History
Thomas de Verdon
Thomas was the son of John de Verdon( b.11 Jun 1256) and Alionora/ Eleanor, daughter of Thomas de Furnival. He was born 1282 at Whiston, and baptised 10th January 1282. He was a ward of John de Ferrers, King’s yeoman.
He married before 1299 Margaret de Knovill. Margaret was daughter of Sir Bogo (or Bewes) de Knovill, 1st Lord Knovill, Sheriff of Shropshire & Staffordshire, and Joan Waleran. On 26 July, 1295, the King had granted to Bogo de Knovill, to the use of Margaret, his daughter, the marriage of Thomas, son and heir of John de Verdon.
21st May 1297: Thomas is recorded as having reached his majority and therefore to have seisin of his lands.
On 7th July 1297: summoned to serve overseas.
May 25 1298: summoned to serve against the Scots.
24th June 1300: summoned again as having £40 lands in Gloucestershire
1302 & 1306: recorded as holding the manors and land in: Bressingham, Moulton, Saxlingham, Aslacton, Tibenham, Hapeton (Hapton), Shadnefield and Forncett – 8 fees of the Earl Marshal.
May 22 1306: Knighted with the Prince of Wales. In the same year he is recorded as holding 12 knights fees from the Earl of Norfolk, which included land in ten manors: Stagenhoe in Hertfordshire; Apton, Aslacton, Bressingham, Forncett, Moulton, Saxlingham and Tibenham in Norfolk; and Martlesham and Shadingfield in Suffolk.
1307: his lands and goods were confiscated for desertion in Scotland but restored 23rd January 1307.
24th Sept. 1314: made Forester of Inglewood
1315: Died shortly before 10th August and left his estate to his son Sir John de Verdon.
Refer to de Verdun, Verdon and Vardon families of England & Normandy
Yorkshire Inquisitions 1304
Thomas son and heir of John de Verdon. Proof of age (Licence granted on 15 March, 1304)
Proof of age of Thomas, son and heir of John de Verdon, deceased, taken before the lord King from Easter day
during one month in the
year of King Edward xx ... York.
The sheriff was ordered that whereas Thomas,
son and heir of John de Verdon, deceased, who held of
the
King in chief, said that he was of full age, and sought to
have restored to him by the King the lands and tenements
which were of his heritage and in the King's custody to the
full age of the same Thomas, wherefore the King granted
a day to the same Thomas, who was born at Whitstan in
the same county, and baptized in the church of the same vill, as it is said, for proving his age before the King from
Easter day during one month; he was to cause to come at
the said term so many and such men, both knights and
other lawful and honest men, by whom the said inquisition
could be taken, and the truth of the age of the said Thomas
better known and inquired into.
Similar order to the sheriff of Northants., who was to warn Malculm de Harle, the escheator, and John de Ferrariis, to whom the King had granted the custody of the minor's lands and tenements in that county until his full age, to be present to show if they had cause why the King ought not to restore his heritage to the' said Thomas if he be of full age, as to one who is of full age.
The same Thomas comes and also the jurors, and the said Thomas says that he is of age, and seeks that they proceed to take the proof of his age. The said Malculm and John do not come. And the sheriff now sent word that he had informed the said Malculm by Simon de Setford of Briklesworth and Henry de Schaldewell of the same; and at another time (alias), namely on the morrow of the Purification of the Blessed Mary last past (Feb. 3), he sent word that he had informed the said John de Ferrariis by Henry de Schaldwell and Thomas de la Chaumbre, William de Houton and William Prest of the same. Therefore let them proceed to take the proof of age of the said Thomas in consequence of their default.
Edmund Foliot, aged fifty, sworn and carefully examined as to the age of the said Thomas de Verdon, says that the same Thomas was born at Whistan in the county of York, and baptized in the church of the same vill on the fourth day after the Epiphany of the Lord last past, twenty-one years ago. Asked how he knows this, says by this that he belongs to the vill of Handesworth in the neighbourhood ({de vicinio) of Whytstan, from which it is distant three leagues; and by this also that he was present where he was baptized at the place, day and year aforesaid. And because in the same year Thomas de Furnival, grandfather of the said Thomas, persuaded Sir Richard Folyot (procuravti erga dominum Ricardum' Folyot), father of this Edmund, to grant the same Edmund the manor of Rysun in the county of Lincoln. And hereby he well knows that the said Thomas is of full age, and as to the other circumstances he is informed by the talk of the country (certus estper dictum patrio.
Thomas de Furneus ( Furnival), aged forty and upwards, giving the cause of his knowledge, says that it was in consequence of his having been at that time constable of Sheffield Castle, which is distant from Whytstan; and because he was then in the service of Sir Thomas de Furnyvaus, his lord, grandfather of the said Thomas de Verdon, who then was at yet this juror was present, as he says, at Whytstan on the day the said Thomas was born, but not at his baptism. And he says that the report of his birth came immediately to the said castle to this juror, because his lord was father of Alionora, mother of the said Thomas de Verdon.
Thomas de Bosevyle (godfathers), forty years old and upwards, sworn and carefully examined which is of Derfeud, which is distant from Whytstan five leagues. Asked how he knows this, says that this juror was present where he was baptized with Sir Thomas de Furnyvaus, then his lord, and that he, the said juror, on the said day, place and year lifted the said Thomas from the sacred font. By this he well knows and remembers about the lapse of so much time, because in the same year, a little after the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Mary (Feb. 2), he married Dyonisia, his wife, who is still living.
Robert de Bosevyle of the vill of Neuhalle, which is distant from Whytstan six leagues, of the county of York, of the age of forty years and upwards, asked how he knows this, says because he on the said day, place and year was at a certain party at Bolton (Bolton-upon-Dearne) at the house of Richard le Chaumberleyn, where immediately after the said Thomas the younger was born, a report of his birth immediately came, and those staying there rejoiced much at the report. Asked how he knows about the lapse of time, says because Agnes, daughter of this same juror, was born in the same year on the vigil of the Circumcision of the Lord (Dec. 31), a little before the said Thomas was born.
Peter de Rodes, of the county of York*, of the neighbourhood of Whytstan, aged forty years and upwards, asked how he knows this, says because he had a certain son, Richard by name, who now is in the parts beyond the sea, who was born in the same year as the said Thomas, that is three days afterwards.
Jollan de Neuton of the vill of Whytstan, forty years old and upwards, gives the cause of his knowledge, because the same Peter (de Rodes) had a certain son of the same age, about whom the same Peter deposed, and because Agnes, this juror's mother, lifted the said Thomas (de Verdon) from the sacred font. As to the lapse of time he well remembers, because the same year he was a scholar at Lincoln, and came home the same year at Christmas, as it was holiday time.
Adam de Breretwesel of the vill of Wath, 26 years and upwards, says he knows this by his father's will, who, as he says, died in the same year a little before the Whitsontide before Thomas was born.
William de Dernhale, distant from Whytstan two leagues, 34 years, asked how he knows this, and about the lapse of time, says because in the same year about Michaelmas he married Dulcia, his wife, still alive, and he says that afterwards the said Thomas was born on the fourth day after the Epiphany (Jan. 10).
Robert de la Barre of the vill of Whytstan, forty and upwards, giving the cause of his knowledge, because he was then present at Whytstan, and carried to his lord, the said Thomas de Furnyvaus, the report of the said birth. As to the lapse of time he well remembers, because the said Sir Thomas, whose butler he then was, gave him the same year immediately afterwards for the said report a certain piece of land (quamdam lerram) in the said county, which he still holds.
Thomas de Boys of Sheffield, distant from Whytstan four leagues, thirty years and upwards, agrees in all points with the one sworn next before, and says he was present on the day, place and year, on which the said Thomas was born, with Adam de Boys, father of this juror, who then served Sir Thomas de Furnyvaus. And for this cause he well remembers as to the lapse of time, as he says, because before that he was at school, and then came home from school to talk with his father, whom he then found there.
Lambert de Sheffeud, distant from Whytstan five leagues, forty years and upwards, agrees with the one sworn next before, giving the cause of his knowledge, because he is of Sheffield, which then belonged to the said Thomas de Furnyvaus, and immediately after the birth of the said Thomas de Verdon the report was published there, and the people there rejoiced much, because their lord was father of Alianora, mother of the said Thomas de Verdon. Questioned how he remembers about the lapse of time, says because the church of ShefFeud was dedicated by Archbishop de Wikewan (Wickwane) seventeen years ago, and then, as he says, the said Thomas was four years old.
Adam le Kok of Sheffield, forty years and upwards, agrees in all points with those sworn before, giving the cause of his knowledge, because he was then with Sir Thomas de Furnyvaus, father of Alianora, mother of the said Thomas. And he says by this he remembers as to the lapse of time, because the juror's father died in the same year, on the morrow of the Purification of the Blessed Mary (Feb. 3), and by this he well knows that the said Thomas is of the said age.
And because the said Thomas has sufficiently proved his age, and because it also is evident by the appearance of his body that he is of full age, namely twenty-one years, therefore let him have seisin of the lands and tenements which are of his heritage. This record is sent to Chancery.
*Peter del Rodes paid to the Subsidy Rolls in 1297 for personalty at Morthen.
Notes: The date of this proof of age must be after 24 April, 1295 (Cal. Gen., p. 766), the date of the writ for the Diem clausit extreinum of John de Verdun (Cal. Gen., p. 766), and before 28 Jan., 1300-1, when Thomas de Verdon seems to have already attained his majority (Ibid., p. 608). One witness gives as the reason for remembering the date that Sheffield Church was dedicated by Archbishop Wickwane seventeen years before, when the heir was aged four. The heir was born at Whiston, near Rotherham, twenty-one years before, and baptized in the church there on the fourth day after the Epiphany (10 Jan.), one of his godfathers, Thomas de Bosevyle, being a witness. His mother was Alionora, or Eleanor, daughter of Thomas de Furnival. All the witnesses were alive in 1297 except two, Robert de Bosevile and Lambert de Sheffeud.
See Yorkshire Lay Subsidy, 25 Edw. I. No person of the name of Thomas appears in the Verdon pedigree at this time. Possibly he died without issue soon after attaining his majority, and so is unnoticed in the accounts of the family. As his mother, Eleanor, had to bring an action for her dower against her husband's son and heir, Theobald, son of John de Verdon (Calendar of Patent Rolls, pp. 288, 322), it seems likely she was his second wife, and that Thomas was heir to his father for lands settled in special tail. On 17 March, 1296, she had licence from the King to marry Richard de Breous (Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1 292-1 301, p. 185). On 26 July, 1295, the King granted to Bogo de Knovill, to the use of Margaret, his daughter, the marriage of Thomas, son and heir of John de Verdon, tenant in chief.
Source: Yorkshire Inquisitions
By the marriage of Thomas Furnival (d.1339), and Joan Verdon, one of the 4 daughters and heiresses of Theobald, Lord Verdon, part of the Verdon inheritance was added to the Furnival estates in the 14th century, namely Alton in Staffordshire and Wilsford, Stoke Verdon and Ashton Giffard in Wiltshire.
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