General Notes

John D'Oyly, clerk, a priest, afterwards a monk, was the eldest son of William D'Oyly and Isabella his wife,[232] and during their troubles and poverty was brought up to the Church, and seems to have received his education at Merton Coll. Oxford; for, between 1403 and 1412 (having been ordained) Merton Coll. instituted him to the vicarage of Great Wolford in Warwickshire.[233] But John D'Oyly had no attachment to that county, and therefore, anxious to return among his friends and kindred, exchanged that preferment, in Sept. 1412, for the vicarage of Turville, co. Bucks;[234] and as Turville was the adjoining parish to Hambleden, in which Eweden manor was situate, D'Oyly was now beneficed close to his patrimonial estate. But he remained there only a short time; for, becoming weary of the world (and that with much reason, when it only required the power of the Lovell family to deprive him of his inheritance), he resigned Turville vicarage in 1413,[235] and soon after his entire labours as a secular priest; took the cowl, and became a monk professed; while he made over all his interest in Eweden to his brother Richard;[236] in consequence of which many pedigrees represent Richard as the eldest son and heir. When this "learnyd and mortyfyed preste" (as the old pedigrees call him) died, is doubtful: but as no D'Oyly of Oxon. and Bucks appears in the return of gentry 1433, 12 Hen. VI. it is probable that it may be accounted for by the representative of the family being a monk; and if so, whatever be the date of John D'Oyly's civil decease, it is equally likely his natural death did not precede his brother Richard's.