On 27th June 1316 [his father] Edmund Mortimer and [his mother] Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton were married at Kinlet, Cleobury Mortimer. He the son of [his grandfather] Roger Mortimer 1st Earl March and [his grandmother] Joan Geneville Baroness Mortimer 2nd Baroness Geneville.
On 11th November 1328 Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March was born to Edmund Mortimer and Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton at Ludlow Castle.
On 16th December 1331 [his father] Edmund Mortimer died. He was buried at Wigmore Abbey.
In 1335 [his step-father] William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton and [his mother] Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton were married. He the son of Humphrey Bohun 4th Earl Hereford 3rd Earl Essex and Princess Elizabeth of Rhuddlan Countess Essex, Hereford and Holland.
On 7th June 1338 [his uncle] Giles Badlesmere 2nd Baron Badlesmere died. Baron Badlesmere abeyant between his sisters [his aunt] Margery, Maud, Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton and Margaret Badlesmere Baroness Tibetot. His sister Maud inherited Lyonshall Castle, Herefordshire.
On 23rd April 1344 King Edward III of England created the Order of the Garter. The date nominal as there are different accounts; some sources say 1348.
2 Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster.
3 Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick.
4 Jean Grailly.
5 Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford.
6 [his future brother-in-law] William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury.
7 Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March.
9 Bartholomew "The Younger" Burghesh 2nd Baron Burghesh.
10 John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp Warwick.
11 John Mohun 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster.
12 Hugh Courtenay.
13 Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent.
15 Richard Fitzsimon.
16 Miles Stapleton.
17 Thomas Wale.
18 Hugh Wrottesley.
19 Neil Loring.
20 John Chandos.
21 James Audley.
22 Otho Holland.
23 Henry Eam.
24 Sanchet Abrichecourt.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Finally, on the thirteenth day of the same month of July1 [1346], they arrived at the desired port. Upon landing, the king knighted his eldest son and created him Prince of Wales. Immediately, the prince in turn knighted2 the lords Mortimer, [his future brother-in-law] Montagu, and de Ros, and others were likewise promoted to the order of knighthood. For the rest of that day and the whole night, the king lodged in the town of Hogue, and the next day, Tuesday, the army burned the town and proceeded inland through the region of the Cotentin Peninsula. That night, the king lodged at Marcellins, where he remained for five days, during which the entire countryside, including the town of Barfleur, was burned and laid waste along the whole coastline.
Tandem die tertio decimo eiusdem mensis Iulii, ad portum desideratum applicuerunt, ubi, nacti terram, in littore suum primogenitum fecit militem et eum principem Wallie constituebat. Statim princeps fecit milites dominos de Mortimer, de Monte acuto, et de Ros; et cum illis eciam fuerunt alii consimiliter ad ordinem promoti militarem. Per residuum diei et totam noctem rex in villa de Hogges ospitabatur, et in crastino, die Tovis, per exercitum villa combusta, deinde per patriam Constantin profectus, nocte sequenti in Marcelins rex hospitabatur, ibi per quinque dies commoratus, in quibus tota patria cum villa de Barbeflete combusta fuerat, vastata cum tota illa costa marina.
Note 1. The route of Edward's march in the Crécy campaign, across the north of France, from La Hougue to Calais, is here traced with great fullness, and there is no difficulty in identifying almost every place that is named. There is, however, a lack of dates, so that, were there no other means of checking the daily advance of the army, it would be hard, if not impossible, to make out the successive stages with perfect accuracy. Fortunately there is extant the journal of the king's kitchen, kept during the expedition, in which are recorded the names of the places where the king lodged, generally with accompanying dates. This document is quoted in 'Proofs of the early use of Gunpowder in the English Army,' by Mr. Joseph Hunter, printed in Archaeologia, 32: "The king landed at 'Hok,' or 'Hogges,' in Normandy, meaning the port of La Hogue, on Wednesday, the 12th July 1346, and the daily operations of his kitchen proceed at the same place till the Tuesday following, when they are transferred to Valognes. The day's stages of the King's march were now. Saint Come du Mount, Carenton, Pount Herbert, and Saint Lo. He then appears to have changed his purpose, and to have directed his march towards Caen, arriving there on Wednesday the 26th, the intermediate stages having been Sevance, Torteval, and Funtenay Paynel. He remained five days at Caen, and he left the place on the last day of July for Lisieux, at which place he arrived on the second of August, having passed through Treward and Leoperty. He was two days at Lisieux: on the 4th of August he was at Durenvile, on the 5th at Limburgh, the 7th at Oil de Boef, and the 8th at Pount Vadreel. The daily stages were now, Longvile, Frenose, Appone, Ferelaguillon, and Poissy, where he arrived on the 13th of August. He was then about 12 miles from Paris. He remained at Poissy till the 16th, on which day he had begun his march northward. The first day's march was to Grisy, the next to Anty, the next to Trussereux, then to Somerreux, Causeamyneux, and Asshen, where he arrived on the 21st of August. He spent the 22nd and 23rd at Asshen.
We then find him in this humble but authentic chronicle:
Thursday, August 24, 'sub foresta de Cressy.'
Friday, August 25, 'in foresta de Cressy.'
Saturday, August 26, 'adhuc sub foresta de Cressy.'
Sunday, August 27, 'in campis sub foresta de Cressy.'"
There is also a contemporary itinerary, copied in a hand of the 15th century, in the Cotton MS. Cleopatra D. 7. f. 179. From these two documents and Baker's route a perfect itinerary can be constructed.
There are extant also several letters written during the campaign, which enter more or less into details. These are the letters of Edward to sir Thomas Lucy (Coxe, The Black Prince, by Chandos Herald, Roxburghe Club, 1842, p. 351).
To the archbishop of Canterbury Lettenhove's Froissart 18.285.
To the archbishop of York Chronicle of Lanercost 342.
Bartholomew Burghersh to the archbishop of York; Adam Murimuth Continuation.
Bartholomew Burghersh to the archbishop of York; Adam Murimuth Continuation.
Letter of Thomas Bradwardine, chancellor of St. Paul's; Adam Murimuth Continuation.
Letter of Michael Northburgh; Murimuth 212, 367, Deeds of King Edward III by Robert of Avesbury.
Letter of Michael Northburgh; Deeds of King Edward III by Robert of Avesbury.
Letter of Richard Wynkeley, the king's confessor; Murimuth 215; Deeds of King Edward III by Robert of Avesbury.
I here give the stages as they appear in the Kitchen Journal (see also Brit. Mus., Add. MS. 25461, f. II); and also print the itinerary from the Cotton MS:
Kitchen Journal
12 July (Wednesday). Hok.
18 July (Tuesday). Valognes.
19 July (Wednesday). Saint Comb du Mont.
20 July (Thursday). Carentan.
21 July (Friday). Pount [Hébert].
22 July (Saturday). Saint Lo.
23 July (Sunday). Sevaunce.
24 July (Monday). Torteval.
25 July (7uesday). Funtenay Paynel.
26 July (Wednesday). Caen.
31 July (Monday). Treward.
1 August (Zuesday). Leoperty.
2 August (Wednesday). Lisieux.
4 August (Friday). Durenvile.
5 August (Saturday). Limburgh.
7 August (Monday). Oil de Boef.
8 August (Tuesday). Pount Vadreel.
9 August (Wednesday). Longville.
10 August (Thursday). Frenose.
11 August (Friday). Appone.
12 August (Saturday). Ferelaguillon.
13 August (Sunday). Poissy.
16 August (Wednesday). Grisy.
17 August (Thursday). Auty.
18 August (Friday). Trussereux.
19 August (Saturday). Somerreux.
20 August (Sunday). Canseamyneux.
21 August (Monday). Assheu.
24 August (Thursday). Sub foresta de Cressy.
25 August (Friday). In foresta de Cressy.
26 August (Saturday). Adhuc sub foresta de Cressy.
27 August (Sunday). Incampissub foresta de Cressy.
28 August (Monday). Valoles.
29 August (Twuesday). Mauntenay.
30 August (Wednesday). Saint Joce in Pountif.
31 August (Thursday). Chastelnoef.
2 September (Saturday). Vintevill.
3 September (Sunday). Vintevill.
4 September (Monday). Coram Calais.
Cotton MS. Cleopatra D. 7, f. 179
On comparing these two itineraries with that given in the text, it will be seen that there are certain discrepancies. In some instances these are no doubt due to mere blundering; but others may be accounted for as variations of three different statements written independently by persons marching with different battles of the army. Putting the three itineraries together, we can lay down the following route:
12 July, Wednesday. Landing at Saint-Vaast-de-la-Hougue. Baker has inadvertently dated this event the 13th July; but, as he speaks of the next day as Thursday, he is only wrong in the day of the month.
13 July, Thursday. Headquarters at Morsalines, only two or three miles from St. Vaast. The Kitchen Journal does not notice the removal. Halt of five days. The country wasted, and Barfleur burnt [on Friday, 14th July].
18 July, Tuesday. To Valognes, 9 miles S.W.
19 July, Wednesday. To Saint-Côme-du-Mont, just north of the river Douve, 14 miles S. by E. Cott. MS. fixes the halt at 'Caueny,' no doubt Coigny, 5 miles W. of Saint-Côme-du-Mont. Probably one of the battles lay there.
20 July, Thursday. Across the Douve to Carentan, only two or three miles.
21 July, Friday. The K. J. and Cott. MS. name Pont-Hébert, a town lying 11 miles S.E. of Carentan and about 4 miles N.W. of Saint-Lo, as the halting place for this day. Baker records the march to 'Serins,' Saint-Lo, and Torigni, and their destruction, and then gives Cormolain as the king's headquarters for the night. He has clearly compressed the events of two days into one. 'Serins' is probably a clerical error for Sevins, Sept-Vents or Sevans, the place which K. J. calls 'Sevance.' If 'Serins' were the correct reading, it might mean Ceérisy-la-Forêt or Cérisy-l'Abbaye, which however lies too much off the route.
22 July, Saturday. To Saint-Lo (K. J. and Cott. MS.)
23 July, Sunday. To Sept-Vents (K. J.) about 12 miles S.E. of Saint-Lo. Cormolain, mentioned by Baker and Cott MS., is not far from Sept-Vents, and may be reckoned as the halting-place of some part of the army.
24 July, Monday. To Torteval (K. J. and Cott. MS.), only about 5 miles E. of Cormolain. Baker makes this day's halt at 'Gerin,' a monastic cell, which may be identical with Cairon or le Quéron, a little S. of Fontenay-le-Pesnel.
25 July, Tuesday. To Fontenay-le-Pesnel (K. J.), 7 or 8 miles E. According to Cott. MS., only to Mauperthuis, just past Torteval.
26 July, Wednesday. To Caen; taken by assault. Halt of five days. Baker dates the capture of Caen on the day before, and makes the halt to last six days.
31 July, Monday. To 'Troward ' (Troarn), 8 miles E.; and Argences, 4 miles S. of Troarn.
I August, Tuesday. To Rumesnil, 9 miles E. K.J. fixes the stage at Leaupartie, which is quite close to Rumesnil; Cott MS. on the other hand, at Saint-Pierredu-Jonque on the left of the Dives, only about 5 miles E. by S. of Troarn.
2, 3 August, Wednesday and Thursday. To Lisieux, 9 miles E. by S. Halt of two days. Baker makes it three days.
4 August, Friday. To 'Lestintnoland' (Le Teil-Nollent), 14 miles E., or to Duranville (K. J.) adjoining Le Teil-Nollent.
5 August, Saturday. Through Brionne, 9 miles, to Le Neubourg, 9 miles further E. The latter place appears as 'Limburgh' in K.J. Cott. MS. makes a halt on both the 4th and 5th at Le Teil-Nollent.
6 August, Sunday. Apparently a halt.
7 August, Monday. To Elbeuf on the Seine, 11 miles N.E. 'Celebeef,' in Baker; 'Oil de Boef," in K. J. Cott. MS. makes the march to Elbeuf fall on Sunday, and continues a day in advance down to the 11th.
8 August, Tuesday. Passing Pont-de-l'Arche, to Léry, said to be on the Seine, but really on the Eure, 9 miles E. K. J. makes this stage halt at 'Pount Vadreel,' no doubt St-Cyr-de-Vaudreuil, a little S. of Léry.
9 August, Wednesday. Through Gaillon to Longueville, near Vernon. Longueville does not appear in the maps. Perhaps it was a suburb of Vernon; 17 miles S.E.
10 August, Thursday? Capture of the castle of Roche-blanche (not in the maps). This seems to be the 'chastel de la Roche,' of Cott. MS., there stated to have been captured on the 7th. Advance to Freneuse, 9 miles up the Seine, incorrectly called 'Frevile' by Baker.
11 August, Friday. Through Mantes, to Epone, 12 miles S.E.
12 August, Saturday. To Fresnes, 5 or 6 miles E. K. J. has 'Ferelaguillon,' which is no doubt a corruption of Fresnes-Ecquevilly.
13 August, Sunday. To Poissy, 6 miles E. According to Baker, the march to Fresnes was on Friday, and the arrival at Poissy on Saturday. Skirmish with a detachment from Amiens.
14, 15 August, Monday and Tuesday. Halt.
16 August, Wednesday. To Grisy, 14 miles N. Baker calls this place 'Gersile.'
17 August, Thursday. To Auteuil, 15 miles N.
18 August, Friday. To Troissereux, 10 miles N.W.
19 August, Saturday. To Sommereux, 15 miles N. In these last marches Baker still continues a day in advance, making the stage of Auteuil on Wednesday, and from thence to Sommereux on Thursday and Friday.
20 August, Sunday. Poissy taken. Then to Camps-en-Amienois (K. J. and Cott. MS.), 8 miles N. Baker refers the capture of Poissy alone to Sunday.
21, 22 August, Monday and Tuesday. To Airaines, 6 miles N. of Camps-enAmienois. Halt. K. J. has 'Assheu ' (Acheux) under date of the 21st; the king's kitchen must have been sent on far in advance.
23 August, Wednesday. To Acheux, 13 miles N.W.
24 August, Thursday. Passage of the Somme. Skirmish at Noyelle-sur-Mer, 8 miles N. Le Crotoy taken. Camp 'sub foresta de Cressy ' (K. J.).
25 August, Friday. Pass through the forest (Cott. MS.). 'In foresta' (K. J.). Attempt by the French to cross the river.
26 August, Saturday. In the open field before Crécy (Cott. MS.), about 8 miles N.E. of Noyelle. 'Adhuc sub foresta' (K. J.). The battle fought.
27 August, Sunday. On the field of battle. 'In campis sub foresta' (K. J.).
28 August, Monday. To 'Abbeville' (Cott. MS.) or 'Valoles' (K. J.), evidently Valloire-Abbaye, on the road to Maintenay.
29 August, Tuesday. To Maintenay, 8 or 9 miles N. of Crécy.
30 August, Wednesday. To Saint-Josse, 10. miles N.W.
31 August, 1 September, Thursday and Friday. To Neufchatel, 10 miles N. Halt. 2, 3 September (Saturday and Sunday). To Wissant (Cott. MS.), 18 miles N. K. J. says 'Vintevill,' i.e. Wimille, 10 miles N. Halt,
4 September (Monday). To Calais.
Note 2. Of the three here mentioned, Roger Mortimer was born about the year 1327, was restored to the earldom of March in April 1354, and died in 1360; William de Montacute, the young earl of Salisbury, was born in 1328, and died in 1397; and William de Roos was summoned to parliament in 1350, and died in Prussia in 1351 - see Chronicle of Henry Knighton.
In 1348 Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March was restored 4th Baron Mortimer of Wigmore.
Around 1350 [his illegitimate son] Thomas Mortimer was born illegitimately to Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. In this year,1 on the feast day of Saint George [23rd April 1350], the king held a great banquet at Windsor Castle, where he established a chantry of twelve priests, and founded a hospital, in which impoverished knights, whose means were insufficient, could, in the service of the Lord, receive suitable support from the perpetual alms of the founders of that college. Besides the king, other nobles contributed to the foundation of this hospital, namely: the king's eldest son, the [his step-father] Earl of Northampton, the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Suffolk, the [his future brother-in-law] Earl of Salisbury, and other barons. Also included were simple knights, such as: Roger de Mortimer, now Earl of March, Lord Walter de Mauny, Lord William FitzWarin, John de Lisle, John de Mohun, John de Beauchamp, Walter de Pavely, Thomas Wale and Hugh de Wrottesley. Men whose proven virtue ranked them among the wealthiest earls. Together with the king, all these men were clothed in robes of powdered russet, with garters of Indian colour, also wearing garters on their right legs, and mantles of blue, adorned with the shield of Saint George. In such attire, bareheaded, they devoutly attended a solemn Mass, sung by the bishops of Canterbury, Winchester, and Exeter. They then sat together at a common table, in honour of the holy martyr, to whom they dedicated this noble brotherhood, calling their company "The Knights of Saint George of the Garter."
Isto anno, in die sancti Georgii, rex celebravit grande convivium apud Wyndesore in castro, ubi instituit cantariam xij. sacerdotum, et fundavit zenodochium, in quo milites depauperati, quibus sua non sufficerent, possent in Domini servitute de perpetuis elemosinis fundatorum illius collegii sustentacionem competentem habere. Preter regem fuerunt alii compromittentes in fundacionem istius zenodochii, scilicet regis primogenitus, comes Norhamptonie, comes Warewici, comes Suthfolchie, comes Salisbiriensis, et alii barones; simplices quoque milites, scilicet Rogerus de Mortuo mari, nunc comes Marchie, dominus Walterus de Magne, dominus Willelmus filius Garini, Iohannes de Insula, Iohannes de Mohun, Iohannes de Bealchampe, Walterus de Pavely, Thomas Wale, et Hughe de Wrotesley, quos probitas experta ditissimis comitibus associavit. Una cum rege fuerunt omnes isti vestiti togis de russeto pulverizato cum garteriis Indie coloris, habentes eciam tales garterias in tibiis dextris, et mantella de blueto cum scutulis armorum sancti Georgii. Tali apparatu nudi capita audierunt devote missam celebrem per antistites Cantuariensem, Wintoniensem, et Exoniensem decantatam, et conformiter sederunt in mensa communi ob honourem sancti martiris, cui tam nobilem fraternitatem specialiter intitularunt, appellantes istorum comitivam sancti Georgii de la gartiere.
Note 1. Stow Annales 390: "This yeere, on Saint Georges day [23rd April 1350], the king held a great and solemne feast at his castle of Windsor, where he had augmented the chappel which Henry the first and other his progenitors, kings of England, had before erected, of eight chanons. He added to those eight chanons a deane and fifteene chanons more, and 24 poore and impotent knights, with other ministers and servants, as appeareth in his charter dated the two and twentieth of his reigne. Besides the king, there were other also that were contributors to the foundation of this colledge, as followeth: i. The sovereigne king Edward the third, 2. Edward, his eldest sonne, prince of Wales, 3. Henry, duke of Lancaster, 4. the earle of Warwicke, 5. Captaine de Bouch, 6. Ralph, earle of Stafford, 7. William Montacute, earle of Salisburie, 8. Roger, lorde Mortimer, earle of March, 9. sir John de Lisle, 10. sir .
It will be seen that Stow here alters the names to tally with the list of the original knights or First Founders of the order of the Garter. Baker seems to be anticipating. William Bohun, 1st earl of Northampton, and Robert Ufford, 1st earl of Suffolk, and sir William Fitz-Warine became knights of the order at an early date; but Roger Mortimer, here styled 'now Earl of March,' did not have that title before 1352, and sir Walter Manny did not receive the garter till the end of 1359.
The date of the foundation of the order of the Garter has never been exactly determined. Froissart 203.
The Brute chronicle (Egerton MS. 650) has this description, although under a wrong year: "And in the XIX yere of his regne, anone aftre, in Jannuere, before Lenten, the same kyng Edward lete make fulle noble iustice and grete festes in the place of hys byrth, at Wyndsore, that ther were never none suche seyne before that tyme, ne I trowe sythene. At whech iustice, festis and ryalte weryn II kinges, II quenys, and the prince of Wales and the duke of Cornewale, ten erles, nine countesse, many barons, knyghttes, and worthy burgesse, the whech myght not lyghtly be nombrede; and also of dyverse londes as byyonde the see were many strangers. And at that tyme, whene the iustes had done, the kyng Edward made a grete souper, in the wheche he begone fyrst hys round table, and ordayned stedfastly the day of the forsayd table to be holde ther at Wyndessore in the Whytesonwyke evermore yerely."
Relying on the date given in the statutes of the order and on this passage in Baker, writers on the subject have adopted 1349 or 1350 as the year of foundation. But an entry in the household-book of the Black Prince affords a reason for dating the event a year earlier, payment having been made on the 18th November 1348, for twenty-four garters which were given by the prince "militibus de societate garterias" i.e. "garters [were given] to the knights of the society"; Beltz, Memorials of the Order of the Garter, pp. XXXII, 385. Proof however is not conclusive, as the ministers' accounts in the household-book were rendered between 1352 and 1365, and there is therefore room for error; moreover, the garters in question may have been prepared in anticipation. The date of 1349, which is given in the preamble to the earliest copies of the statutes, although it is true that those copies are not contemporary, is not to be lightly set aside. It is, indeed, most probable that the order was never solemnly instituted at an early period, but that it was gradually taking shape during the years following the foundation of the Round Table. Edward's patent, bearing date of 22nd August 1348, whereby he instituted a chapel at Windsor, with a fraternity of eight secular canons and a warden, fifteen other canons, and four-and-twenty poor knights, appears to be the first formal document which can be quoted as a foundation-deed of the order. After this there is no direct reference to it until 1350, when robes were issued for the King against the coming Feast of St. George, together with a Garter containing the King's motto, "Hony soyt qui mal y pense!" Nicolas, History of Orders of Knighthood, 1.24.
Annales of England by John Stow. This yeere, on Saint Georges day [23rd April 1350], the king held a great and solemne feast at his castle of Windsor, where he had augmented the chappel which Henry the first and other his progenitors, kings of England, had before erected, of eight chanons. He added to those eight chanons a deane and fifteene chanons more, and 24 poore and impotent knights, with other ministers and servants, as appeareth in his charter dated the two and twentieth of his reigne. Besides the king, there were other also that were contributors to the foundation of this colledge, as followeth: i. The sovereigne king Edward the third, 2. Edward, his eldest sonne, prince of Wales, 3. Henry, duke of Lancaster, 4. the earle of Warwicke, 5. Captaine de Bouch, 6. Ralph, earle of Stafford, 7. [his future brother-in-law] William Montacute, earle of Salisburie, 8. Roger, lorde Mortimer, earle of March, 9. sir John de Lisle, 10. sir Bartholomew Burwash, 11. sir John Beauchampe, 12. sir John Mahune, 13. sir Hugh Courtney, 14. sir Thomas Holland, 15. sir John Grey, 16. sir Richard Fitz Simon, 17. sir Miles Stapleton, 18. sir Thomas Walle, 19. sir Hugh Wrothesley, 20. sir Nele Loring, 21. sir John Chandos, 22. sir James de Audley, 23. sir Othes Holland, 24. sir Henry Eme, 25. sir Sechet Dabridgecourt, 26. sir Wiliam Panell. All these, together with the king, were clothed in gownes of russet, poudered with garters blew, wearing the like garters also on their right legges, and mantels of blew with scutcheons of S. George. In this sort of apparell they, being bare-headed, heard masse, which was celebrated by Simon Islip, archbishop of Canterbury, and the bishops of Winchester and Excester, and afterwards they went to the feast, setting themselves orderly at the table, for the honor of the feast, which they named to be of S. George the martyr and the choosing of the knights of the Garter.
Before 1352 Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March and Philippa Montagu Countess March were married. She by marriage Countess March. She the daughter of William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury. He the son of Edmund Mortimer and Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton.
In 1352 [his daughter] Margaret Mortimer was born to Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March and [his wife] Philippa Montagu Countess March at Wigmore, Herefordshire. She married John Tuchet.
On 1st February 1352 [his son] Edmund Mortimer 3rd Earl March, Earl of Ulster was born to Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March and [his wife] Philippa Montagu Countess March. He married 24th August 1369 Philippa Plantagenet Countess March 2nd Countess Ulster, daughter of Lionel of Antwerp 1st Duke of Clarence and Elizabeth Burgh Duchess of Clarence, and had issue.
In 1354 Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March was restored 2nd Earl March
On 18th June 1356 [his mother] Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton died at Blackfriars Church Holborn.
Archaeologia Volume 35 1853 XXXIII. On the following day [17th November 1357] we have recorded a visit, at dinner, of the "Comes de la March." It might be doubted whether the visitant here mentioned might not have been the Scotish nobleman Patrick Earl of Dunbar and March, who had recently delivered himself into the hands of the English sovereign as a hostage for the execution of the treaty of Berwick, confirmed on the 5th of October, 1357, for the release of King David. The probability, however, is stronger that the Queen's guest was Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, the grandson of her favourite. He had been restored to his honours and patrimony, having obtained the reversal of his grandfather's attainder in 1352. He was high in Edward the Third's confidence; was one of the first Knights of the Garter; and had been appointed Constable of Dover Castle, and Warden of the Cinque Ports. He appears to have been in England at the present time; and in the Account before us we find an entry which confirms the conjecture that it was the English, not the Scottish Earl who was intended. Under the head of donations is notice of a sum paid to four minstrels of the Earl of March, and two minstrels of the Earl of Salisbury, for performing before the Queen on the Feast of All Saints, November the first; and it seems highly improbable that the Scottish hostage would have been attended by his minstrels; while the connection of his name with that of the Earl of Salisbury is significant, as that nobleman was the then English Earl of March's brother in-law.
The visit of the Earl of March was, as we shall find, subsequently twice repeated, and then in company with the King, by whom, as Froissart tells us, "he was much loved," and the Prince of Wales. And thus we have an indication that time had scarcely weakened Isabella's fidelity to a criminal attachment; and that, although the actual object of it had been torn from her, she still cherished his memory, and sought her friends among those most nearly allied to him.
Archaeologia Volume 35 1853 XXXIII. On the 29th, being still at Shene, Isabella is visited by Edward III., the Lady Isabella ( the King's eldest daughter ), and the Earl of March, who sup with her.
Archaeologia Volume 35 1853 XXXIII. The following visits, during her [Isabella of France Queen Consort England] stay in London, are recorded. On the 30th of April, the Countess of Warren to supper. On the 1st of May, the [his aunt] Countess of Pembroke to dinner; and the King after dinner. On the 2nd of May, the Countesses of Warren and Pembroke to dinner; and the King, the Prince of Wales, the Earl of March, and others, after dinner. On the 3rd of May, the Countess of Pembroke and the Maréchal D'Audenham to dinner; and the Earl of Arundel, "et plures magnates Franciæ1," after dinner. On the 4th, the Count of Tancarville to dinner. On the 5th, the Countesses of Warren and Pembroke and the Maréchal D'Audenham again to dinner; and the Chancellor of England and many French noblemen after dinner. On the 6th the Chief Justice and the Barons of the Exchequer to dinner. On the four following days, the Countesses of Warren, Kent, and Pembroke dine with the Queen; and on the last of the four Sir John de Wynewyk comes to supper. On the 11th, Queen Philippa appears to have dined with Isabella, but the entry is partially obliterated; the Earl Marshal and other noblemen came after dinner. On the 12th, the Countess of Pembroke dined, and the Cardinals ( of Périgord and St. Vitalis ), the Archbishop of Sens, and some French noblemen came after dinner. On Sunday the 13th, the Countess of Warren and others from London, as it is expressed, dined; and the King of France, the Chancellor of England, and others, visited the Queen after dinner.
Note 1. and several magnates of France.
In 1359 [his daughter] Janet Mortimer was born to Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March and [his wife] Philippa Montagu Countess March. She married before 1390 Andrew Gray of Broxmouth and had issue.
On 26th February 1360 Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March died. He was buried at Wigmore Abbey. [his son] Edmund Mortimer 3rd Earl March, Earl of Ulster succeeded 3rd Earl March, 5th Baron Mortimer of Wigmore.
In 1381 [his former wife] Philippa Montagu Countess March died.
[his son] Roger Mortimer was born to Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March and Philippa Montagu Countess March.
Parliament Rolls Richard II. 26. William Montague, Earl of Salisbury, submitted a petition in parliament, the tenor of which follows:
To our lord the king his liege William Montague, Earl of Salisbury, prays: whereas the most noble King Edward [III], your grandfather, by his letters patent gave and granted to William Montague, Earl of Salisbury and father of the said supplicant, whose heir he is, and to the heirs issuing from his body, with the clause of warranty of the said very noble King Edward [III] and his heirs, the castle, town and honour of Denbigh, and the cantreds of Rhos, Rhufiniog, and Cymeirch and the commote of Dinmael with their appurtenances in Wales, as plainly appears from the said letters patent: which castle, town, and honour, cantreds and commote, with their appurtenances, Roger Mortimer, late Earl of March, by the name of the land of Denbigh, in Trinity term, in the twenty-eighth year of the reign of the said most noble King Edward [III] [18 June 1354-9 July 1354], before William Shareshull and his fellow justices assigned to hold the pleas before the said very noble King Edward [III], against the aforesaid supplicant, by erroneous judgment, recovered by a writ of scire facias, founded on a judgment given in the parliament held at Westminster on the Monday after the feast of St Mark the Evangelist in the twenty-eighth year of the reign of the said very noble King Edward [III], for the aforesaid Roger, on a petition showed by him to the said very noble King Edward [III] then, in the name of Roger Mortimer of Wigmore, son and heir of Edmund Mortimer, son and heir of Roger Mortimer; in which record and judgment on the said writ of scire facias there are patent errors.
May it please you of your gracious lordship to cause the full record to be brought before you, with all attachments to the same concerning the said writ of scire facias, in the present parliament, that they may be inspected and examined for error, and to forewarn [his grandson] Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, cousin and heir of the aforesaid Roger son of Edmund, and others who are to be forewarned in the matter, to be before you at the next parliament to hear the said errors; and if they know of anything to say wherefor the aforesaid judgment on the said writ of scire facias should not be reversed, and the aforesaid supplicant restored to his said possession with the issues and profits in the meantime since the said loss, and also to do right and justice to the parties in the aforesaid manner. Whereupon, the said petition having been read before the king and lords of parliament, the king ordered Sir Walter Clopton, his chief justice, to bring before the king and lords in parliament the record of which the said petition made mention above. Which record, on the king's command, was later brought to parliament before the king and lords, and there it was read in part, and certain errors therein were pointed out and alleged by the said Earl of Salisbury. Whereupon the king, by the assent and advice of the lords of parliament, the justices of the king there present, granted and ordered that the said earl have a writ of scire facias on the matter of the said petition, returnable at the next parliament, as the same petition mentions.
