John du Plessis Earl of Warwick

  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
Sir John Du Plessis, possibly brother of Hugh *, served in Montgomery in 1223, and in the Welsh campaign in 1228. With Hugh he was preparing for the expedition of 1230. He seems soon afterwards to have attained a position of favor at court, which he retained till his death. Sheriff of Oxon 1239-40. He was in close attendance on the King during the campaign in Gascony, May 1242 to Aug 1243. After his marriage to the Countess of Warwick, he was acknowledged as Earl of Warwick. Constable of the Tower, 24. Jun 1244, during pleasure. Justice in eyre at the Tower of London, Sep and Oct 1251. In 1252 he took the Cross. He was present in May 1253 at the solemn excommunication of all who should break the Charters. In August he sailed with the King for Gascony, returning with him in Decr 1254. In Jun 1255 he was relieved of the custody of the Tower. He was then an active member of the Council, and was chosen by the King as one of his representatives on the committee of nominees of the Crown and of the Barons, who were to draw up the reforms known later as the Provisions of Oxford. In 1259 he was one of the Council of three to advise the Justiciar during the King's absence overseas. He was summoned to the muster at Chester, August 1260; and was among the knights summoned to an instans parliamentum in London, Febr1260/1; in July Sheriff of counties Warwick and Leicester, with the custody of Sauvey Castle (Rutland); and in Oct summoned to London with horses and arms.

John married, 1^stly, probably early in 1234, Christian, widow of Sir William de Sidenham, of Titchmarsh, Northants (died 1233-34) and 1st daughter and coheir of Hugh de Sanford, of North Moreton, Berks (died 1233-34), by Joan, daughter and heir of Hugh de Noers, of Great Missenden, Bucks. She died probably before 25 December 1242. He married, 2ndly, before 14 September 1243, Margaret, suo jure Countess of Warwick, being sister and heir of Thomas, Earl of Warwhich (died 1242), and widow of John Marshall, of Hingham, Norfolk (died 1242). Margaret died s.p., 3 Jun 1253. John died 25 Feb1262/3.

* Who may have been related to John du Plessis in the service of King John, who attested to royal charters in Normandy and England, and authorised the issue of letters of the King.

~Cokayne's The Complet Peerage, Vol. X, pp. 545-548, XI p. 525

John married Christian de Sanford, daughter of Hugh de Sanford and Joan Noers Heiress of Missenden.¹⁴¹ (Christian de Sanford was born about 1213 in South Moreton, Wallingford, Berkshire, England and died before 25 Dec 1242 in Kidligton, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England.)