Paternal Family Tree: D'Ewes of Stowlangtoft Hall
In 1567 Paul d'Ewes was born to Gerard d'Ewes.
On 25th May 1601 Anthony Denton of Tunbridge in Kent and [his future wife] Elizabeth Isham [aged 22] were married.
Before 18th December 1602 Paul d'Ewes [aged 35] and Cecilia Simonds [aged 23] were married.
On 18th December 1602 [his son] Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet was born to Paul d'Ewes [aged 35] and [his wife] Cecilia Simonds [aged 23] at Milden, Suffolk. He married (1) 24th October 1626 Anne Clopton (2) before 1646 Elizabeth Willoughby Lady D'Ewes and Glentworth, daughter of Henry Willoughby 1st Baronet and Lettice Darcy, and had issue.
In August 1618 [his wife] Cecilia Simonds [aged 38] died.
Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 3rd May 1621. The breach also of my match was the chief occasion that my father [aged 54] proceeded no further with the young widow, (with whom he was at this time in treaty,) as I strongly gathered from many circumstances, and that he afterwards married with an [his future step-daughter] ancient lady [aged 11]. By this means he not only settled a greater estate upon myself than was now offered, but provided also, in a very large measure, for my three younger sisters, and my only brother, whose advancement would have been exceedingly hindered by this match with a young woman and a second issue, though I had gotten at this time a fair estate by my marriage settled upon me. Lastly, by this breach, I reaped much knowledge by my serious study of the common law of England for divers years after; falling also, in the issue, upon the search of records and other exotic monuments of antiquity, being the most ravishing and satisfying part of human knowledge.
Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 6th October 1621. Soon after my coming to London, it pleased the Divine Providence, for my greater humiliation, (my before-mentioned intended match being likewise broken off,) to lay upon me new wants and afflictions; for, coming to my father [aged 54] upon Saturday the 6th day of October, to receive and demand that small stipend he allowed me, he denied me a great part of it upon some pretended defalcations. This so much amazed me, being unprovided of most necessaries, and considering also that he kept from me an estate of five or six thousand pounds of mine own, given me by Richard Simonds, my grandfather by my [his former wife] mother's side, that I unawares expressed my grief unto him somewhat unadvisedly, at which he grew so extremely offended with me as he was never before that time nor after it, so as I spake but once with him for about the space of five weeks ensuing, although I resided near him all that time. And now my condition in mine own apprehension was so far changed, as I feared not only my father's speedy marriage with a young widow, meanly born and bred, but my disherison also, though undeserved; who but a few months before, upon an intended match, should have had almost his whole estate in land assured upon me, so as my own estate I had from my grandfather Simonds, above-mentioned, did much comfort me, which I knew none could deprive me of.
Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 12th February 1622. The latter part of this January I spent reasonably well in the study of the common law, which had like to have been interrupted again the ensuing February with the renovation of my old cares, which had hindered it in my former wooing-time; for Mr. Waldegrave [aged 56], of Lawford in Essex, between whose younger daughter [aged 20] and coheir and myself there had been a treaty of marriage, as is before set down, deceasing on Tuesday, the 12th day of this February, and leaving the Lady Bingham [aged 62], his second wife, a widow, on Monday the 18th day of the same month next ensuing my father [aged 55] sent for me early in the morning, to give me notice of it, and told me that he should not only be willing that the treaty for myself might again be renewed with the daughter, but that he should be willing himself also to match with the mother. This new overture took up my thoughts and time for some few days, but it proving abortive soon afterj I had free liberty again to settle to my studies.
Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. March 1623. Though the talk of this princely intended match filled the thoughts and discourses of most men;1 yet did the expectation of another marriage which nearly concerned me, take up a great part of my time in the latter end of the forgoing February, and the beginning of the ensuing March. For my most dear and blessed mother having deceased above four years and eight months now past, and my father [aged 56], since his being a widower, falling into treaty with several persons about his second marriage, some of them being in the prime of their youth, I was almost continually agitated and troubled lest he should at last pitch upon some young person altogether unfit for his age; by which means I should not only reap much discomfort in my present life, but it was possible also he might thereby be drawn to gire away the greatest part of his estate to the issue of a second wife, of which I saw daily experience of like cases, to the utter ruin of many ancient and nobly extracted families. Having therefore no thought or hope to get any estate settled on myself by my own matching, by reason of my late miscarriage in my first treaty, which gave me abundant experience of his inconstancy, my next votes and wishes were to see him well and happily mariied to some good and ancient widow, every way fit for him; and accordingly he fell in treaty this February with Dame Elizabeth Denton [aged 44], the widow and relict of Sir Anthony Denton, Knt., late of Tunbridge, in the county of Kent. She was the eldest daughter of Thomas Isham, Esq., of Langport in Northamptonshire, deceased, and sister of Sir John Isham [aged 40], Knt., living. Her age was about forty-five, and her estate, both in ready money and jointure, so considerable and fair, as my father had just grounds even in that respect, she requiring but a reasonable jointure, to desire the match. But she was, besides, very discreet, frugal, and religious, which added to her estate and extraction, being both without exception, occasioned a gentleman, my father's very good friend, to make the motion to him, knowing it to be very seasonable for the good of himself and his children, there being little likelihood that she should add to his number he already enjoyed, because shte never had any issue by her former husband, although she continued his wife divers years.
Note 1. The anxiety of the public in regard to this matter appears to have exhibited itself very strongly. In the Harl. MSS. occurs the following note: - "Far the Spanish business things seem still far off. On Saturday, at ten in the forenoon, as our fleet passed by Dover towards Portsmouth, there to levictual, arrived there a gentleman of the Prince's Privy Chamber from Spain, who said, either in truth or in jest to content the people, that the Prince would be here before the fleet could be in Spain; and wagers are laid here of hin return hither thia month." This was written in the following July.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 3rd March 1623. Yet my father [aged 56] still interposing new matters, did so weary me with the daily experience of his irresolation, and despairing of any farther good issne, although the marriage conveyance were well near drawn, and our Lent reading beginning on Monday, the 3rd day of March, I engaged myself in the performance of a moot, at New Inn, that day in the afternoon, where I argued the case with good success. The next morning I argued another law case at another Inn of Chancery with like success, though upon very little study; both which exercises I the rather undertook to free myself from further journeys and troubles in my father's wooing. But it pleased God to give such a blessing to my former endeavours, that all things being agreed on and the deed of jointure ensealed, on Wednesday morning, the 5th day of March, to my great joy and comfort, the marriage was solemnized in St. Faith's Church [Map], under St. Paul's; and then we dined and spent the residue of the day at the place where the lady had lodged, near Smithfield, all the time my father had been a suitor to her.
Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 3rd March 1623. I received immediately much happiness by this intermarriage; my greatest private fear I had of my father's unequal match with some young woman being cleared, and the Lady Denton expressing daily to me much respect and affection, so as I now began to consider God's mercy to me in dissolving abortively that former treaty I had with Mr. Waldegrave's daughter and co-heir, in Essex, in the year 1621; of which she being the elder, of the two, I should too soon have found the inconvenience; yet, as some diminution to my present content, being thinly clothed on the nuptial day, and the weather cold and sharp, I got an extreme cold, which hung upon me divers days after, so that I had much ado on Saturday morning, March the 8th, to go and visit my father [aged 56] and his new-married wife [aged 44], being then to depart together out of town to her jointure-house in Kent, situated in the town of Tunbridge [Map].
On 5th March 1623 Paul d'Ewes [aged 56] and Elizabeth Isham [aged 44] were married at St Faith's under St Paul's [Map].
Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 14th March 1623. On Friday, March the 14th, our Middle Temple reader, Mr. Brampton, ended his reading, and myself, as my health permitted, settled reasonably well to my study. On Tuesday, the 26th day of March, my father [aged 56] returned with the [his wife] Lady Denton [aged 44] from Tunbridge [Map] in Kent, to pass by London into Surrey, to my brother Elliot's, and having lain in London one night, took their journey thither the following day. On the 27th, 28th, and 29th days of the same month, I was for the most part present at an anatomy lecture, read by Doctor Harvey [aged 44]1, at the Physicians' College, near Paternoster Row, by which I gained much profitable knowledge, as I did also by the converse of very able students who were my ordinary companions in the Middle Temple.
Note 1. The eminent discoverer of the circulation of the human blood.
On 24th October 1626 [his son] Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet [aged 23] and [his daughter-in-law] Anne Clopton [aged 14] were married.
On 28th August 1628 Thomas Isham [aged 27] and [his step-daughter] Elizabeth Denton [aged 18] were married. They were half second cousin once removed.
In 1631 Paul d'Ewes [aged 64] died.
On 25th July 1664 [his former wife] Elizabeth Isham [aged 85] died.
Grandfather: Adrian D'Ewes
father: Gerard d'Ewes