Isabella de la Mare

Not Isabel Cassey

Analysis of the records suggests that the wife of John de Washbourne (du Defford), Isabelle, was not a Kassey (Cassey). Her maiden surname was de la Mare. We believe this to be accurate because of the following:

A Proof of Age document from 1308 suggests that she was the sister of a de la Mare and so born a de la Mare. This same document informs us that she had a daughter named Margery born in 1291:

"Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem and other analogous documents preserved in the Public Record Office, Vol V, Edward II", 1908, entry no. 66, states: JOAN (DAUGHTER) AND ONE OF THE HEIRS OF HUGH DE MORTUO MARI. Writ de etate probanda (missing). HEREFORD. Proof of age, 11 April, 1 Edw II (defective and defaced).

William de Mortuo Mari, knight, aged 60 years, sayd that the said Joan was born in the castle of Keirfilly, and baptized in the the chapel there, on the eve of St Katherine, 20 Edw I commencing, and he knows it because Henry le Waleys, his companion, was then with him in the said Hugh's service, and was godfather to the said Joan, and thus he has her birth always in memory.

Reginald de la Mare, aged 70, says the same, because (he had) a daughter Annora who was born at the feast of St Michael before the said Joan's birth.

John de Bykerton, aged 50 (?), says the same (and knows it because) the king's justices in eyre sat .............. after the said Joan's birth, before whome he ............... ...... Mare, aged 40, says the same, and knows it because Isabel de Wasseburne, his sister, had a daughter Margery who was born at the feast of the Annunciation in the same year.

… And thus the said Joan was 16 at the feast of St Katherine, last.

Secondly:

The idea that she was a Cassy seems to originate in the book on the Washbourne Family by James Davenport. On page 5 he refers to a court case from 1319 in which he translates a Latin word from the case as “dowry”. Had the word actually been “dowry” then Davenport would have been correct in his assumption that Isabella was a Cassy. However, close analysis of the original document by several Latin scholars, has revealed the word to have been “dower.” This changes the meaning entirely. Further support for the idea that he word is dower and not dowry is that Isabella is claiming only 1/3 part – the widow’s dower portion. Because this is dower land, it belonged to the Washbournes prior to the marriage and was not part of a Cassey dowry upon Isabella’s marriage. From these two sources we can reasonably determine that Isabella was a de la Mare.

Worcester CP/40/231:

Richard Eleyne and Christian, his wife, guardians of the body and lands of John, son and heir of John, son of Roger Cassy, whom John Cassy called to warrant and who warranted to him by Thomas Cassy, his attorney, offer themselves on the fourth day against Roger, son of John de Wasseburn', concerning a plea that he should be here at this day etc to warrant to him a third part of 1 messuage, of 1 shop and of 1 shop in Wych', which Isabel, who was the wife of John de Wasseburn', in the court here claimed in dower etc.