Sir John Savage Knight

  General Notes:

~Weis' Ancestral Roots, 233:37, says he faught at Agincourt, 9:36, 32:33 ¹⁶⁰

~Genealogy of the Dutton family of Pennsylvania, p. 21, also identifies him as Margaret's father. ¹⁶⁹

~The Visitation of Cheshire in the Year 1580, pp. 203, shows him as Sir John Savage, made Knight by King Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt, 1415, married to maud daughter and heire to Robert Swinerton ⁶⁸⁰

~Richardson's Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, pp. 290, 638 ⁵⁹⁹

~Ormerod's The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vo. Vol. I, p. agrees with other sources that he was married to Maud (Margaret) Swinnerton, but adds that she was the widow of Sir Raufe Peshall, and that his Inquisition Post Mortem was held 28 Henry VI ¹⁸⁸

  Noted events in his life were:

• Background Information. ⁷¹⁸
Sir John Savage, of Clifton, Knight, was knighted at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. He married Maude, daughter and heiress of Sir Robert Swynnerton, Knight of Barrow, Cheshire and of Rushton, Comford, and Austenfiled, Staffordshire.

It is possible that this Sir John was the Sir John Savage whose brilliant tilting at the tournament held at Inglevere, near Calais in May and June of 1390, was described in one of the chapters of Froissart's Chronicle (Chapter 13). This took place during a truce between England and France. Three French Knights held a tournament at Inglevers and defended the lists for thirty days against all comers from England and elsewhere. Their names were Sir Boucicaunt the Younger, the Lord Reginald de Roye and the Lord de Saimpè "On the twenty-first of May, as it had been proclaimed the three Knights were properly armed, and the horses ready saddled, according to the laws of the tournament . . . The King of France," Froissart tells us, "was present at these jousts. Being young and desirous of witnessing extraordinary sights, he would have been much vexed if he had not seen the tournaments. He was therefore present at the early part and latter end of them, attended by the Lord de Garenciers; but both so disguiesed that nobody knew of it, and they returned every evening to Merquise. . . . The ensuring day, Wednesday, was as fine as the foregoing, and the English who had crossed the sea to take part in or view the tournament, mounted their horses at the same hour as on the preceding day, and rode to the place appointed for the lists, the delight of the French, who were rejoiced to see them. It was not long after their arrival that an English Squire, a good tilter, called John Savage, a squire of honor, and of the body to the Earl of Huntingdon, sent to touch the shield of Sir Reginald de Roye; the Knight answered, he was ready and willing to satify him. When he had mounted his horse, and had his helmet buckled and lance given to him, they set off at full gallop, and gave such blows on the targets that, had the spears not broken, one of both must have fallen to the ground. The course was handson and dangerous, but the Knights received no hurt, though the points of the lances passed trought the targets and slipped off their side armour. The spears were broken almost a foot from the shaft, the points remaining in the in the shields, and they gallantly bore the shafts before them as they finished their career. The spectators thought they must have been seriously wounded, and the French and English hastened each to his campanion, whom, to their joy, they found unhurt. They were told that they had done enough for the day, but John Savage was not satisfied, he said 'He had not crossed the seas for only one tilt of the lance.' this was reported to Sir Reginald, who replied, 'He is in the right, and it is but just that he should be gratified either by me or one of my campanions.' When they had rested themselves awhile and received new lances, they began their second course, each aiming well at the other; but they failed from the swerving of their horses, to their great vexation, and retired to their posts. Their lances, which they had accidentally dropped, were given to them, and they set off in their third course. This time they hit on the visors of their helments, and by the force and crossing of the lances, both were unhelmed as they passed. The tilt was much applouded for it correctness and bigour. When returned to their posts, the English told John Savage that he had very honourably performed, and that it was now time for him to make way for others to tilt as well as himself. He complied with this, and, laying aside his lance and target, dismounted, and rode on a hackney to witness the performance of others."

This John Savage, combined the arms of his father, six lincels, with the arms of his mother, a pale fusillée sa., and for a crest, a unicorn's head, which his mother grated to him afther the death of her fahter in 3 Henry V. Sir John, held the distinguished office of Seneschal of Halton Castle, the royal fortress near his own manor of Clifton. Sir John died in 1450, and was succeeded by his eldest son, also named Sir John Savage, Knight.
~The Ancient and Noble Family of Savage, pg. 17-20

• Children. ^713,718,721
Children listed in The Medieval English Ancestors of Robert Abell, pg. 214:
Parnel Savage, married Reynold Leigh of Blackbrooke (The Ancient and Noble Family of Savage, places her with the preceeding John Savage, pg. 17, but The Visitation of Cheshire, 1580 also placed Parnell in this generation.)
Anne Savage, married to Charles Nowell
Beatrix Savage, married to Sir Hamnett Carrington, son and heir of Sir Thomas his brother
Blanche Savage, married to Sir Thomas Carrington, no issue (The Ancient and Noble Family of Savage, places her with the preceeding John Savage, pg. 17)
John Savage, son and heir, d. 29 Jun 1463, and married Eleanor/Elizabeth Bereton (called Eleanor, daughter of Sir William Brenton in The Visitation of Cheshire in 1580, p. 203)
Ellin Savage, m. Peter Warburton
William Savage (missing from The Visitation of Cheshire in 1580, p. 203)
Arnold Savage, married Elen daughter of Will, son of Sir Ricahrd de la Lee juxtà Becford (missing from The Visitation of Cheshire in 1580, p. 203)
George Savage (The Ancient and Noble Family of Savage, places him with the preceeding John Savage, p. 17 & missing from The Visitation of Cheshire in 1580, p. 203)
Roger Savage (The Ancient and Noble Family of Savage, places him with the preceeding John Savage, p. 17 and missing from The Visitation of Cheshire in 1580, p. 203)

Ormerod names their children as John, eldest and heir; William; Arnold who married Elen, daughter of William, son of Sir Richard de la Lee; George; Margaret, married to John Dutton, second son of Piers Dutton of Dutton, 6 Henry V, afterweards heir to Sir Piers Dutton his fahter; and Maude married to Sir Thomas Booth of Barton in Lancashire.

Ormerod also gives this John Savage a second wife, Elena, widow of James de Haryngton, who he was married to by 1428.
~Ormerod's History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, vol. I, p. 712

John married Margaret de Swynnerton, daughter of Sir Robert de Swynnerton Knight and Elizabeth Beke ^160,599.^,713 (Margaret de Swynnerton was born about 1370 in England and died before 1428 in Clifton, Staffordshire, England ⁷²¹.)