General Notes

cr Earl of Kendal for services to England, but relinquished the title on
opting for French nationality (his son, though, styled himself Cte de
Candale)
BIOGRAPHY: III. 1. 1. JEAN DE FOIX, VICOMTE DE CASTILLON and Lord of Grill
y, son of Gaston de Foix, COMTE DE BENAUGES, 1462. Captal de Buch, by Marg
uerite daughter of Arnald Amanjeu, Sire of Albret,
adhered to the English side in Gascony, as his father and other ancesto
rs had done. He was nominated K.G. 17 May 1446, and about the same time w
as created EARL OF KENDAL. No record of the creation seems to have been pr
eserved, and he was never summoned to Parliament. On 22 August 1446 the Ki
ng gave him the castle, &c., of Mauleon de Soule and the bailiwick of La B
ort, and the next day granted to his "dear and faithful cousin Jean de Foi
x, Earl of Kendal," &c., an annuity of 250 marks from the London customs u
ntil he should have rents from the earldom of Kendal or elsewhere in Engla
nd to the same amount. On 3 March 1446/7 the Earl of Kendal received a fur
ther large grant of castles and lordships in Guienne, which had belong
ed to Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester. In August 1447 Lord Dudley and anoth
er were sent to appease the discords which had broken out among the magnat
es of Gascony-viz., the Count of Longueville, the Earl of Kendaf, the Lo
rd of Daras and the city of Bordeaux. In 1451 Guienne was lost to the Engl
ish, and on 29 July the King confirmed to Gaston de Foix, Count of Longuev
ille, and Jean his son, Earl of Kendal, all the lands they had had in t
he duchies of Normandy and Aquitaine before the intrusion of the King's en
emies. In the following year Guienne was recovered for a time, but at t
he battle of Castillon, 17 July 1453, the Earl of Shrewsbury and many of h
is captains were killed and his force entirely routed. Jean de Foix., wi
th about 500 others, then took refuge in the city of Castillon, but with
in three or four days they were compelled to surrender, and Jean was tak
en prisoner. Jean's father now sold the lordship of Grilly in order to p
ay his son's ransom. Jean, however, was kept in prison for nearly 7 year
s, and then released by Charles VII only on promise of paying a very hea
vy ransom, and committing his son to the care of his kinsman Gaston, Cou
nt of Foix, who was to keep him till he should be of age to decide wheth
er he would be French or English. On his release Jean went to England, a
nd on 12 April 1460 had protection while in the King's service with Henr
y, Duke of Exeter, Admiral. On 7 December following he had licence to expo
rt wool, free of duty, in order to pay his
ransom. Soon afterwards Henry VI was deposed, and Jean de Foix, who was mu
ch attached to him, made his peace with the new French King Louis XI. He w
as well received by Louis XI, who on 17 May 1462 not only agreed to pay t
he rest of the ransom and the prison charges, but to restore various lan
ds and to give others, and make a suitable recompense if his own or his wi
fe's lands or rents in England were forfeited. He also offered to provi
de a retinue of 100 lances and a pension. Jean did homage and took an oa
th of fealty to the King against all except the King of England. He surren
dered the Garter in 1462. After the death of his father jean became COM
TE DF BENAUGES, Captal de Buch, and VICOMTE DE MEILLE. He married Margare
t, daughter of Sir Thomas Kerdeston, by Elizabeth, daughter of Micha
el de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk. He died shortly after 5 December 14
85 (date of his will), and was buried in the church of Castelnau by Médo
c. His wife survived him.
BIOGRAPHY: Jean de Foix presumably surrendered his English Earldom wh
en he became a subject of the French King. He left two sons, (1) Gaston, w
ho styled himself Comte de Candale (Kendal), and was father of Gaston, fat
ber of Frederick, father of Henry, who died sp.m., February 1572/3, leavi
ng a daughter and heir Margaret, styled Comtesse de Candale, wh