General Notes

[Direct Linage1.FTW]

From "Lygon Line"
[http://www.tiac.net/users/pmcbride/james/f032.htm]:
Thomas Lygon first appears in the records in 1414 and 1416, when he was commissioner for the king for Worcester (Patent Rolls, p. 265 and 267). In 1415, he is mentioned as having received seisen of a tenement in Worcester. In 1422, Thomas Lygon and others seized the manor of Humphrey Stafford,
the King's Knight, the manor of Cheylemush, co. Salop, for the use of the Earl of March. This was probably in a private quarrel of the Staffords and Mortimers in which Thomas Lygon was on the side on the Mortimers. The Peerage (Collins, Vol IX,p. 507-9), seems to have confused his record with that of his
son of the same name for it says, "Thomas Lygon mentioned in the 10th year of Henry IV. (1409) was a Member of Parliament in the 16th year of Edward IV (1477)," which is hardly probable. The four Lygon deeds, which are the only ones of earlier date than Thomas Lygon's marriage, throw little light on the history of the family beyond the fact that they held land at Pensax and La Lowe. In the 7th year of Henry VI (1428) Thomas Lygon was certified in the exchequer to hold lands in Warnedon which John Braci (Bracy) sometimes had; for in the 7th year of Henry V (1419). He married in 1419 or 1424, Joan Braci (De Bracy), only daughter and heir of William Bracy, who died before 1450, and his wife Isabel. The De Bracy family line started with William De Bracy, Lord of Madresfield in 1250, who married Maud Warren,
daughter of William De Warren, a great grandson of William De Warren, 2nd Earl of Warren, and his wife, Isabella Vermandois,granddaughter of King Henry I. of France. They had a son, Robert De Bracy, who fought at the battle of Evesham in 1265, married Maud and had William De Bracy, Knight for the shire of
Worcester, 1338. His son was Robert De Bracy, Lord of Madresfield in 1345, who fought at the battle of Crecy and the siege of Calais. He married Juliana. They had William De Bracy, who married Joan. He died about 1390. They had William De Bracy, who married in 1404 Isabel, as stated above, parents of
Joan Braci, wife of Thomas Lygon. After his marriage ,Thomas made an enfeoffment of his manors of Warnedon, Horton, and Redmarley Oliver, with lands in Alfreton, Wyke, Shederley, King's Mytton, and
Kidderminster. Whether he held other lands in Worcestershire in his own right seems uncertain, though since some land in Kidderminster was settled in 1448 on his own right heirs, while other lands were to
remain to the heirs of William Braci (Bracy), he probably had land of his own inheritance; a Shropshire connection also appears in the mention of Lygenesmedue at Hopton in 1428. The Lygons also seem to have held land at Highington and St. John in Bedwardine in Worcestershire, and at Wulfirlowe,
Herefordshire. There were a few possible references to Thomas Lygon elsewhere. He may be the Thomas Lygon who was employed on a commission of Inquiry as to the lands of Thomas Shelley in
Kent; if so, it is likely that he was a lawyer, since the family had no connection with that county. He is no doubt the Thomas Lygon who is mentioned incidentally in connection with Shropshire in 1422. Thomas Lygon's feoffees in 1448 made an enfeoffment to his son, William, of the manors and lands dealt
with in the deed of 1424. Thomas and Joan had two sons as follows:

1. William Lygon received from his grandmother, Isabella Bracy, a demise of the manor of Madresfield, reserving to herself a part of the house. In 1456, the feoffes confirmed the manors of Warndon and Horton to William and Elizabeth Lygon with remainder to his brother Thomas. This was probably after the death of Isabella Bracy. In 1464, fresh feoffes confirmed Warndon, Horton, and Bracy's Leigh to
William and Elizabeth Lygon with a like remainder. Elizabeth Lygon was a daughter of Rainsford or Renford Arundel, who married Joan Coshill, daughter of John Colshill, Knight. There is mention of William Lygon, late of Warmyndon, Worcestershire, gentleman, concerning a debt to William
Forster, tailor, of London in 1453. He was employed on a commission for peace for Worcestershire from 1471 to 1483