2498708.
Baron Thomas de Berkeley & 2498709. Joan de Ferrers
1251, Thomas de Berkelegh born in England, heir & s/o 4997416. Maurice de Berkeley & 4997417.
Isabel de Dover.
~1252, Joan born in England, d/o 9994752. William de Ferrers & 9994753. Margaret de Quincy.
[Undated] Thomas educated at the Abbot and Prior of St.
Augustine’s, and the Master of St. Catharine’s Hospital.
1260-62,
Robert de Ferrers (23639700), son and heir of William de Ferrers, late earl of
Derby, and Joan de Ferrers, his sister. Robert has granted to Joan and her
issue the manor of Caston (Leics.), to hold at a rent of [100 gold threads].
(S) UKNA.
8/4/1265, Thomas fought at the battle of Evesham with Lord
Edward. Lord Edward (I) defeated Montfort’s army at the battle of Evesham,
ending the Baron’s Revolt and freeing his father, who was wounded. Montfort and
2 of his sons were killed. [Queen Eleanor had sent archers from her mother’s
county of Ponthieu in France.]
6/21/1266, Thomas with Prince Edward at the siege of
Kenilworth.
6/21/1266, The siege of Kenilworth in Gloucester,
ongoing, became the largest siege in the history of England. A garrison of over
a thousand surrendered 12/13/1266.
1266, Thomas granted 30 marks for the loss of his horse at
Kenilworth.
[––Thomas &
Joan––]
1267, Thomas married Joan. Joan brought a dower of the manor
and advowson of Corton, Leicester [conveyed by her brother Robert], and the
manor of Eynesbury, Huntingdon [given by her grandfather Roger de Quincey in
fee simple before her marriage.]
6/1268, With England essentially at peace, Prince Edward
decided to join his uncle by marriage, King Louis, on the 8th crusade. [Louis
promised Edward 30,000 marks for his participation.] Thomas also took the
crusaders vow, along with many others.
8/19/1270 from Dover, Prince Edward and wife Eleanor,
brother Edmund, and Henry of Almain, left on the 8th crusade.
11/10/1270, Edward arrived in Tunis to find that King Louis
had died, the crusader forces had been decimated by disease, and King Charles
of Sicliy, his uncle by marriage, had already arranged a peace treaty with the
emir of Tunis.
1270, Prince Edward, retreated back to Sicily.
By 5/1271, Edward moved his forces to Acre; waiting for support
to arrive [which never came.]
9/1172, Prince Edward, leaving soldiers to defend Acre,
began his journey home.
11/16/1272, Edward I succeeded Henry III as King of England.
8/19/1274 at Westminster abbey, Edward I crowned king of
England.
1275-6, “Thomas de Berkele owes £20 for hunting offences,
pardoned.” (S) UKNA.
1277, Thomas and Joan recovered the advowson of Coston,
Leicestershire.
1277, Thomas served with his father in the 1st
expedition against Llywelyn, Prince of Wales.
6/1277, King Edward was in Chester where he cleared a road
through a dense forest, and started construction on the castles of Flint and
Rhuddlan. King Edward made forays into the Welsh lands of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd,
prince of Wales, capturing Snowdonia and the isle of Anglesey.
1279, Thomas’ older brother Maurice killed at a joust at
Kenilworth; Thomas becoming the heir.
4/4/1281, Thomas’ father died. Thomas’ inherited lands
valued at £800 yearly.
4/18/1281, Order to Ralph de Sandwyco, the king's steward,
to deliver to Thomas de Berkele, son and heir of Maurice de Berkele, tenant in
chief, the lands late of his said father, he having done homage. (S) CFRs. [Thomas,
age 30, took livery of his lands.]
1282, Thomas licenced to dig lead mines on his properties.
1282, Thomas served in the King’s expedition into South
Wales with the Earl of Gloucester.
12/1282, King Edward defeated Llewelyn ap Gruffydd at the
battle of Radnor in eastern Wales. Edward received the head of Llywelyn at
Rhuddlan castle.
9/28/1283, Thomas summoned to Shrewsbury by writ from
Rhuddlan to the king to hold a colloquium to ordain what should be done with
David, brother of Llewellyn, formerly prince of Wales. (S) The Titular Barony
of Clavering, 1891, P16.
12/1283, Thomas pardoned payment of 100 marks relief for his
good service.
1284, Thomas under constraint orders of the Bishop of
Worcester.
1284, Thomas bought the marriage of his daughter Margaret to
Thomas fitz Maurice of Ireland.
12/30/1284, Order to the same to cause enrolment to be made
pursuant to the king's pardon to Thomas de Berkeleye of 200 marks of the 700
marks wherein he is held to the king for Thomas son of Maurice of Ireland who
made fine in that sum for his marriage. (S) CFRs.
1287, Thomas recorded as having 2 fairs at Berkeley. (S) Gaz.
of Markets and Fairs in England and Wales to 1516.
1287, Before Justices at Gloucester. Various Liberties and
Franchises confirmed and adjudged to Thomas de Berkeley, for the Attorney for
the King admits that the said Thomas held by Barony. (S) Journals of the House
of Lords, V60, 1828, P493.
10/1289, Thomas went abroad with Roger Bigod, earl of
Norfolk.
4/3/1290, “Amicia widow of Odo le Ercedekene and Sir Thomas
de Berkeley … Whereas Lady Joan de Berkeley enfeoffed William de Berkeley, her
son … and Sir William died without issue, and Thomas succeeded as next heir of
Joan …” (S) UKNA.
1290, Thomas took ill and was sent to Canonbury, a grange of
the Abbot of St. Augustine’s , Canterbury until he recovered.
1291-92, Thomas 1 of 24 auditors chosen by the king for the
Great Cause.
6/1291, Thomas at Holywell and Norham to decide whether
English or Scot law should be used to try the case concerning primogeniture of
the Scottish crown.
11/3/1292, Thomas, on the commission into claims to the
Scottish crown, gave and individual opinion on the case.
1292, Thomas purchased the small manor of Bradley within the
lordship manor of Wotton.
5/13/1294, Roger le Bygod, earl of Norfolk and marshal of
England ... Witnesses: ..., Sir Thomas de Berkele, Sir Maurice de Berkele his
son, Sir John Bluet, knights, ... (S) UKNA.
1294-5, Son Maurice
accompanied his father Thomas, Lord Berkeley, in the expedition into Wales.
Thomas as a knight banneret with 4 other knights in the retinue of the Earl of
Norfolk.
6/24/1295, “Thomas de Berkelegh” summoned to parliament by
writ.
3/30/1296, Thomas and
his son Maurice participated in the siege of Berwick. King Edward
captured Berwick-upon-Tweed, an important Scottish port of northeast England,
sacked the town and massacred thousands of its inhabitants. Thomas had in his
retinue 1 other knight and 6 men-at-arms.
1296, Thomas an ambassador to France.
7/1297 at Westminster, Thomas present to hear the king’s
speech and pledge loyalty to the king’s son. [2 earls refused to sail to
Flanders with the king, one being Roger Bigod, earl of Norfolk.]
7/2/1297, Thomas indentured with Aymer de Valence for the
Flanders campaign. Thomas to be paid 4s a day, his 4 knights 2s a day, and each
of 19 men-at-arms 1s a day. Thomas also supplied 24 horses for his retinue.
There was also a supplement of 100 marks if the travel was overseas. In this
agreement a provision was made for Thomas’ son Maurice to head his own retinue
of 2 knights and 8 men-at-arms, 60 marks for Thomas, and 40 for Maurice. [The
indenture was for all service, and included £50 annually for robes and
meals in Valence’s household.]
8/12/1297, Thomas sailed to Flanders as Constable of the
Army, in place of the Earl of Hereford.
11/1297, The king pardoned Thomas of a 500 mark fine.
1299, Thomas purchased the manor of Henry de Middleton at
Portbury.
5/1298, Thomas indentured with his son Maurice, both as
bannerets, for the Scotland campaign.
7/22/1298, Thomas (and his son) fought at the battle of
Falkirk. King Edward defeated Sir William Wallace at the battle of Falkirk,
Scotland. The Scots defensive position was strong, but based on spearmen with
support of some cavalry and archers. Edward’s armored knights were repulsed by
the amassed spear points. Edward brought up his Welsh longbowmen. They cut gaps
into the Scottish ranks through which the mounted English knights could charge.
The Scots were routed, but Wallace escaped. Thomas had 3 knights and 6
men-at-arms.
1299, Thomas bought all the lands of Henry de Middleton,
lord of a part of the manor of Portbury, for 240 marks.
12/25/1299, Thomas spent Christmas with Amyer de Valence at
Goodrich castle.
4/1/1300, … ordered … to cause all and singular of …
knights, esquires or others having £40 yearly of land … to provide themselves
with horses and arms … be with the king at Carlisle at Midsummer next, ready to
set out with him at his wages against the Scots … Gloucester, with Thomas de
Berkeleye. (S) CCRs.
1300, Thomas at the siege of Caerlaverock castle with 6
knights and 7 men-at-arms.
2/12/1301, Thomas joined in the baron’s letter to the Pope.
1301, Thomas made a deed settling
his estate in case he died in the upcoming battles, included giving 5 marks to
each of 5 poor scholars. Thomas settled about half of his estate on his son
Maurice. Maurice received the Somerset manor of Portbury, and around half
the lordship, in return for a rent of £120. Maurice was also obligated to pay
annuities of £54 to his brothers and sister, and other financial burdens on the
estate such as rents to chantries. Maurice, set up at Portbury, now
administered a large part of the estate.
1303, Thomas and his son Maurice with the King in Scotland.
By 12/1303, Thomas had returned to England.
1303, Thomas purchased the manor of Frampton on Severn,
which he then leased at a rent of £14 13s. 4d.
1306, The king pardoned Thomas of a 1000 mark fine in return
for service of 6 men-at-arms led by one of his sons at Thomas’ expense.
6/28/1307, Protection with clause volumus, until All Saints,
for John de Berkele, going to Rome with Thomas de Berkele on the king's
service. By testimony of the said Thomas. (S) CPRs. [Thomas an ambassador to
Pope Clement V.]
7/7/1307, Edward II succeeded Edward I as King of England.
1/25/1308 in Boulogne, France, Prince Edward married
Isabella. Thomas accompanied the king on this trip.
2/25/1308, Thomas attended the coronation of King Edward II.
3/19/1309, Joan died; buried at St. Augustine’s, Bristol.
Thomas gave the poor bondsmen tenants 10 quarters of wheat and beans to pray
for her. [It is said Joan never traveled far from their homes in Gloucester and
Somerset.]
[––Thomas––]
8/25/1311, Order to allow Reginald Russel and Margaret his
wife … the king has granted them these terms at the request of Thomas de
Berkele. (S) CCRs.
12/25/1312, Commitment to Thomas de Berkele of the manor of
King Stanleye. (S) CFRs.
6/24/1314, Thomas taken prisoner at the battle of
Bannockburn, a victory for the Scots. Unusual in that it lasted for 2 days. The
Scots, commanded by Robert Bruce, were laying siege to Stirling castle, held by
the English. With Edward II were Aymer de Valence (in who’s retinue Thomas
served), earl of Pembroke, and the earls of Hereford and Gloucester. It was the
largest loss of English knights in a single day. Thomas released after paying a
ransom of £2413s.4d. [Thomas’ son Thomas was captured, but sent home to arrange
the ransom for his father; who would take 3 years to redeem all his knights and
squires.]
9/18/1315, IPM of Robert son of Payn. Gloucester: Frompton
on Severn, the manor … held by the said Robert and Isabel his wife, of Sir
Thomas de Berkele by service of 22 marks yearly. (S) CIsPM.
1316, Thomas witnessed a charter of Amyer de Valence in
London.
7/19/1316, Siege engines were set up to attack the castle of
Bristol where riots had taken place. Thomas served with Amyer during the siege,
which lasted about a week.
4/24/1318, Thomas de Berkeley, lord of Berkeley, and Maurice
de Berkeley, son of Maurice, his [Thomas's] son …” (S) UKNA.
6/12/1318, “Thomas de Berkeley, lord of Berkeley; and Thomas
de Berkeley, his son, and Isabel his [the son's] wife … Witnesses: Maurice, the
grantor’s son, …” (S) UKNA.
4/13/1321, To Thomas de Berkele. Order
to cause the king's peace to be maintained inviolably in the aforesaid land of
Breghenok, … (S) CCRs.
7/23/1321, Thomas died, his lands
valued at £975 yearly.
1322, IPM at Portbury. “He held
(inter alia) on the Day of his Death the Castle of Berkeley, and other Lands
and Tenemants, in the Co. of Gloucester, of the Lord the King in Capite per
Baroniam, doing the Service of 3 Knights fees.’ (S) Journals of the House of
Lords, V60, 1828, P494.
(S) Magna Carta Ancestry, P69. (S) Berkeley Manuscripts:
Abstracts and Extracts, Fosbroke, 1821. (S) Roll of
Arms of Caerlaverock, Wright, 1908, P24. (S) PhD Thesis of Harvey, 1989,
Univ. of St. Andrews.
Family notes:
·
Thomas’ son Maurice would pay Sir John Veel £100
to travel to the Holy Lands to absolve Thomas’ vow.
·
Thomas kept an open house each Christmas for all
visitors.
·
During Lent Thomas went to Arlingham where he
had a fisherman. Thomas spent £30 annually for fish.
Children of Thomas and Joan:
i. Margaret de
Berkeley, born ? in England.
Margaret married Thomas fitz Maurice of Ireland. [Mother of
the first Earl of Desmond & Reginald Russell.]
ii. Maurice de
Berkeley (1249354), born 1277 in England.
iii. Thomas de
Berkeley, born ? in England.
Thomas married Margery, heiress & d/o Sir Robert de Bray
of Wollaston (Northants.) [1 daughter, Katherine, inherited Wollaston.]
By 1301, Thomas granted Coston (Leics.) and Eynesbury
(Hunts.) [Witnessed by his uncle Sir Robert de Berkeley, d.1300-01.]
Thomas married 2nd Isabel, heiress & d/o Sir
John Hamelyn of Wymondham (Leics.) [1 son, John, inherited Coston, Eynesbury,
Wymondham, and lands in Gloucestershire.]
Aft. 1310, Thomas granted the manor of Wick in Arlingham, a
holding at Hartpury, and a rent of 10m from the Arlingham fisheries (Glos.).
1346, Thomas died. [Ancestor of the Berkeleys of Wymondham.]
iv. John de Berkeley,
born ? in England.
John married Hawise, heiress & d/o Thomas de Timworth of
Bratton Clovelly (Devon).
Bef. 1301, John granted an annuity of £20, a small manor at
Bradley (in Wotton), and other new small holdings around the hundred.
By 9/1317, John and Hawise died without issue.
v. James de Berkeley,
born ? in England.
12/5/1326, James became the Bishop of Exeter.
6/24/1327, James died.
vi. Isabel de
Berkeley, born ? in England.
Isabel became a nun.
