John de Gisors

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John de Gisors (also Gisorz, Gisorcio or Jessors;[1] c. 1279 – 1351)[2] was an English Member of Parliament. He was a Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for City of London in 1306 and 1310.[3]

TNA, extract of document SC 8/258/1288 reads "...what John de Gisors did when he was mayor...".[4]

Background

Little is known of John de Gisors' youth or upbringing. His family roots may have originally been French

aldermen, and its representation as MPs.[1] Both John's father and grandfather were also named John; the former died in 1282 and the latter in 1296.[6] His father had remained loyal to King Henry III during the Second Barons' War of the 1260s;[7] Both he his father—the first John—were also elected <Ps for London during their careers.[8]

John de Gisors' date of birth is unknown. However, the

vintner and rentier,[6] His most recent biographer, Elspeth Veale, speculates that he probably lived in St Martin Vintry parish.[6] although how big his trade was has been questioned. The scholar Gwyn A. Williams argues that, in fact, "there is little evidence that [de Gisors] sold any wine at all" and that, at most, he seems to have made around £11 per annum from offering wine cellarage to Gascons.[10]

Political career

Relations with the crown and foreign and domestic merchants

De Gisors was elected alderman for St Martin Vintry in 1306 at a time of significant political turbulence both in London and nationally.

chronicler goes as far as saying that "many people were imprisoned and impoverished" at de Gisors command.[15]

De Gisors was also personally affected by the struggle between crown and nobility. His trade in wine had been damaged when the King granted

Seymour Phillips describes relations between King and city at this time as being "in a delicate state".[18] The following year peace was made between de Gisors' anti-alien faction and the more conservative members of the council led by William de Leyre.[6] In order to quell discontent among the citizens, in 1311 he presided over an assembly of alderman that for the first time codified the principle that the mayor and aldermen were collectively responsible for the citizenry.[19][note 4] He had allowed the reforming party on the council to gain their articles and accepted their pay, and this assembly, in Williams' words, was followed by "followed up with a brisk attack on aliens".[21]

Under attack

In 1314 de Gisors was elected as MP—along with de Leyre—to attend Parliament in

felon—be bailed, and such accusations of misprision were sufficient for the King to suspend the mayoralty entirely, arrest de Gisors, and appoint a crown official in his place. De Gisors was only released after appearing before Edward" and 'humbly besought on [de Gisors'] knees his grace and goodwill'".[22] This he received, but he was also fined and dismissed as alderman;[6] Natalie Fryde has argued that, with de Gisors' offences going back supposedly seven years, it is more likely that it was the excuse the King needed to take control of the mayoralty for political, rather than judicial, ends.[23] However, by 1319 de Gisors was appointed to a panel of inquisitors instructed to root out Londoners who supported the King's enemies. This resulted in numerous extortion charges, but, most dramatically, the conviction and hanging of Hamo de Chigwell. "This", comments Williams, "was dangerous. The London chroniclers virtually accuse the jury of personal animosity" against him.[24]

This treatment led de Gisors to through in his lot with the King's enemies, led by his wife, Queen Isabella and her lover, Roger Mortimer. Mortimer was imprisoned in the Tower in 1322, but in September the following year de Gisors assisted in his escape to France;[6] de Gisors owned the mill and warehouse[25] that Mortimer hid in before sailing.[26] The King, notes Phillips, "was now paying the price for his interference in London politics".[27] On a local level, in October 1424, de Gisors was questioned over the discovery of a woman's body under a riverside wharf, although it was assumed she probably just fell into the fast flowing river.[28] He returned three years later with Isabelle and an army; entering London, they placed the Tower in de Gisor's holding. In this role he led London's contingent to bring the now-captured King to the deposition parliament in February 1327. However, he had lost his constableship by March, and appears to have renounced public life and civic affairs.[6]

Personal life

De Gisors' mother, Marjorie, is known to have died in July 1305;.[15] He had four brothers — Henry and Anketin, who both also became aldermen and mayors of London, and Thomas and Richard[29]—and four sisters. They were Beatrice, Mabel, Joanne and Isabel.[15]

John de Gisors married twice; firstly, to Isabella, who may have died the year before him, and subsequently to one Alice.

£100 and property in 13 parishes to Alice, and St Martin's Vintry church for the ordaining of a chantry in his family's name.[6]

Notes

  1. ^ Situated on Bread Street, its crypt survived until 1852.[9]
  2. ^ "In fact", says Warner, "Londoners 'rested from all work' for an entire week 'for joy at the birth' of their future king".[14]
  3. ^ These reforms did not last much beyond de Gisors' own mayoralty, being withdrawn in 1316.[16]
  4. ^ In the event, three such assemblies were called, and while all the aldermen attended at least one of them, de Gisors was one of only three to attend all.[20]
  5. ^ Margaret married Henry Picard, himself elected Mayor of London in 1356 and 1357.[30] She subsequently married Sir Bartholomew Burghersh as his second wife,[31] and lived until 1393.[32] Felicia was wife to Thomas Travers.[33]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 0472060724
    – via Google Books.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-1-5267-7637-2
    .
  3. ^ "Chronological list of aldermen: 1302-1400 | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk.
  4. ^ a b "Catalogue description Petitioners: People of London. Addressees: King and council. Nature of".
  5. ISBN 978-0-472-06072-6
    .
  6. ^
    doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/52181. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  7. ^ Hilton, R. H. (1963). Medieval London [Review of Medieval London. From Commune to Capital, by G. A. Williams]. Past & Present, 26, 98–101; p.100
  8. ^ BRESLOW, B. (1989). London Merchants and the Origins of the House of Commons. Medieval Prosopography, 10(2), 51–80; p. 75 n.63
  9. ^ a b "Notes: Volume 1, pp.301-end | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk.
  10. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=2xoOAQAAMAAJ p.118
  11. ^ a b https://books.google.com/books?id=99V2omf9odQC&q=gisors p.66
  12. ISBN 9780300178029
    – via Google Books.
  13. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=JfrnzgEACAAJ&q=London,+A+Fourteenth-Century+City+and+Its+People p.135
  14. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=JfrnzgEACAAJ&q=London,+A+Fourteenth-Century+City+and+Its+People p.132
  15. ^ a b c d https://books.google.com/books?id=JfrnzgEACAAJ&q=London,+A+Fourteenth-Century+City+and+Its+People p.136
  16. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=nR3ns6jJXFgC&dq=%22John+de+Gisors%22&pg=PA479 p.479
  17. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=JfrnzgEACAAJ&q=London,+A+Fourteenth-Century+City+and+Its+People pp.51, 96
  18. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=uvQWuQAACAAJ&q=%22edward+ii%22+pphilips p.196
  19. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=99V2omf9odQC&q=gisors p.67
  20. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=99V2omf9odQC&q=gisors p.70 +n.
  21. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=2xoOAQAAMAAJ pp.267, 274
  22. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=JfrnzgEACAAJ&q=London,+A+Fourteenth-Century+City+and+Its+People p.159
  23. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=MekRPcFKOHAC p.171
  24. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=2xoOAQAAMAAJ pp.304–305
  25. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=MekRPcFKOHAC p.173
  26. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=uvQWuQAACAAJ&q=%22edward+ii%22+pphilips p.441 n.204
  27. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=uvQWuQAACAAJ&q=%22edward+ii%22+pphilips p.441
  28. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=JfrnzgEACAAJ&q=London,+A+Fourteenth-Century+City+and+Its+People p.163
  29. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=JfrnzgEACAAJ&q=London,+A+Fourteenth-Century+City+and+Its+People pp.11, 136
  30. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=w28BAAAAYAAJ&dq=Sir+Henry+Picard++Lord+Mayor+1356&pg=PA466 Thomas Pennant, Some Account of London, 1813, p. 466
  31. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=99V2omf9odQC&q=gisors p.266
  32. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=JfrnzgEACAAJ&q=London,+A+Fourteenth-Century+City+and+Its+People p.141
  33. ^ Beaven, Alfred Beaven (May 30, 1913). "The Aldermen of the City of London Temp. Henry III.-1908: With Notes on the Parliamentary Representation of the City, the Aldermen and the Livery Companies, the Aldermanic Veto, Aldermanic Baronets and Knights, Etc". E. Fisher, limited – via Google Books.
  34. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=JfrnzgEACAAJ&q=London,+A+Fourteenth-Century+City+and+Its+People p.130
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