Nicholas de Moels of North Cadbury in Somerset, was an Anglo-Norman royal administrator and household knight of King Henry III. In this capacity he was assigned many and varied offices and duties, often of a temporary nature. He married a wealthy heiress which transformed him into a major landholder and feudal baron. In 1244 whilst serving as Seneschal of Gascony, he inflicted a defeat on the King of Navarre whom he took prisoner in the field.
Origins
His parentage is unknown. His surname appears to derive from the Norman manor of Meulles in Calvados, south-west of Orbec, in the Diocese of Lisieux. Devonshire historian Tristram Risdon stated that he "descended of an ancient lineage in this shire" but provided no further detail. One of the many tenants of Devonshire baron Baldwin de Meulles, a Domesday Booktenant in chief, was a certain "Roger de Moles", who held from him at least the two manors or estates of Lew Trenchard and Waddlescot / Warson. Later, in 1242 as recorded in the Book of Fees, these lands were held by a certain "John de Molis" from John de Courtenay, feudal baron of Okehampton, who had inherited much of the land formerly held by Baldwin, including Okehampton Castle. This John de Molis, perhaps a brother of Nicholas, would also hold Lashbrook, Dornaford, Exbourn and Highampton, which had been held by a Roger de Molis in 1086. Nicholas was born in about 1195 and appears to have spent some of his early life in the court of King John, whose son King Henry III he would later serve.
Matther Paris wrote as follows concerning events in 1243: Which may be translated as follows: in Chronica Majora In September 1243 King Henry III left Gascony to return to England, having on 17 June 1243 appointed Nicholas de Moels as Seneschal of Gascony, as is related by Matthew Paris in his Chronica Majora, with a marginal illustration of the King and Queenon board a ship with a man in a small boat alongside, apparently de Moels seeing him off. The Latin text following the illustration is as follows: Translated as: In 1244 in Gascony de Moels inflicted a defeat on the King of Navarre, capturing him in person on the battlefield, according to the Devonshire historian Tristram Risdon. He was relieved of that office, with commendation for his service, in July 1245. The event is related as follows by Matthew Paris: Which may be translated:
Many of the gifts of land he received from the king were temporary in nature, comprising lands forfeited by other landholders but later restored to them. In 1217 he was granted a lease of the manor of Watlington in Oxfordshire, "for his sustenance in the king's service". In 1226 he was granted Little Berkhamstead, which was later confirmed to him in fee. After his marriage in 1230 to Hawise de Newmarch, heiress of North Cadbury and many other manors, he became a major landholder in his own right. He continued to receive royal grants. In 1230 he was granted the royal demesne manors of King's Carswell and Diptford in Devon. In 1250/1 he was granted free warren in his manors of Cadbury and nearby Mapperton in Dorset.
Personal life
In or after 1230 he married, Hawise de Newmarch, widow of John de Botreaux and younger daughter & co-heiress of James de Newmarch, feudal baron of North Cadbury in Somerset. The other sister Isabel de Newmarch, married Ralph Russell, son of her guardian Sir John Russell of Kingston Russell in Dorset, also a household knight of King John and of the young King Henry III to whom he also acted as steward. By Hawise he had children including:
James de Moels, eldest son and heir apparent who predeceased his father. In 1243 he was assigned to be educated with Prince Edward, son of King Henry III.
