Early Plant Origins and the Peak (by Dr John S ... - Plant-fhg.org.uk

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Chapter 18
Early Plant Origins and the Peak
NW PLANT ORIGINS AND POSSIBLE LINKS ACROSS THE PEAK TO SHEFFIELD
M
May 1999. One of a series of Chapters by Dr. John S. Plant, Keele University, England, ST5 5BG.
eanings are considered for such ‘possibly related’ names as Plunton, Plantan’, Plente, Plantyn,
Planteng’, Plaunte, and Blount. In particular, a progression of possible meanings is deliberated
for the set of 4 names, Plantebene, Plantefolie, Planterose, and Plantegenet, in the light of
an evident progression of spellings from Plente to Plante to Plaint for the Plant name itself.
The name Plente is known to have occurred by 1219 in Oxford and Kent and both it and its
variant Plaunte coexist in Norfolk around 1270. The name Plant appears near Chester by 1301
with Plonte near Ashford by 1303. By the late 14th century, the dialect spelling Plont is known
to have been well established in its main subsequent homeland, near royal Cheshire’s border with
Lancastrian north Derbyshire. There was a deforcement of a Christopher Plant and other Plants
from Leek land here by Sir Ralph Bagnall, who is associated with the fall of the old Catholicism
around the times of Edward VI. About the same time, in the mid 16th century, there is evidence for
a Christopher Plant near Great Longstone, midway across north Derbyshire, where a small knop of
Plants occurs by the mid 17th century. Such events seemingly fore-shadow the arrival in mid 18th
century Sheffield of the Plant’s Yard Plants.
18.1 Plantagenets and some early ‘Plant related’ names
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‘a colony of the French intellectual empire,
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For the burhbote i.e. of Oxford
within that town , 1)o)[$[}B_1)>78&¤1W+"'=:)1"%&~c%"%¢-~[$[w< by the brief of the king and by the inspection of Peter de
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Haliwell’ and Radulphus Plente. And for the repair of the royal household away from
€ QK‚„`K^…
the town by the brief of the king and the inspection of the same.
1 G.J.Whitrow (1989) Time in History: Views from prehistory to the present day, Oxford University Press, pps 71-86.
2 This term ‘12th century renaissance’ was originated by the American medievalist Charles Homer Haskins in 1927.
3 Greek pre-eminence in science had declined with the closure, in 529 AD, of the Neoplatonic Academy at Athens.
From Athens, scholars had been invited to Iran and, after the Muslim conquest of much of that region, a scientific
Institute had been set up in Baghdad — this had reached its highest reputation in the early 9th century. Knowledge of
Greek science, combined with Iranian and Indian traditions, had then spread from Baghdad to other parts of the Islamic
world, including Sicily, southern Italy, and especially Moorish Spain.
4 R.E.Latham (1965) Revised Medieval Latin Word-list from British and Irish Sources, OUP.
11

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),.¤

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Plantagenet in itself [:c'"'&*&b`[[:`¢&;1
xo4[`"%p"f&© 78c' 1)Lc'`1W6i¢j©1F1Wi8ƒ178¢&;1)+"'¢B)"‚aGc'&;1U+¢c'`1W¢]\&H¢>78+odY&(c'&]K
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18.1. PLANTAGENETS AND SOME EARLY ‘PLANT RELATED’ NAMES 13
1199 Radulphus Plantebene (Norfolk) [1 John Pipe Rolls]
1200 Radulphus Planteben’ (Norfolk and Suffolk) [2 John Pipe Rolls]
1219 Radulphus Plente (Oxon) Et in operatione castri de Oxon’ infra idem castrum xxiij
li. et iij s. et iiij d. per breve R. et per visum Petri de Haliwell’ et Radulfi Plente. Et
in reparatione domorum R. extra villam lxv s. per breve R. et per visum eorundem.
[3 Henry III Pipe Rolls]
1219 William Plente (Kent) Et de dim. m. de Willelmo Plente pro panno vendito contra
assisam. [3 Henry III Pipe Rolls]
1230 Simon Plente (York) Et de dim. m. de Willelmo filio Ailredi et Simone Plente pro
eodem. (By reference back to the preceding records eodem equates to dissaisina.)
[14 Henry III Pipe Rolls]
1230-1 Radulphus Plente [A cartulary of the Hospitals of St John the Baptist, ed H.E.Slater
(1914) in Oxford Historical Society Publications 68, 202]
1272 Symon Plente [Feet Fines Oxf. in Oxfordshire Record Society: Record Series (Oxford,
1919-) 12, 200]
1272-84 William Plente (and then his widow Gerbergia) of Ormesby (Norfolk) — charter
for piece of land at Hemesby [Norwich Cathedral Charters]
1301 Ricardo Plant [Pipe Rolls Cheshire in LCRS 92, 205]
1303 Johannes Plonte [S.L.Thrupp and H.B.Johnson (1964) The earliest Canterbury
freeman’s rolls 1298-1363 in Kent Records (Ashford, 1912-) Kent Archaeological
Society 18 181]
1310 Johannes Planterose [Two Bedfordshire subsidy listings ed S.H.A.Hervey (1925)
Suffolk Green Books 18 87]
Table 18.1: Some early occurrences of ‘Plant related’ names (see also Table 17.1)
subtheorem 3(a):
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de
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^0+
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early
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"'&©w)¢&78-&e1)H+6`1"%&
Plunton
known c'Q7c]W1W1c'¢H¢&¤1p"'&F24M
Ksxo)( c%7`1"%*+&H¢L`+*786H&[:c'78A"'& 1)*2pM >dY&)(c'&:]B}1)+*"'L&
de Plunton
Plumton’ , i¢{up¢&)k?S+SW

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Plumpton
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k"%¢c'"'&(/ =b¢c'`1W¢
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Plant
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Plente "fW1W¢F=Qk
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18.1. PLANTAGENETS AND SOME EARLY ‘PLANT RELATED’ NAMES 15
Date Throughout England Main
homeland
c1150 de Plunton a PLANTAGENET b
(place name) (royal nickname)
PLANTEBENE PLANTEFOLIE Blundeville
c1200 fine establisher or itinerant justice or PLENTE c Earl of
curer of souls d absolver of wickedness e Chester
c1250 PLANTEGENET PLANTYN Plantagenet
?horse breeder f cf. diminutive of PLAUNTE Earl of Chester
Plantagenet g
c1300 PLONTE BLOUNT h , PLANT
and royal stud
Langland:
c1350 Lord’s PLONT
love child
well established
a subtheorem 3(a)
b theorems 1 and 2
c subtheorem 3(b)
d subtheorem 3(b)
e subtheorem 3(b)
f subtheorem 3(b)
g cf. theorem 2
h subtheorem 3(c)
Table 18.3: Some possible influences (circa 1150-1350) on the formation of the Plant name
planto to plant 1239, 1538; to set up (a sheep fold) 1325; to implant, settle 12c., 1624; to found
c1200, 1471; to settle, colonize (a district with cities) c1362
geneta (1) jennet, foal 1309
genetes (1 plural) light horsemen (Spanish) 1362
geneta (2) (fur of) genet, civet cat
rosarius rosary, base coin 1297, c1422
Table 18.4: Some dated known usage of Latin vocabulary, from R.E.Latham Revised Latin Word-list
from British and Irish Sources

aYcf&¤1J,
Plente

18.1. PLANTAGENETS AND SOME EARLY ‘PLANT RELATED’ NAMES 17
Oxford English Dictionary:-
plente, plentee Obsolete form of plenty
La-Curne de Sainte-Palaye:-
planté (I) plénitude; (II) abondance, quantité
plenté grande quantité, abondance
Rothwell et al, Anglo-Norman Dictionary:-
plenté, plentee, plentet, plentiee, plantee, etc.; pleinté, pleintee; plenité (1) abundance, plenty; (2) (great) number,
multitude; (3) generosity, bounty; (4) (law) plenarity
plente see pleinte
pleinte, plainte, plaint, pleint (playente) lament, complaint
Kurath and Kahn, Middle English Dictionary:-
plente — also plenti(e), pleinte noun, 1(a) abundance, prosperity, wealth; also, the goddess of abundance; 1(b) p... of,
abundance of; 1(c) an ample supply of food, drink, etc; plenty, sumptuousness; 1(d) corn p... abundance of grain;
etc.; 1(e) a large amount, great deal; much; 1(f) a great number, multitude, many; 1(g) in apposition with a preceding
noun, the appositional construction being equivalent in sense to of p... phrases; 1(h) fertility, productivity,
fruitfulness; abundant production of crops, profusion of flowers; 1(i) generosity, bounty; 2(a) fullness, completeness,
perfection; 2(b) full measure or number, totality; 2(c) satiety, satisfaction; 3 a projection of the extremity of
a bone structure
plente adjective, abundant, plentiful; p... of full of
plente alternative spelling of (noun) plaunt(e)
plaunt(e) — also plant(e), plonte and (planet, planete, playnt, plente) noun, 1(a) something planted; a shrub, an
herb, a plant; also figuratively; also by analogy to a plant, a tooth; 1(b) a sapling, tree; also, a sapling used
as a staff or cudgel; 1(c) a young plant; a sprout, sprig, or shoot; 1(d) a cutting, slip, scion, or graft of a tree,
vegetable, or other plant; 2 the sole of the foot
plaunten — also planten, plaunt(e), plant(e), plonte (and in Cornish, plontye, planse, blanse) verb, 1(a) to plant or
set (a tree, an herb, a vine, etc); also transplant (a tree, etc.); 1(b) to plant (a vineyard, garden); 1(c) to plant or
sow a crop; also figuratively; 2(a) to insert (a scion) into (a stock), engraft; also figuratively; 2(b) planted of a
branch: joined to the trunk of a tree; 2(c) to instill (a virtue, a quality), infuse (grace), implant (the natural law,
contrition, etc.); instill (ones will); impart (truth, the word of God); 3(a) to establish (a colony), settle (a people);
found (a religious house); institute (a religion); form (a part of a body), create (the world); establish (peace); 3(b)
to set (something in a place); 3(c) to set (something) down in writing, insert (something) in a treatise; 3(d) plaunte
bataille, to engage in combat, enter battle; plaunte (in) seige, lay a seige; 4 to insert (something) in a food dish as
decoration, decorate (a dish)
Table 18.5: Some Definitions of possible relevance to the name Plente

18 CHAPTER 18. EARLY PLANT ORIGINS AND THE PEAK
The Cambridge manuscript a of Langland’s Piers Plowman text (c1362) is dated to c1400 (perhaps
a1376 — i.e. before 1376) and includes:-
Loue is the leues thing that oure lord askith
And ek the plante [or plaunte or plonte or plente; playnte] of pes
This epic poem has been mentioned earlier, in Chapter 16, where it was noted that there is apparently
a ‘Prince of Peace’ aspect (cf. theorem 2) to the phrase plaunte of pees. In the above version there is
the variant spelling plente, Moreover, there is evidence that the word plaunte was associated with the
creation of plenty, in the following text (a1398) b :-
Of oon litel greyne cometh a wel gret plaunte and springeth and spredith hugeliche.
With the spelling plente, this concept is extended explicitly to livestock and also to riches in (a1420) c :-
The lond .. was plenteuouse bothe of corne & greene...
Of best and foules passingly plente
...
Philemoun .. had infinit richesse, Of tresour, gold passingly plente.
Further evidence of a connection between plente and the benefits (or vices) of peace appears in
(a1425) d :-
Pees maketh plente; Plente maketh pride
which can be compared with Langland’s plaunte of pees. The words pees and plente also appear in the
following comparison between peace and war, in a text dated a1450 (1408) e :-
When pees is plente, than deeds of werre be in no deynte.
a c1400 (a1376) P.Pl.A(1)(Trin-C)1.137 :: Piers Plowman: The A version, Wills visions of Piers Plowman and
Do-Well, ed. G.Kane (1960) 175-426 [W4.51; BR 1459], cited in Kurath and Kahn Middle English Dictionary.
b a1398 Trev.Barth (Add) :: John de Trevisa, tr. Bartholomew de Glanville’s De Proprietatibus Rerum: Photostat
of MS Add.27944; in poss. of MED [W3.9;10.35;BR33].
c a1420 Lydg.TB (Aug); a1450-a1475 (Bergen) :: Lydgate’s Troy Book, ed. H.Bergen, Early English Texts
Society, Extra Series (London, 1867-) 97 (1906); 103 (1908); 106 (1910) [BR 2516].
d a1425 Pees maketh (Trin-C) :: M.R.James, The western MSS. in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge 2
(1901) 95 [W 7.22; BR 2742].
e a1450 (1408) Vergetius(1) 72b (Dc) :: Prose translation of Vergetius De Re Militari: Photostat of transcript of
MS Dc.291, prepared by K.G.Gordon, in poss of MED.
Table 18.6: Some texts relating to some Middle English usages of the words plaunte and plente

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18.1. PLANTAGENETS AND SOME EARLY ‘PLANT RELATED’ NAMES 19
Plantebene Plantefolie Planterose Plantegenet
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£¦¥©
vegetable gardener ? gardener ?
plants leaf sprig of broom
plaint lamenter of lamenter of
wickedness love
to establish fine establisher establisher establisher of the establisher of small
or or prosperous (or recorder) royal badge or Spanish horses
to found founder of wickedness a Lancastrian rights b or horse breeder c
- - - - - - - - - ———— (itinerant) royalist auxiliary ————
——— curer of souls d ——— - - - - - - - - -
plente hallowed ? absolution courtly horse (?borne)
plenitude e plenitude f abundance abundance
a The name Plantefolie may have related to the Plantagenet’s introduction of itinerant justices such that it may have had
a meaning along the lines of a ‘recorder of wickedness’. The meaning ‘to record’ for plant appears in the Anglo-Norman
Dictionary of Rothwell et al as well as in the Middle English Dictionary of Kurath and Kahn (Table 18.5).
b More generally, the name Planterose may have acquired a meaning along the lines of a ‘romantic or courtly colonist’
(cf. the French surname Plantamour and the French epic love poem ‘Roman de la Rose’).
c The word genet had a widespread meaning ‘jennet’ or ‘small Spanish horse’ (cf. Table 18.4) and it may be relevant
that the ‘Plantagenets’ came from Anjou and held lands extending southwards to Spain.
d In Anglo-Norman, the noun plenté (sometimes spelled plantee) can mean ‘plenarity’, which is the state of benefice
when filled. The word benefice was popularly associated with the ecclesiastical office itself though it was more formally
the remuneration paid to that office. The names Planteben’ and Plantefolie could accordingly refer to that medieval
office, which was associated with the ‘curing of souls’ and ‘absolution for sins’. A loose association of a similar nature
could also be made for the name Planterose. The medieval Latin word rosarius (Table 18.4) had connotations of payment
as well the meaning ‘a series of prayers and a string of beads by which they are counted’. The ‘base coin’ meaning of
rosarius could also be considered in conjunction with, for example, the old French expression monnoye de plont which
could evidently mean ‘money of a base coin (or formed from a lead templet)’. Such concepts, if taken together, might
perhaps then be connected loosely with payment for the office of benefice.
e The old French words planté and béne yield a meaning ‘hallowed plenitude’, hence evidently sanctifying a concept
of ‘abundance’ or ‘full remuneration’ with religious service.
f The "!$#¤%&!('
meaning, abundantly, which is known to have been in use by c1400, can be compared with other
surnames, such as Bytheway, which apparently related to everyday sayings (perhaps favourite expressions of the original
bearers of the name) — in this case, a saying plentifulli might realte to ‘absolution granted (and paid for) plentifully.
There is less reason, however, to suppose that Planterose might have received some influence from plentevous (meaning
abundant, rich, generous, or fertile).
Table 18.7: Possible interpretations of 4 similar ‘Plant related’ names

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1)
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S. de Segraue et Socios Suos | @
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From William son of Ailred and from Simon Plente, half a marc for disseisin , i.e.
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t
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&)[:E
18.2. POSSIBLE GENESIS OF THE PLANT NAME AROUND CHESHIRE 21
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18.2.1 Blundeville and John
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1Wb¢-[+`[:>=¢&/*"f6"'&Q)1"%J
22 CHAPTER 18. EARLY PLANT ORIGINS AND THE PEAK
1256 Prince Edward paid a brief visit to Chester in July 1256
1257 Both the prince and king Henry III passed through Chester with an army for a campaign in Wales
1265 After the battle of Evesham, the prince took Beeston Castle and came to Chester
1275 Traveling by way of Macclesfield and Tarvin, Edward I reached Cheshire an 1st September 1275 and waited
10 days in vain for a meeting with prince Llewllyn
1277 Edward I in Cheshire and north Wales from mid-July to late November, laying the foundation stone of Vale
Royal Abbey in August
1278 Edward I spent 3 weeks in Flint, Chester and the Wirral
1282 Edward I came northwards through Nantwich and, after a month at Chester, passed into north Wales where
he remained until August
1283 Edward I spent most of September in Cheshire visiting Bromborough, Stanlow, Vale Royal and Macclesfield
1284 Edward I came via Nantwich in March 1284 and passed into north Wales. Returning in September, he visited
Shotwich, Rushton, Peckforton, and Malpas
1290 Edward I crossed The Peak from Chesterfield via Tideswell and Chapel-en-le-Frith to Macclesfield returning
via Tideswell and Ashford prior to Queen Eleanor’s death at Harby near Lincoln
1294 Edward I spent 4 days at Chester in December 1294, en route from Nantwich to Wales
1309 Edward II came to Chester in June 1309 to welcome his unpopular favourite, Piers Gaveston, on his return
from exile. Edward arrived and returned via Nantwich
1323 Edward II journeyed from Liverpool and spent a few days at Ince and at Halton
1353 In preparation for a visit of the Black Prince, defects in Chester Castle and in the manor of Macclesfield were
to be repaired, houses at Shotwick were to be cleaned, etc. After his arrival, orders were sent for 6 roses to
be brought from Macclesfield Forest for a banquet to which guests were invited
1358 The Black Prince spent a few days at Chester, at Vale Royal, and at Macclesfield in September 1358
1399 Richard II crossed the Dee in the company of his cousin Henry (who had been born at Bolingbroke in south
Lincolnshire and who became Henry IV). Richard was imprisoned at Chester Castle overnight before being
taken to London
Table 18.8: Some Cheshire visits of the Plantagenet earls of Chester (taken mostly from H.J.Hewit
(1967) Cheshire under the Three Edwards, pps 3-5)
¢C)¢W1W 30 EU-&&)¢e=Qkeu4¢&)+kS+SSp"f6W¢c% K p&Z"'&"%1"fc ©W1" § 7`1"%&
"%+¢781LaYc'&;1©@
kcR¢&Q) 32 ,
cf. xn`=:c'6i¢yQK‚y

k i¢j„yQB &)M `+¢&&)B¢`+cmUP)+kFEUJ*zkc_&6"'&)-"'&s1=)kbUj©ƒgE4)
t
+z"'"%&} 05&-u#)( t "%(=w¢76 ©W1"'7"f`¢B 1)(?M `+¢&&)C[[W¢
[:¢?1)Ca
i¢j &31"'~7&H+¢W&`=:c%k=U"%EU¢]B"'&H"%1_:"'W1W+"'7U78&;1WQ1B
77)+_"'&H2pc%$g, ¤y<
Plant(i/y)n Planteng’ KLxo)-&H 7&=
1)3&HI4( 1Wg=w-*6?¢[w¢781W.c}©`+"f&¤1p
1W?:¢4c'cf)¢-1WL¢W1`=:cf"'"'&(p kc:c'&:3+"%(;1B756Y"'&HdG&)(c%¢c'-E4"'753EUY1)
1))(;1
X c'"'&;1"%+

24 CHAPTER 18. EARLY PLANT ORIGINS AND THE PEAK
Figure 18.1: Dialect districts in England become discernible by around 1400-50, when there is sufficient
literary material. The spelling man in the East Midlands becomes mon in the West Midlands,
to the west of line 6. To the north of line 3, present tense endings of verbs are spelled -es whereas
they are spelled -eth between lines 3 and 4: to the south and west of line 4 they are spelled -en. This
loosely identifies a NW Midlands dialect district, lying between lines 3 and 6 (Kurath and Kahn
(1983) Middle English Dictionary) where Plant in its main homeland was generally spelled Plonte,
though there were also early spellings Plente and Plaunte(s) to the east and south of line 6

18.2. POSSIBLE GENESIS OF THE PLANT NAME AROUND CHESHIRE 25
late 12th century Ranulph de Blundeville, earl of Chester, grants land at Wincle (in Prestbury, east
Cheshire) to the monks of Combermere Abbey
1207 Ranulph de Blundeville grants a borough charter to Leek and, in 1214, founds Dieulacress
Abbey near Leek town
1219 The name Plente appears in Oxfordshire with duties for the king
1232 Death of Ranulph de Blundeville, earl of Chester, who had also been earl of Lincoln since
1217
1233 John Blund, servant to the king and distinguished scholar of Paris and Oxford, fails to become
Archbishop of Canterbury
1254 Prince Edward (later Edward I) becomes earl of Chester
1262 The name Plaunte appears in Essex
1266 Geoffrey Plantegenet is recorded with garderobe duties to the king at Wodestock (near Oxford)
1254-68 Possible connection between Roger Plantyn or Planteng’ and Flintshire near Chester
1301 Ricardo Plant is granted a license to gather coal and deadwood at Ewelowe in Flintshire and,
the same year, Prince Edward (later Edward II) becomes prince of Wales and earl of Chester
1303 The name Plonte appears near Ashford
1307 Prince Edward (later Edward III) becomes earl of Chester
1308-59 Officers at Chester called Blount, serving the Plantagenet earl of Chester
1315 Final agreement between Thomas de Corona, querant, and Thomas of Adlington, chaplain,
deforciant a concerning the manor of Adlington (NW Prestbury) b ... And the other half of
the manor shall remain to John Blount and Margaret his wife and the heirs of the said John
Blount c
1333-76 The Black Prince, Edward of Woodstock (eldest son of Edward III), remains earl of
Chester
1370 The name Plont is known to have become well established around Prestbury and Leek
a A deforciant is a defendant who deforces another or prevents him from inheriting an estate.
b Adlington is in the north west of Prestbury parish and had held an importance as great as the manor of
Macclesfield.
c J.P.Earwaker (1877) ibid, Vol.II, p 233.
Table 18.9: The similar names Blount and Plaunte and possible connections with the earls of
Chester, perhaps as diminutives of their names

X ¢&75sW[¢c'c'"f&)(
plaunte K
E4"%1FAc'"%$¢c%k*[&Q&7"'`1"%&g~1)¨Jcf
1G6zk6=4&)1W¢g1`1 t cT,;< &)"'c'c%o:A&)¢ ¡ "'¢c'78¢U`1G1"'HpE4)¢&*H&W1Wk
S
wonder Ep)1)H1)F&H t c'&:)Q"fc'c%A6"'(¤13[+`[:¢B~"f&D = c%¢&Zp"'c'¢781B
778+"f&)(c%k
P[:&"')@hc'"%$\ 42 [:&;:&7"'`1"%&*
Plaunteville BH¢&@
z{=w¢&g77"%&cfc%k/,.6"'§
subtheorem 3(c): xo)A1TEG phonetically similar &6¢B t c%&;1 43 &DaYcf&¤1B_Ep"'7+
¢C)¢:"%B_6¢k zF¢"'&)+78¢Z¢7+ 1)6F"'&D1)ei8ƒ1 78¢&¤1)+k ,
cf. xm©@
`+&
c%i¢yQK‚v778+"'&)(c'k
W[:¢\^U=¢c'c'"%&*`("'&W1C1){&)E
¢3=¢& ^c'(`+]\w[[&)¢&;1pG1)
=-78&:"')¢/E4)1H,.H35`[1W3i1WHE4"'75*1#¢1
`¢&:&)¢> dYW1 #&)(c'"f&gcf&g1))(F"%1>"'>c%1W5&`1"%¢c%k*[w+"%=:c%B;04H[ c%B1`1
1){M
Plonts 6z¢ zL6{c%¢+p"'6[w578[1"%=:c%kg1Wb)[[1"'&(61)-¢H("'&)(baYcf&¤1`(¢&)1
1)
26 CHAPTER 18. EARLY PLANT ORIGINS AND THE PEAK
¡ =;k"'3=w¢"f&)(*1)(¤1?1WH¢& ‚6&;k+)¢\R& 1)6+)+&HHq/&¤kQ[¢&&;ks=¢"'&)(
EU¢W1
‚6&¤k 78"f&\G,
cf.
aYc'&;1WW*E4"'75 6"'(¤1L=61W5&c'`1W¢ZB~0H[ c%B
1))(;1?1WH¢&
‚78"'&Z`=:&&:78\¦1"'&¢?(+"'©&78¢_`=)1n1)§:+W1m)$U:l}&:7W1W¢\^>i¢©ƒ p[:c'"'&L
1)
7)14cf"'&)J~$Q"'&(3up¢&)kgS O&s"'C¢&:"'&)(3zkcnu4:WL~l}&7W1WzK
42 In such a pronunciation ‘applause’ can sound like ‘a blouse’.
43 Reaney (1959) considers that the the names Blunt and Blount derive from the Old French blund meaning ‘blond, fair,
yellow haired’. However, he also considers that the name de Blunuill’ of 1207 derives from the town of Blonville-sur-Mer
(Calvados) and gives rise to the name Bloomfield. On the other hand, he considers that the names Bloom and Bloomer
derive from the Old English word bloma and accordingly mean an ‘iron worker’.
44 Henry IV’s father, the Duke of Lancaster, John of Gaunt, had acquired the manor of the High Peak in 1372.
45 Allan Crosby (1996) A History of Cheshire, p 35.

18.2. POSSIBLE GENESIS OF THE PLANT NAME AROUND CHESHIRE 27
1308 Inquisition Post Mortem for John de Distelegh a taken at Chester before Stephen le Blount,
Escheator b ... c
1315 Mention of John Blount and heirs in a deed relating to de Corona land at Adlington (just north
of Macclesfield in Prestbury parish) (Table 18.9)
1316 Hugh de Corona gave the whole of his manors at Parva Neston and Hargrave, with small
exception, to John de Blount, or Blound, citizen of Chester, in consideration of an annual
payment of 10 marks d
1327 Sir Thomas Blount, steward of the royal household announced that it was dissolved, bringing
an end to the reign of Edward II e
1331-6 Roger le Blount was mayor of Chester 4 times between 1331 and 1336 f
1335-59 John le Blount was mayor of Chester 13 times between 1335 and 1359 g
1392 Sir Walter Blount of west Derbyshire, a Lancastrian Commander whose father and uncle had
been prominent in the service of Henry Grosmont, 3rd earl of Lancaster (1345-61), was chief
steward to John of Gaunt, spending 96 out of 176 days at court in 1392 h
a Disley is in east Cheshire.
b Escheators were royal officials who, with their deputies, were responsible for effecting escheats of land
held of the king. When a tenant of land died and there was no Common Law heir, or if his heir had forfeited
his rights on account of felony, the land escheated to the immediate lord. On the death of a tenant-in-chief,
the escheator, who usually held control over one or more counties, called an enquiry entitled Inquisition Post
Mortem, with a local jury, to ascertain what lands the deceased had held and who was the heir.
c J.P.Earwaker (1877), East Cheshire: Past and Present, Vol.II, p 85.
d James Croston (1882) Nooks and Corners of Lancashire and Cheshire, pps 290-1.
e May McKisack (1959) The Fourteenth Century, p 91.
f H.J.Hewitt (1967) ibid, p 72.
g H.J.Hewitt (1967) ibid.
h Simon Walker (1990) The Lancastrian Affinity, pps 12, 28, 33, 50, 82, 89, p1, 201, 211, 215, 217, 221-1,
223, 228, 229, 264, 285.
Table 18.10: Some information about 14th century Blounts

¤¢¡ £ ¥¤£¦¥ ¤¢§ p==k , i¢ji8ƒ`@+i¢„y)¢78+"%=¢
1)o`+>©`+"'~¢78+~YJ
¢C:`[1W¢K3xo) t c'7$ a 5"'&78B]E4)FEC J:&¤1\^{¢cf){=1)& 1)
HH.c'c'k"'&eFc'`1W
16Wc',¢[+`[:m1)o+Ho1W¢&)¢H¢&;15

&bP)"%YI4c'[: t `(&c'c KmS &si¢„„jHP"'YI4c%[ t `(&c'c EUG(+&;1W¢g1)p6&+
I4)w#Iok)15<
Bl}$¤@ +"%1RB&:*1>[[1"%¢B"'&7cf"'&)({1J`=:=wkBE4"'1g6W1Cn"%1U[W¢+"%&B
nl}$
t `(&:c'c 54 1){+¢781W+cR1"%1¢>~1){[:`+"'+bml}$ 55K
)¢&sdYc'"¢¡¢`=1b(z?1"'4P)"%oI4c%[
&D1) i¢„ ¤`…BCdYc'"¢¡¢`=1ZS?EC3Q[+"'¢&7"'&)(" ¢*7c'1"%¢"f&Z7)+=:"'&)( a~`+c'"'H¢&;13& 1)
S
¢C`1)c'"f7"'FKmxo)
aY+"%1&mE4)JEUoH>¢&;1Q"'W1"f7G1:&6)C1W{+"'-1)o78:&¤1Wk-"%1~c'
¢>)+"'W1W[ )}aYcf&¤1~"'&7c':)_1)U0c'c'zE4"'&(4¢78+:} X "'&:c ¢U&785B
lR$?¢78+m¢c'`1"f&)(41WJ
l}$¤£ &
1567
1TEG¢& ¢C)5"'W1W[:)aYcf&¤1WB`xo)6}aYc'&;1B£ & ¡ H[1WY&{dGc'"¢¡¢`=1 ¡ H[1WB
t
t `(&cfc B$Q&:"%(¤1B0+7"f&¤1~:ƒ{H¢+`(¢BƒJ(`+¢&B
Ep"')zE?B78H[:c'"'&:&¤1~&3I4c'[:
57 cf&]B}i……g78¢p H¢)zE?Bj`……g78¢p_[:W1)Bmi……*78+¢
ƒ*+7+:`+Bwƒ……*78+¢
~EU;]B&ƒ…678¢o§:¥¡L&F)¢`1s"f&FlR$K
¢C)5"'W1W[:)-aYc'&;136¢kZ[w5`[:=wg)gp)=:W¢9Q)¢&;1gi¢„vibEp"'c'c4,.aGI ln"'7+§:¢c' < 58K
xo"f
BQ1)?`[[¢`+ 59| @
xo)L+HLk¢`po1`1o~1"'CE4"fc'c
18 April 1591
1hEU¢&Ax4)6 #¢&)>&-l}zEo¢&78>aGc%&¤1B786[:c'"'&&;1B& 6¢ ¡ z¤@
t
¢6[w+1B;)+7"'&;1B;RH¢:`(BQ?(`+)¢&]BQ&A+75`+]Bwi……78+¢YRc'&:]B;j`…-78¢Y
6¢)zELBni……678¢on[:W1)+B:378¢omEGQ]B]i……678¢o~HQo"'&FlR$&FlR$;@
¤H¢>¢A"%1W1W¢c'cw+"%(;1>1W6xo)Ao&Fl}zEo¢&78&b1W61)L)¢"'+Umxo6B
+"%1RK
`01WH1F"' )¢ 60 :`1W¢
last March, 1597 0+ P)"%uK t `(&:c'c 61 1Wexo6
PQQ&
X +"%1]B;1)4+¢781WkB;."%+Y&A6`+$1
I4:)k+HRIp)k+]B;78&¤k"'&)(1)46&)GRlR$6&
up1W&]Kexo"f"'¢&)5W¢]B~&D1)FW¢78& W$"'&]B~=;kZxo)K~&
6"'&:"'W1W+?¢C)¢c'1W&Z&
l}zEo¢&78aYc'&;1o&W¢&s1)+K
©W"'&"'&(4lR$Q05"%1"f&?1)C&)1:l}$L[:`+"'+

ST1H"'3&)1,.3k151)J+6`1"%&bm1){aYcf&¤1o&6J"fC0+`(6¢&¤1`kB >"'>&)1
£¥¤
+`1UH+4¢6`+$©`=:c'o1W&)1Wp1`1U1)
&Q:c)0UH¢"%`c1"fH¢B¤1)(A"%1G"'
+Wk"'&s785"%=:"'&)(6gH¢&"f&)(61Wg1)aGc'&¤1#&H1&
W¢Ap78[0JH-78&¤1W
p-"'&"f7`1W¢ "'& 1:"' ¢C:`[1W¢Bm©`+"'?W1W5&
1)+*"'?03HW11)-+)+&H¢¢K
1)Ep"'WFW[:`+`1WsEG+:H& &H¢BU75 HaYc'&;1W(¢&)1B>aYc'¢&¤1WBC&
JH¢&"'&)(
1*i¢©1 78¢&¤1kB
aYcf&¤1WB7&/=w=)(;141W(1¢BE4"%1"'&1)"fW1W+"'7cn7"%+761&78¢o
^zkcf"'W1
1W{[78C1)>5"'H¢&;1mw&3[:c'&:`1"%&30Y1)oH¢&"'&(#aYcf&¤1K~xo)oH¢&:"'&)(
\QW¢6C1WH=#6J=:W1U1W6)1"'c'¢g+78+)1"'&;k61&g1){HL+66`+"fc%kH)[[W¢
)"'c'"'`+k
H`=&¢D"f& ¢78¢&¤1Ak¢`+BU1`1AaYcf&¤1H7& =F1`$¢& +"'H[:c%ke1WZH¢&
&)1"%&RBYE4"f7+
1`1-¢&78H[:+W¢
various 6¢&"'&)(B~E4:"'7+D¢
^(`+)¢&¢\%K£rHb78H[:c%1Wg+HEU$
K
‘royalist auxiliary’ ¦ &¤kQ1"'&)(g *(`5)¢&){1WFg$Q"'&()\^#A"'&"'W1W £&:/[+:`[:B"'&
ì
`1"'7c'`zB [
30 CHAPTER 18. EARLY PLANT ORIGINS AND THE PEAK
The very Spirit of Plantagenet!
I am thy gradam ....
Elinor (mother of King John):-
Bastard:-
Madam, by chance but not by truth
What though?
Table 18.11: A Shakespearian comment about illegitimate descent from the Plantagenets
,.&) E
6qW¢g

‘Plantagenet child’ ¦ ¢`+c'kZaYcf&¤1`(¢&)1A[+781"'¢ &)[1"' ¦ )¢&78b1"'H6¢&"'&)(
jQK
izIpc%[:Q#aYc%¢&;1WA`1 Q+e"'& i¢ji¢vQB~LEU¢c'c
,1)¢
1W?`&:Di¢ ¤©ƒ`@TyQK6x4)H"'Jc'"%1W+`+kQ"f)¢&78
JU1)3$Q"'&()\^{6"'&"'1W#I4(?aYc%¢&;1{`1Ld
¢C"fc'},

1)H"')¢&78b3l}$D"f& 1)aGc'&;1-)6¢c'&]B =Qk xm)H1"'6¢BY)((¢131`1H1)
X
¡ "'c')1"%&¢W1`=:c'"fH¢&;1} ¡ "'¢c'78¢¢K t k?1Ji¢„ ¤`…¢B
aYcf&¤1~3[:`+1"'7c'`m1"%¢m1W{1)C[8@
¢C)5"'W1W[:)3aYcf&¤1H&D1)AaGc'&;13EGF=¢"'&()+78¢ lR$ c'&D=Qk P"'-Ipc%[:
`(&c'cCE4W*+[:)1`1"%& D=¢&D=:"'c'1?& "'[["%1"'& 1We1) ¢C`1c'"'7"' )¢&
t
Vi¢„y t `$EU¢c'c>)¢ zE4-1`1,z&)1)§< ¢C)5"'W1W[:)3aYcf&¤13D=¢&Dc'¢"'&)(
q`kK
"'1W4am¢`$ BQ0+ I4c'[: #¢c'cup[1W&*E4)W401:&)¢_EU
¢W1`1WB)`1Y1o1)C"')>1)pM
=:W¢&FEGQcR&sc%¢6"'&:"'&)()K
78¢&;1)k?cf`1W¢B¤P"%}Ipc%[: J¢c'cup[1W&-$[1 ¡ =Qk"%G&)§:+
¢>"%Q"fcnM `-=QkEp"'7+ 1"'H6s+6c'c~$&)[ oaYcf&¤1{EC1W=60:&e`1
1)(e1)AdG&)(c'"'
t `$EU¢c'c K_S &*1 #+¢`1olR&)(W1W&J&:78¢W1W+c78&¤1W¢&;1"%&]B)1LP)) ¢A¢c'
#¢`1>l}&)(W1W&){&)¢`
¢Y`+ aGc'&;1*`/1`$¢& 1WZz [:`+1"'7c'`Acf"'&)FL)¢78¢&;1g0 1)WDi 1
aYcf&¤1\^
#¢`1#lR&)(W1W&K
78¢&;1)kFaYc'&;1>
32 CHAPTER 18. EARLY PLANT ORIGINS AND THE PEAK
I4&¢L78&¤1W+c