William Faunt m. Isabel Sayer (Syor) and Richardson's MCA

With the permission of the author, I am copying below an email I
recently received pointing out potential error in Richardson's recently
published _Magna Carta Ancestry_ (pp. 232-233).

According to my correspondent, Douglas may have misread the pedigree of
the Faunt family in "The History and Antiquities of the County of
Leicester" (first published by John Nichols, 1807 - Richardson cites
this book in MCA) and ommitted a generation in the Faunt line (ancestral
to Henry Corbin).

Can anyone shed any additional light on this missing generation?

Can anyone comment on the reliability and accuracy of Nichols' bok,
"History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester"?

Greg Vaut

Douglas Richardson...

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah

[quote]
I have not read Douglas Richardson's work, but in this case he has
certainly misread Nichols Vol.IV., Pt1., pp.174-5., first published in
1807- not the first mistake I have seen from people quoting him!
The details I gave in my first e-mail are as Nichols has them (see below).
According to the MCA pages you sent me under the title 'Corbin' it
should, based on Nichols, read:
11. Alice Conyers (Richardson says Isabel) married Thomas Clervaux, son
of Sir John Clervaux and
Isabel, dau of Richard Richmond.
12. Alice Clervaux, daughter and heir married John Faunt of Wistow, "a
Counsellor learned in the
laws of the land, and in Commission for the Peace of the County.
Died at his house at Wistow,
County Huntingdon, and is buried in the church there."
13. John Faunt of Wistow married Anne, daughter of John Hide, and sister
of George Hide Esq.
[The William Faunt given by Richardson, and his brother Thomas both
died without issue]
14. William Faunt, "servant to Lord Poynings, temp Henry VII; buried at
Wistow" married Isabel,
daughter of John Syor (Richardson has Sayer).
15. William Faunt "purchased Foston; died there 4 Sept 1559, age 63.
Married (1) Anne Fielding. No
issue. Married (2) Jane, widow of Nicholas Purefoy Esq., but by
birth the daughter of George
Vincent of Peckleton. Jane died 1585, age 74.
[The Pedigrees of Purefoy and Vincent both confirm this]

Nichols mentions just the marriage of William and Jane's daughter Mary
to George Corbin of Hall End, Warwickshire. Jane died 1614.
About William Faunt (15 above) Nichols says, in a footnote:
"The whole manor of Foston about the latter end of King Henry VIII came
(by purchase) to William Faunt of Wistow, Esq.; and apprentice of the
law, and Fellow of the Inner Temple in London. A man of great learning,
wisdom, judgement, of great esteem and grace in his county, having been
chosen twice Knight of the Shire for the Parliament by voice of the
Shire; and in those busy, various, and uncertain times of the latter end
of King Henry VIII, Kinf Edward Vi and Queen Mary, ever carried himself
just and upright, holding that saying of Justin the Emperor to the
Senate always authentical "He that walks right, he fears no harm at all;
And he that keeps the straight way cannot fall". He was a Justice of the
Peace and Quorum, and in one copy of this pedigree is styled "Legis
professor and senescallus de Burton Hasard". He increased his original
property by the purchase of the Manors of Foston and Newton, with lands
at Tur Langton, Twyford, Clawson, Somerby, and Harby; and died at Foston
where he was buried 4 September 1559." [Nichols is here quoting from a
manuscript of William Burton, who wrote in the 1600s]

In a "Pedigree of the Family of Percy, possessors of the manor of Foston
in early Time", Nichols (p.174) continues the line back from Alice
Clervaux (who married John Faunt) through four generations of Clervaux
and then back to William Percy who "came into England with William the
Conqueror" he married Emma de Port.

Nichols spent most of his adult life researching the families of note in
Leicestershire and published his massive 8 vol. work between 1793 and
1811. We have a copy in our local library.

I hope this helps to clear things up a bit!
With every best wish to you and all of yours,
Martin Wood
Melton Mowbray,
Leicestershire,
England.
[end quote]