Sybil de Mandeville

  Noted events in her life were:

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
Sir Henry Bodrigan married before 26 Oct. 1288, Sibyl, widow of Piers le Power, sister and heir of Walter de Mandeville. She, who was then aged over 24, was living 18 July 1304, but died in or before 1308.

~Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, Vol. II, p. 199

• Background Information: From GEN-MEDIEVAL-L Archives. ¹⁹³
From: Cochoit <cochoit@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Sybil de Mandeville, Le Poer, Bodrugan
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:17:26 -0700 (PDT)

Henry de Bodrugan
Born: Between 1262 and 1265
Died: Between 29 October 1308 and 29 January 1309

Sir Henry de Bodrugan of Bodrugan, co. Cornwall was the son of Roger de Bodrugan and Isolda de Pyn. He was born after 1262 as he was still a ward of his uncle William de Bodrugan (future archdeacon of Cornwall) on 22 March 1283, and before 1265 as he was most likely of age when summoned to military service in Gascony in April 1286. [1, 2] His uncle had purchased his wardship from William de Alnoeto on 19 May 1277. [3] It should be noted that the Register of Walter Bronescombe calls him son and heir of Philip de Bodrugan; this is clearly an error and should properly be grandson and heir. [4, 5] This is the likely source of several errors in print which omit Roger from the pedigree. [6] He was named as the son of Roger and father of Otto in a suit concerning the descent of the manor of Restronguet. [7] He is said to have been knighted in 1289, and this would seem likely as a result of his service in Gascony. [8] He is the first recorded as bearing the arms of the Bodrugans 'Argent, three bendlets gules.' [9]

Henry Bodrugan married Sybil de Mandeville, the daughter an unknown de Mandeville and Alice Giffard, and a niece of Walter Giffard, bishop of archbishop of York and Godfrey Giffard, bishop of Worcester. Alice (Giffard) Mandeville was apparently the "favorite sister" of Walter Giffard based on the multiple gifts to her found in his Register. [10] Bishop Godfrey Giffard named 'lady Sybil de Bodaringham, my niece' in his will of 1302. [11] Sybil was born 29 September 1264 as she was 24 and more on the Feast of St. Michael last in the November 1288 IPM of her brother. [12] The name of her father remains uncertain. In the 1288 IPM in Bedford, Sybil was found to be the heir of her brother Walter de Mandeveille's 1/6 share of the manor of Lutton, co. Bedford; Godfrey, bishop of Worcester claimed the manor of Alerynton (Alkerton), co. Oxford which he said he gave to Walter de Mandeville with the provision it should revert back to him if Walter died without heirs of his body. [13] As a clue to the ancestry of Sybil and Walter, Walter had previously held the portions of the manors of Eltham, Woolwich and Mottingham, however he exchanged these for 1/6 of the manor of Luton with John de Vesci. [14, 15] One half of Eltham was anciently given to the Mandeville family but its exact descent to Walter de Mandeville is not known. [16] However, in 1255 John de Marisco answered for the fee of Woolwich under Ralph de Mandeville. [17] It seems a good possibility that Sybil and Walter are the children of this Ralph de Mandeville. Though at least one web site makes them the children of was Edmund de Mandeville citing 'A Survey of the Cathedral Church of Worcester (London: 1736.).' [18] Neither this Ralph nor Edmund have yet been identified in the main Mandeville family as of yet.

Sybil was a lady of the Queen's chamber in the retinue of Eleanor of Castile, but whether she held this position before or after the death of her first husband is not certain. She perhaps became known to the queen as her family held one half of Eltham, while the other half was royal demesne and the site of the royal palace at Eltham. In 1270, Henry III "kept a public Christmas at his palace of Eltham, being accompanied by the Queen, and all the great men of the realm." [19] Sybil is frequently found in the household records of the Queen Eleanor beginning in February 1286, though an earlier connection to the Queen may be indicated by her marriage to Peter Le Poer. [20] The Le Poers were 'Barons of Dunnoil' derived from their chief manor of Dunhill, co. Waterford, Ireland, and Sybil's son would hold this title. [21] In 1274, Queen Eleanor was granted the wardship and marriage of the heir of John Le Poer. [22] Sybil was subsequently married to Peter Le Poer and by him had a son John born 29 August 1281 at Caernarvon, Wales (his age of 23 in the 1308 IPM of Henry de Bodrugan is obviously an error). [23, 24] From John's proof of age we also learn that Peter Le Poer drowned at sea on 4 April 1283.

Sybil married Henry de Bodrugan sometime before the IPM of her brother Walter de Mandville was taken on 6 November 1288. [25] Henry de Bodrugan was in the expedition to Gascony in 1286 with King Edward, which was also accompanied by Queen Eleanor and a large number of the royal household. [26, 27] It is possible that it was while traveling with the king and queen that the match with Sybil was made. Queen Eleanor was well known for match matching of cousins and women of the queen's household to well landed English nobles. [28] It is also possible that the Bodrugans strong religious connections played a roll (marrying the niece of two powerful bishops to a major benefactor of Glasney College and the brother of the archdeacon of Cornwall). The first child of Sybil and Henry was born 6 January 1290 at Bodrugan, co. Cornwall. [29] It may be that Sybil remained in the household of Queen Eleanor for a time after her second marriage as Sybil's children were still with the queen's children in 1289-90. [30] Eleanor died in November 1290 and her will includes a bequest "to Sybil, wife of Henry de Boderingeham, of the marriage of John le Power, son and heir of Peter le Power, tenant in chief, her former husband." [31]

It seems likely that it is Sybil's connections to Ireland possibly through the Mandevilles (important tenants of the earl of Ulster) and certainly through the Le Poers that Henry de Bodrugan is found with apparently new Irish interests. On 12 April 1300 he had letters nominating John Le Fuelere as his attorney in Ireland for two years. [32] And again on 2 February 1301 similar letters were issued nominating his brothers John and Peter Bodrugan as his attorneys and then on 5 April 1301 nominating John Bodrugan and John le Foghelere. [33] In January 1305, Sybil's son 'John Le Poher baron of Doneyl' was found to owe a debt of £200 to Henry de Bodrugan which John acknowledged. The sheriff was commanded to seize the goods of John and put them up for sale in order to pay the debt. The sheriff took 2 stacks of wheat, two oats, 30 oxen 20 heifers, 60 cows, and 200 sheep; however, when the goods were offered for sale "no one in the county dared to buy them." The sheriff again tried in May 1305 to collect the debt with a similar result. [34]

Henry de Bodrugan died shortly before 23 January 1309 when a writ of diem clausit extremum was issued. [35] He was last noted living on 29 October 1308 when Henry presented at St. Martins-by-Looe. [36] His IPM shows him holding the manors Bodrugan, Pendrym, Trethem, Tretheak, Treworrick, Tremodret, Trevellion, Tregrehan, Trethew and Lantyan Parva. The large manor of Restronguet does not appear as it was still held by his mother who did not die until 1311. He was lord of the borough of Looe in his manor of Pendrim. In addition to these manors, his IPM lists 100 messuages, 40 tofts, 12 mills, 6 dovecotes (pigeon housing), 100 gardens, 60 Cornish acres, 400 acres of meadow, 1000 acres of pasture, 60 acres wood, 1000 acres of heath (open uncultivated land), and was collecting rent from land in 20 other manors. [37, 38] He also held the advowsons of Mevagissey, St. Martin-by-Looe, Duloe and Poundstock.

Sybil was last noted living in the May 1305 dispute with her son John Le Poer, and had died prior to the IPM of her husband on 23 January 1309. In the Bedford inquisition of Henry de Bodrugan, the 1/6 share of Lutton (inherited from her brother) was found to belong to John Le Poer, son of Henry's wife Sybil which Henry had held by the courtesy of England. In fact all Mandeville estates would have gone to John Le Poer and the best chance of determining her ancestry may be to see if any other Mandeville estates were inherited by the Le Poer's. Sybil was buried within the church of Glasney College where an alter was especially endowed for her. [39]

Biography:

1. Registers of Walter Bronescombe (A.D. 1257-1280), and Peter Quivil (A.D 1280-1291), Bishops of Exeter, by Rev. F.C. Hingeston-Randolp (1889). P. 354 http://tinyurl.com/3hwqh74 Archive.org Copy
2. CPR Edward I, vol. 2 1281-1292 p. 240 http://tinyurl.com/3fm5r46
3. Bodrugans: A study of a Cornish Medieval Knightly Family, by Dr. James Whetter (1995). P. 78.
4. See 'Bodrugans: A study of a Cornish Medieval Knightly Family', by Dr. James Whetter (1995).
5. Pedigrees of Plea Rolls Bodrugan, by G. Wrottesley. p. 72 http://tinyurl.com/2ecge9d
6. e.g. Deanery of Trigg Minor vol. 1 (1976), by Sir John Maclean. P. 554-555
7. Pedigrees from the Plea Rolls, by G. Wrottesley. P. 72 http://tinyurl.com/2ecge9d
8. Whetter p. 102
9. Some Feudal Coats of Arms from Heraldic Rolls 1298-1418, by Joseph Foster (1902). http://tinyurl.com/3eoer9n
10. Register of Walter Giffard, lord archbishop of York (A.D. 1266-1279), ed. by William Brown (1904). Surtees Society vol. 109. P. xiii http://tinyurl.com/3cctfbo
11. Will of Godfrey Giffard, Bishop of Worcester A.D. 1301, by J. M. Hall. Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, vol. 20 p. 139-154. Named on page 151. http://tinyurl.com/yljkoox http://tinyurl.com/3rdm872
12. CIPM Vol. 2 (1-19 Edward I, 1272-1291) p. 413 no. 678 IPM of Walter de Maundevill http://tinyurl.com/4oqax9n
13. Missing
14. The Royal Arsenal: its background, origin, and subsequent history: Volume 1, by Oliver Frederick Gillilan Hogg (1963). P. 124-125.http://tinyurl.com/3tyb6q6
15. BHO: Victoria County History Series. A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 2 (1908), 'Parishes: Luton' pp. 348-375. http://tinyurl.com/3zyykjk
16. BHO: Old and New London: Volume 6 (1878), 'Eltham, Lee and Lewisham', pp. 236-248. http://tinyurl.com/4n9kzg6
17. The Royal Arsenal: its background, origin, and subsequent history: Volume 1, by Oliver Frederick Gillilan Hogg (1963). P. 124-125. http://tinyurl.com/3tyb6q6
18. Hal Bradley web site, citing 'A Survey of the Cathedral Church of Worcester (London: 1736.).' http://tinyurl.com/3htpsx4
19. BHO: The Environs of London: volume 4: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent 'Eltham', http://tinyurl.com/3l39orr
20. Court and Household of Eleanor of Castile in 1290, by John Carmi Parsons (1977). P. 155 http://tinyurl.com/4ycdlym and see a reprint in http://tinyurl.com/4y5ne3g
21. Knights of Edward I, vol. IV (P-S), ed. by Rev. C. Moor (1931). Harleian Society Visitation Series, vol. 83. P. 86. http://tinyurl.com/3bus3ov
22. Cal. of Patent Rolls, Edward I vol. 1 (1972-1281) p. 74.http://tinyurl.com/3tuyupc
23. Calendar of the Justiciary Rolls of Ireland, 23 to 31 Edward I, ed. by James Mills (1905). P. 452-453 Proof of age of John Le Poer.http://tinyurl.com/3ec2jyf
24. Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Vol. 5 (1-9 Edward II, 1307-1316). P. 64 no. 139, 1308 IPM of Henry Bodrugan. http://tinyurl.com/25zqbdp
25. Cal. of IPM, Vol. 2 (1-19 Edward I, 1272-1291). P. 418 no. 678, IPM of Walter Maundeville (sister Sybil) http://tinyurl.com/2e4hfc4
26. CPR Edward I, vol. 2 1281-1292 p. 240 http://tinyurl.com/3fm5r46
27. Whetter p. 102
28. Eleanor of Castile: Queen and Society in Thirteenth-Century England, by John Carmi Parsons (1997). http://tinyurl.com/3fmxfte
29. Cal. of IPM Vol. 5 (1-9 Edward II, 1307-1316). P. 168 no. 285 Otto Bodrugan proof of age http://tinyurl.com/28l32am
30. Eleanor of Castile: Queen and Society in Thirteenth-Century England, by John Carmi Parsons (1997). P. 251 http://tinyurl.com/3b4sg4x
31. Cal. of Patent Rolls Edward I vol. II (1281-1292) p. 420 http://tinyurl.com/6dc4fvy
32. CPR Edward I, vol. 3 1292-1301 p. 508 http://tinyurl.com/6gr3gkq
33. CPR Edward I, vol. 3 1292-1301 p. 564, 584 http://tinyurl.com/6lfjlhf http://tinyurl.com/5wdmnqp
34. Calendar of the Justiciary Rolls of Ireland, 23 to 31 Edward I, ed. by James Mills (1905). P. 20, 71 http://tinyurl.com/3vw4f6n
35. CFR Vol. 2 (1912), Edward II, (A.D. 1307-1319). P. 35 http://tinyurl.com/23o2fxm
36. Registers of Walter Bronescombe (A.D. 1257-1280), and Peter Quivil (A.D 1280-1291), Bishops of Exeter, by Rev. F.C. Hingeston- Randolph (1889). P. 255. Google Books Copy Archive.org Copy
37. Whetters p. 14
38. CIPM vol. 5 p. 164 no. 139 Henry Bodrugan http://tinyurl.com/25zqbdp
39. Whetters p. 72

Sybil married Sir Henry Bodrugan Knight, son of Roger de Bodrugan and Isolde de Pyn. (Sir Henry Bodrugan Knight was born circa 1263 in Bodrugan Manor, Cornwall, England and died in Mar 1309 in England.)