Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 11.djvu/499

 io s. xi. MAY 22, 1909.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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COMTE DE MORANGIES. Is there an account in any of the published causes celebres of France of the case of this noble- man, who was accused of extorting money under false pretences in March, 1772 ? There are many references to the affair in vols. vi. and vii. of the ' Memoires secrets de Bachaumont,' and an account of the pro- ceedings in the Archives Nationales in Paris. HORACE BLEACKLEY.

" TENTS " IN ENUMERATION. So many " tents " is a common method of enumera- tion in the East. Is the number of persons to a tent, in this connexion, a constant quantity ? If so, what is the number ? If not, about how many units would be understood by, say, fifty tents ?

V. H. COLLINS.

FIRST SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS : PETER DE MONTFORT.

(10 S. x. 388, 518.)

THE confusion as to the various members of the Montfort family is very common ; but in collecting material, for a history (which I hope by and by to publish) of all who have borne the name, I have been able to clear up certain points. All the Earl of Leicester's sons died without legitimate heirs male. Peter was his cousin in the fourth degree, as the following scheme of descents will show. The exact relation of the two houses paternally I have not yet ascertained.

1. Adilen, daughter of Robert de Beau- mont (who fought at Senlac ; received large grants in Warwickshire ; succeeded his uncle Hugh; Count of Meulan, soon after 1079; died 5 June, 1118) by his wife (married 1096-7) Elizabeth (or Isabel), dau. of Hugh the Great of Vermandois (or Crepy), and niece of Philip of France, married Hugli de Montford in Normandy (himself the son of Gilbert of Ghent by the granddaughter and heiress of Hugh de Montfort " with a beard," Constable at Senlac, who received many lordships in Kent, Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, and was killed in a duel with Wal- chelin de Ferrers). This Adilen revolted 25 Henry I., and was put down by William de Tankerville. Her husband Hugh de Montford was taken prisoner in a war with Waleran, Count of Meulan, his brother-in- law, and was kept in confinement for 15 years.

2. Thurstan de Montford, their son, Lord of Beaudesert and Henley, co. Warwick (who appears in 1153 and 1166 as a great landholder under the Earls of Warwick and Chester, and others), died before 1190, leaving by his wife Juliana, dau. of Geoffrey Murdac,

3. Henry de Montford of Beaudesert and Henry, who, living 1191, left a son by his wife Rose,

4. Thurstan de Montford, who died in 1216, leaving as heir

5. Peter de Montford, who, apart from matters previously noted, appears in 1250 as suing for entering his manor of Clopton, and in 1261 has a free tenement in Notehurst, in Whitley near Henley, and Edston, co. Warwick. He fell at Evesham, leaving by Alice, dau. of Henry, Lord Audley of Heylife, co. Stafford, as heir

6. Peter de Montfort of Beaudesert, the sheriff of 56 Henry III., and the ninth and last baron by tenure, who died 15 Ed. I., leaving by his wife Matilda, dau. of (John?) Lord dela Ware (De Banco, Mich., 15 Ed.ni.) as heir

7. John de Montford of Beaudesert, Kt., first baron by writ 22 Ed. I. (mentioned De Banco Roll Easter and Michaelmas 21 Ed. I), whose arms are given by Gwillim as Azure, 3 bends or. He died 1296, leaving by Alice, dau. and heiress of William de la Blanch, a son.

8. John de Montford, second baron, born 1291 ; named in an assize Michaelmas 29 Ed. I. at Warwick in connexion with free tenements in Henley, Forwode, Wytelye, Holnhall, and Wawenwootton ; slain in battle against the Scots at Strivelin in 1314 ; succeeded by his brother

9. Peter de Montford, third baron, whose arms were Bendy of 10 pieces, o. and b., and who was a priest in his brother's lifetime, but received authority to lay aside his orders. In 1336 he was in the roll for Scotland, in 1338 in the Almain Roll, in retinue of Wm. de Montague, Earl of Salis- bury ; in 1346 was " debilitated in Warwick " as appears in 1347 ; died in 1367 ; his will proved at Lambeth, 1369. His only legiti- mate son d.s.p., but his son by Lora, dau. of

Richard Astley of family "which grew Simon Montfort was

Allenhall, founded a continuously till Sir attainted in 1494 for

aiding Perkin Warbeck.

It will be noticed that the " forfeiture " of lands in 9 Ed. II. is simply the falling-in of the barony to the Crown, while the question of Peter's priesthood is deter- mined.