John de St. Omer of Well

Citations

1. [S381] Dutchess of Cleveland, The Battle Abbey Roll With Some Account of the Norman Lineages, pages 98-99 - Sent Omere : (mis-spelt S. Thomer by Leland) : " a branch of the house of Bethune, Barons of Bethune in Artois, Advocates or Protectors of Arras. This family was descended from the old Carlovingian Counts of Artois, and ranked among the most potent and illustrious houses in Europe. The great Duke of Sully was one of its descendants. It was extensively settled in England. William, Castellan de St. Omer, was a distinguished historical character temp. Hen. I."-The Norman People. " Hugh de St. Omer is mentioned as a baron of the realm by Matthew Paris. No doubt the family was seated at Beaupre Hall, Outwell, nigh the time of the Conquest; and mention is made by Sir Henry Spelman of John de St.. Omer, of Well, who wrote an answer to a monk of Peterborough who, in the time of King John, wrote a lampoon in Latin against the country people of Norfolk. Sir John de St. Omer was Keeper of the Wardrobe to Henry III. Sir William de St. Omer lived at Well 43 Henry III., and was Judge of the Assize for Cambridge. Sir Thomas, his son, married Petronilla de Malmains, temp. Ed. I., and left no issue male."-Blomfield's Norfolk. Sir William had a writ of military summons in 1263.
   The last heir, Sir Thomas, was seated at Mulbarton, which he held of Fitz Roger, and was also Lord of the village of Brundale, where, as well as at Mulbarton, his father " had a grant of a fair, with free warren, in i 253, being then with the King in Gascoyn in France." He was twice married ; first to Petronella, daughter and coheir of Nicholas de Malemains, and widow of Ralph Lord Tony, by whom he had a daughter named Alice ; and secondly to Beatrix . . . who brought him another daughter named Elizabeth. " This Thomas, at his Death, settled sufficient Revenue, out of his Lands at Mulbarton, on the Pittances of Norwich Cathedral, to keep his Anniversary for ever, and treat the Convent on that Day."-Ibid. He built the present parish church at 1Vlulbarton, where his effigy, and that of his first wife, till lately remained in one of the windows, with this inscription :
   Przi.3 pour Tel eIjotna4 entomeri4 et Manse Derittelle lac Jemtne.
   Alice, the eldest of his two coheiresses, married Sir William de Hoo, and was the mother of Thomas, created Lord Hoo and Hastings about 1445. Elizabeth married Thomas Waryne. Blomfield elsewhere makes mention of another sister, Christian, the wife of John de Beaupre (from whom Beaupre Hall took its name) : but she may possibly have been a grand-daughter.
   Besides his Norfolk estates, Sir Thomas was Lord of Bramshaw, in Wiltshire. According to Sir Richard Hoare, he died in 1365, but there must be some mistake in this date. He bore Azure a fesse between six cross-crosslets Or. Fuller tells us that he was Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1291, and for the next four years. Walter de St. Omer was one of the Justiciars of Salop 126667, but the name does not occur again in the county. Several of the name occur in the Pipe Roll of 1130.