Elizabeth (Say) Heron (abt. 1365 - 1399)

Ancestors

Biography

"By his wife, Beatrix Bruce, he (William) had, with a dau., one son, John de Say, who d. in minority, a ward to the king, leaving his sister, Elizabeth de Say, sole heiress." She succeeded her brother as 5th Baroness Say on 27 July 1382.^[1]

"This lady, m. 1st, Sir John de Fallesley; 2ndly, Sir W, Heron, but d. without issue, whereupon her aunt, Idonea de Say (Lady Clinton) became the heiress of the estates of William, Lord Say and Baron of Sele, and the title fell into abeyance between the descendants of Lady Clinton and Lady Fiennes. In 1447, Lord Clinton gave up his claim, and Sir J. Fiennes was created Baron Say and Sele."

Property

Manor of Saye's Court

"William de Saye died in the 49th of king Edward III. leaving John his son and heir, who died in his minority, and in ward to the king, in the 6th year of king Richard II. being then possessed of this manor. (fn. 11) Upon which Elizabeth his sister became his heiress, who married first Sir John de Fallesley, who had possession granted of the lands of her inheritance, but he dying soon after, she married Sir William Heron, knight.

This family of Saye, from their long possession of this place, fixed the name of Sayes-court on the mansion or scite of this manor, which it still retains. They bore for their coat armour, Quarterly or and gules, which bearing came to them from the Magminots and again from the Sayes to the Peckhams, Parrocks, and St. Nicholas's, but these bore it only in chief. (fn. 12)"^[2]

Sawbridgeworth Manor

"Geoffrey de Say, his son, was summoned to Parliament as Lord Say from 1313. In 1306 he obtained a renewal of the Friday market granted in 1223 and a grant of a yearly fair on the vigil and feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (8 September). (fn. 26) He died in 1322 (fn. 27); his wife Idonia survived him and received a grant of the manor for life from her son Geoffrey. (fn. 28) Geoffrey the younger died in 1359 (fn. 29) and was succeeded by his son William de Say. The extent of the manor taken at his death in 1375 gives a messuage with garden, 500 acres of arable land, 15 acres of meadow, 20 acres of pasture and 100 acres of wood. The rents from customary tenants included 1 lb. of wax and 3 gross of arrows. (fn. 30) John son and heir of William died a minor in 1382. (fn. 31) The manor passed to his sister Elizabeth, who made a settlement on herself and her first husband, Sir John de Falwesle, in 1388, (fn. 32) and on herself and second husband, Sir William Heron, in 1396. (fn. 33)"^[3]

Birling Manor

"His son, Geoffry de Say, was summoned to parliament, among the barons of this realm in the 7th year of king Edward II. as were his several descendants afterwards. He died in the 15th year of that reign, being then possessed of this manor, which he held of the king in capite, as of the barony of Maminot. (fn. 5) At length John de Say dying in his minority, and in ward to the king in the 6th year of king Richard II Elizabeth his sister, became his heir, and possessed of this manor. She married first Sir John de Fallesley, by whom she had no issue, and afterwards Sir William Heron, who possessed this manor and bore the title of lord Say in her right."^[4]

Bedwell Manor

"Elizabeth de Say, Baroness Say in her own right, who had married Sir William Heron as her second husband, being his first wife, had died without issue in 1399, and after her death Sir William Heron continued to be summoned to Parliament till his death. (fn. 45) He died in 1404, having married secondly Elizabeth Boteler aforesaid. (fn. 46) After his death Elizabeth his widow married, as above mentioned, John Norbury, but she retained the title of Lady Say till her death in 1464. (fn. 47) She was married again to Sir John Montgomery at some date unknown before 1433, (fn. 48) and after 1412, when she is named as the wife of John (not Henry) Norbury (fn. 49) and widow of Sir William Heron. (fn. 50) Her heir was her grandson John Norbury, who in 1465 received licence to enter into all possessions that came into the hands of Henry VI or Edward IV by the death of John Norbury the elder, or of Elizabeth Lady Say his wife. (fn. 51) In Hilary Term 1465–6 John Norbury the younger conveyed the manor to Sir John Say, (fn. 52) who died in 1478 seised of the manors of Bedwell and Little Berkhampstead, and was succeeded by his son William Say. (fn. 53)"^[5]

Inquisition of John, son and heir of William de Say, knight, a minor

Writ of Devenerunt, Wodestok, 8 August, 6 Richard II, HERTFORD.

Inq. taken at Sabrichesworthe, Thursday before St. Matthew, 6 Richard II.^[6]

"The under-mentioned manor came to the hands of Edward III by the death of William de Say, knight, and by reason of the minority of the said John, and is still in the king’s hand. Sabrichesworthe. The manor of Sayes, held of the king in chief by knight’s service. The said John died on 27 July last. Elizabeth, his sister, aged 16 years and more, is his heir."

Inquisition of Elizabeth de Say

Writ 18 Nov. 1404.

BUCKINGHAM. Inquisition. Buckingham 28 Feb 1405

"She held nothing in Buckinghamshire. She died on 8 July 1399. Her next heirs are William de Clynton, knight, son of William de Clynton, knight, son of John de Clynton, knight, and Idonea his wife, one aunt of Elizabeth; Mary wife of Otto de Worthyngton, and Maud her sister, daughters of Thomas de Alden, knight, and Elizabeth his wife, another aunt; and Roger Fyenles, son of William de Fyenles, knight, son of William de Fyenles and Joan his wife, her third aunt. Idonea, Elizabeth and Joan were sisters of William de Say, knight, father of Elizabeth. William de Clynton is aged 26 years and more, Mary 34 years and more, and Maud 28 years and more. Roger will be 20 on 14 Sept. next."^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ Elizabeth de Say, thepeerage.com
2. ↑ Edward Hasted, 'Parishes: Deptford,' in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 1 (Canterbury: W Bristow, 1797), 340-371, accessed March 12, 2016, [1]
3. ↑ 'Parishes: Sawbridgeworth', in A History of the County of Hertford: Volume 3, ed. William Page (London, 1912), pp. 332-347 [2]
4. ↑ Edward Hasted, 'Parishes: Birling,' in The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 4 (Canterbury: W Bristow, 1798), 474-488, accessed March 15, 2016, [3]
5. ↑ 'Parishes: Essendon,' in A History of the County of Hertford: Volume 3, ed. William Page (London: Victoria County History, 1912), 458-462, accessed March 15, 2016, [4]
6. ↑ M. C. B. Dawes, A. C. Wood and D. H. Gifford, 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Richard II, File 28,' in Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Volume 15, Richard II (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1970), 330-343, accessed March 1, 2016, [5]
7. ↑ Institute of Historical Research CIPM 18 - Part XI. [6]

• Index to Burke's dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, pg 287