Early Life
John de Moleyns was probably born c. 1310 (based on extrapolation from his marriage date in the 1330s); he was the son of
Vincent de Moleyns and
Isabel ___ (
Wikitree has her as Isabel Dugale). From
History of Bucks1:
[John] was descended from Robert de Molins, a Norman who married Agnes, daughter of Robert de Grentmaisnil a man of good family possessed of an estate in Oxfordshire in the time of the Conqueror but who being disobedient to Hen. I was banished out of Normandy and died in Apulia.
Career & Family Life
From
History of Bucks1:
[John was] one of the confederates who by stratagem entered Nottingham Castle in the night and surprised Roger de Mortimer, Earl of March, for which he was soon afterwards pardoned. His wife was daughter and co-heir of Robert Pogeys of Stoke Pogeys; at which place, 5 Edw III, John de Molins, then a Gentleman of the King's Privy Chamber, in consideration of his laudable services, obtained license for himself, and Egidia his wife, to have a Fair yearly on the eve and festival of St Giles and five days next ensuing; and also to make a Castle of his Manor-Houses of Stoke Pogeys and Ditton; and 6 Edw III he had a grant from the King to hold a Court Leet at his Manor of Stoke Pogeys.
...
In 1337, (10 Edw III) Sir John de Molins obtained license of the King to make a Castle of his Manor House at Aston, Co. Bucks, and to impark his woods in Ilmere with one hundred acres of pasture in Bekkenesfield (Beaconsfield), Burnham and Cippenham; and to have free warren in Beaconsfield, Chalfhunt, &c, he being at that time engaged in the wars of Scotland in the retinue of William de Montacute.
...
In 1340, (15 Edw III) Sir John was made a Banneret, and the Manor of Wendover was granted for his better support in that honour, with a special charter of privileges within that Lordship; but before the end of the year he fell under the King's displeasure
2, and being apprehended by William de Montacute, Marshal of England, he was committed to prison, whence, however, he made his escape upon which the King issued out a precept to apprehend the said Sir John de Molins, to conduct him to the Tower of London and to seize all his lands, goods, and chattels, his offence being called rebellion. But, in 1345, Sir John being completely restored to favour, obtained from King Edw III restitution of all his lands with a Charter confirming to him the Manors of Cokelington, Stoke, Trister, and Boyford in Somersetshire with the Advowson of those Churches; the Manors of Bichenden and Chardesle Valence with remainder to William his son, in general tail, then, to John his other son, in special tail and so to his own heirs-general.
...
In 1346 Sir John Molins was sent, with all the men at arms and archers whom he could speedily raise, to Sandwich for defence of that port against the French. In 1347 he was summoned to Parliament among the Barons, and as a farther testimony of the King's favour obtained the grant, by Charter, of a fair yearly on the eve day and morrow of the feast of St Barnabas at his Manor of Wendover.
...
In 1352 (26 Edw III) Sir John de Molins was, by
Queen Philippa, made Steward of all her Lands and Lordships with power to supervise her Castles and repair them; but in 1353 in the Parliament at Westminster the Commons represented among other grievances the exorbitant fines taken by Sir John de Molins and petitioned for redress to which answer was made that upon such complaint justice should be done.
From
TCP3:
Sir John de Molyns, of Stoke Pogis, Bucks, was sum. to a Council, 18 Feb (1346.7), 21 Ed. III, by writ directed "Johi de Molyns;" this summons was clearly not such as to entitle him to a hereditary Barony tho' he is generally spoken of as such. Neither his son, grandson or great grandson were so summoned.
Elsewhere in
TCP4 and on the same topic of Sir John's title:
If an hereditary Barony of the date of 1347 was created by this writ it must still be in abeyance as the Barony of De Moleyns, the abeyance of which was terminated 6 Nov 1871, was the one cr. by the writ of 1445.
A Barony by writ was created when an individual received a writ of summons to the House of Lords. Such baronies descend to the heir general.
John, married "early in the reign of Edward III" (so around 1330;
this document says 1331)
Egidia Mauduit, daughter of
John Mauduit of
Somerford and
Margaret Pogeys. They had at least two children:
- William, heir, who married Margery Bacon
- John, who married Joan ___
Death
John de Moleyns died "41 Edw. III", or around 1367-1368.
Footnotes
[1]
https://books.google.ae/books?redir_esc=y&id=mXkgAQAAMAAJ&q=moleyns#v=onepage&q=stoke%20pogis&f=false
[2] According to
this document, John had failed to raise money required by King Edw. III for the siege of Tournai and was charged with
'failing the King in his extremity'
[3]
The Complete Peerage, GE Cokayne, 1st Edition, Volume 5 (L-M), London (1893); Moleyns, p. 326
[4]
The Complete Peerage, GE Cokayne, 1st Edition, Volume 4 (G-K), London (1892); Hungerford, p. 276
[5]
https://books.google.ae/books?id=vfs-AQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA349&ots=124WdIOg0v&dq=%22vincent%20de%20molins%22&pg=PA349#v=onepage&q=%22vincent%20de%20molins%22&f=false
Abt 1310 - 