Biography of John of Eltham 1st Earl Cornwall 1316
John of Eltham 1st Earl Cornwall 1316-1336 Edward II Created Prince of Wales Death of Edward I Marriage of King Edward II and Isabella of France Death of Edward II Roger Mortimer created Earl of March Battle of Halidon Hill
Biography of John of Eltham 1st Earl Cornwall 1316-1336 including his birth, marriages, death and life events, life events of his siblings, and his ancestry to five generations, royal ancestors and royal descendants.
Letters. 10 Oct 1316. Letter XXIII. [his mother] Isabella of France Queen Consort England (age 21) to her nephew John of Eltham 1st Earl Cornwall.

Most dear and beloved nephew,.

We have well understood what you have sent us word by your letters; and, as to our estate, we give you to know that we are even in great trouble of heart, but, considering the condition we are in, we were in good health of body at the setting forth of these letters, which our Lord ever grant to you. Dearest nephew, we pray you that you will leave off all excuses, and come to the king our son in the best manner you can, and as he commands you more fully by his letters. For you well know, dearest nephew, if you come not, considering the necessity that now exists, it will be greatly talked of, and will be a great dishonour to you. Wherefore make an effort to come at this time as hastily as you can, and you know well, dearest nephew, that we shall ever be ready to counsel you as well as we can in all things that shall be to your honour and profit. Most dear and beloved nephew, our Lord have you in his keeping. Given at Nottingham [Map], the 10th day of October.

Froissart. Oct 1326. AND then this tiding spread about the realm so much, that at the last it came to the knowledge of the lords by whom the [his mother] queen (age 31) was called again into England. And they apparelled them in all haste to come to [his brother] Edward (age 13) her son, whom they would have to their sovereign lord. And the first that came and gave them most comfort was Henry earl of Lancaster (age 45) with the wry neck, called Tort Col, who was brother to Thomas earl of Lancaster, beheaded as ye have heard herebefore, who was a good knight and greatly recommended, as ye shall hear after in this history. This earl Henry (age 45) came to the queen (age 31) with great company of men of war, and after him came from one part and other earls, barons, knights and squires, with so much people that they thought them clean out of perils, and always increased their power as they went forward. Then they took counsel among them that they should ride straight to the town of Bristow [Map], whereas the [his father] king (age 42) was, and with him the Spencers. The which was a good town and a strong, and well closed, standing on a good port of the sea, and a strong castle, the sea beating round about it. And therein was the king (age 42) and Sir Hugh Spencer the elder (age 65), who was about ninety of age, and Sir Hugh Spencer (age 40) his son, who was chief governour of the king (age 42) and counselled him in all his evil deeds. Also there was the earl of Arundel (age 20), who had wedded the daughter (age 14) of sir Hugh Spencer (age 40), and di at Bristow, and besieged the town round about as near as they might: and the king (age 42) and sir Hugh Spencer the younger (age 40) held them in the castle [Map], and the old sir Hugh Spencer (age 65) and the earl of Arundel (age 20) held them in the town. And when the people of the town saw the great power that the queen (age 31) was of (for almost all England was of her accord), and perceived what peril and danger evidently they were in, they took counsel among themselves and determined that they would yield up the town to the queen (age 31), so that their lives and goods might be saved. And so they sent to treat with the queen and her council in this matter; but the queen nor her council would not agree thereto without she might do with sir Hugh Spencer (age 65) and with the earl of Arundel (age 20) what it pleased her. When the people of the town saw they could have no peace otherwise, nor save the town nor their goods nor their lives, in that distress they accorded to the queen (age 31) and opened the gates, so that the queen (age 31) and sir John of Hainault (age 38), and all her barons, knights and squires, entered into the town and took their lodgings within, as many as might, and the residue without. Then sir Hugh Spencer (age 65) and the earl of Arundel (age 20) were taken and brought before the queen (age 31), to do her pleasure with them. Then there was brought to the queen her own children, John her son (age 10) and her two daughters [Note. [his sister] Eleanor of Woodstock Plantagenet (age 8) and [his sister] Joan of the Tower Queen Consort Scotland (age 5)], the which were found there in the keeping of the said sir Hugh Spencer (age 65), whereof the queen had great joy, for she had not seen them long 'before. Then the king (age 42) might have great sorrow and sir Hugh Spencer the younger (age 40), who were fast enclosed in the strong castle, and the most part of all the realm turned to the queen's part and to Edward (age 13) her eldest son.

Froissart. 17 Mar 1328. And also they delivered to them again the black cross of Scotland, the which the good king Edward conquered and brought it out of the abbey of Scone [Map], the which was a precious relic; and all rights and interests that every baron had in Scotland was then clean forgiven. And many other things were done at that parliament to the great hurt and prejudice of the realm of England, and in manner against the wills of all the nobles of the realm, save only of [his mother] Isabel (age 33) the old queen and the bishop of Ely and the lord Mortimer (age 40): they ruled the realm in such wise, that every man was miscontent. So that the earl Henry of Lancaster (age 47) and sir [his uncle] Thomas Brotherton (age 27), earl marshal, and sir [his uncle] Edmund of Woodstock (age 26), the king's uncle, and divers other lords and commons were agreed together to amend these faults, if they might. And in that meantime the queen Isabel (age 33) and sir Roger Mortimer (age 40) caused another parliament to be holden at Salisbury, at the which parliament sir Roger Mortimer (age 40) was made earl of March against all the barons' wills of England, in prejudice of king and his realm, and sir John of Eltham (age 11) the king's brother was made earl of Cornwall. To the which parliament the earl Henry of Lancaster (age 47) would not come, wherefore the king was brought in belief that he would have destroyed his person; for the which they assembled a great host and went toward Bedford [Map], whereas the earl Henry (age 47) was with his company.

Effigy of John of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall. John of Eltham 1st Earl Cornwall

WAS the second son of Edward the Second by his Queen Isabella (age 42), and was horn at the Palace of the English Kings at Eltham in Kent [Map], on the Feast of the Blessed Virgin's Assumption 1316. In the second year of the reign of his elder brother, Edward III (age 24) he was created Earl of Cornwall. In the following year, the King going to France to do homage for the Dukedom of Aquitaine, he was appointed his Lieutenant for the Kingdom, as he was also on the King's expedition into Scotland in 1330. In the course of the above periods he had grants of numerous Lordships from the Crowna, the town of Lostwithiel (in the neighbourhood of Restormel Castle, the principal seat of the Earls of Cornwall in the County), all the wreck, port dues, issues, and profits of the district, the farm of the City of Exeter, the stannaries, and coinage or customs on stamping the tin in the County of Devon. In 1333 and 1334 he was with King Edward III in his expeditions into Scotland, and died at Berwick-upon-Tweed in October of the latter year. About the festival of Christmas, the King, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, returned out of Scotland to celebrate his obsequies in the Abbey Church of Westminster, where he was interred on the south side of the Choir. The Prior and Convent claimed £400 in lieu of his horse and armour, which, according to the custom, should have been presented as an offering at the altar of their Church. John of Eltham was but twenty-eight years of age at his death, and was never married. Various matches were proposed for him, as with Joan, the daughter of the Earl of Eu; Mary, the daughter of the Earl of Blois; Mary (age 18), daughter of Ferdinand Lord Lara in Castile, which last proposal came to a formal contract, rendered abortive bv his demise.

Nothing can be finer in its way than the sculpture of this effigy. There is no departure from the very usual recumbent attitude, the hands raised in prayer and the legs crossed; but there is a most beautiful simplicity in the whole figure, while the details of the arms and drapery are marked with elegant precision.

Details. Plate I. Portion of the head, with the ducal crown and mantelet depending from the lace; ornaments on the sword belt, handle, and scabbard of the sword; scalloped border of an aqueton, or some defence under the surcoat. Plate II. Ornaments on the top of the hood, or basinet, whichever it may be; plating of the gauntlets, pryck spur and leathers, plates on the solerette, buckle of the spur, with tongue of the strap.

Note a. See Dugdaie's Baronage, vol. 1. p. 207.