenny, knight, named in the writ, who survives, as sister and heir of Richard son of Thomas. She was aged 14 on 27 July last. The manor is held of the king of the honour of Tickhill, service unknown, and is worth 60s. yearly.

Richard died on 11 Oct. 1413, aged 16. Isabel is his sister and heir, aged 14 years on 27 July 1414.

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ENHANCEMENT OF TEXT: This IPM 279A is entirely new and did not appear in the print edition of CIPM XX.