Katherine Constable

Katherine de Wyvelesby, daughter of Philip de Wyvelesby, married

1. Sir John Erneburg (??) (see comments)
2. John Danthorpe
3. Simon Constable

She was indicted, excommunicated and pardoned for a charge of poisoning John de Danethorp,her husband; Joan, sometime the wife of Simon Constable; and Henry de Thorleye. The court case is well documented and quite sensational. The following is an in depth analysis of the case: Wife and Widow in Medieval England "Litigation as Personal Quest: Suing for Dower in the Medieval Courts, circa 1272-1350."  Sue Sheridan Walker (page 93)

evidence

September 1277, Demise for a year by Dame Katherine, widow of Sir John de Dantorp to Sir Simon the Constable property all her land of Pinndaxe and Skefcling with her manor of Pinnhaxe. And (for herself, and for her daughter (and Sir John's) Erneburg) all property falling to them on death of Sir John in Wencop, Pinndhaxe and Skefcling Rendering £10. Witnesses: Sir John de Frismarais, Sir Fulk the Constable. Morrow of Pentecost, 1277 [2].

15 April 1280, Mandate to the dean of Holderness to publish the excommunications of Simon Constable and Katherine, widow of John of Danthorpe. 17 April 1280, Mandate to the same that Constable having been absolved, the publication was not to be made [3].

16 November 1280, Mandate to the dean of Holderness to cite Katherine of Danethorpe to appear before the archbishop to answer certain charges [4].

26 June 1282, Decision in favour of the marriage of Simon Constable and Katherine de Wyvelesby [dominum Symonem, dictum Constabularium, et Caterinam, filiam Philippi de Wyvelesby] [5].

Simon le Constable died in prison in 1293 (or probably the early part of 1294). The Annals of Dunstable record that in 1293: "Eodem anno justiciarii itinerantes apud Eboracum valde rigide se gerebant; et quendam nobilem, Simonem le Constable nomine, de multiis feloniis arreptatum, ad poenitentiam statuti poserunt, quia veredictum patriae recusavit. Et, mortuus est in prisona" In the same year the Justices in Eyre at York, behaved very rigorously; and to a certain man of noble birth, by the name of Simon le Constable, accused of many felonies, they have put to repentance of the law, because the verdict of his country refused to. And, he is dead in prison [6].

The writ for the inquisition post mortem of Simon le Conestable was issued on 1 March 1294 and the inquisition was held on 10 April 1294. Robert son of Simon le Conestable, aged 29 years and upwards was found to be his heir [7].

20 June 1294, Pardon to Catherine, late the wife of Simon le Conestable, for having, as is said prepared a poison (intoxicacom') for John de Danethorp, sometime her husband, Joan, sometime the wife of the said Simon, and Henry de Thorleye, whereof she was indicted before Hugh de Cressingham and his fellows, justices in eyre in the county of York [8].

18 October 1295, Katherine, late the wife of Simon le Conestable, acknowledges that she owes to Thomas de Boulton and Clemencia, his wife, 31 marks; to be levied, in default of payment, of her lands and chattels in co. York [9].

apparently incorrect

From Dugdale's Visitation of Yorkshire, with Additions, Parts 5-7 (Google eBook) Sir William Dugdale W. Pollard & Company, 1901 - Yorkshire (England)

VI. SIR SIMON CONSTABLE, of Halsham, mentioned in an Inquisition 1275, d. 22 Edward I, Inq. P.M 10 Apr. 1294 (Yorks. Inquisitions, Rec. Ser., xxiii, 160);

mar. Katherine, dau. of Robert Cumberworth, (SIC: Philip Wyvelesby) rel. of Sir John Danthorpe.

They had issue—

1. Robert (VII).
2. Ela, mar. John Fauconberg.
3. Herneburgh.

comments

September 1277, Demise for a year by Dame Katherine, widow of Sir John de Dantorp to Sir Simon the Constable property all her land of Pinndaxe and Skefcling with her manor of Pinnhaxe. And (for herself, and for her daughter (and Sir John Erneburg's) all property falling to them on death of Sir John in Wencop, Pinndhaxe and Skefcling Rendering £10. Witnesses: Sir John de Frismarais, Sir Fulk the Constable. Morrow of Pentecost, 1277

Note: Sir John Erneburg may have been invented by Katherine! Ernburg is PROPERTY held by Sir Simon, and presumably "Erneburga" was meant to fall heir to it.

Following the death of Simon, Katherine embarked on a series of legal claims to estates formerly held by her father, Phillip de Wyvelesby:

No sooner had the Abbot of Meaux obtained possession of the Weelsby Manor than he leased it to {33} the Abbey of Wellow along with lands belonging to it in Thorpe (Hoole), Little Cotes, Bradley, Grimsby, Waltham, Brigsley, and Clee. Cal. Rot. Pat. et Cal. Inquis. Post Mortem. This was in 1294. Their new acquisition was not destined however to afford the Monks of Wellow much satisfaction: hardly had they entered upon the enjoyment of it than Katerina the widow of Sir Simon Constable (who had died in 1293) laid claim to those of the lands which were located in Clee, Brigsley, Waltham and Grimsby. But the monks were able to make good their title and the lady was nonsuited: whereupon she promptly applied to the King in parliament at Lincoln for a writ of enquiry. Meanwhile the Mayor of Grimsby was distraining upon the property in dispute for the cost of the trial in the town court. The case came before Lord Chief Justice Scrope in the Court of King’s Bench in the year 1326, and Placit in Domo. Capit. Westm. the Abbots of Meaux and Wellow were able to prove that the lands to which Dame Constable laid claim had formed part of the Manor of Weelsby and as such had been held by the King prior to his Grant to the Abbey of Meaux. The widow being again non-suited the Wellow monks were left in peaceful possession for 27 years. During this period the old generations of claimants died off—but in the reign of Edward III. a grandson of Sir Simon and Katerina Constable one John de Faulkenberg, of Blyton, as heir of the former claimant, re-instituted proceedings against the Monastery at the Court at Barrow, and upon failing the first time, after four years renewed his suit, but as unsuccessfully as before.

Katherine was clearly still alive in 1326 when the case when before the Court of King's Bench.