2I. HENRY (WILLIAM 1)

b.c.1208
m. JOAN de NEVILLE (m.2. Walter de la Hyde, d. before 1280)
d. before 1260

In 1246, the year that his father-in-law, John de Neville died, the king ordered that Henry release Stokecursy Castle to the king as Henry was then John de Neville's constable. Henry and Joan were definately married before 10 July 1256 as the king made a gift of three deer to the "wife of Henry de la Mare".

Henry was lord of Ashtead, Surrey and was made a Royal Justice in 1248.(3)

The Close Rolls for 1264-5 states that the King had granted the lands of William de Lorty, deceased, to Henry de la Mare which Henry had assigned to his daughter Maud to have until the heir of William de Lorty was of lawful age. Maud's husband is not mentioned therefore she was unmarried in 1265 which would agree with Maud and her husband Peter de Montfort having their first child in 1271 and marrying shortly prior to that date. The entry reads:

"Pro Matilli filia Henrici de la Mare. - Rex Willelmo de Wenling', escaetori suo citra Trentam, salutem. Monstravit nobis Matildis filia Henrici de la Mare quod, cum dudum contulissemus eidem Henrico custodiam terrarum Willelmi Ortye defuncti qui de nobis tenuit in capite habendam sibi et assignatis suis cum feodis militum, wardis et aliis ad dictam custodiam pertinentibus, et idem Henricus dudum ante mortem suam custiodiam illam assignasset eidem Matildi habendam usque ad legitimam etatem heredem ejusdem Willelmi ..."(1)

Henry had obtained the lands of William de Lorty in 1256 on the payment of 100 marks a year at the Exchequer. The grant mentions the wardship and Henry, as the Royal Justice, was in the king's service.(2)

Henry was often in the king's service and was sent on a mission to the court of Rome, to Gascony and made several other trips abroad for the king during his career.

Henry's son Henry did not survive long after Henry Sr.'s death in 1257 because before 1260 half of the manor of Ashtead was held by Joan (who had married Walter de la Hyde) as her daughter Maud was still a minor. Maud was the sole surviving heiress to the de la Mare estates in Surrey and Berkshire.

Lady Joan de la Mare and Lady Hawise de Neville were witnesses to an alleged miracle took place in Sussex sometime between 1265 and 1269 which was accredited to the late Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester. Almost immediately after his death Simon de Montfort, leader of the Barons' Revolt against King Henry III, was credited with having done numerous miracles, however, an effort to cononise him was supressed by the king. Earl Simon's cult was widespread throughout England and lasted into the reign of Edward I.

Ref:

(1) Calendar of Close Rolls for 1264-5- p. 55
(2) Calendar of Patent Rolls for 1247-1258- pp. 463, 478
(3) Judges of England- Edward Foss, 1848- Vol. II, p. 397
The Complete Peerage - St. Catherine Press, London- Vol. IX, p. 127
Tim Powys-Lybbe's web page at: http://www.tim.ukpub.net