John de Erlegh (IV) – 7th Generation
John de Erlegh (IV), born in 1271, was only 4 when, in 1275, when he inherited from his father, Philip(I) [6].
King Edward, I appointed the long wardship to Thomas de Cantelupe, Bishop of Hereford [6][13,6EdI,p.458].
The reason why the Bishop of Hereford wished for the wardship of John (IV) is curious:
“Whereas Thomas, Bishop of Hereford, who is the King’s Council frequently comes to the king and has not any lodging wherein he can conveniently stay in coming from his parts or in returning, for which reason he has requested that the king commit to him until the heirs of Henry de Erlegh, tenant-in-chief, come of age, the Manor of Erley in Reading which belonged to the said Henry….'” [6][13,4EdI,p.268].
There was, however, some confusion over the custody of the manor of N.Petherton. It had also been granted to the Prior of Buckland [14,Ed I,p.100]. This duplication had to be cleared up by a later edict from the king [23,Ed I,p.462].
John(IV) came of age in 1293 and the king, in 1294, took his homage and restored him to his lands [6][13,22EdI,p.353].
He took part in the Scottish wars of King Edward I (1292-1306) [11,v.2,p.199] and became known as the “White Knight”.
He was Sheriff of Dorset and Somerset in 1291, in 1298, and in 1315 [7,p.157] and was M.P. for Somerset in 1308 and in 1313 [11,v.2,p.199].
He witnessed several agreements at Wells Cathedral, Somerset [24,v.2].
In 1314, John(IV) bore on his seal three escallops within a bordure engrailed and tinctured gules and argent. These arms were used by his descendants [11,v.2,p.199].
In 1317-18, a settlement of 1 messuage and 2 carucates of land and 50s. rent in Charlton, Berkshire was made on John and his heirs; however, in 1324 a messuage and 3 carucates of land in the same manor were conveyed to David Martin, Bishop of St.David’s (who died in 1328 and whose heir was Thomas Carew of Moulsford) [1,v.4,p.324].
In 1323 John(IV) held the manor of Erlegh, Berkshire, the manor and hundred of N. Petherton, the hamlet of Somerton-Parva, the manor of Durston, 5s. of rent in Michaelchurch, and the manors of Babcary and Beckington in Somerset [35,17EdII,n.62].
He also was a sub-tenant at Earlstown in Kilkenny, Ireland [3].
Throughout the period 1299-1317 he was regularly granted letters of attorney for persons of property in Ireland remaining in England [7,p.157].
He is listed as owing 1/2 and 1/4 knight’s fees for Nova Villa de Erlay and Nova Coyllagh in County Kilkenny in 1317 [16,p.194,n.27].
In 1321 one of his attorneys in Ireland was his son, John(V) [7,p.159].
He and his wife, Muriel (who outlived her husband) had a son, John (V), and a daughter, Isabel [35,17EdII,n.62].
John(IV) died in 1324 [11,v.2,p.199][35,17EdII,n.297] survived by his wife, Muriel.
