The English Clays in France

Birthdate: C 1349,  Lincolnshire, England.

 Death: 1396, Eresby, Lincolnshire, England.

Son of John de Willoughby. 3rd Baron Willoughbyde Eresby.
Husband of Margery la Zouche.
Father of William de Willoughby, 5th Lord Willoughby de Eresby

Thomas Clay.   Archer     France     Lord Robt. Willoughby            King Edward   1370. July 8th       

Born: c. 1325

Birthplace: Cheshire

Died: 15 August 1407; aged 81–82

Knollys was an important English Knight of the Hundred years war, who, operating with the tacit support of the crown, succeeded in taking the only two major French cities, other than Calais and Potiers. His methods, however, earned him infamy as a freebooter and a ravager: the ruined gables of burned buildings came to be known as "Knollys' mitres".

John Clay.  Man at Arms.  France.  Sir Robt. Knolles.                       King Edward   1370. July 8th.

Edward le Despenser, 1st Baron Despenser 

 Born: 24 March 1336,  Essendine

 Died: 11 November 1375

He  was the son of Edward le Despenser and Anne Ferrers.

Le Despencer went with Edward the Black Prince, to France, and was present at the Battle of Potiers. In recognition of his conduct in the French wars, he was summoned to Parliament as a Baron in 1357. 

Cifriet Clay esq . Man at Arms. France Lord Edw. Despencer.   King Edward  1372. Aug.15th.

John Clay esq.  Man at Arms. France. Lord Edw. Despencer.      King Edward   1372. Aug. 15th.

Sir John Clanvowe was born c1341 in the lands of Radnor, Herefordshire and Powys.

Sir William Neville was born c1341 and was constable of Nottingham castle.

Both men were Lollard knights, they died within days of each other on a pilgrimage in October 1391.

John Clay.  Man at Arms. Navy. Sir William Neville. Sir Clanevowe. John of Gaunt. 1378. June  1st..

Nicholas Clay. Man at Arms. Navy. Sir Wm Neville. Sir Clanevowe. John of Gaunt. 1378. June 1st.

Thomas Poynings, also known as Thomas de St John, was the son of Luke de Poyning.

Born: c1350

Thomas held lands in Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire and Kent.

In 1372-1373 Thomas fought in France under John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster.

In May 1424 Thomas raised infantry and archers to go to France to fight under the Duke of Bedford.

Thomas died on 7 March 1428/9.

John Clay esq. Man at Arms. Navy. Sir Thomas Poynings.                     Earl fitz Alan.    1388. May.

Richard Clay esq. Man at Arms. Navy. Sir Thomas Poynings.               Earl fitz Alan.    1388. May.

Nicholas Clay esq. Man at Arms. Navy. Sir Thomas Poynings.             Earl fitz Alan.    1388. May.

For more information,

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Poynings-26#_note-MCA_3.307

Sir Ralph Vernon was born c1372 in Cheshire and died in 1424.

William Clay. Archer. Naval Expedition. Sir Ralph Vernon.                   Earl fitz Alan.     1388. May.

Thomas Ros or Roos, 8th Baron Ros of Helmsley 

Born: 26th September 1406 

Died: 18 August 1430

Thomas Ros was a younger brother of John Ros 7th Baron Ros, who died childless at the Battle of Bauge on 22 March 1421. Thomas inherited his rank and privileges, and followed the example of his brother in participating in the Hundred years war. He fought in the Battle of Verneuil. under the command of John, Duke of Bedford. He was honoured for his efforts, and knighted by  Henry VI on 19 May 1426. Thomas resumed service under the Duke in 1427. He was summoned to parliament in 1429. In 1430, he fell into the Seine during a minor skirmish and drowned.

John Clay.Yeoman Valet. Archer. France. Lord Roos of Helmsley.     King Henry V.   1415.

John Clay. Yeoman. Valet. Sick List. France. Lord Roos of Helmsley. King Henry V.  1415

Sir Hugh Luttrell 

Born: 1364

Died: 24 March 1428), of Dunster castle in Somerset, feudal Baron of Dunster

An important military officer during the Hundred years war.

When he was about 16, he became an esquire to John of Gaunt. He served Gaunt for about 12 years. Luttrell spent three years being the deputy Lieutenant of Calais 1400–1403.

He was at the siege of Harfleur, 1415 and the siege of Rouen, 1419.

In February 1417, he was appointed Lieutenant of Harfleur. He had his own private battalion, consisting of 20 men-at-arms and 60 archers.

In July 1419, Luttrell was appointed the Seneschal of Normandy by Henry V.

Robert Clay. Archer. Expedition France. Sir Hugh Luterell.                    King Henry V.  1417

Robert Claye. Archer. Harflieur Garrison. Sir Hugh Lutterell. Count Thomas Beaufort. 1418.

John Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon,

Born: 29th March 1395 

Died: 5th August 1447

A cousin of Henry V, hewas marshal and admiral of England and Governor of Aquitaine under Henry VI.

He served Henry V in the 1415 campaign in France, where he distinguished himself at Agincourt. Over the next five years he held various important commands with the English. He was captured by the French in 1421 at the Battle of Bauge and spent four years in captivity, not being released until 1425.

In 1435 he was appointed High Admiral of England,Ireland and Aquitaine. In March 1438 he was appointed Commander of the Army for relieving the castle of Guines. In 1439 he was made the Kings lieutenant in Aquitaine.

John de Clay. Archer. Expedition France. Earl John Holland.                 King Henry V.  1417.

Henry Percy

Born: 3 February 1393 

Died: 22 May 1455

Northumberland served occasionally in Henry V's wars in France over the years. He joined the king on an expedition to the Continent in 1416, and sent a minor contingent of soldiers the next year.

John Clay. Man at Arms. Expedition. France. Earl Henry Percy.             King Henry V.  1417

Sir John Salvain, was a soldier in France for many years.

In October 1442, John Salvain, nobleman, knight, was bailiff of Rouen, he was still serving as bailiff of Rouen in May 1449.

John Clay. Official Retinue, Bailli of Rouen. Sir John Salvayn.                                           1423. Nov.10.

John Claye. Man at Arms. Rouen Garrison. Sir John Salvyn. 1424. Oct.1st.

Nichols Burdett

Born: 1382 Warwickshire

Died: 1439 Battle of Pontoise

John Clay. Archer. Siege of Oricans. Sir Nichols Burdet.                                                       1429. Jan. 4th.

Sir Thierry Robessart

He may have been the son of Jean Robessart and named after his great grandfather, who was originally from Hainaut.

Robert Clay. Retinue in the Field. Thierry Robessart.                                                            1432. July 31st.

Sir Andrew Ogard

Born: 1409, Denmark

Died: 1454,  Norfolk

He served the Duke of Bedford when he fought in France  and was his second chamberlain, in 1425 he  participated in a march towards Anjou. In 1433-34 he was the commanding officer of the fortress of Vire in Normandy, and in 1433 he was naturalized by parliament.

Robert Clay. Man at Arms. Garrison of Vire. Sir Andrew Ogard. Thos Ellingham.  1435. Nov. 28th.

Robert Claye. Man at Arms. Vire Garrison.  Sir Andrew Ogard. 1434. Nov. 5th.

The Duke of Bedford

Born: 20 June 1389 

Died: 14 September 1435

Bedford was a medieval English prince, general, and statesman who commanded England's armies in France. Bedford was the third son of King Henry IV of England, brother to Henry V and acted as regent of France for his nephew HenryVI.

John de Clay esq. Man at Arms. Garrison Rouen. Duke Bedford. Liet/Captain. John Clay. 1435. Aug. 4th.

Peter de Clay. Man at Arms. Garrison Rouen. Duke of Bedford. Liet/Captain. John Clay. 1435. Aug. 4th.

Sir John Talbot

Born: 1387, Shropshire

Died: 17 July 1453, Battle of Castillon

He was the most feared in France of the English captains in the last stages of the conflict. Known as a tough, cruel, and quarrelsome man, Talbot distinguished himself militarily in a time of decline for the English.  He was called the "English Achilles" and the "Terror of the French".

 He fought at the Battle of Patay on 18 June 1429 where he was captured and held prisoner for four years. 

At night on 22–23 December 1439, following a surprise flank attack on their camp, he dispersed the 6000-strong army of the Constable of Richemont and on 7 July 1440 he retook Harfleur.

He was killed after a hasty attack in the Battle of Castillon.

Pierre Clay. Man at Arms. Garrison of Rouen. John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury.      1436 .Sep. 29th.

Robert Claye. Man at Arms. Caudebec Garrison. John Talbot. Earl of Shrewsbury. 1436.June 20th.

Bertran de la Claye.  Archer. Pontoise Garrison. John Talbot. 1439. Oct. 20th.

Thomas Scales 

Born: 9th October 1399, Norfolk

Died: 20 July 1460

In 1422, Scales served as a lieutenant of John, Duke of Bedford

By 1423, Scales was captain of Verneuil. From 1424 to 1425, he fought alongside John Fastolf to recapture the fortress at Maine. He was captured at the Battle of Patay in 1429 and later ransomed.

 He commanded a corps of 728 archers (some with fire-tipped arrows) and about 50 infantry at the siegeof St Denis.  In 1439, to cut off Mont St Micheal at the end of the French bridge in English-held territory, he founded the citadel of Granville. In 1442 Granville was taken by surprise by the French defenders of the Mont.

On the 20th of July, Scales was murdered.

Nicholas Clay. German. Archer Garrison Vire. Lord Scales. Ellis Longwoth.                1437. July 30th.

Nicholas Clay. Archer. Garrison Vire. Lord Thos. Scales. Hugh Carrington.                   1437. Dec.19th..

Richard, Duke of York.

Born: 21th September 1411 

Died: 30th December 1460, Battle of Wakefield

York landed in France on 7 June 1436, disembarking at Honfleur. This was the duke's first military command. The fall of Paris (his original destination) led to his army being redirected to Rouen. Working with Bedford's captains, York had some success, recovering many lost areas in Normandy while establishing good order and justice in the Duchy. The campaigns were mainly conducted by Lord Talbot,one of the leading English captains of the day, but York also played a part in stopping and reversing French advances, recapturing Fe'camp and a number of towns in the Pays de Caux.

In 1440 after peace negotiations failed, he was reappointed Lieutenant of France on 2nd of July, this time with the same powers that the late Bedford . As in 1437, York was able to count on the loyalty of Bedford's supporters.

York reached France in 1441 and quickly moved down the Seine, towards  Pontoise, which was besieged by the French. Though York failed to bring the French to battle, he and Lord Talbot led a brilliant campaign involving several river crossings around the Seine and Oise, chasing them almost up to the walls of Paris. In the end, all of York's efforts were in vain, for the French took Pontoise by assault in September 1441. This was to be York's only military action during his second lieutenancy.

John Clay. Man at Arms. Rouen Castle. Richard Duke of York. John Talbot.                 1437. Oct. 26th.

John de Clay esq. Man at Arms. Rouen Castle. Richard Duke of York. John Talbot.  1437. Nov.16th..

John, Lord Darcy

Little is kown but he may have been this man.

Born: circa 1404

Birthplace: Temple Hirst, Yorkshire

Death: April 27, 1458 York, Yorkshire

Pierre Clay. Man at Arms. Siege of Tancarville. John Lord Darcy. Earl John Talbot. 1437. Sept. 8th.

Sir William Mountfort

Born:

Died: 1452

Mountfort of Coleshill in Arden, he served in France between 1430 and 1439.

John Clay. Man at Arms. Garrison Honfleur. Sir Wm. Mountfort.                                        1438. Jan. 3rd.

John Clay. Man at Arms. Garrison Honfleur. Sir Wm. Mountfort.                                        1438. Oct. 22nd.

Sir Matthew Gough

Born: Wales

Died: 1450, on London bridge

He took part in the battles of Cravant in 1423 and Verneuil  in 1424.  He was later in command of various towns and fortresses, including Laval, Saint Denis, Le Mans, Belleme and Bayeux. In 1432 he was taken prisoner at Saint Denis.

Matthew as Captain of Bayeux, reinforced an English army in Normandy, in 1450. 

Whilst defending the city of London against Jack Cades rebels, he was killed on London bridge.

John Clay. Archer. In the Field. Rernay. Mathew Gough.   Duke John Beaufort.          1440. Feb. 17th.

William Neville, Earl of Kent 

Born: 1405 

Died: 9th January 1463

In 1436, he was serving with his brother-in-law Richard, Duke of York. In 1439, he was a field commander in France, with Lords Talbot and Scales. At the siege of Harfleur in 1440, he was knighted for his part in the campaigns of 1438–39, in particular the capture and garrisoning Meaux.

John Clay. Archer. Siege of Dangu.                                                Lord Wm. Neville.                 1440. March 13th.

John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, 3rd Earl of Somerset

Born: 25th March 1404 

Died: 30 May 1444

He was appointed Admiral of the Sea to the army commander John Talbot, who from August 1440 besieged Harfleur.The town surrendered to the English and was re-occupied. When York arrived in Normandy in 1441 to the campaign, Somerset had resigned. The Beauforts sent Sir Edward Hull, on 22nd October 1442, to inform York that a huge army would arrive commanded by Somerset. York was ordered to fortify Rouen just as the king of France was  threatening Bordeaux and Aquitaine and seized the town of Dax Somerset dithered, York was held back as Guenne was lost.

Meanwhile, York, fighting alongside the tactician Lord Talbot had been appointed Lieutenant for all France. Somerset took the opportunity in April 1443 to declare himself Lieutenant of Aquitaine and Captain-General of Guyenne. By then, the negotiations Somerset had started as Captain-General of Calais had failed. These two factors turned York against the Beauforts. 

William Clay. Archer. Expedition France. Duke J. Beaufort. Sir Robt. Vere. Duke John Beaufort. 1443. July 17th.

Phillip Clay. Archer. Expedition France. Duke J. Beaufort. Sir Robt. Vere. Hugh Parker.  1443. July 17th.

Roger Clay. Archer. Expedition France. Duke John Beaufort. Peter Davy. Duke John Beaufort.1443. July 17th.

Sir Robert Vere

Born: Haccombe

Died:1461

Vere  was an English soldier and diplomat hat was appointed as Seneschal of Gascony.

Vere was the second son of  the 11th Earl of Oxford. He was Knighted in 1426 and was appointed, Captain of Caen.He was appointed to the office of Seneschal of Gascony in 1441 and 1445. Vere as Captain of Caen, reinforced an English army in Normandy, A French army together with a force of Breton cavalry,  defeated the English army at the  Battle of Formigny with the remnants of Vere’s force retreating to Caen.

He was killed in Cornwall in 1461.

William Clay. Archer. Expedition France. Duke J. Beaufort. Sir Robt. Vere. Duke John Beaufort. 1443. July 17th.

Phillip Clay. Archer. Expedition France. Duke J. Beaufort. Sir Robt. Vere. Hugh Parker.  1443. July 17th.

Sir Hugh De Courtney

Robert Cley. Man at Arms. Naval. Earl Hugh Courtney. Hugh Courtney. 1418. April.

Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter 

Born: January 1377 

Died: 31st December 1426

Beaufort was appointed Captain of Calais in 1407 and  Admiral of the North and West in 1408.

He was appointed  Lieutenant of Aquitaine  in 1413 and then captain of  Harfleur in 1415. He was then appointed Lieutenant of Normandy in 1416.

In 1418 he went back to Normandy with a large force, taking part in the sieges of Everuex and Rouen After the fall of Rouen in 1419, he was captain of the city. Later in 1419, he took the great fortress of Chateau Gaillard, after a six-month siege.

In 1421 he was captured at the Battle of Bauge. 

John Cley. Man at Arms. Rouen Garrison. Sir John Harpelay. Thomas Beaufort. 1422.

Reynold Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham of Sterborough

Born: c1295

Died: 1361

In 1346 he was at the Battle of Crecy and the  successful siege of Calais. In 1352 he was Knighte and in 1353 appointed Captain of Calais. In 1355 he served in Aquitaine, taking part in the Poitiers. 

1348. June 1st. Letter of Protection for Roger de la Claye who was with Reginald de Cobham. (TNA.- Records of Crecy and Calais).