• General Notes

  Note: Lord John de Cameys: Baron by tenure of Flockthorpe Manor. Heirto his father, and aged about 27 years on the latter's death,when on doing homage to the King and paying 100 marks as abaron's relief he obtained livery of his father's lands. Priorto his doing this the King had (1277) presented to the Church ofBoddington and Ufford (i.e. Torpel). He acquired by marriage aManor in Eling held in grand serjeanty by the annual service ofone pair of gilt spurs and 30 acres of assart at 6s 8d rent,with lands in Hambledon held by military service of John de St.John, and half a Manor in Lasham, all in Hampshire. Through hiswife on her father's death circa 1269 he also acquired a portionof the Gatesden estate, consisting of the Manors of Broadwater,Ullaventon, Tratinton otherwise Trotton and Budelynges, withlands and tenements of Groffam, Alfradesham, Dychenninge,Fletchinge and Demesford situated towards the aforesaid Manors,all which Manors etc. lay in Sussex (26) and apparentlycomprised 8 Knight's fees held of the Honor of Brembre: also theadvowsons of the churches, chapels, and chantries of Broadwater,Ullaventon, Groffham, Tratington, Hetchingfeld (26) andFletchinge, the Manor of Hegton, Sussex, and one third of aKnight's fee held of the Honor of Leicester, also lands inKyrkeby Betume, Norfolk, for which Sir John de Gatesdene hadpaid œ8 a year rent to the King. On the death of his grandmotherMabel de Torpel in 1276-7 Lord John de Cameys was found to beher heir and on paying a relief received livery of her lands inCambridge, held of Roger de Mowbray. As no further mention ismade of these lands he probably sold them. In addition to hisManor in Wood Ditton he held other lands in that Parish, whichwith one third of Newmarket composed three Knight's fees held ofthe Earl of Brittany; these lands he sold prior to 1284-6 toRobert de Valeynes and they then became known as Ditton Valencein contradiction to Ditton Cameys, the Manor which he held inchief in Wood Ditton; this latter Manor he demised to the Kingand Queen in 1281 for a term of 15 years, no doubt in payment ofa debt due to the Crown, and in 1285 released to them all hisrights therein. In addition to his Manor in Orwell he held 25acres as a free tenant at a rent of 17s. 9. Previous to 1290 hehad sold Orwell Manor to John de Kyrkeby and John de Lovetot,but subject to his wife's right of dower therein. Between 1276,in which year he presented to the living, and 1280 he also soldCotterstoke with the advowson of the Church of Piriho Priory toJohn de Kyrkeby; he would also appear to have sold Glapthorne.
  
  Referred to in the Close Rolls of 1275-8-9 and 1280 as owingvarious persons sums of 35, 40, 25, 38, 20, 12 and 110 marks,and also œ32, all secured upon his lands in Sussex, Essex andCambridge. 26th July 1280 the King having granted to QueenEleanor a debt of 500 marks owned by John de Cameys to oneHaginus, a Jew of London, the Exchequer was ordered to levypayment of this debt, whereupon in payment Lord John de Cameysreleased to the King and Queen his rights in his Manor of Torpeland Upton together with their advowsons for a term of 10 years,with a proviso that his tenants in Pilketon, Cotterstoke andGlapthorn should not do suit or service at the Manor Court ofTorpel; the following year in consideration of 600 marks hereleased to the King all his rights in the said lands andadvowsons, which were estimated at the yearly value of œ80. In1291, the King granted these Manors and advowsons to the Abbotof Burgh (Peterborough) during pleasure at a rent of œ100. Isseems evident that the Abbot sublet these lands to their formerowner, as on his death in 1299 Lord John de Cameys was returnedas being seised of them. In Hengham, Norfolk, John de Cameysheld lands in chief, which he sold without license from theCrown. Mentioned as holding in 1275, 110 acres in Pampesworthehundred, Cambridgeshire, occupied by free tenants, also 57.5acres in the township of Henxton, in chief, wherein he claimedin 1279 "ab antiquo" rights of gallows, "tumberelli", assay ofbread and ale and view of frank pledge. He would appear to havesold his lands in Henxton subsequent to 1284-6 and subsequentlyto 1279 he sold Burwell Manor to Robert Tiptoft who then held itfrom him by the service of one sparrow. He claimed free warrenin Orwell by right of Charter to his father Ralph, and similarlyclaimed free warren in Flockthorpe. In 1275, he is mentioned ashaving free warren in Broadwater, Trotton, Audelings,Woolavington, Bemesford and Elnested, Sussex, together withrights of assay of bread and ale and, upon those of his landsadjoining the Sussex coast, rights of wreckage. In 1281, he ismentioned as having view of frank pledge in Stukeley. 1287presented his cousin David de Cameys (see Kemeys of Kemeys) toSt. Mary's Church, Pilton, in succession to his cousin Nicholasde Cameys deceased or resigned. 1294 presented his kinsmanStephen de Hepworth (see Cameys of Great Stukeley) to the Churchof St. George, Hardingham, which living was valued at 35 marksand possessed a manse with 60 acres of land attached to it.
  
  In 1295, he obtained license from the King to enfeoff his sonRalph in Flockthorpe Manor. In 1277, he was summoned to performmilitary service in person for his lands in Cambridge andNorfolk against Llewelyn Prince of Wales, the muster being atWorcester in 8 days of the Festival of St. John the Baptist, inpursuance of which summons he acknowledged the service of oneKnight's fee, half for the inheritance of his father (i.e.Ditton Cameys) and half for that of his mother (i.e. Henxton),to be performed by himself and one "serviens", and also theservice of one fee held in serjeanty (i.e. Flockthorpe), to beperformed by one "serviens". In 1278-9, he was assessed to pay40s scutage on Flockthorpe for the Welsh war. In 1282 againsummoned to perform military service in person against theWelsh, the muster being at Worcester on Whitsuntide, May 17th,and he having already gone to Wales on 6th July followingletters of protection were granted to him until Machaelmaswhilst on the King's service. On a further summons to Rhuddlanfor Sunday, August 2nd - the morrow of St. Peter ad Vincula, -he acknowledged the service of one and half Knight's fees only,to be performed by himself and two "servientes", he havingpreviously, as already stated, sold Ditton Cameys Manor to theKing; to this muster he appeared three weeks late but hisdefault was excused by the King. There is no record of hishaving been summoned to Parliment, there being no writs extantbetween 49 Henry III (1265) and 23 Edward I (1295). Lord John deCameys bore "Or, on a chief gules 2 roundeles arg."
  
  He died in 1299, when according to his post mortem inquisitionin Northamptonshire he was seised in that county of "Torpellmanor' extent'. Leholm cultura, ibidem vocat' Hilhawe contin' 63acres etc., Ayston hamlet' extent'. Ufford adv. ecc. pertin' admanor' de Torpel. Dounhall messuagia ibidem. Leholme dimid'feod'. Upton Maner' extent'" Married Margaret, daughter andheiress of Sir John de Gatesdene, whom he subsequently made overby deed (see Appendix) to Sir William Paynell, whose wife shewas then called; in 1289, he further granted to Paynell all thelands he held in Sussex in right of his wife for a term of 100years, i.e. for his own lifetime. She outlived her husband andunder this deed claimed on his death her dower of one third ofhis estate, but this by judgement by Parliment, 29 and 30 ED.I(1301-2), was negatived on the ground that a husband's deedcould not legalize adultery. After her husband's death, sheobtained license on paying the King 100 marks, to marry whom shepleased, whereupon she married Sir Wm. Paynell. He bore "arg. 2bars sable between 7 martlets gules, 4, 2 and 1.

Details of John's family with Margaret de Gatesden