The Hundred Years War

The Pomeroys and the Gascon Rolls: A Chronicle of Service and Succession

The Gascon Rolls newly indexed in 2019, offer insights into English administration and military activity in Gascony--especially for those researching families involved in the Hundred Years War. Among them are references to the de la Pomeray (Pomeroy) family of Devon, whose members served the Crown in both martial and administrative capacities. 

This post highlights key Pomeroy entries from the Gascon Rolls, alongside findings from manorial court rolls, the Devon Records Office, and Powley's genealogical research. 

I. Early Service in Gascony (1351-1355)  

Sir Henry de Pomeroy the Younger.  6 June 1351 . Westminster. Letters of protection were granted to Henry de Pomeroy the Younger, Knight "who is in the king's service and going by the king's order to Gascony." (AML note: Son and Heir of Henry de la Pomeray and J. Moels. Living 1308-1373) Henry de la Pomerai (VIII) was a knight by 1340. He served under John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, at Crecy in 1346 and was later appointed to commissions of peace and oyer and terminer. 

Source: GSR C61 63. https://www.gasconrolls.org/edition/calendars/C61_63/document.html#it063_25_07f_027

William de la Pomeray: (c1309-1378) 

William, Henry's younger brother, was among 29 men--including the Black Prince--granted protection for service in Gascony. 

13 June 1355

Source: GSR C61 67 , https://www.gasconrolls.org/edition/calendars/C61_67/document.html#it067_29_08f_101-23

10 July 1355: 

101.23 William de la Pomeray 

********************

II. A Generation Later: Muster Supervision (1378-1379) 

Thomas & William de Pomeroy

4 May 1378  and 14 June 1378:

Westminster. Both men appear in commissions to supervice musters of troops heading to Aquitaine. 

78 esquires and 100 archers retained by Trivett, and of Geoffrey d'Argenton, kt , and 20 men-at-arms and 20 archers retained by him, to go in the king's service from Plymouth to Aquitaine to prosecute the king's war there and to do all other things surrounding the muster. They are to certify the treasurer and chamberlain in the exchequer of the names of the men-at-arms and archers, and also of any defect in the array of the men and archers, if they find that there has been any, under the seals of at least two of them. The king orders them to diligently attend to this, and has ordered both the men-at-arms and archers, and the king's faithful subjects that they are to be intendant on, advise and aid the sheriff and others as often and when they are warned to do so. For a later assignment to most of the same group to assess the troops of John, lord Neville, see entry 111 . In this later assignment, a Thomas la Pomeroy is named as one of those assigned, and it is not clear whether there has been some sort of clerical error in one of the assignments, or two separate Pomeroys are being referred to. (The rolls raise the possibility of a father-son team.) 

Source: GSR C61 91 , https://www.gasconrolls.org/edition/calendars/C61_91/document.html#it091_01_02f_111

********

30 September 1379: Westminster. For supervising the muster of men-at-arms. Assignment to Philip de Courtenay and John de la Pomeroy , William Asthorp' , Martin Ferrers and William de la Pomeroy , and Walter de Hauley , Thomas Credy and Thomas Sayvill' , king's serjeants-at-arms, and William Lockington, clerk , or at least two of them, to supervise the troops of the retinue of John de Roche , and others assigned to go in the king's service to Gascony. And also to supervise the muster of sufficient mariners for the ships for the passage, and to do all other necessary things. They are to certify the treasurer and barons of the exchequer of the names of the men-at-arms, archers and mariners, together with deficiency in the same, without delay. it is ordered to the captains, men-at-arms, archers, masters and mariners of ships, and all the king's other faithful subjects, to be intendant upon and obey Courtenay and the others as often and when requested to do so.  William may have been the son of Thomas de la Pomeray, John's uncle. 

Sir John de la Pomerai was son of Sir Henry Pomerai (IX). Sir John was a prominent knight and public servant; 

Commissioner of array (1375-1392) 

Justice of the Peace and Sheriff of Decon (1399)

MP for Totnes (1407) 

John acquired substantial lands in Cornwall and Devon. He is documented witnessing royal and ecclesiastical transactions into the early 15th century. 

Source: GSR C61 93 , https://www.gasconrolls.org/edition/calendars/C61_93/document.html#it093_03_09f_018

This marks the emergence of a new generation of Pomeroys in royal service. 

**************

III. Thomas de la Pomeroy, esquire.  (c 1366-1428)  

14 August 1394 . Westminster . Letters of protection, with clause volumus , for one year, for John Croylboys , who is going to Aquitaine, in the king's service, to reside there in the company of the king's uncle, John [of Gaunt], duke of Aquitaine and Lancaster . The following have similar letters of protection for the same duration: 60.1 10 February 1395 . Westminster . Thomas de la Pomeroy, esquire , of Devon .  See:  https://sites.google.com/site/pomeroyconnections/the-king-s-knight-sir-thomas-de-la-pomeray

Source: GSR C61 104 , https://www.gasconrolls.org/edition/calendars/C61_104/document.html#it104_18_06f_060-1

POWLEY: Pg 60.

Children of Henry de la Pomerai and Joan de Moles: 

1. Henry de la Pomerai (IX) (by 1308?-1373) was the eldest son of Henry de la

Pomerai (VIII) (q.v. ante) and Joan de Moles. It will be plain that he cannot have

been born after 1324;3 and his birth, seeing that he was a knight in 1340, must date

earlier; 1308/19 may be conjectured as likely limits. If William (v. infra) were his

brother, by 1308 is a necessary supposition?

Henry de la Pomerai has been spoken of as accompanying his father, in 1340,

to break the pound of the earl of Gloucester at Lydford (he was then a knight) and

noticed as collecting, in 1350, the tenths and fifteenths for the Crown ( v. ante).

This de la Pomerai is entered as of the retinue of John de Veer, earl of Oxford,

one of the commanders of the first, or Black Prince's, division at Crecy, 1346.4

On 3 December 1367, the escheator was ordered to deliver 38 fees in Beri and

Hurberton,5 homage and fealty having been taken.

In 1369, de la Pomerai and seven others were of commission of the peace and of

oyer and terminer, for Devonshire; they also were ordered to enquire into alleged

misbehaviour by two justices.6  de la Pomerai, at much the same time, was named

one of nine commissioners of peace and of oyer and terminer. 7  

With five others,

he, in 1370, exercised, in addition, duty of array; 8 and of array, with six others, in

1371. 9 

He was one of seven, of commission of peace and of oyer and terminer, 13 73 .

10

This ' chivaler ' was dead before 20 June 1373, when his lands in Devonshire and

Cornwall were escheated.11 The estates were Tregony manor, Beri manor, lands in

Bridgetown (by Totnes), Stoklegh manor, Brixham manor, a third, Hurberton, a half.

Henry de la Pomerai (IX) married [ ]. He had a son John; and (so one

concludes from subsequent Rolls data) daughters-Joan and Margaret.12

Thomas de Brantyngham, bishop of Exeter, enjoined that Reginald de Horsyngtone,

vicar of Beri, take charge, pending probate of Henry's will, with William de la

Pomerai and Thomas de la Pomerai (brothers?), responsible for care of goods.13

2. WILLIAM DE LA PoMERAI (c. 1309?-1378- ), listed by Shaw as a knight of

the Bath-banneret-1330,14 must have been the second son of Henry de la Pomerai

(VIII) (q.v. ante) and Joan de Moles, in which case, being a knight banneret in 1330,

he cannot well have been born later than 1309.

This William, it seems, has already been referred to as interested in property in

Assheriston, Shaplegh Hilion and Hokesbeare of the gift of Jacob Chidlegh (v. p. 56).

He, in 1378, gave power of attorney to deliver seisin of all his lands in Devonshire

to Richard Brankyscombe and William Cole. 

In 1378, by attorney from Sir John

de la Pomerai (q.v. infra) seisin of all manors, advowsons, etc. in Hywysch (Huish,15

r Additional Charter 27593, British Museum.

2 AdditionalM S. 26677, British Museum; Ashmole

MS. 804, p. 344/12. For a further arms mention

v. also p. 58.

3 V. enfeoffment, p. 52. For knighthood, p. 54.

4 French Roll, 20 Ed. III, quoted by Wrottesley,

Crecy and Calais, 92 Letter of Protection June 26.

5 Close Rolls, 1364-8, 364.

6 Patent Rolls, 1367-70, 344, 345.

7 Patent Rolls, 1367-70, 348.

8 Patent Rolls, 1367-70, 422.

9 Patent Rolls, 1370-4, 101.

10 Patent Rolls, 1370-4, 399.

11 Fine Rolls, 1369-77, 239, and Calendarium

lnquisitionum Post Mortem, Edward Ill, 334.

12 Fine Rolls, 1369-1377, 245 for John and Fine

Rolls, 1413-22, 198 for one of many references to

the daughters. V. also p. 69, note 1.

13 22 December 1373. Hingeston-Randolph,

Register of Thomas de Brantyngham, I. 321.

14 Knights of England, II. 135. The question

whether the order of the Bath then really existed

does not affect the fact of the knighthood. Nicolas,

History of the Orders of Knighthood of the British

Empire, 111. p. iii, suggests that the coronation of

queen Philippa, 18 February 1330, was the probable

occasion of knighting. .

15 Which Huish? Probably Huish by Merton,

v. p. 61. Sir John was by marriage interested in

Merton.

pp

57 8 Devonshire), Stonford ([n=u?] Stowford), Yedbury (v. p. 43, n. 1), Bourlonde (Oke-

hampton?), Croude (Harberton), Waysshborne (v. p. 55), Allhalghenelegh (Allaleigh,

Cornworthy?) of the gift of William Hywysch was granted William, his brother.

Nicholas ( q.v. infra), and six others.1

A herald's sketch of a seal upon a document, temp. Edward III, exhibited by Valen-

tine Pomeroy of Sandridge, Stoke Gabriel, at the 1620 heralds' visitation,2 shows:

A shield dependent from the helmet; a lion rampant within a bordure engrailed;

a helmet, lambrequin, cap of maintenance, surmounted by a lion guardant; within

a circular band +sIGIL-WILLIELMI-DE-LA-P0MERI. The tail of the lion is turned

inward, and there is no mark of' difference' (v. p. 96).

3. NICHOLAS DE LA PoMERAI (by 1326 [almost certainly earlier] -1383- ) was

third son of Henry de la Pomerai (VIII) (q.v. ante) and Joan (de Moles).

This de la Pomerai probably followed John de Chivereston to Calais, 1347.3

Nicholas and John (brothers? v. John de la Pomerai, infra) received a grant of a

messuage of land in Walle (next Stoklegh), 20 March 1357.4   It is probably this

Nicholas who took 5s. yearly rent from Langacre (Broad Clyst) in the manor of

James de Audele, 1353 (?),5   and who witnessed, in 1365, a quit-claim of Martin de

Fisshacre to William Carey, in respect of lands, rents and services in Bogheweye, Ho,

(Boohay, Hoo Down in Brixham), Crofte (in Brixham), and Ennewylle ( )

and a ferry, Dertemuth to Kyngiswere (Dartmouth and Kingswear).6  Nicholas

was appointed sheriff of Devonshire, 4 October 1375,7  and justice of the peace in

1377.8  His interest in the lands of William Hywysch resembled that of his brother

William (q.v. ante). It was no doubt this Nicholas who witnessed, with others, at

the transfer of John de St Aubyn property in Combe Ralegh, etc., 1383.9

(V. also p. 73 for a Nicholas who may be identical with the subject of this notice.)

4. JOHN DE LA PoMERAI (by 1327 [almost certainly earlier] -1357- ) was, no

doubt, the fourth son of Henry de la Pomerai (VIII) (q.v. ante) and Joan (de Moles).

He, a sub-deacon, held, on 10 October 1349, the date on which he received

dispensation of bishop John de Grandisson to be absent from his parish a year to

study at Oxford,10  the de Moles(?) rectory of Aveton Giffard.11

A Latin MS. of Aristotle, which has been in the library of Balliol College from at

least the early fifteenth century, contains the shield of the arms of de la Pomerai twice

and the shield of de Moles-argent, two bars gules, in chief three torteaux gules-

twice also. The book was, doubtless, executed to the order of this de la Pomerai.12

I Somerset MSS. 140. Wrottesley, Pedigrees in

the Plea Rolls, 228, for a subsequent litigation.

2 Harl. MS. 1163-4, British Museum.

3 V. note 4, p. 57. French Roll, 21 Ed. III.

4 Somerset MSS. 138.

5 Calendar of Inquisitions Miscellaneous ( Chan-

cery), 111. 43. 6 Close Rolls, 1364-8, 163.

There were two wells in Brixham (Devon and

Cornwall Notes and Queries, 111. 214). The narr1e of

one remains as Lad[y ]well; that of the other is lost.

Was the lost name St Wenna's Well?

7 Lists and Indexes, P.R.O.; Fine Rolls, 1369-77,

296. 8 Patent Rolls, 1377-81, 46.

9 Close Rolls, 1381-5, 242.

10 Hingeston-Randolph, Register of John de

Grandisson, 1083.

11 Hingeston-Randolph, Register of John de Gran-

disson, 641, 1287 (1331, DameAlice de Moles,patron).

12 Balliol College, MS. 232 B.

5. THOMAS DE LA PoMERAI (by 1328 [almost certainly earlier]-1378) was the fifth

son of Henry de la Pomerai (VIII) (q.v. ante) and Joan (de Moles). A Thomas de la

Pomerai, 1365, received lands in Welcombe (in Cheriton Fitzpaine), Lake (Stoklegh

manor) and Hyrwardisheghes (in Cheriton Fitzpaine) of John Wadham and others and,

in 1366, a lease of the manor of Carswylle Abbas (Abbots Kerswell) from the abbot of

Schyrborne (Sherborne);4 in 1371, a Thomas did homage to the bishop of Exeter,

for a knight's fee, at Peyntone (Paignton); 5 a Thomas de la Pomerai and his wife

received, in 1374, licence to hear mass in the chapel of their manor of Sandridge in

the parish of Stoke Gabriel; 6 a Thomas, with another, received £25. 12. o for 64 days

as knight of the shire of Devonshire at Westminster, Michaelmas, 1377; 7 and a

Thomas held a life interest in Stoke Bassett (North Stoke, Oxfordshire) till 1378.8

How far these facts fit together for the fifth son of Henry de la Pomerai (VIII) is

difficult to affirm, but the supposition is that they do apply. One moves to firm ground

in saying that Edward de la Pomerai, holder of Tregony by 1404 (v. p. 61), who,

with his wife Margaret, in July 1404, received back from Robert Saundre, vicar of

Stoke Gabriel, and Thomas Cornwale, chaplain, all lands in Sandridge, Wylle (Lower

Well Farm in Stoke Gabriel), Teyngherny (Teignharvey in Stokeinteignhead),9

Wellecombe (v. supra), Wallys (Walle v. supra) and Lake (v. supra) which Saundre

and Cornwale had had of Edward's and Margaret's gift,10 was a son of the Thomas

in question 11 and that that son eventually became lord of Beri (v. p. 75).

AML Note: The patriarch Henry de la Pomeray lived until 1373. He settled lands on his youngest brother Thomas beginning 1365, even while Henry's son and heir Sir John de la Pomeroy was alive and had reached his age of majority. Sir John did not marry  until after 1470...certainly "by 1377."    

POMEROY, Sir JOHN (c.1347-1416), of Berry Pomeroy, Devon.

Constituency TOTNES 1407

Family and Education

b.c.1347, s. of Sir Henry Pomeroy (d.1373) of Berry Pomeroy by his w. Joan. m. by 1377, Joan (d.1420), da. and coh. of Sir Richard Merton† of Merton, Devon, wid. of John Bampfield of Poltimore, s.p. Kntd. bef. Dec. 1374.

5. Sir Thomas Pomeroy,  (born (before)"certainly by 1328-died  1378, Powley)  youngest son of Sir Henry Pomeroy and Joanna de MULES.   

In 1372 Thomas made a declaration which named his wife as Joanna and his son and heir as William.  Devon Record Office  3799M-0/ET/7/4b  1372 Declaration of the uses of a conveyance. 

 (Thomas) is going on a journey for the king. If he returns from the journey, he is to hold the premises as before.  etc." 

(Johane was his wife, William his son and heir.)  For default of such issue, the premises are to remain to the heirs of the body of 1., and for default, to Nichol, brother of 1. and the heirs of his body. If Nichol has no heirs of the body, the premises remain to William, brother of Nichol and the heirs of his body, and for default, with remainder to the right heirs of 1.

Date: Wednesday next before the feast of St Laurence, 46 Edward III.  1372. 

Thomas died in 1378. 

What follows is a compendium of records, including those from the Devon Record Office, the Waddeton Court Rolls, and the Gascon Rolls. The intent is to provide evidence in in support of the later William de la Pomeray being the son of Thomas de la Pomeray, instead of his older brother  Please note that while this Thomas de la Pomeray was never the Lord of Berry Pomeroy, he had control of a considerable amount of property. 

1372: Devon Record Office  3799M-0/ET/7/4b  1372

Declaration of the uses of a conveyance

1. Thomas of la Pomeray

2. William Cary, Renauld Hors[ ], Piers Silverloc and John of Baucomb

Premises: all 1.'s lands and tenements, rents and services in Welcomb, Lake, Herwardesheghes, Est Wode, Walles, Stockleigh Pomeroy, Cheriton Fitzpayne, Dynnescomb, Teyng Hervy and Sandrugg

Uses: 1. is going to a journey for the king. If he returns from the journey he is to hold the premises as before. If he dies on the journey before he can re-enter the premises, then 2. are to hold them for Johane his wife, William his son, and the heirs of the body of William. For default of such issue, the premises are to remain to the heirs of the body of 1., and for default, to Nichol, brother of 1. and the heirs of his body. If Nichol has no heirs of the body, the premises remain to William, brother of Nichol and the heirs of his body, and for default, with remainder to the right heirs of 1.

Date: Wednesday next before the feast of St Laurence, 46 Edward III

There is a clue in the records of Wyll:  The following were found in the Court Rolls for the Manor of Waddeton. After the death of Thomas, in 1378, the records show his widow in possession, having been distrained for non payment.  She and her 2nd husband Alexander  Merle, held until her death in 1392.   Upon complete examination, it was determined that the next in line was Edward, "son and heir of William."   In  1392 Edward was still in his minority. The property of Wyll was held by the Lord until he reached majority, which appears to have occured by October 1396. In the 14th century, the age of majority was 21, suggesting Edward born about 1375. 

Court Rolls for Manor of Waddeton

Waddeton covered Stoke Gabriel, Brixham and Churston Ferrers

18/06/1377:  Thomas de la Pomeroy entered in a fee of the lord xxx, Roger atte Pole for which xxx homage and fealty to the lord.  Distraint to the aforesaid service to the lord. (Roger atte Pole was married to Constance de la Pomeray. Powley gives no notice of Constance.) 

05/11/1377:  Order to distrain Thomas de la Pomeroy to do homage and fealty to the lord and to show by what right and title he entered into the lord’s fee at La Wille.

18/05/1378  Order to distrain Thomas de la Pomeroy to do fealty for lands and tenements in ye Yealbelorn.

02/11/1378:  Order to distrain Johanne de la Pomeray to do fealty for lands and tenements in Wille Yeallbxxx.The above repeated in 19/06/1378.

A side note: 

1379. Oratory; License to celebrate -- Likewise, on the same day, the Lord granted a License to William de la Pomeray and his wife, that they may make celebrated Divine, etc., in the Capellis sire Oratories of the same Manors of Shullestone and Deadon; it would last for one year. (Shilston) 

The register of Thomas de Brantyngham, bishop of Exeter (A.D. 1370-1394)

26 April 1392:  The homage presents that Alexander Merle and Johanna his wife held certain lands and tenements Atte Wille for the life.  After Johanna’s death the reversion is to the heirs of Thomas de la Pomeray to be held by Knight Services.

01/10/1392:  The lands and tenements which Thomas de la Pomeray lately held at le Wylle remain in the lord’s hands by reason of the minority of Edward.

The above repeated 31/05/1393 and 28/10/1393 and 21/10/1395.  

02/10/1399:  Orders to seize the land of Wylle into the lord’s hands.  Distrain Edward Pomeroy for the lands at Wylle.

It appears Edward reached his majority between 1395 and 1399. 

Was he a younger son of Thomas, who died in 1378, or the son of William? 

Is there evidence elsewhere? 

Combining the Waddeton Manor Rolls with the Gascon Rolls….

June 1377 Thomas POMEROY entered into at Wyll,  having given homage to Roger at Pole, (who was married to a Constance Pomeroy). 

Nov 1377: ordered to show by what right and title he (Thomas) had to enter into la Wylle. 

Nov 1378 Order to distrain Johanna de la Pomeroy to do fealty, etc. 

13 years later. Old style calendar. 

April 1392: (following close examination,) it was found that Alexander Merle and wife  Joanna held at Wyll for life and after her death, reversion was to heirs of Thomas to be held by knights service. 

October 1392. Order to distrain Edward, son and heir of William to do homage..

January 1392: Wylle is in Lords hands by reason that Edward is in his minority..called son and heir of Thomas. 

In 14th century coming of age was 21.  Edward, then,  was born in 1375. 

Can we assume that by the time of Joanna's death in 1392, Edward was 17 years old, but underage? Further, can we assume that when Edward was 17 years old, he knew his father was William? In October of 1392,  the individual keeping the Waddeton Rolls had the knowledge that Edward, a living heir, was the son of William de la Pomeray?  

Note: 1379: Sighting of William de la Pomeray: Shilston: 1379. 

Oratory; License to celebrate -- Likewise, on the same day, the Lord granted a License to William de la Pomeray and his wife, that they may make celebrated Divine, etc., in the Capellis sire Oratories of the same Manors of Shullestone and Deadon; it would last for one year. (Shilston)  The register of Thomas de Brantyngham, bishop of Exeter (A.D. 1370-1394)

AML Notes: 

Shilston is in the same geographic proximity as the de la Pomeroy family holdings. 

The license for mass is in the same time frame as William, son of Thomas, and suggests continuity of family status and wealth. Similar to the role of Justice in Devon, dealing with trespassing in Dartmoor in 1371. 

It is most plausible that William the Justice, William the Mass License Holder, and William in the later years in the Gascony Rolls were all the same man, and son of Thomas.  They share geographic, status, and temporal proximity. 

Final note regarding the place of a man named Sir William Pomeroy of Membury. He was a Queen’s Esquire 1417 to Queen Joan of Navaree, wife of Henry IV, of England, and clearly a separate individual due to a later timeline. We assume he was closety related to Sir Thomas Pomeroy, the King's Knight. 

Together with Powley's genealogical research and manorial records, the Gascon Rolls give us a rare view of a family navigating land, loyalty, and lineage over nearly five decades.  

Next Generation: 

1.a: John de la Pomerai ( before 1347-1416) was the son of Henry de la Pomerai (IX) (q.v. ante) 

and of [ Emmot] and he had done homage for his lands in Devonshire and

Cornwall by the end of February 1374.12

During his tenure, this 'chivaler '-for as such he was from the first regarded-was

much entrusted with tasks of local government.

Instructions to defend Devonshire against a landing from France were issued, in

1375, to a commission of array, of eight, which included him; 13 and he was of similar

commissions in 1377.14 In 1377 he was named, with five others, to deal with matters

of novel disseisin in Devonshire and Cornwall ;15 in 1378, one of sixteen justices of the

peace for Cornwall.16 The minor task to arrest a monk of Eston (Easton, Wiltshire),

abroad, in secular habit, fell, 1378, to John, to a Thomas de la Pomerai (v. supra or p. 64) 

1 Patent Rolls, 1350-4, 206. (Parsons: Cornwode,

John Bereware, Depeford, Philip Caulesworth, Bike-

bury, Richard Haliwell.)

2 Hingeston-Randolph, Register of John de

Grandisson, 1449 (1358, John Damarle, patron).

3 Somerset MSS. 138.

4 Ibid.

5 Hingeston-Randolph, Register of Thomas de

Brantyngham, I. 208. It may be noted that a trans-

action between bishop Grandisson of Exeter and

his nephew Edmund de Arundel, knight, in 1362,

speaks of 'lands in Sandrigge in the manor of

Peynton': Somerset MSS. 138.

6 Hingeston-Randolph, Register of Thomas de

Brantyngham, I. 351.

7 Close Rolls, 1377-81, 106.

8 Close Rolls, 1377-81, 445; Fine Rolls, 1377-83,

153, 183.

9 In 1410 Edward and Margaret sued for rent

and lands in Teyngherny; Wrottesley, Pedigrees in

the Plea Rolls, 272.

10 Somerset MSS. 141.

1 1 Vivian, Visitations of Cornwall, citing Huddes-

f eld recital at Inquisition post mortem, 7 Hen. VIII;

Wrottesley, Pedigrees in the Plea Rolls, 303.

12 Fine Rolls, 1369--77, 245.

13 Patent Rolls, 1374--7, 153.

14 Patent Rolls, 1374-7, 499 (April); Patent Rolls,

1377-81, 40 (July).

15 Close Rolls, 1377-81, 110.

16 Patent Rolls, 1377-81, 48.

59

8-2 and the sheriff of Devonshire.

1 John de la Pomerai figured among eleven Devon-

shire commissioners of array for 1372 and among the ten of 1380-in which year's

emergency it was ordered that all fit persons between 16 and 60 be equipped and the reluctant imprisoned. 3 When, reciting the 'murder' of Simon, archbishop of Canter-

bury, Robert de Hales, prior of the hospital of St John, and John de Cavendish, chief justice-incidents in or near the capital during the ominous Peasants' Revolt-the

government, in June 1381, addressed a strong mandate to the towns and counties, de la Pomerai was associated with four others and a sheriff for prevention, in Devon-

shire, of rebellious assemblies.4 In December of that year, authority was re-issued to almost the same panel; 5 and like mandate was reiterated twice in 1382 to enlarged

commissions, of which de la Pomerai remained a member. The two strengthened commissions could, at need, summon the posse comitatus, both knights and esquires,

and both those commissions do justice on the spot by exercising all authority of oyer and terminer.6 The incidental task of vindicating the King's rights in the presentation to the living of Ippulpenne (Ipplepen) was shared by de la Pomerai, in 1381, with the sheriff, the mayor of Exeter and others.7  In 1385, foreign invasion feared, de la Pomerai was joined with thirteen others, to form a Devonshire commission of array.8

 Among the eleven commissioners of array, county Devonshire, instructed, in 1392, to act in case of war after 'present truce', de la Pomerai was included.9

From that date there is less to remark of de la Pomerai's public activities. The shrievalty of Devonshire was placed on the knight in 1399, 30 September,10 he holding

till 3 November, when John Keynes succeeded him.11 With five others, he was of commission of oyer and terminer to investigate, in 1412, a case of breaking close, houses, etc., at Herford (Harford).12 John de la Pomerai may perhaps have regretted standing in 1398 as one of four

mainpemors (£200) for John Dynham; for though, in 1401, Dynham received pardon and his mainpemors release,13 they were, in 1407, regarded as responsible for two

later-1401/2-1404/ s-offences.14 

Property considerations occupied much of John de la Pomerai's attention. de la Pomerai received, 4 March 1377, acknowledgement by Richard, Prince of Wales, of the homage due to him-as duke of Cornwall? By that time de la Pomerai had acquired, from William Hywysch, the Cornish estates of Tremetherit (Tremadart in Duloe?),17 Rathewelle

(Raphel in Lansalloes?), Trenant (in Duloe?), Leskyr~t (Liskeard), Manely (Manely Coleshill in St Veep), and St Clere (St Cleer), with lands and tenements in Treworra

(Trevorick in St Issey), Canlisee ( Canalidgey in St Issey) and advowsons of Lansalewes.

1 Patent Rolls, 1377-81, 306.

2 Patent Rolls, 1377-81, 359.

3 Patent Rolls, 1377-81, 471.

4 Patent Rolls, 1381-5, 70.

5 Patent Rolls, 1381-5, 84.

6 Patent Rolls, 1381-5, 140, 246.

7 Patent Rolls, 1381-5, 80. 

[In passing, may be

mentioned the witnessing, in 1382, of a grant of

chaplaincy in Clifton Dertemuth, by John de la

Pomerai and others (Watkin, Dartmouth, 289) ; and

the witnessing, in 1383, in respect of transfer of

considerable John de St Aubyn property in Combe

Ralegh and elsewhere ( Close Rolls, I 381-5, 242 ).]

V. p. 58. 8 Patent Rolls, 1381-5, 591.

9 Patent Rolls, 1391-6, 91.

10 Fine Rolls, 1399-1405, 1; Lists and Indexes,

P.R.O.

I I Fine Rolls, 1399-1405, 19; Lists and Indexes,

P.R.O.

12 Patent Rolls, 1408-13, 473.

13 Patent Rolls, 1399-1401, 484.

14 Patent Rolls, 1405-8, 322 (1407); 1408-13,

29 (1408). John witnessed, with others, a transfer

of Dynham property, 1402: Close Rolls, 1399-1402,

486.

15 Somerset MSS. 139.

16 Close Rolls, 1377-81, 104.

17 Or is Tremetherit Tremoderet in Roche?

60(Lansalloes) and St Ewe, a tenure shortly causing a legal tangle, which commissions, appointed in 1389 and 1390, were asked to untwist.1 Appreciable Devonshire

(Hywysch) property also passed into or through John de la Pomerai's hands (v. p. 58).

Recognizances to the prior of Merton, for £300 (1388), and to John de Ravenser clerk, £20 (1389), were, for whatever reason, entered into-the former at least duly cancelled; on both occasions, the name of Thomas de la Pomerai (q.v. infra) is found with that of John. The Cornish Hywysch property was lost by 1391.