Biography of Simon Burley 1340-1388

Paternal Family Tree: Burley

1381 Peasants' Revolt

1388 Merciless Parliament

Around 1340 Simon Burley was born to John Burley and Amice Pembridge (age 10).

Around 1350 Simon Burley (age 10) was raised with Edward "Black Prince" (age 19).

In 1369 Simon Burley (age 29) was captured by the French.

In 1375 [his mother] Amice Pembridge (age 45) died at Fordingbridge, Hampshire [Map].

In 1377 Simon Burley (age 37) was confirmed an annual grant of £100 by King Richard II of England (age 9).

In 1377 Simon Burley (age 37) was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle.

Patent Rolls. 16th July 1377. Appointment, for life, of the king's knight, Simon de Burley (age 37), to be master of the falcons and keeper of the mews for them at Charryng by Westminster, and also to take for the king's use prises of falcons, goshawks, sakers, sakerets, laniers, lanerets and ger-falcons on sale throughout the realm at the usual rates, viz.: for a falcon, 20s., for a tercelet gentle, 10s., for a goshawk, 13s 4d, for a tercel of a goshawk, a saker, a lanier, or a laneret, 6s 8d apiece. By p.s.

Patent Rolls. 10th August 1377. Windsor Castle [Map]. Grant, for life, to Simon de Burley (age 37) of the office of constable of Windsor Castle and of the offices or bailiwicks within Windsor New Park and the parks of Wychemere, Guldeford and Kenyngton, also the custody of Kenyngton manor, in like manner as Thomas Cheyne held the same. By p.s.

Patent Rolls. 14th September 1377. Inspexmius and confirmation of letters patent (in French) of Simon de Burley (age 37), knight, dated London, 13 September, 1 Richard II., granting certain offices or bailiwicks, which he held by the king's grant for life, in Windsor New Park and Wychemere parks, to the king's serjeant Thomas Tyle, the king's butler, for the term of the grantor's life; with the addition that if the grantee survive the said Simon, the king grants the said offices to him for his life. By p.s.

Patent Rolls. 22nd March 1378. Westminster. Inspeximus and confirmation, in favour of Simon de Burley (age 38), the king's father's knight, of letters patent of his said father dated Kermerdyn, 26 September, 49 Edward III., being a grant to him, for life, of £100. yearly at the prince's exchequer of Kermerdyn, and of the custody of Kermerdyn castle. By the Great Council.

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The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Patent Rolls. 26th June 1378. Westminster. Inspeximus and confirmation, in favour of Simon de Burley (age 38), knight, chamberlain of the king when prince, of letters patent of the king when prince, dated Kermerdyn, 16 June, 51 Edward III., being a grant to him in fee simple of the castle and lordship of Lanstephan, forfeited by Robert de Peires. By p.s. Vacated because otherwise below under this date.

Patent Rolls. 26th June 1378. Westminster. Inspeximus and confirmation, in favour of Simon de Burley (age 38), the king's knight, of letters patent of the king when prince dated Kermerdyn, 16 June, 51 Edward III., being a grant to him in fee simple of the castle and lordship of Lanstephan [Map], come to the prince's hands by the forfeiture of Robert de Peures; with the addition that he and his heirs hold the same along with the warrens, markets, fairs, liberties, customs and all other things belonging thereto before the forfeiture. By p.s.

Patent Rolls. 2nd July 1378. Westminster. Appointment, during pleasure, of Simon de Burley (age 38), knight, constable of Windsor castle and keeper of Windsor forest and parks, to supervise the other surveyors there and the works undertaken in the said castle and parks, and in the manors and lodges in the said forest, and to control all payments therefor. By bill of p.s.

Patent Rolls. 25th October 1378. Gloucester. Grant, for life, to Simon de Burley (age 38), the king's knight, that he may receive from the constable of Windsor Castle out of the rents of that castle and the manors of Old Windsor, Wychemere, Hiremere and Folijohan, Eton, Worplesdon, Henle and Guldeford, the £100. a year granted to him by the king's father 26 September, 49 Edward III., and confirmed by the king 22 March (which grant and confirmation he has surrendered), out of the prince's exchequer ofKermerdyn; and grant for life also of the custody (formerly granted to him as above) of the castle of Kermerdyn, with such fees as Gilbert Talbot had therefor, on condition of finding a sufficient substitute in his absence, and a watchman and porter at his own charges. By p.s.

Patent Rolls. 5th July 1379. Westminster. Grant to the king's knight, Simon de Burley (age 39), of an inn ( hospicium ) inWestminster. Thamis-strete, between Baynardes-castel and Poules-qwarfe, London, part of the possessions of the alien abbot of Fecamp, so long as, on account of the war with France, it shall remain in the king's hands. By p.s.

Patent Rolls. 6th April 1380. Westminster. Appointment of Thomas Bustelesham, Simon Wymbildon and Robert Fraunceys, to take and arrest as many masons, as well those called 'fremasons' as stonelayers ( tot latomos tam latomos vocatos fremasons quant latomos positores), carpenters, labourers, and other workmen as may be necessary for the work of constructing a lodge of stone and lime for the king's foresters in Windsor forest at Blakedoune on Colyngrygge, co. Berks, at the king's charges, to be paid by Simon de Burley (age 40), constable of Windsor castle and keeper of the forest there. By bill of p.s.

In 1381 Simon Burley (age 41) was appointed 69th Knight of the Garter by King Richard II of England (age 13).

Patent Rolls. 1st May 1381. Appointment of Simon de Burley (age 41), constable of Wyndesore Castle, and Robert de Hertley, who supplies his place, to repair from time to time by survey of William Hannay, king's clerk, Nicholas Bernard, and Robert Honesworth, and control of the said William, the houses within the said castle, and the king's manors and lodges within his parks of Wyndesore, Guldeford, Henle, Foly Johan, Coldekenyngton, and Yesthampstede, and within his mews of Charryng Crouche near Westminster; with power to take masons and other workmen. By bill of p.s.

Mandate in pursuance to William Hannay, clerk, Nicholas Bernard and Robert Honesworth. By the same bill.

Peasants' Revolt

Anonimalle Chronicle. Afterwards, on the Monday [3rd Jun 1381]¹ following the feast of Pentecost, a knight of our lord the king's household, Sir Simon de Burley (age 41) by name, had with him two of the king's men-at-arms, and came that Monday to Gravesend and there claimed a man to be his serf. The good people of the town came to him to try to make a settlement, out of respect for the king. But Sir Simon would accept nothing less than 300 pounds in silver for the man's release, which was a grave injustice to the said man. The good townspeople begged for mercy, but they could not succeed in getting a reduction in the amount, telling Sir Simon that the man was a Christian and of good standing, and therefore should not be condemned to a life of bondage. At this, Sir Simon became very angry and wrathful, and he greatly scorned the good people. In his fury, he had the man bound by the sergeants and taken to Rochester Castle to be securely held, which led to great harm and misfortune thereafter. And after his departure, the commons began to rise up, welcoming to their cause people from many towns in Kent.

Denapres le lundy prochien apres le fest de Pentecost, une chivaler del measoun nostre seignur le roy, monsire Symond de Burley nome, avoit en sa companye deux seriauntes darmes del dit roy, et vient le lundy susdit a Gravesende et chalanga illeoges une homme destre soun nayff; et les bones gentz de la ville viendrent a luy pur acorde fair en ease maner al reverence le roy. Mes le dit sire Symond ne vodroit meyns prendre qe ccc li. dargent a graunde defesance del dit homme; et a ceo les bones gentz prierent de mitigacione, mes ils ne purrount esplayter ne avoir lour purpos de meyndre somme, dissauntz al dit sire Symonde ge le homme fuist Cristien et de bone part et pur ceo il ne deveroit estre defait pur toutz iours; par qay le dit sire Symond fuist moult curuce et irrous et despisa graundement les bones gentz, et pur grossour de coer fist les sergeantz lier le dit homme et amener al chastelle de Rouchestre pur estre salvement garde, par qay graunde male et meschief vient apres; et apres soun aler, les comunes comenserount a lever, accoillauntz as eux les gentz des plusours villes en Kent.

Note 1. There is a problem with this narrative insofar as Accounts, etc., Exchequer 318/26, shows that Burley was in 'Bohemia' from the spring to the autumn of 1381 and could not have been at Gravesend on Whit Monday.

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In 1384 Simon Burley (age 44) was appointed Constable of Dover Castle.

In 1384 Simon Burley (age 44) was appointed Warden of the Cinque Ports.

Patent Rolls. 12th February 1385. Commission to W. Bishop of Winchester (age 65), Thomas, Bishop of Exeter, Richard, Earl of Arundel (age 39), Robert, Earl of Oxford (age 23), Thomas, Earl of Nottingham (age 16), Hugh de Segrave (age 89), treasurer of England, Simon de Burley (age 45), under-chamberlain, Nicholas Brembre, mayor of London, John Clanvowe and Robert Plesyngton, knights, Master Walter Skirlawe, keeper of the privy seal, John Waltham, keeper of the rolls of Chancery, John Appelby, dean of St. Paul's, London, Richard Rounhale and Thomas Bacton, clerks,

Patent Rolls. 3rd January 1388. Appointment, during pleasure, of John Devereux (age 51), knight, to be constable of Dover castle and warden of the Cinque Ports, receiving therefor for the maintenance of himself and the chaplains, servants, watchmen and one carpenter abiding therein, £300. a year, viz. from, wards belonging to the castle £146., from the issues of the customs in the port of Sandwich 100 marks and the residue at the Exchequer, without rendering account, as Simon de Bureley (age 48), knight, late constable and warden, saving to the king chattels of felons and fugitives, fines, ransoms, amercements, etc. from the said ports belonging to the king, for which he is to render account at the Exchequer; provided that he stay in person upon the custody as is reasonably needful and as necessity demands. By K. & C. Mandate in pursuance to the said Simon to deliver the castle to him. Mandate de intendendo in pursuance to the barons, bailiffs, good men and whole commonalty of the liberty of the Cinque Ports.

Merciless Parliament

                    On 3rd February 1388 the Merciless Parliament commenced. It ended on 4th June 1388. Its primary function was to prosecute members of the Court of King Richard II of England (age 21). The term "Merciless" is contemporary having been coined by the chronicler Henry Knighton.
                
                    Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk (age 58) was sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered in his absence. He had escaped to France.
                
                    Archbishop Alexander Neville (age 47) was found guilty of treason and it was determined to imprison him for life in Rochester Castle, Kent [Map]. He fled to Louvain [Map] where he became a parish priest for the remainder of his life.
                
                    On 19th February 1388 Robert Tresilian was hanged naked and his throat cut. See Chronicle of Adam of Usk.
                
                    On 25th March 1388 Nicholas Brembre was hanged. He was buried at Christ Church, Greyfriars [Map].
                
                    On 5th May 1388 Simon Burley (age 48) was executed despite the protestations of his friend Edmund of Langley 1st Duke of York (age 46). See Chronicle of Adam of Usk.
                
                    On 12th May 1388 John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp (age 69) was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map]. He was buried at Worcester Cathedral [Map]. Baron Beauchamp of Kidderminster forfeit.
                
                    Robert de Vere 1st Duke Ireland (age 26) was attainted.

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Patent Rolls. 12th March 1388. Grant, for life, to John Devereux (age 51), one of the king's bannerets, of the offices of constable of Dover castle and warden of the Cinque Ports, as held by Simon de Burleye (age 48). By p.s. Vacated because otherwise below.

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Froissart Book 4 Chapter 92. 1397. News of this event was sooner known in France and Flanders than in England. The French rejoiced much at it; for it was commonly reported that there would never be any solid peace between France and England as long as the duke of Gloucester (age 41) lived; and it was well remembered, that in the negotiations for peace he was more obstinate in his opinions than either of his brothers; and, for this reason, his death was no loss to France. In like manner, many knights and squires of the king of England's household, who were afraid of him, for his severe and rough manners, were pleased at his death. They recounted how he had driven the duke of Ireland to banishment, and had ignominiously beheaded that prudent and gallant knight sir Simon Burley, who had been so much beloved by the prince of Wales, and had done essential services to his country. The deaths of sir Robert Trevilian, sir Nicholas Bramber, sir John Standwich, and others, were not forgotten, so that the duke of Gloucester was but little lamented in England, except by those who were of his party and manner of thinking.

Chronicle of the Betrayal of Richard II. 17th September 1397. It was the Sunday before the day of the Holy Cross in September, when King Richard entered London, and all the other nobles of the kingdom with him; and on the morrow began the great Parliament, which the King opened by complaining of the government of those lords¹, and that they had deprived him of the crown in his youth, and that the Queen was three hours on her knees interceding for one of her knights, named John of Burley², Jwho, notwithstanding, was beheaded; which Earl answered the Queen, 'My friend, pray for yourself and for your husband ; you had much better³.'

Note 1. The thirteen commissioners, ail of Gloucester's faction, who with the Archbishop of York held the reins of government after the King had attained his majority. (Hume.)

Note 2. The party intended is evidently Sir Simon Burley, Richard's tutor during his minority. At the same time it should be stated, that mention is made of a j Sir John Burley being associated with the poet Chaucer in some secret business, for which he received £13. 6s. 8d., 23rd Dec. 1376. (Issue Roll, Michs. 51 | Edw. III.) I know not whelher it was another party, or whether Sir Simon Burley is there misnamed. Sir Simon Burley was a K. G., Governor of Windsor Castle, "W'arden of the Cinque Ports, and Vice-chamberlain, Nov. 3, 1382. He was often employed in public embassies, and was the persoual friend of Froissart.

Note 3. I am much inclined to think that the version of MS. Y is the correct one, and that the intercessor was the widow of the Black Prince. It is not a valid objection to urge that her husband was dead; for, as a Roman Catholic, she could still pray for him. She would be more likely to be interested in the tutor of her son than even the 'good Queen Anne.' Dr. Vaughan, in his Life of Wycliffe, (a work of extensive research,) characterises her (ii. 157) as * a female whose intellectual character, and known solicitude for the tranquility of the nation, seemed to authorize that interference with the disputes of the period which is not unfrequent in her history.' It was owing to her interposition by Sir Lewis Clifford that no definite sentence was passed on Wycliffe by the Synod at Lambeth; and on another occasion she delegated Sir Simon Burley, with Sir Alfred Lewes, and the same Sir Lewis Clifford, to terminate a dispute between the Londoners and the Duke of Lancaster; when the Londoners answered, that 'they for the honour of the Princess would obey, and do with ail reverence what she would require (Fox's Acts and Monuments, i. 559.) In the 8th of Richard she travelled incessantly between Pomfret Castle and London to reconcile the Duke of Lancaster and Richard, notwithstanding she was both corpulent and in years. (Sir J. Hayward.)

In Rymer, 12th June 1385, I find the appointment of four parties 'to attend upon the person of our very dear mother the Queen, wherever in our kingdom she may wish to go for her comfort and security.' I may perhaps be allowed to add, that Queen Anne possessed the Gospel written in Bohemian, German, and Latin; and Archbp. Arundel remarked that 'she studied the four GospeIs constantly in English, examined by the expositions of the doctors; and in the study of these, and reading of godly books, she was more diligent than even the preIates themselves.' She appears to have imbibed the spirit of a pure Christianily froni Matthias Janovius, a native of Prague, and had several attendants who participated in lier religions feelings. (Fox, Acts, &c., and the History of the Bohemian Persecution, from the beginning of their conversion to Christianity in the year 894, to the year 1632, as quoted by Dr. Vaughan.)

I believe it is not generally known that a translation of the Old Testament into the French language was made as early as the year 1377, by Raoul de Presles, 'maître du requestre du Roi Charles.' It still exists. The MS. is in three volumes folio, two of them being at Paris, and one at Grenoble. (Vie des Ducs d'Orléans, par Champollion, i. 149.)

The greatest charge laid to good Queen Anne is that of Stow. 'Since the 5th of Richard II.,' says he, ' (when he took to wife Anne, daughter of Wenceslaus, King of Bohemia,) by her example the English people had used piked shoes to their knees, with silken laces or chains of silver and gilt.' (Survey of London, B. 200.) In the following reign the length of these pikes was restrained by statute.

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Froissart Book 4 Chapter 94. Before 16th September 1398. King Richard of England (age 31) was of a temper that, when he took a liking to any one, he instantly raised him to high honours, and had such confidence in him that no-one dared to say anything to his prejudice. At the same time, there had not been a king of England in the memory of man who so easily believed all that was told him. His favourites, however paid no attention to the miserable fate of many of their predecessors; how the duke of Ireland had been banished, sir Simon Burley, sir Robert Tresilian, sir Nicholas Bramber and others had lost their lives, for counsels they had given the king, and for which the duke of Gloucester had taken great pains in their destruction. The duke was now dead, and the favourites of the moment, who continually counselled the king as they pleased, were not sorry, for they imagined no one would now pretend to oppose them. Some about the king's person could not disguise their pride and presumption, especially the earl marshal (age 30), who was in the highest degree of favour. To flatter and please the king, and to show how true and loyal a servant he was, whenever he heard any reports he told them to the king, expecting from such means to rise still higher in favour; but many, thinking to advance, are repulsed. Thus it happened to the earl marshal.

Archaeologia Volume 22 Section XVI. The prynces^c desyrous to make peace betwyxt the cytezyns and the duke, sent unto London these knyghtes, the Lord Albred de Ver,^d the L. Symon Burle,^e the L. Lewes Clyfford,^f requestyng them, that for love of her, & at her request, they wold make peace with the duke, and end such tumultes for the generall evill or myschefe which comonly followeth such sedytions. The cytezyns, with all reverence, made answeare, that they wold do for her honor what soever she had commanded, but yet they willest or enjoyned the knyghts that came, to tell the duke in words, that he suffer the Lord Byshop of Wynchester to stande to his answeare, and be judged by his peeres, because at that tyme he was an ecclesyastycall person of such aucthoryty, they wold not suffer so greate losse without answeare and processe of lawe, & suffer the Lord Peter de la Mar to answeare for hym self, & prove hym selfe not gyltye, or otherwyse, as he had deserved, after the custome of the lawes of the realme to recyve manyfest judgment; the thyrd they wold account a traytor wheresoever he should be founde. The afore sayed knyghtes, no otherwyse then they had heard of the sayed citizens, reported unto the duke with full mouth those thyngs which had ben enjoyned them, whereby they made the duke very wofull, for whereas they had spoken of a traytor, this sayed he they speak of me, and ytt is not credible that they speak this of him.

Note c. The Princess was Joan, the widow of the Black Prince, who in her youth had been celebrated for her beauty as the "Fair Maid of Kent." She had been twice married or affianced before she became the wife of Edward, whom she survived nine years. Her death in 1385 is related by Walsingham (p. 343) to have been caused by her grief at the refusal of her son Richard the Second to pardon his half brother John Holand, who nevertheless after his mother's death was restored to favour, and created Duke of Exeter. Dr. Lingard says that the Princess obtained her son's full pardon. But according to Knyghton (col. 2676), it was by the intervention of the Duke of Lancaster and other lords, that the king's pardon was procured, as well as the indulgence of the Earl of Stafford, whose eldest son Sir John Holand had killed in their servants' quarrel. An ancient portrait of the Princess is copied in Strutt's Regal and Ecclesiastical Antiquities, No. XXXV. In her will, printed in Nichols's Collection, she declares her firm adherence to the Catholic faith, though five of the most distinguished supporters of Wicliffe are in the list of her executors.

Note d. Sir Aubrey de Vere was uncle to Robert Earl of Oxford, afterwards Duke of Ireland, the favourite of Richard the Second.

Note e. Of Sir Simon Burley, and the proceedings against him in the following reign, when he was beheaded on Tower Hill, a particular account is given by Froissart, his personal friend. Some inaccuracies in Froissart are pointed out by Tyrrel (Hist. Eng. vol. iii. p. 902), and a singular mistake in the MS. Ambassades, "Relation de la Mort," &c. where John Carnailly is substituted for Sir Simon Burley, has been noticed in the Archaeologia, vol. xx. p. 425, note.

Note f. Sir Lewis Clifford, an ancestor of Lord Clifford of Chudleigh, became a leader among the Lollards, but afterwards recanted to Archbishop Arundel. Walsingham, p. 409. His very remarkable will, in which he enjoins his executors to bury him, "false and traytor to his Lord God," with extraordinary indignities, is preserved in Dugdale's Baronage, i. p. 341. It may not be unworthy of remark, that his descendants have adhered to their ancient faith.

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[his half-brother] John Burley and [his mother] Amice Pembridge were married.

Biography of Simon Burley 1340-1388

Ancestors of Simon Burley 1340-1388