John Darras

John Darras (c.1355–1408) was an English soldier, politician and landowner, who fought in the Hundred Years' War and against the Glyndŵr Rising. A client of the FitzAlan Earls of Arundel, he served them in war and peace, helping consolidate their domination of his native county of Shropshire. He represented Shropshire twice in the House of Commons of England. He died by his own hand.

Background and early life

John Darras was the son of^[1]

• Ralph Darras or Daras of Neenton. The Darras family were fairly small landowners, holding the manors of Neenton and Sidbury, both south-west of Bridgnorth in Shropshire, the Welsh Marches. Although most such families were of Anglo-Norman origin, Darras, originally rendered de Arras,^[2] or d'Arras,^[3] signifies origins in Arras, historically the chief town of Artois in Flanders.^[4]
• Joan Forcer, daughter and coheiress of Thomas Forcer. Joan, together with her sisters Burga and Elizabeth, was also an heiress of Sir Henry Ribbesford of Ribbesford, near Bewdley in Worcestershire, who was the brother of their grandmother, Avice le Forcer.^[5]

Ralph Darras, his father, died in December 1461, when John was only about seven years of age. His mother, Joan, must have died in his childhood as his legal battles to secure her inheritance were fought alongside his aunts.

Landowner

Holy Trinity church at Sidbury, Shropshire. The nave was already old by the time of Darras, as it was built in the 12th century, although the whole building underwent restoration in 1881.^[6]

St Leonard's church at Ribbesford. The manor was the focus of early attempts by Darras to enlarge his holdings. The nave of the present church dates from the early 15th century, although there has been a small church on the site since about 1100.^[7]

Darras inherited from his father the manors of Sidbury and Neenton, which were held of Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March.^[1] There were also a few other small, scattered holdings, including a third of the manor of Linley, held under the Prior of Wenlock.^[2] This was a small patrimony and Darras fought legal battles, sometimes backed by force, at several points in his life to extend his holdings, although with limited success.

In 1379, and again in 1383,^[8] Darras and his aunts Burga and Elizabeth contested ownership of the manors of Ribbesford and Rock, Worcestershire, which had been held by Sir Henry Ribbesford, also under the Mortimers of Wigmore.^[5] They were opposed by John de Resunden, the husband of their distant relative, Iseult. They won their suit but for reasons unknown the estates were both^[9] soon in the hands of Thomas de Beauchamp, 12th Earl of Warwick, one of the Lords Appellant, who was temporarily stripped of all his lands during Richard II's counter-coup of 1397.

Darras married Joan Corbet, whose brother, Sir Roger, was deeply involved in family disputes over property, some of which involved Joan, and Darras also inevitably became involved. Roger Corbet had two older brothers, Thomas and John, as well as a younger brother, John, and sisters, including Joan, who was possibly the eldest of the siblings.^[10] Roger and Joan's parents, Robert and Elizabeth Corbet, had been concerned to keep the family estates together in a time of short life-spans and tortuous succession that affected many landowning families. As the eldest son, Thomas, predeceased his parents, the initial target had been to prevent the estates going to Elizabeth, his daughter, who had married Sir John Ipstones, a quarrelsome and sometimes violent man who served twice as MP for Staffordshire.^[11] In the 1360s they initiated a complex series of property transactions, using the device of fine of lands, and intended to keep the bulk of the Corbet lands effectively in tail, favouring in particular Fulk and Roger.^[12] The provisions of these fines were contested by Ipstones and Elizabeth from the outset.^[11] However, after the death of Fulk in 1382, much worse followed. Some of the provisions were revealed as mutually-contradictory. Fulk's daughter and sole heiress, also Elizabeth, contested effective ownership of property that had been assigned for life, under a fine of 1363,^[12] to Joan and her first husband, Sir Robert Harley of Willey, who died around 1370.^[1] These lands at Yockleton, Shelve, Wentnor and Caus Forest, were all on the western side of Shropshire, close to the Welsh border. Joan and Harley leased for the remainder of their lives to Sir Fulk for a rent of £60 a year. However, around 1368, they levied a fine to ensure estates passed to Roger in the event of Fulk's death. As Joan was still alive when Sir Fulk died, his daughter, Elizabeth, had a reasonable expectation of continuing to lease the lands under the fine of 1363. Joan, however, intended the lands to go immediately to her younger brother, Roger, according to the fine of 1368. There was a series of legal claims and counter-claims, with the Crown intervening to try to secure an escheat while the young Elizabeth was still a minor. However, Roger emerged victorious in 1385.^[13]

When Elizabeth, Fulk's daughter attained the age of majority in 1390, the entire issue was re-opened. Elizabeth was now married to John Mawddwy or de la Pole, lord of Dinas Mawddwy, who vigorously pursued his wife's claim. Darras, now married to Joan, was just as vigorous in pursuing the interests of Joan and her brother, Roger. The king, Richard II was informed that "strife and debate" was threatening the peace in Shropshire. It seems that violence had broken out that month^[13] and it is unlikely that Darras, already an experienced fighting man,^[1] was not involved. He was summoned with the other parties to the quarrel on 23 June to appear in person before King and Council in Chancery. He was compelled, like the others, to provide security for good behaviour in the sum of 200 marks each.^[13] After further delays, the disputed estates were assigned to the Mawddwys, and later to their daughter Elizabeth, who married Hugh Burgh, a future MP for Shropshire and Lord High Treasurer of Ireland. However, it is likely that Joan and Darras received the consolation of regular rent from the disputed lands.^[1] While losing the case was a blow to prestige, leasing was actually the preferred option among Shropshire landowners like the Corbets, who had been renting out demesne lands to secure a regular income in uncertain times.^[14]

The marriage to Joan Corbet was advantageous to Darras in many ways. She had a considerable amount of jointure property from her first marriage – in Shropshire at Harley, Gretton, Willey and Kenley, and in Worcestershire part of a manor at Hampton Lovett,^[1] known as Over Hall.^[15] Some of theses properties passed to Roger Willey, a relative of Sir Robert Harley, in 1400^[1] – presumably on Joan's death. The Hampton Lovett property, however, was destined for Alice, Joan and Robert Harley's daughter, who married Sir Hamo Peshall.^[15] Joan's family, the Corbets of Moreton Corbet Castle were one of the rising gentry families, steadily increasing their estates and their influence.^[16] However, they were not of the first rank, and both they and Darras were increasingly to seek advancement through the affinity of the FitzAlans, the Earls of Arundel, who were powerful both economically and politically in Shropshire and among the greatest magnates in England.

Political and military career

The Lords Appellant confront Richard II. In this Victorian illustration, Arundel is portrayed on the left, wearing his arms of a gold rampant lion on a red ground.

Seal of Owain Glyndŵr, proclaimed Prince of Wales at Corwen in 1400. Darras earned the approval of both Arundel and the king by serving repeatedly against the Welsh rebellion.

Darras formally enlisted as an esquire in the retinue of Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel in 1387.^[1] At this point Arundel was one of the Lords Appellant, a leader of the opposition to Richard II's favourites and his policy of peace with France. Darras served with him in a naval campaign against the French, which culminated in a significant victory off Margate. As a client of the earl, he was made trustee of estates belonging to Richard, 4th Lord Talbot, the husband of Arundel's niece. In 1393 he represented his county in the parliament that began on 20 January and lasted about three weeks. His fellow MP was Sir William Hugford, who was closely associated with John le Strange, 6th Baron Strange of Knockin: although powerful, the 11th Earl of Arundel seems to have been much happier to share influence than was to prove the case with his son.

Arundel was executed in Richard II's purge of 1397. When Henry Bolingbroke arrived in England to challenge Richard in 1399, the Arundels rallied to the cause of the House of Lancaster, formerly their bitter enemies: the dead earl's son, Thomas FitzAlan, 12th Earl of Arundel, and brother, Thomas Arundel, the Archbishop of Canterbury, became mainstays of the government of Bolingbroke, who was crowned as Henry IV. Darras found himself on the winning side and was immediately rewarded for his allegiance with a lifetime grant of the stewardship of Morfe and Shirlet, areas of Royal forest on either side of the Severn in Shropshire. It was probably his connection with the FitzAlans that assured his appointment as High Sheriff of Shropshire for 1401-2. During his period in office, his friend Sir John Cornwall, a former sheriff and also a former retainer of John of Gaunt, was accused of cattle rustling.^[17] Darras stood surety that he would keep the peace. However, the plaintiffs later alleged that he went much further, allowing Cornwall to nominate the jurors. He was also the returning officer when Cornwall was elected to Parliament.^[1] Cornwall was a man of considerable prestige, claiming descent from King John,^[17] but an unstable and dangerous associate who was to attract constant accusations of violence and intimidation: the Arundel affinity quickly acquired a reputation for lawlessness in their domination of the county.

The 12th Earl exercised a much tighter grip on power in the region than his father, dominating parliamentary representation at every election. It was Darras's turn again in 1404, when he was sent to Parliament with John Burley, another lawyer who worked mainly for the Fitzalans and who had fought alongside Darras in the naval campaign of 1387.^[18] Burley had also held the wardship of Robert Corbet, the heir of Sir Roger and nephew of Joan.

Darras contrived to remain in royal favour, albeit with some difficulty. He bought two properties without obtaining royal approval: a quarter carucate of land at Worfield and a moiety of the forestership of Morfe. Although he was able to obtain a pardon, he sold both properties to Richard Parlour, a burgess of Bridgnorth, again without asking permission: Parlour was compelled to sue for pardon in 1408.^[19] One reason for Darras's relative impunity was probably his loyal service against the Glyndŵr Rising in Wales, a major preoccupation of both Arundel and the king. For this he was made keeper of Morfe and Shirlett for life in 1407, being described as "king's esquire."^[1] In recognition of his active service he was permitted to appoint a ranger to deputise during his absences. In 1407 Darras, together with Robert Corbet, Roger Corbet, nephews of Joan, and William Ryman of Sussex – all of Arundel's affinity – granted a burgage in Shrewsbury, known as Ireland Hall, to Shrewsbury Abbey for charitable purposes.^[20] The younger Corbets had enlisted with Arundel about two years previously and were to acquire sinister reputations for violence and lawlessness. They and their uncle probably granted Ireland Hall on behalf of Arundel. Later in the year Darras attended the election of knights of the shire, witnessing the return of Cornwall and David Holbache, a prominent lawyer and a close associate of Arundel.^[21] It was his last important public appearance.

Death

Darras hanged himself at Neenton in late March 1408.^[1] As a suicide, his goods belonged to the Crown, but a royal commission had to be set up as it appears they were concealed. His holdings would have reverted to feudal overlords but the young Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March was the centre of plots against Henry IV and much of his property was temporarily or permanently forfeit. By August, John Talbot, 6th Baron Furnivall was acting as patron of the church at Sidbury.

Marriage and family

Remains of the medieval keep at Moreton Corbet Castle, with the curtain wall curving around to the gatehouse, restored in the mid-16th century on the right. On the right are remains of the Elizabethan house. The Corbets of Moreton Corbet were themselves powerful allies but also, like Darras, found further security in the Arundel affinity.

Darras married Joan Corbet. The marriage took place before 1390. However, as Darras is not recorded as active on Joan's behalf in the Corbet property disputes of 1385, it must have been in the second half of the 1380s. Darras formally entered the Arundel affinity in 1387, which may coincide approximately with his marriage. Joan Corbet was the daughter of

• Sir Robert Corbet (died 1375) of Moreton Corbet.^[10] The Corbets of Moreton Corbet had taken over as the senior line of Corbets in the region, as the Corbets at Caus Castle had petered out in 1347.^[16]
• Elizabeth Le Strange, daughter of Fulk, 1st Baron Strange of Blackmere.^[13][22] The Le Strange family were another important dynasty of Marcher Lords with many branches. The Blackmere barony was of fairly recent foundation. Elizabeth's father was called to parliament by Edward II and served him as Seneschal of Gascony,^[23] the head of the administration of the remaining Plantagenet possessions in France. The title could be passed through both male and female, and the tortuous line of descent of the Le Stranges may have been one of the factors predisposing the Corbets towards reinforcing male primogeniture through dubious property transactions. From 1383 it passed via female descent and marriage to the Talbot family,^[16] and was one of the many titles collected together by John Talbot, Baron Furnivall and later Earl of Shrewsbury.

Joan was the widow of Robert de Harley of Willey and had a daughter and heiress, Alice, who married Sir Hamo Peshall or Hamon Peshale. Joan brought a range of properties, acquired from her own family and her first husband, which must have greatly increased Darras's comfort and security while she was alive. However, Joan was almost certainly some years older than Darras. It is not clear whether they had children, although Darras may have left a son named Roger.^[1] Joan seems to have died around the turn of the century, with her properties largely entailed, prompting Darras to an active and fairly successful search for further sources of income in the years following.

See also

• Bastard feudalism

• Corbet family

Footnotes

References

Augusta Elizabeth Brickdale Corbet, The family of Corbet; its life and times, Volume 2, St. Catherine Press, London, no date, at Internet Archive, accessed 3 October 2013.

G C Baugh, C R Elrington (Editors), D C Cox, J R Edwards, R C Hill, Ann J Kettle, R Perren, Trevor Rowley, P A Stamper, A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 4: Agriculture, Institute of Historical Research, 1989, accessed 28 November 2013.

C R J Currie (Editor), A P Baggs, G C Baugh, D C Cox, Jessie McFall, P A Stamper, A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 10: Munslow Hundred (part), The Liberty and Borough of Wenlock, Institute of Historical Research, 1998, accessed 20 December 2013.

George Grazebrook and John Paul Rylands (editors), 1889: The visitation of Shropshire, taken in the year 1623: Part I by Robert Tresswell, Somerset Herald, and Augustine Vincent, Rouge Croix Pursuivant of arms; marshals and deputies to William Camden, Clarenceux king of arms. With additions from the pedigrees of Shropshire gentry taken by the heralds in the years 1569 and 1584, and other sources. Accessed 27 November 2013 at Internet Archive.

A History of the County of Worcester: Volume 3, Institute of Historical Research, 1913, accessed 19 December 2013. William Page, J.W.Willis-Bund (editors),A History of the County of Worcester: Volume 4, Institute of Historical Research, 1924, accessed 19 December 2013.

J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe, History of Parliament Online, Ref Volumes: 1386–1421, History of Parliament Trust, 1994, accessed 27 November 2013.