BEQUEST OF A. L. CROSS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS QUEEN JANE SEYMOUR From engraving in the British Museum after portrait LORD SEYMOUR, DUKE OF SOMERSET AND LORD From engraving in the British Museum. THOMAS SEYMOUR, LORD SEYMOUR OF SUDELEY LADY ARABELLA (STUART) SEYMOUR . From engraving in the British Museum (John Whit- ELIZABETH (ALINGTON), LADY SEYMOUR, WIFE From engraving in the British Museum (J. J. Van CHARLES SEYMOUR, SIXTH DUKE OF SOMERSET: From engraving in the British Museum (I. Smith fec.) SIR EDWARD SEYMOUR, FOURTH BARON SEYMOUR From engraving in the British Museum (Roth delt.). 254 pinxt.) Facing page 228 ISABELLA ANNE (INGRAM SHEPHERD), SECOND From engraving in the British Museum (Reynolds From engraving in the British Museum (Lawrence ADMIRAL GEORGE FRANCIS SEYMOUR From engraving in the British Museum (Francis 308 322 THE SEYMOUR FAMILY INTRODUCTORY In the early history of the Seymour or St. Maur family so much is vague, that although it is possible to carry back their presumptive pedigree to pre-Conquest times such a task seems useless in the lack of genuine evidence. Tradition has it that a family of St. Maur lived in the eighth century in a little village of Touraine, St. Maur-sur-Loire, which took its name from a certain black hermit called St. Maur or Mauras.1 That such a family existed is probable, but that it directly represented the family, which was to come into predominance in Tudor times, is nowhere proved. Indeed the most important link in the facts which are supposed to connect the two families is based on pure hypothesis. Even the best authorities can only assign a possible 1 This Maur is said to have lived in the village in the seventh century and to have claimed, like other Abyssinian princes, an informal descent from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. He is probably a myth; at any rate the village certainly took its name from the St. Maur (an Italian monk sent from Nursie to France at the request of the Bishop of Mans), who founded a monastery, the oratory of which still exists, in the little village then called Glenfeuil and later St. Maur-sur-Loire. See Vita S. Mauri, p. 274, etc. 2 See pedigree of family as given by La Chenaye des Bois [1873], xviii, 183. * H. St. Maur, Annals of the Seymour Family, p. 4. After quoting the pedigree from La Chenaye des Bois the author goes on to state that the William son of Goscelin (who according to La Chenaye des Bois died without issue), 'seems to have had a son Wido.' A father to the Guy de St. Maur who, according to the most unreliable evidence of the Battle Abbey Roll, is said to have followed the Conqueror to England. And since it is from this Guy that all the branches of the family are supposed to descend, it is clear that the position is weak and untenable. Who then, we may ask, were the ancestors of Queen Jane Seymour? In the lack of certainty we must pass aside the crowd of those bearing her name, who in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries figure in the early assize rolls and other ordinary documents, in all parts of England. When we have done this we can centre our attention on one William St. Maur, who in the first half of the thirteenth century was holding lands in Monmouthshire, and bore as his coat-of-arms the pair of wings which still form part of the arms of the Seymours or St. Maurs, Dukes of Somerset. The first that is heard of this William is that in 1235 he entered into a questionable agreement with Gilbert Marshall, fourth Earl of Pembroke (of the second creation), to wrest the manor of Undy from a Welshman, Morgan ap Howell, Lord of Caerleon. This they proposed to do according to English law, and agreed that when they had acquired the manor they should divide it equally between them, and Gilbert, Earl of Pembroke, should pay William St. Maur £10 of the whole manorial rent of £20, and, whatever circumstances might arise, William should remain in possession. Further intent on improving his possessions and estates, William enlarged the castle at Penhow, which belonged to him, built a church at Penhow which he dedicated in honour of the Abbot St. Maur (now changed to St. John the Baptist). He had already assured his position in the country by marrying the third daughter of William Marshall, first Earl of Pembroke (of the second creation). Penhow Castle, though so small in extent that it has been described simply as an early manorial residence, with no outworks, no drawbridge, gate-house or portcullis, and no embattled towers, is nevertheless of great interest as one of the earliest known homes of the St. Maurs. It stands on a high headland, overlooking the country, and is approached by a road winding up the steep hill on the western side. From the road can be seen the modern dwelling-house, built some two centuries ago, in front of the original buildings. The earliest work in the castle, namely, the tower, usually miscalled the old Norman Tower,' is thirteenth century,1 and stands, with some alterations, as it was first built by William de St. Maur. At a somewhat later period, possibly by William himself, the castle was evidently, from internal evidence, enlarged and completed, being enclosed by walls of great thickness. Until the fifteenth century the castle presumably remained unaltered, but long before that time Penhow had passed from the direct line of the St. Maurs, who were to become Dukes of Somerset. William St. Maur, the builder of Penhow, had two sons, William and Roger. William, the elder, living in 1270, became known as of Penhow; Roger, the younger, as of Undy. Of these two sons William presumably died without children, since Roger, son of Roger his younger brother, from whom the Dukes of Somerset descended, was holding both Penhow and Undy in 1314. This Roger married Joan, the daughter of one of the Damarels of Devon, and left two sons, John and Roger. John, the elder son, held Penhow, and died in 1385, leaving a son Roger, aged eighteen. Roger left an only daughter and heir, Isabel, who married (c. 1382) John Bowler or Bowlay of Penhow, and carried Penhow Castle into the Bowlay family. 1 It is thus, with the exception of the great Norman keep at Chepstow Castle, one of the earliest domestic buildings in this part of the country. (See C. O. S. Morgan, Notes on Penhow Castle [Caerleon Antiq. Ass.], 1867.) |