John le Franceys

  Information about this person:

• Family Background. ¹²⁶⁸
The Haddon, and the Derbyshire estates of the Vernon family, were in the hands of Gilbert le Fraunceis. "Amongst the Haddon charters there is one dated 47 Hen. III, proving that Gilbert le Franceis was then dealing with the Baslow property, possibly only as a trustee. He, with Reginal Huscota, grandted to Hugo de Edinsbaile a lease of the quarries of Baslow for 10 years. By another charter, sans date, at Belvoir, Gilbert le Franceys, Knight, granted to Richard de Bassilow the bovate which Adam Bond held in Bobenhill. Witnesses: Robert de Herthill, Walter de Den, Rd. le Ragged, Hy. de Tadington, Hy. Foljambe, and other.

"In 2 Rich. I, Roald le Franceys gave land in Dalton to Warin Travers of Dalton Travers. 23 Hen. III, John Franceys, probably a grandson of Ronald, claimed against Robert Travers son of Warin, two bovates of land in Dalton, and in 30 Hen. III, this suit after many delays, so common at that time, came to an end, and by a fine of Trinity term of that year, Robert Travers acknowledged the land to be the right of the said John, as land which Robert, father of John, had by the gift of Warin Francis (this should be Travers), father of Robert whose heir he is, and John gave Robert a soar-hawk.

"No doubt Gilbert le Franceys was heir of his family, but being well provided for by the Vernon inheritance, Adam his father, passed him over, and gave his land to Grimbaldus, probably a younger son, and the following suits show that Grimbaldus and the nephew and heir of Grimbaldus were complelled to call Richard le Vernon, who wa the true heir of these estates to warrent their title.

"29 Edw. I, John fil Ivo de Herford sued Grimbaldus le Franceys, who 32 Edw. I called Richard de Vernon to warranty of 1 messuage, 160 s. of land, 6 a. mead, ½ a mill, in Barton juxta Melsonby, and he called William fil Nic. le Boteler, who was then an infant.

"In the Inq. p. m. of Gilbert le Franceis concerning Haddon shows that Richard, son of Gilbert le Franceis, also called himself le Franceis after the death of his fahter, so that the fact that he was called to warrant the Franceis estates in Cumberland and Yorkshire proves his descent fromthe family beyond all doubt."

"The Vernons of Haddon Hall, " Journal of the Derbyshire Archaeological & Natural History Society, Vol. XVI, pp. 194-196