The Family of Kemmis

Edition 2.4 - 01 December 1997
Table of Contents

Camoys of Bekerton

X. Lord John de Camoys: second son of Ralph (IX), Lord de Cammoys by his first wife Lady Margaret: Baron by tenure of Bekerton Manor, Norfolk, held in chief "per baroniam", to which together with the Manor of Stowe (Stowe bedon), Norfolk, he succeeded upon his father's death in 1336. His father also portioned him by purchasing in 1326 for him from the King for £200 the wardship and marriage of Margaret daughter of Sir Richard Foliot and co-heiress with her sister Margery - for whose marriage to her son Sir Hugh the Lady Isabella de Hastings gave the King a similar sum - of their father's estates, their brother Richard Foliot having died under age in the same year. In 1329 Margaret was the wife of John de Camoys and was then 14 years of age, the King in consequence of her minority presenting that year to Smetheton Church on her behalf. Her mother Lady Margery de Foliot died before 13th June 1330 in which year she was found by inquisition post mortem to have been seised of Grimeston Manor as of the Manor of Thornhawe, and Wilhawe "de Stallag' fori et mundidionz terr, " Notts, Norton Manor held by Knight service from Queen Philippa as the Honor of Pontefract, Fenewk, Moseleye, Shafton redd', 35s.5. yearly rent in Brantingham held by Knight service of Thomas de Wake of Lidell, Yorks, Elsinge Manor as of the Honor of Clare, Lexham Manor as a member of Gressinghale Manor, Norfolk. These lands would appear to have formed a part only of the Foliot estates. On 8th. November 1330 an agreement dated Sunday the Feast of St. Martin between Hugh de Hastynges and Margery his wife and John de Cammoys and his wife Margaret by the assent of Lady Isabella de Hastynges the mother of Hugh and of Sir Ralph de Cammoys father of John was enrolled in Chancery, by which purparty of part of the inheritance of Richard Foliot was made leaving the fees of the said inheritance not therein comprised to be held in common until they could conveniently be made purperty of. The division thus made was - to Hugh and Margery Hastings, Elsing Manor and advowson and the town of Wesenham, Norfolk, Norton Manor and advowson of its chapel and Fenewyk, Yorks, Grymston, Notts, also the advowsons of the churches of Smytheton and Brusellee. - To John and Margaret Cammoys, Gressenhale Manor and advowson, and Lexham Manor, Norfolk, Cousley and Moselee with their appurtenances, Yorks, 60s yearly rent out of Brantingham and 40s yearly rent in Wesenham Manor, also the advowsons of Stanfeld Church, of Roughholm chapel in Gressenhale and of Wentlynge Abbey. In 1347 John de Camoys and his parcenors held one and a half Knight's fees in Linford, Norfolk (42), which they let to John le Spicer and Stephen Baldwyn. In 1331 he and his wife released to Sir Hugh and Lady Hastings the lordships of Gressenhale and Lexham with all their rights therein, together with the advowsons of Roughholm chapel and Wentlynge Abbey, Norfolk, but this was probably a mortgage only as in 1348 John de Camoys presented to Gressinghale. In 1345 "John de Camoys, Chivaler" and Margaret his wife sold Cowesly and Mosely Manors, Brantingham and Riplingham and the advowson of Stanfeld, Yorks. In 1338 he was called upon to raise 20 foot soldiers in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1345 letters of protection until Christmas day were granted to "John de Camoys, Chivaler" on setting out with Thomas de Bello Campo, Earl of Warwick, into foreign parts. In 1359 the King being on his way to the war in France gave authority in his absence to John de Camoys and others for an array of men in Norfolk and made one of the Council for the government of the Kingdom in the King's absence, and in this year also was directed to raise 150 archers in Norfolk for the passage of the King into France and subsequently 50 armed horse in addition. Died in his elder brother's lifetime, i.e. before 1372. In a Roll of Arms of Edward III reign dated between 1337 and 1350 is given "Le Sire de Camoys port d'or, and cheif de gules, a trois pellets en le cheif d'argent." Married as already stated Margaret, younger daughter of Sir Richard Foliot who bore "gules, a bend argent", and co-heiress with her sister Margery of her brother Richard. Issue:
- 1. Thomas.
- 2. John, succeeded on his father's death to Linford, Norfolk, wherein in 1402 Richard Gegghe and his parcenors were holding from him a quarter of a Knight's fee, formerly held by William Baldwin; he also inherited on the death of his uncle Sir Ralph Camoys, by entail as previously mentioned, the Manor of Cokeham in Sumpting, Sussex. A pardon dated 18th June 1386 to "John Kamoyse" for the death of Richard Fisshere "ferrier" and for any consequent outlawry probably refers to him. He also is probably the "Sir John Kemeys" who with Lady Matilda his consort was a benefactor to a church of the Friars Preachers in Guildford. It is not improbable that this branch of the family bore "or, a fret gules, on a chief of the second 3 bezants, " and crest, a lion's head erased azure, in the mouth a trefoil slipped vert. There armorial bearings are referred to in Burke's General Armory as those of a family of Camoys or Camays and it is evident that they were those of a junior branch of the family who reversed the tinctures and added the fret as a difference. Father of:
  - (a) William Cammeys, of Sumpting, Sussex, who in 12th November 1374 was granted a protection whilst abroad with the Earl of Richmond.
  - (b) Jane, married, first Robert Halsam and second Robert Tregoz, who bore "azure, 2 bars gemelles or, in chief a lion passant of the second."
  - (c) Possibly the "Thomas Kemys venerabilem virum et discretum clericum privati sigilli dimini regis": executor to the will of Sir Wm. Heron, Knight, Lord Say, on 30th October 1404 (43). It is not improbable that from him were descended a branch who resided in Derbyshire and Yorkshire, of which but few traces now remain.
- 3. Margaret, married Sir John Shelvestrode (Shelford).
- 4. Isabel, Abess of Romesey, Hants, from 1352 to 1396.

XI. Thomas, Lord de Camoys: Baron by writ and also by tenure of Bekerton Manor, Knight of the Garter and a Privy Counciller. Succeeded on his father's death to Bekerton and Stowe bedon Manors and in 1372 inherited by will the estates of his uncle Lord Thomas (X) de Camoys, including the Manors of Trotton, Elnestede, Broadwater, Alkesbourne, Bercompe, Beningden and other lands in Sussex, Lasham in Hants, Stukeley Magna in Hants, and Tansore, Northants - the latter subject however to the dower of his aunt Lady Margaret de Camoys. By the will of his cousin William, Lord Latimer, 10th July 1381 the Manor and advowson of Wotton, Surrey, which as already seen formerly belonged to his ancestors, was left to him and his heirs. Also on the death of Lord Latimer he inherited divers messuages and lands in Calais held of the Crown "per baroniam", which Edward III in 1376 had granted to Lord Latimer in special tail male with remainder to Thomas, Lord de Camoys in tail male, remainder to the Crown. He appears to have held the Manor and advowson of Wiseley, Surrey, which he let to Isabel, daughter and heiress of Sir Robert Fitz Pain and widow of Richard de Poynynges. In 1395 and 1399 he appears as holding one Knight's fee in Tansore of the Earl of Stafford. In 1401 Richard de Aula and his parcenors held of him six parts of half a Knight's fee in Buttort or Butter's Hall, Thompson, Norfolk. In 1408 he was seised of the Manor of Heschite with its members and of other lands, etc., known as Haterlingland, Sussex, by gift and feoffment of William Gueham. 1406 and again in 1410 and 1411 presented to Itchingfield, Sussex. In a Roll of a Subsidy levied in 1411-12 under Sussex occurs the following,
"Thomas Camoys has Manors, lands etc. worth yearly beyond reprises £100. 6. 8d., viz - Manor of Tratton £20. Manor of Ellistede £8. Dedelyng £6., lands etc in Fenyng £6. lands etc. in Bercamp £5. lands etc in Benyngden £3.6.8. lands in Alkisbourne £2. a Manor in Bradwater £45. lands etc late Wm Grene's in Gorynge £5. etc."
As will be shown he obtained various lands in Oxfordshire by his first marriage and with his second wife certain Manors in Yorkshire held for her life only. Possibly Honyden Manor, Bedfordshire, of which he also seised, he also obtained by his second marriage. In 1374 he obtained a license to hold a weekly market in Broadwater on Saturdays, which in 1384-5 he had license to alter to Mondays; 1388 obtained a charter for a weekly fair in Broadwater on the eve, day and morrow of the Feast of St. Luke. In 1382 and 1383 he presented to the Church of Wotton. 1379 settled Bekerton Manor upon Robert Braybrook, Bishop of London and other trustees and in 1386 settled upon the same all the lands and tenements in Tansore which Margery relict of Sir Thomas de Camoys (his late uncle) held in dower as part of her late husband's inheritance; further in 1390 conveyed to the same the Manor of Wotton. Summoned to Parliament as a Peer of the Realm from 7 Richard II (1384) to 8 Henry V (1421) and in 1384 on being elected a Knight of the shire was discharged from serving by reason of his being a Banneret. 15th July and again 10th November 1389 received a Commission of the Peace for Sussex, as also on 28th June 1390, with a Commission of oyer and terminer, and again on 24th December of that year; received further Commissions of the Peace for Sussex on 28th November 1399 and 3rd February 1400, and for Hampshire on 16th May 1401: also on 18th December 1399 a Commission of Array for Sussex and Hants and on 23rd January 1400 a similar Commission for Surrey. "Le Sire de Cammoys" appears in 1401, 1403, 1405, and 1415 as a Member of the Privey Council and in September 1414 received the high distinction of the Order of the Garder, filling the stall rendered vacant by the death of William, Lord Roos on the first of that month. In 1377 served with the fleet at sea in the retinue of William, Lord Latimer and in 1379 was in the war with France. 30th July 1380 a commission was issued to the sheriffs and other officials to arrest John Marscall of Whatelee who having been retained by Thomas Cammoys to go with him beyond the seas on the King's service in company with William, Lord Latymer, had absconded with divers sums of the King's money which he had received from said Thomas Cammoys.
On 9th July 1381 Lord de Camoys was commissioned with others in Surrey and Sussex to forbid unlawful assemblies and to resist and punish the insurgents, and on 1th October following further commissioned to punish those insurgents who had come out of Kent into Sussex, being on 14th December next ordered to put them down with armed force if necessary. In 1386 he was again in the wars with France. The next year Sir William Berdewell covenanted to serve under him in the expedition to sea under the command of Lord Arundel, Admiral of England, for four months with two esquires sufficiently armed and three archers, each man at arms to have one servant to carry his bayonets, Sir William to find their wages and to have for his own service 18 marks and for his archers 20 and "Bouche de Court" for all his retinue, all to be ready at Southampton the 4th May following and if any great chieftain was taken during the war by Sir William or his retinue they were to receive sufficiently for him. On 3rd November 1399 Thomas de Camoys and his heirs were granted the bailiwick of the forestership of Assholte and Wolmere, Hants, the same as his grandfather Ralph de Camoys had in his demesne as of fee in the time of Edward II. In this year he was also granted for life the custody of the Castle, forest and warren of Porchester, which grant was on 3rd November of that year enlarged to him for life and to his son Richard, the office being described as the Constableship of the Castle and town of Prochestre, Hants, at a salary of 12d per day with payments for a porter and his groom an artiller and a watchman, whom they must keep therein for safety.
On 1st June 1400 Thomas Camoys, Chivaler, and others were commissioned to enquire as to all trespasses done to tenants of Henry, Prince of Wales in Old and New Shoreham, Sussex. Amongst the Acts of the Privy Council in 1400 there is a minute of 9th February that the Sire de Camoys, amongst others, is granted "de trov a ses coustages une nief arraie de XX homes d armes et XL archs et suffissantment estuffe de marims:" and in a minute dated February 1402 the Sire de Camoys is mentioned as one of those ordered by the great Council to see the assignment and payment of the "subsidees, custumes dismes et quinzismes" granted to the King, and who therefore are to assemble in the Chamber on 19th instant. Amongst letters from the King dated 26th October 1402 requesting a benevolence, that directed to counties Hants and Wilts is addressed to Lord de Cammoys and two others. On 25th June 1403 he was directed to convoy safely the Lady Queen Joan from Brittany to England, for which service he was to receive £100; conveyed also with certain ships of war, Henry IV escaping from the pestilence raging in London, from Queenborough in the Isle of Sheppey to Leigh in Essex, when pirates who followed them captured four of their store ships and the King only escaped by reason of the swiftness of his ship. For this misadventure Lord de Camoys was accused of being in correspondence with the enemy and plotting to betray the King into their hands and was therefore tried, but acquitted. On 12th November 1404 Richard, Bishop of Bangor, Thomas de Camoys, Sir Richard Aston, Lieutenant of Calais and seven others were appointed to treat in Picardy with the Ambassadors of Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy and Countess of Flanders, as also with the Ambassadors of the King of France. 13th May 1415 appointed with Thomas Montague, Earl of Salisbury, and Thomas, Lord West to array and muster all persons, "both noblers and archers" in the counties of Southampton, Dorset and Wilts to serve the King against the French and Genoese. Commanded the left wing of the army at the battle of Agincourt, 24th October 1415: for an account of his retinue etc. in this battle see appendix. In April of the year following the Constable and Marshal of England, the Earl of Oxford, the Lords de Camoys and de Powys and Monsieur William Bourghcher were ordered to station themselves at Rochester to receive the Emperor Sigismund on his progress from Dover to London. The same year Lord de Camoys served the King in France with 2 Knights 27 men at arms and 60 archers: the year following at the "Three Mynners," Southampton with Richard Maudyt, serjeant at arms, he took the muster of men serving under the Earl of Huntingdon, the Earl Marshal, and others in the expedition which sailed for France on 23rd July. Died Thursday, 28th March 1421 and was buried in the Church of Trotton, Sussex; this Church is a large, rich and very handsome structure and is said to have formerly had a chantrey for the De Camoys family: there is a table tomb on the left side of the alter and one on the right, also several other ancient and curious tombs, the inscriptions all obliterated but presumed to have been the graves of members of the Family. In the centre of the chancel is the table tomb of Thomas, Lord Camoys and his second wife, which, standing about 3 feet from the ground, supports on a slab of Petworth marble measuring 9.5 feet by 4.5 feet a brass profusely decorated displaying the arms of Camoys impaling those of Mortimer and delineating Lord Camoys armed cap a pie, his second wife and a son who died young and bearing the inscription

"crate p' aiab's Thome Camoys*Elizabeth's ejus Consortis, qui quondz, erat dñs de Camoys baro*prudes Consul Regis*Regne Anglie' ac Strennuus Miles de Gartero süu fiñe comendavit X to XXVII die mens' Marcii Ao Dm Md ccccxxi quor' a'iab'z, p'piciet ds. A-mé."

By inquisitions post mortem in 1422 and subsequently, he was found to have died seised of the following lands, his grandson Hugh being his heir, - Stowbedon Manor, Norfolk, held in chief from the King by military service: in Hants one messuage and garden, 50 acres arable and 40 acres wood with its pertinents in Lasham, held from the King in chief by service of an annual payment to the Castle of Winchester and service to the hundred of Odiham, also lands in Odiham: in Hunts a certain Manor in Stukeley Magna known as Camoys Manor with its pertinents, held from the King in Chief by service unknown: in Northants one virgate of land in Tannesore called the demesne lands and a certain rent, also a separate fishery in the Neen from "Clotherstoke Flowdegates to a certain willow named Answelogh, standing at the end of Perehow mill pond", all held as of the Honor of Gloucester: in Sussex Bradewatre Manor etc. with the advowson of its church and of the chapel there, Akkesbourne Manor, Bercompe Manor, Bynynen Manor and the advowson of Rousparre and of Echyngham churches (44) all held of the Honor of Brembre and being a portion of the Honor of Lewes, Tratton alias Tradyngton Manor and advowson held as of the Manor of Codre, Elnestede Manor as of the Manor of Chudeham, Tyning Manor as of the Manor of Dereford, Dudeling Manor and Demford Manor: in Oxfordshire 1 messuage and 2 carucates of land in Combe Cheleworth Magna and Parva and a fishery in the Thame, together held in chief by the service of half a Knight's fee, also Whatele Manor, which was known as Camoys Manor, a messuage and lands in Lawrence baldon held as of the Honor of St. Walery, a messuage etc., in Hedington held as of Hedington Manor, and Milton Magna Manor, known as Camoys Manor (45): in Bedfordshire, Honyden Manor, appertaining to the Court of Eton.

It may be mentioned here that parts of the parishes of Dicheling, Barcompe and Newick, in Sussex, which as related above were the property of Lord de Camoys, were included under the title of "Camois Manor Court," the lord of which was, and still is, a free suitor in the Court Baron of Lewes; also that Trotton, which undoubtedly was the residence of the Lords de Camoys, is still known as "Camois Court."

Married first, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of William de Louches who bore "argent, 2 bars gules, in chief a lion passant of the second"; by this marriage Lord de Camoys acquired the Manor of Ingescourt in Milton Magna, held by Knight service of the Bishop of Lincoln, together with the other estates in Oxfordshire already mentioned. Second, Elizabeth, daughter of Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March who bore "barry of six, or and azure, on a chief of the first 2 palletts between 2 base esquierres of the second, over all an inescutcheon argent", by his wife Philippa, daughter and heiress of Lionel Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence. She was the widow of the celebrated Henry Percy, K.G., surnamed "Hotspur," who was slain in 1403; she was born at Uske 12th February 1371 and dying in 1418 was buried at Trotton as previously mentioned. Her dower as widow of Henry Percy consisted of the Manors of Tadcaster, Gristwaith, Austenby and Thorstanby, Yorks, all held in chief; these Manors reverted after her death to Henry, Earl of Northumberland. It is probable that she held in her own right Nonyden Manor, Bedfordshire. Issue by his first wife,
- 1. Richard.
- 2. Thomas, of whom later.
- 3. Alice, married Leonard Hastings of Kirby, who became heir to his brother Richard in 1437.
- 4. Elizabeth, married Edward Courtenay, 3rd. Earl of Devon, "the blind Earl", who died 5th December 1419. By his second wife,
- 5. Roger, of whom later.

XII. Richard de Camoys: Knight of the Bath 17th March 1400, being the eve of the coronation of Henry IV. Enfeoffed by his father, probably on his marriage, in the Manor of Ingescourte in Milton Magna, Oxon, held by Knight service from the Bishop of Lincoln, and probably also them enfeoffed in Wheatley Manor adjoining Milton. He appears to have resided at these estates which consequently became known as "Camoys Manor". Died in 1416 in his fathers' lifetime. Married Joane, daughter of Richard, Lord Poynings. She survived her husband; in 1417 Sir Robert Poynings Knight, Sir William Lisle, Thomas Chaucer Esquire and other feoffees demised to her the Manors of Kinsey and Tythorp, (46) Bucks, with remainder to the right heirs of her late husband. Issue,
- 1. John, who succeeded to his father's estates but died without issue in his grandfather's lifetime and shortly after coming of age.
- 2. Ralph, died a minor and without issue in his grandfather's lifetime.
- 3. Hugh.
- 4. Margaret: born 1402, co-heiress of her brother Hugh in 1426, married Ralph Rademylde, armiger.
- 5. Alianora: born 1408, co-heiress of her brother Hugh, married Sir Roger Lewknore, Knight, who bore "azure, 3 chevron argent."

XIII. Lord Hugh de Camoys: Baron by tenure of Bekerton Manor, to which he succeeded, together with the greater part of his grandfather's estates, on the death of the latter in 1421; also succeeded to his father's estates on the death of his brother John. Born in 1414. On his father's death the Bishop of Lincoln, from whom the latter held Ingescourt Manor, assumed the wardship of Hugh de Camoys (and of his two elder brothers), but on February 11th. 1423 a Royal Commission was issued to the Sheriff of Oxford and certain others to hold an inquisition touching the estates of Sir Richard de Camoys on the ground that as it appeared from an inquisition recently held on the death of Thomas, Lord Camoys that the latter had held in chief from Henry V for his life, of the inheritance of his wife Elizabeth previously deceased, a messuage and 2 carucates of land in Combe Cheleworth Magna and Combe Cheleworht Parva, Oxon, by service of half a Knight's fee and that Richard, his son by her, was heir to these lands, and Hugh was the son and heir of Richard, therefore the King had thereupon seized the wardship of Hugh de Camoys. The same year the King granted the Manor of Bekerton with the wardship of Hugh de Camoys to Sir Gilbert and Sir John de Ryghley, Knights, and Richard Iskeloy. Died a minor and without issue on 12th August 1425. On 26th July 1426 William Estfield, Citizen and mercer of London, received by command of the Treasurer of England £7 10.0. for the executor and other expenses of the burial in the Church of Clerkenwell and funeral of Hugh, late Lord Camois and a minor in the King's custody. The same year by inquisition post mortem he was found to have died seised of 70 acres of land in Lasham, Hants: Honyden Manor, Beds: a Manor in Stukeley Magna, Hunts, known as Camoys Manor: lands in Tannesoure, Northants, with a fishery in the river Neen: a messuage etc. in Combe Cheleworth Magna and Combe Cheleworth Parva with a fishery in the river Thame, a Manor in Whateley known as Camoys Manor, another in Mylton Magna known by the same name, two messuages and land in Laurence Baldon and a messuage and lands in Hedindon Manor, all in Oxfordshire. The inquisitions as to his estates in Norfolk and Sussex do not appear to have been preserved, nor is there any mention of the estate in Calais which his grandfather had held and to which there is little doubt he had succeeded on the death of the latter. By the death of Lord Hugh de Camoys without issue the Barony of Camoys as constituted by writ of summons fell into abeyance between his sisters Margaret Rademylde and Alianora Lewknore and so remained until Thomas Stoner Esq. of Stonor Park, Oxfordshire, having proved to the satisfaction of the House of Lords that he was senior co-heir of Thomas, Lord de Camoys (XI) by female descent (47) from Margaret Rademylde, her late Majesty Queen Victoria was pleased to determine the abeyance in his favour by a writ dated 14th September 1839 summoning him to the House of Lords as Baron Camoys, whereupon he took his seat in that House as a Baron of the reign of Richard II. Lord Hugh de Camoys' two sisters also succeeded as his co-heirs to the following of his estates, as may be gathered from inquisitions taken upon the deaths of their husbands in 1443, 1457, and 1479, viz:- Broadwater Manor and advowson, Benyngden, Barcomp and Alkesbourne Manors, Trotton Manor and advowson, Dudlyng, Elnestode and Duryngton Manors, Rouspar Manor and advowson and Echyngfeld Manor and advowson, all in Sussex: Stokedoile (?Tansor) Manor, Northants: Honyden Manor, Beds: one messuage and two carucates of land in Combe Cheleworth Magna and Combe Cheleworth Parva, Whatley, Milton Magna and Chesilhampton Manors, known as Camoys Manor, 2 messuages and 3 carucates of land in Baldyngton St. Lawrence, and Tythorp in Kyngesey Manor, all in Oxfordshire.

XII. Lord Thomas de Camoys: second son of Thomas (XI) Lord de Cameys by his first wife. Baron by tenure of lands in Calais held in chief "per Baroniam" to which he succeeded on the death of his nephew Hugh as the Latter's heir male in consequence of the limitation in tail male of their grant in 1376, as previously related, by Edward III to Wm. Lord Latimer with remainder to Thomas, Lord de Camoys. It seem very probable that Bekerton Manor with its Barony attached was also entailed upon male issue and that Thomas de Camoys consequently succeeded to it also upon his nephew's death, since this Manor does appear to have been inherited by the latter's sisters. He also succeeded his nephew in Stukeley Magna and Lasham Manors, probably by settlement made by his father. Died prior to 1428 in which year by inquisition post mortem as "Thomas Camoys, Chivaler" he was found to have died seised of a messuage within the township of Calais, held in chief. Married Isabel, daughter of .........: she survived her husband and dying in 1444 was buried under the "first part of a window near Stanu" in the Church of the Friars Minors, London, as "Lady Camoys wife of the noble Lord Thomas Camoys, miles." Issue, a son and heir Roger, aged two years in 1428, in which year he was returned in the Feudal Aids as Roger, Lord de Camoys" holding in Huntingdonshire a quarter part of one Knight's fee in Stukeley, and in Hampshire holding jointly with John Hanys half a Knight's fee in Lasham lately held by William Daberon. He appears to have died in childhood as an inquisition "for better enquiry" was taken in 1432 when as "Roger Camoys, chivaler" he was found to have held "un'haspit' cum pertin', Cales." On his death Stukeley and Lasham Manors appear to have reverted to his cousin Margaret Rademylde and Alianora Lewknore as his heirs of the whole blood.

XII. Lord Roger de Camoys: third son of Thomas (XI), Lord de Camoys by his second wife. Baron by tenure of lands in Calais held in chief "per baroniam" to which, probably together with Bekerton Manor, he succeeded on the death of his infant nephew Roger as the latter's heir male. Previously, on the death of his father, he had inherited the Manor of Wotton, Surrey, with its advowson and that of Oakwood chapel. In 1429 he released to Thomas Morstede all his rights in the Manor of Wotton and in these advowsons by way of mortgage for 200 marcs and three years after released to the said Thomas all his rights therein and levied a fine. On 25th February 1427 John Earl of Huntingdon and three others were commissioned to take at Sandwich on 3rd March following the muster of Sir Thomas de Roos and Sir John de Talbot, Knights, Roger de Camoys and others and of the men at arms in armor and archers about to proceed in their retinue to France. He is mentioned in an Issue Roll of 21st July 1432 as "Lord Roger de Camoys." In 1444 he appears in the French Rolls as holding property in Calais. In this year he was taken prisoner in France and there detained in great misery, whereupon Isabel his wife had an assignation of £40, per annum for her life, to be paid by the Mayor and Commonalty of the City of London. Lord de Camoys subsequently obtained his freedom and again proceeded to the French wars as on 30th. January 1453 a mandate was issued by the King to the Treasurer and Chamberlains of the Exchequer to pay him to proceed "with 40 speres and 400 archers" into Guienne under the command of John, Viscount Lisle, and on August 3rd and 27th of the same year other mandates were issued by the King mentioning the going over of "our righte trusty and welbelovede the lordes Lysle, Moleins, Camois and others" and ordering immediate payment of a loan previously promised. Subsequently Lord de Camoys appears to have sided with Henry VI in the Civil War caused by the Duke of York's rebellion and after the King's defeat at St. Albans by the Duke he would seem to have been attained by the latter who, acting as Regent owing to the King's insanity, no doubt caused a letter, which is preserved amongst the Acts of Privy Council, to be issued, although it is nominally in the King's name. This letter is dated 23rd July 1455 and is addressed to William Say, bailiff at Sandwich, and others. It relates that the King had granted to Richard, Earl of Salisbury (one of the adherents of the Duke of York) "a bicoket garnisshed and gilt, ij saletts garnished and not gilt, ij peire of brigander coveret wt velvet set wt gilt nailes, and a gowne of velvet and all other harnoyses being in his kepyng ye whiche were of ye Lord Camoys owre rebell ye whiche apperteyne unto us, as forfaited by cause of his rebellion," and commands him therefore to deliver the said articles to the Earl of Salisbury. On the 4th August following a further letter was addressed to the Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequrer ordering them to allow the said gifts, when passing Wm. Say's accounts. By the attainder of Lord Roger de Camoys this Barony by tenure must have become extinguished and his estates forfeited to the Crown. Lord de Camoys married Isabel, daughter of .........., and as there is no further record of this branch of the family it may be assumed that he left no issue.

Footnotes to Camoys of Bekerton

(42) Linfore, a parish 5 miles N.N.E. from Brandon Ferry.
(43) Testaments Eboracensia. Vol. III. page 25.
(44) Rusper parish lies 5 mile N.N.E. from Horsham. Etchingham 6 miles S.E. from Wadhurst.
(45) Wheatley is a chapelry in Cuddesdon parish 5.5 miles E. by S. from Oxford. Laurence baldon, now Baldon-Toot, a parish 5 miles S.E. from Oxford. Headington, a parish 3 miles E.N.E. from Oxford. Great Milton is a parish 4 miles W. by N. from Tetsworth.
(46) Kingsey is a parish 3 miles E. by N. from Thames: Tythorp Manor lay in this parish.
(47) Mr. Stonor's claim to this Barony appears to have been but weak, as it has been computed that he represented one eighth part only of the descendants of Lord Hugh de Camoys' two sisters.

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Cameys of Flockthorpe
Cameys of Great Stukeley

John L. & Irene Kemmis
E-mail:kemmy@qconline.com