General Notes

He [John Giffard] married, 1stly, Maud,[f] widow of Sir William LUNGESPEE, of Amesbury, Aldbourne, and Trowbridge, Wilts, Canford, Dorset, Bicester, Oxon; Brattleby, co., Lincoln, &c. (who died between 23 December 1256 and 3 January 1256/7], and daughter and heir of Sir Walter DE CLIFFORD, of Clifford co. Hereford, Cortham, Salop, &c., by Margaret, daughter of Llewelyn ab IORWERTH, PRINCE OF NORTH WALES. She, who was living 1 December 1281, died s.p.m., not long afterwards.  [Complete Peerage V:639-44, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]

[f] Maud Lungespee notified the King that John Giffard had abducted her from her manor of Canford, Dorset, and taken her against her will to his castle of Brimpsfield, and there detained her. John appeared before the King, and professed himself ready to prove that he did not abduct her against her will, and offered a fine of 300 marks for the marriage already contracted, as it was said, between them, provided she made no further complaint against him. On 10 March 1270/1 the King ordained that if she were not content, the said fine should be void, and John should stand his trial at a month from Easter. And as she was too unwell to appear before the King, commissioners were sent to inquire into the truth of the matter, and to certify the King thereof. John and Maud, and her Ist husband, William Lungespee, were all descended from Richard fitz Ponce. Why John Giffard should have referred to himself as being of the race of Le Lungespee as in the proof of age mentioned above he is said to have done-is not explicable; unless, indeed, the sobriquet was derived from the family of Clifford.