The wives of the esquires came chiefly from two classes--first, the
"domicellae" of the queen's retinue, and second, the daughters and
heiresses of country gentlemen. Esquires who married wives from the
second class frequently owed a great part of their importance in the
county to the estates which their wives brought. So, frequently in the
county histories occurs an account of some esquire whose family and
antecedents the writer has been, unable to trace, but who was prominent
in the county--sheriff perhaps or Knight of the Shire--as a result of
the lands he held in right of his wife. An example of this is Helmyng
Leget, who was member of Parliament for Essex in 7 and 9 Henry IV, and
sheriff in 1401 and 1408. He had married Alice, daughter and coheir of
Sir Thomas Mandeville and received the estates of Stapleford-Taney,
Bromfield, Chatham Hall in Great Waltham and Eastwick in Hertfordshire.
[Footnote: Morant's Essex vol. 2, p. 75; vol. 1, part 2, p. 179.]
Similarly John de Salesbury, who had received from the King a grant of
the custody of the estates of John de Hastang defunct, and of the
marriage of the latter's daughter and heir Johanna, married the lady
himself and held in her right extensive lands. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 292,
mem. 21, idem 289, mem. 30, Dugdale's Warwick, p. 313.]
John Beauchamp married Joan, daughter and heir of Robert le Fitzwyth.
[Footnote: Ancient Deeds, A 8171.] Simond de Bokenham married Matilda
Gerounde, who brought him the only land he possessed at his death.
[Footnote: Pat. Roll 267, mem. 7, Inq. P. M. vol. 3, p. 173. ] Hugh
Cheyne married Joan, daughter and heir of John de Wodeford. [Footnote:
Abb. Rot. Orig. II; 264.] Robert Corby married Alice, daughter and heir
of Sir John Gousall. [Footnote: Hasted's Kent II, 428.] Collard
Dabrichecourt married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Sibilla, daughter
of Thomas de Saye, and held in her right Strathfield-Saye. [Footnote:
Beltz. Mem. of Garter, p. 90 ff, Woodworth, Wilks, Lockhart, Hampshire
III, 274.] George Felbrig married Margaret, daughter of Elizabeth dame
de Aspall, and received with her certain lands in Norfolk and Suffolk.
[Footnote: Abstracts and Indexes--Duchy of Lancaster I, 157.] Robert
Ferrers married Elizabeth Boteler, daughter and heir of William Boteler
of Wemme. [Footnote: Dugdale I. 269. Cal. Inq. P.M. Ill, 333.] John Legge
married Agnes de Northwode, coheir of the manour of Ertindon in
Surrey. [Footnote: Manning's Surrey I. 85.] Hugh Wake married Joan de
Wolverton and received lands with her. [Footnote: Baker's Northampton II,
252.] Walter Walssh married Joan Duylle, widow of John Fletcher, called
"bel," and received with her the house of Gravebury, which she and her
former husband had held. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 290, mem. 14.] Walter
Whithors married Mabel, daughter and coheir of Philip Niweham (or
Newnham.) [Footnote: Dugdale's Warwickshire, p. 86.]
Even more interesting--because of their analogy with Chaucer's
marriage--are the instances of marriage with the queen's damsels. In one
case, at least, this kind of alliance was considered a meritorious
action on the part of the esquire concerned, for not only did he receive
an annuity therefor, but ever afterwards when a payment was made on the
annuity, the circumstances were given in full. "To Edmund Rose,
valletus, to whom the King has given ten pounds per annum to be received
at the Exchequer, for good service rendered to the King and because he
has married Agnes Archer formerly damsel to Queen Philippa." [Footnote:
Issues, P. 210, P. 204; mem. 5, etc.] Similarly Roger Archer (called
"esquier ma dame," and, in the grant, valet to Isabella, daughter of
Edward III) married Alexandra de la Mote damsel to Isabella. [Footnote:
Pat. Roll 273, mem. 8. Issues, p. 213, mem, 22.] It is curious that in
both these cases the maiden name of the wife is given in the Issue Rolls
for years after the grant of the annuities. In the other cases only the
surname of the husband is given. These cases are: Walter Wyght and
Margaret Wyght, [Footnote: Issues, p. 221, mem. 11.] Thomas and Katherine
Spigurnell, [Footnote: L.R. p. 172, C.R. 1357, p. 351, 404, 438.] John
and Almicia de Beverle, [Footnote: L.R. p, 172, Cal. Inq. P.M. III, 29.]
John and Stephanetta Olney, [Footnote: L.R. p. 172. Issues, P. 241, mem,
8.] Robert and Joan Louth, [Footnote: L.R. p. 172, Pat. Roll 264, mem.
39.] Piers and Alice Preston, [Footnote: Pat. Roll 1378, p. 125.] Hugh
and Agatha Lyngeyn [Footnote: Issues, P. 272, mem. 13.] and John and
Margaret Romsey. [Footnote: idem, P. 200, mem. 19, Home's Wilts, Hundred
of Cawdon, p. 13.]