The Skaggs-Files

SIR SIMON DE MONTACUTE, (son of William No. VII.) was in several expeditions into Wales, particularly in that of 10th of Edward 1. (j286) when Llewellen lost his territory and life. He obtained from Edward I. confirmation of the manor of Shipton Montague in Somersetshire with the woods thereunto belonging in the forest of Selwood and a grant of several other manors in the same county and in those of Dorset, Devon, and Oxford.

The same lord Montacute made several campaigns with reputation both in France and Scotland, in the reign of Edward I., in which he was also Governor of Corffe Castle in Devonshire. In the Reign of Edward II. he again served in Scotland and was governor of the Castle of Beaumaris in the isle of Anglesey, and Admiral of the King's fleet. In that reign he also obtained a grant for a weekly market on Tuesday at his Manor of Yardlington, County of Somerset, and a fair on the eve day and morrow after the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. The 7th of Edwd II. (1314) he obtained a license of the King to fortify his Manor house at Yardlington This Manor was very beautifully situated in a picturesque locality upon a very fine lawn, and remained in, this family through many descents until, through the last Countess of Salisbury (who was beheaded at the age of 70 years by Henry VIII), it passed to the Poles and thence to Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. Sir Simon Montacute also owned the Manor of Goat-hill, granted to him by Edwd I., and it descended to Gen. Thomas Montacute 4th Earl of Salisbury, thence to Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, and to John Neville, Marquis of Montacute. He also owned the Manor of Laymore in Somerset. This Sir Simon Montacute bore as his Coat of Arms the original shield of his ancestor Drogo First, (Azure---a Gryphon Segreant, or, [gold] as also did his father and each of his ancestors.

However, this Sir Simon changed the Arms to "Argent (white) three fusils * in fess gules (red)." See plate.

* A lozenge is of a diamond shape, and a fusil is an elongated lozenge, and these Arms were a white shield with three red fusils joined in line.

It is however recorded that Sir Simon. used both Coats of Arms, the one which he had made and the other which he received by inheritance. Fortunately we are not left in doubt as to what Arms he really bore, for the Pope had at that time made unwarranted pretentions with regard to Scotland and had issued an insolent bull, to which all the barons of England had made reply in a letter which was signed by all the Barons, who affixed to their names, as their seals, their Coat of Arms. This letter to Pope Boniface VIII. was written A. D. 1301, and was signed by Sir Simon de Montacute, with the other barons. A duplicate of this letter is preserved in the British Museum, and the plate of the Coat of Arms of Sir Simon Montague, appended to this work, is copied from his Seal to that letter. These Arms, with some modification for differences in families, have been the arms of all the succeeding English families of Montague. Sir Simon married Aufricia, daughter of Fergusius, King of the isle of Man, descended from Orry, King of Denmark. The Historian records that Aufricia, daughter of Fergus, King of Man, having fled to King Edward, when dispossessed by Alexander III. King of Scots, Edward bestowed her in marriage upon Simon lord Montague, baron of Shipton Montague, who by the King's assistance recovered the Island and enjoyed it in her right many years. (Camden says it was Simon's son William who recovered the Island.)

He had been summoned to parliament from the 28th of Edward I. to the 8th of Edward II. (1315), soon after which he died. Their issue was William and Simon de Montacute, the former succeeded his father and continued the line, the latter was married to Hawise, daughter of Almeric lord St. Amand.

Almeric de St. Amand was a great baron of that age whose chief seat was at Grendon Underwood, a parish in the hundred of Ashendon in Buckinghamshire ten miles west N. W. from Aylesbury. The male line became extinct and the property passed (through daughters) to other families. It would seem that Simon Montacute and Hawise de St. Amand, his wife, probably had a son whose name was William Montacute from the following passage taken from a very rare and ancient work *. "From thence he (the King) passeth on to the Castle of Salisbury which Castle belonged to William Montacute Earl of Salisbury in right of his wife but himself being then prisoner in France, onely his Countesse, and one William Montacute, a cousin of his was in the Castle." This William Montacute, who is called a cousin of the first Earl of Salisbury, was therefore a son of Simon and Hawise (Amand) Montacute, as it is recorded that the Earl's father had only two sons. As this Simon Montacute was the younger son, his subsequent history (and that of his son William) is unrecorded.

* The work referred to is, "A Chronicle of the Kings of England by Sir Richard Baker, Knight." London, 1660.