History and genealogy of Peter Montague, of Nansemond and ...

INTRODUCTION. 1
set, and a fair on the eve clay and morrow after the Assumption of
the Blessed Virgin. The 7th of Edw d II. (13 14) 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 Monta-
cute also owned the Manor of Goat-hill, granted to him by Edw (1
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.
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 fami-
lies, have been the arms of all the succeeding English families of
Montague. Sir Simon married Aufricia, dau. of Fergusius, King of
the isle of Man, descended from Orry, King of Denmark. The His-
torian records that Aufricia, dau. 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
* 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.
I.,