General Notes

Thomas Beauchamp, the fourteenth Earl of Warwick, descended from Gundred, daughter of William the Conqueror, wife of William De Warren, the first Earl of Surrey.

Thomas de Beauchamp, 3rd Earl of Warwick, one of the Original Knights of the Garter. When four years old the king, Edward II, soliciting a dispensation from the Pope to enable him to marry his cousin Catherine, daughter of Roger Mortimer of Wigmore, under whose guardianship the young Earl had been placed. An alliance eventually formed when his lordship had completed his 15th year. In two years afterwards the Earl, by special license from the Crown, was allowed to do homage and to assume his hereditary office of Sheriff of Worcestershire and Chamberlain of the Exchequer. This nobleman sustained in the brilliant reign of Edward III the high military renown of his illustrious progenitor, and became distinguished in arms almost from boyhood. He was at Cressy in France, with Edward, the Black Prince, and after their heroic achievements in France he arrayed himself under the banner of the cross and reaped fresh laurels on the fields of Palestine. This nobleman almost rebuilt Warwick Castle, which had been demolished in the time of the de Maudits, adding strong gateways with fortified gates and embattled towers, and rebuilt the walls. He likewise founded the choir of the collegiate church of St. Mary, built a booth hall market place and made the Town of Warwick toll free. His lordship had 7 sons and 9 daughters. He died November 13, 1369, of the plague at Calais, where he was employed in a military capacity, and had just achieved a victory over the French. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Thomas, 4th Earl of Warwick

Thomas de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, b 1313, was a knight of the Garter. He was a descendant of the Sureties Roger and Hugh Bigod and Henry de Bohun. At the age of two years he succeeded his father as Earl of Warwick and later took an active part in the wars in Scotland and in France. One of the chief commanders of the battle of Crecy, he distinguished himself at Poitiers, and was constituted marshal of England. he and his wife Catherine Mortimer are both buried in a splendid tomb at Warwick, where their effigies may still be seen.
Samuel Richardson and Josiah Ellsworth
Author: Ruth Ellsworth Richardson
Call Number: CS71.R52
This book contains the history and genealogy of the Richardson and Ellsworth families of Massacusetts.
Bibliographic Information: Richardson, Ruth Ellsworth. Samuel Richardson and Josiah Ellsworth. Privately Published. 1974.

Thomas Beauchamp,
Earl of Warwick
Born: 14th February 1314
Died: 13th November 1369 at Calais, France

This eminent person, the son of Guy, Earl of Warwick, by Alice, sister and heiress of Robert, Lord Tony of Flamsted (Herts), passed an active life in the service of his country; having been, from an early period, constantly entrusted with high and confidential employments. His father dying in 1315, when the subject of this memoir was in his infancy, the custody and tuition of his person were first committed to the King Edward II's favourite, Hugh Le Despenser; but, upon the accession of Edward III , Warwick Castle and his other extensive possessions were granted to Roger, Lord Mortimer, afterwards Earl of March, until he should attain his majority. Before that event, however, he was armed by the King; and, as a special favour, admitted to the livery of his lands. The Earl of March having, in 1337, received a grant of the benefit of his marriage, bestowed on him, his eldest daughter, the Lady Katherine Mortimer, having first obtained a Papal dispensation on account of the consanguinity of the parties in the third and fourth degrees. In 1342, Thomas was in the retinue of Henry, Earl of Lancaster on the march of the army into Scotland for the establishment of John Balliol as King; and, in the following year, was constituted Marshal of England; having, about the same time, the distinguished honour of being numbered, together with his younger brother, John, Lord Beauchamp, amongst the founders of this Most Noble Order of the Garter. In 1346, he attended the King on his military expedition into France; and it is recorded of him that, upon landing at La Hogue, he gave immediate proof of his valour by attacking, with only one esquire and six archers, a body of one hundred Normans. After slaying sixty of them, he made way for the disembarkation of the English host. Earl Thomas was one of the chief commanders who, under Edward, Prince of Wales, led the van at the Battle of Crécy. In 1347, he was at the Siege of Calais with a considerable retinue. At the Battle of Poitiers, in 1356, he added greatly to his fame and acquired other advantages. For he obtained £8,000 as the ransom for William De Melleun, Archbishop of Seinz, whom he had made prisoner in that memorable conflict. His heroic spirit induced him, during the truce with France, in 1362, to seek renown in the crusade against the Lithuanians, to which he devoted three years. At his return, Thomas brought, with him, the son of their sovereign, whom he caused to be baptized in London and, as his sponsor, gave him his own Christian name. In 1366, the Earl was despatched by the King into Flanders upon special service; and, in the same year, had a renewal of the grant of the office of Marshal.

King Edward, having in consequence of an infraction of the treaty with France, in 1368, sent into that Kingdom, John, Duke of Lancaster and Humphrey De Bohun, Earl of Hereford, with an army, which lay encamped near Calais. However, from a scarcity of provisions, many died of famine and pestilence. The Earl of Warwick, hearing that the French army had manifested a disposition to give battle, hastened, at the head of a chosen band, to the coast of the enemy, who, thus surprised, fled with precipitation. Upon disembarking, he expressed himself indignant at the delay which had occurred in the attack, saying, "I will go on and fight before the English bread we have eaten be digested;" and thereupon entered and wasted the Isle of Caux. But, on his return towards Calais, he died on the 13th November 1369. Apparently having fallen sick with the pestilence, though rumours later emerged concerning his poisoning by Humphrey De Bohun. Thomas left "not behind him his equal in warlike qualities and fidelity to the King and Kingdom." His body was conveyed to England and interred in the Collegiate Church of St. Mary in Warwick, where a splendid tomb, with the effigies of himself and his countess, is still extant to their memory. Previous to his departure upon his last and fatal expedition, he made his will, dated at Chelsea, 6th September 1369.

By Katherine, his countess, he had seven sons and nine daughters. The sons were: Guy, who predeceased him, leaving three daughters; Thomas , who succeeded him as Earl of Warwick; Reyburn, who died without male issue; William, Baron of Bergavenny; Roger, who died without issue; John; and Jerome. The two last probably died young, as they are not mentioned in any of the entails.

Edited from George Frederick Beltz's
"Memorials of the Most Noble Order of the Garter" (1861).

Thomas de Beauchamp, 3rd Earl of Warwick, one of the Original Knights of the Garter. When four years old the king, Edward II, soliciting a dispensation from the Pope to enable him to marry his cousin Catherine, daughter of Roger Mortimer of Wigmore, under whose guardianship the young Earl  had been placed. An alliance eventually formed when his lordship had completed his 15th year. In two years afterwards the Earl, by special license from the Crown, was allowed to do homage and to assume his hereditary office of Sheriff of Worcestershire and Chamberlain of the Exchequer. This nobleman sustained in the brilliant reign of Edward III the high military renown of his illustrious progenitor, and became distinguished in arms almost from boyhood. He was at Cressy in France, with Edward, the Black Prince, and after their heroic achievements in France he arrayed himself under the banner of the cross and reaped fresh laurels on the fields of Palestine. This nobleman almost rebuilt Warwick Castle, which had been demolished in the time of the de Maudits, adding strong gateways with fortified gates and embattled towers, and rebuilt the walls. He likewise founded the choir of the collegiate church of St. Mary, built a booth hall market place and made the Town of Warwick toll free. His lordship had 7 sons and 9 daughters. He died November 13, 1369, of the plague at Calais, where he was employed in a military capacity, and had just achieved a victory over the French. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Thomas, 4th Earl of Warwick.