(Vol. ix., p. 56.)
In answer to the Query of H. H. M., I beg to state that the Sir John de
Morant chronicled by Froissart was Jean de Morant, Chevalier, Seigneur
d'Escours, and other lordships in Normandy. He was fourth in descent from
Etienne de Morant, Chevalier, living A.D. 1245, and son of Etienne de
Morant and his wife Marie de Pottier. His posterity branched off into many
noble Houses; as the Marquis de Morant, and Mesnil-Garnier, the Count de
Panzes, the Barons of Fontenay, Rupierre, Bieville, Coulonces, the
Seigneurs de Courseulles, Brequigny, &c.
The Sire Jean de Morant, born A.D. 1346, was the hero of the following
adventure, quoted from an ancient chronicle of Brittany, by
Chesnaye-Desbois. It appears that the Sire de Morant was one of five French
knights, who fought a combat _a l'outrance_ against an equal number of
English challengers, with the sanction, and in the presence, of John of
Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, A.D. 1381-2. The result was in favour of the
French. The chronicle proceeds:
"Le Sire de Morant s'etant principalement distingue dans cette action,
un Chevalier Anglois lui propose de venger, tete-a-tete, la defaite de
ses compatriotes, et qu'ils en vinrent aux mains; mais que l'Anglois,
qu'une indisposition aux genouils avoit force de combattre sans bottes
garnies, avoit engage son adversaire de quitter les siennes, en
promettant, parole d'honneur, de ne point abuser de cette
condescendance, a quoi le Sire de Morant consentit: le perfide Anglois
ne lui tint pas parole, et lui porta trois coups d'epee dans la jambe.
Le Duc de Lancastre, qui en fut temoin, fit arreter ce lache, et le fit
mettre entre les mains du Sire de Morant, pour tirer telle vengeance
qu'il jugeroit a propos, ou du moins le contraindre a lui payer une
forte rancon. Le Seigneur de Morant remercia ce Prince, en lui disant
'qu'il etoit venu de Bretagne non pour de l'or, mais pour l'honneur' et
le supplia de recevoir en grace l'Anglois, attribuant a son peu
d'adresse ce qui n'etoit que l'effet de sa trahison. Le Duc de
Lancastre, charme d'une si belle reponse, lui envoya une coupe d'or et
une somme considerable. Morant refusa la somme, et se contenta de la
coupe d'or, par respect pour le Prince."
There is a short account of the branch of Morant de Mesnil-Garnier in the
_Genealogie de France_, by Le Pere Anselme, vol. ix.; but a very full and
complete pedigree is contained in the eighth volume of the _Dict. de la
Noblesse Francaise_, by M. de la Chesnaye-Desbois. {251}
As the Rev. Philip Morant was a native of Jersey, it is more than probable
that he was an offset of the ancient Norman stock, though their armorial
bearings are widely different. The latter bore, Azure, three cormorants
argent; but the family of Astle, of Colne Park in Essex, are said to
quarter for Morant, Gules, on a chevron argent, three talbots passant
sable.
Having only a daughter and heiress, married to Thomas Astle, Keeper of the
Records in the Tower of London, the reverend historian of Essex could
hardly have been the ancestor of the Morants of Brockenhurst.
There was also another family in Normandy, named Morant de Bois-ricard, in
no way connected with the first, who bore Gules, a bend ermine.