John de Lilburne

Sir John de Lilburne of West Lilburn (1279-1355) was a knight who held numerous political and military offices during the first half of the 14th Century. A member of the Lilburn family of Northumberland, Sir John took part in the Gilbert Middleton rebellion against Edward II of England, acting on behalf of the monarch's cousin, the 2nd Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster.
== Parentage ==
Lilburne was son of Vieuxpont (or Vipont) (1255-1333), daughter of Robert de Vieuxpont, II Baron of Westmoreland; Idonea owned Pendragon Castle and founded St Mary's Outhgill in Mallerstang, Cumbria. The identity of his father is uncertain: evidence in a pedigree following visitations in 1575, 1615 and 1666 indicates him to have been William de Lilburne, member of the Lilburn family who held manors throughout Northumberland;Middleton, Sir Arthur E. (1918). Sir Gilbert de Middleton. Mawson Swan and Morgan Limited. p. 86-92.J E E S Sharp and A E Stamp, 'Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward II, File 80', in Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem: Volume 6, Edward II (London, 1910), pp. 274-283. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/inquis-post-mortem/vol6/pp274-283 [accessed 6 November 2022].Bateson, Edward (1895). A History of Northumberland. Issued Under the Direction of the Northumberland County History Committee, Volume 1. Reid. pp. 380-381.A.J. Lilburn, 'The Family of Lilburn of West Lilburn', Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, 4th Series, N. 9, pp. 402-403. other genealogical documentation from Northumberland, studying the family from the Vieuxpont side, shows that Sir John de Lilburne could be the son of a Roger (or Robert) de Leybourne, however the usage of the name Lilburne throughout contemporary sources referring to Sir John's exploits and offices would suggest the former.Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin & Descent 1086-1327, Oxford, 1960. pp.103-4, Appleby, pp23-24, Burgh-by_Sands.
== Rebellion against Edward II ==
He is listed in Edward II of England Wardrobe (government) accounts as one of 42 Household knight in attendence upon the King in court on Christmas Day 1315 and is recorded to have held the manor of West Lilburn in 1317.Exchequer Accounts, Wardrobe 377/1, 9 Edward IIA.J. Lilburn, 'The Family of Lilburn of West Lilburn', Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, 4th Series, N. 9, pp. 398-415.
In 1315, Sir John became Constable of Mitford Castle, having been seized from the Valence family by fellow household knight of the Royal court Gilbert Middleton,The Saturday magazine. Vol. 10. J. W. Parker. 1837. p. 50. and joined Sir Gilbert's adherents in open rebellion against Edward II, seizing Knaresborough Castle in 1317 (held by Sir John from 5th October 1317 to 29th January 1318) on behalf of the King's cousin, Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster|Thomas, the Earl of Lancaster.
During these events, on 1st September 1317, the rebel knights assaulted and "despoiled" the controversial Bishop-elect Elect Lewis de Beaumont,Middleton, Sir Arthur E. (1918). Sir Gilbert de Middleton. Mawson Swan and Morgan Limited. p. 20-21. his brother and Constable of the palatinate castle of Norham-upon-Tweed Henry de Beaumont, and two cardinals, Gaucelin de Jean and Luca Fieschi, as they approached Rushyford, between Woodham, County Durham and Ferryhill. The two cardinals were travelling from London to Scotland in order to arbitrate a truce with Robert the BruceBrown, Michael (2008). Bannockburn. The Scottish War and the British Isles 1307-1323. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, p. 150. while the Beaumont brothers were headed to Durham, England, accompanying the cardinals on their way North so that Lewis could be enthroned as bishop in their presence.Middleton, Sir Arthur E. (1918). Sir Gilbert de Middleton. Mawson Swan and Morgan Limited. p. 24. After despoiling the travellers, Sir Gilbert and Sir John imprisoned the Beaumonts at Mitford Castle, "delivering two horses to the cardinals to go freely to Durham" and later freeing Lewis de Beaumont on 17th October.Prestwich, Michael (2004). "Middleton, Sir Gilbert". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/53089 Sir John de Lilburne was listed among those who attacked the party of travellersMiddleton, Sir Arthur E. (1918). Sir Gilbert de Middleton. Mawson Swan and Morgan Limited. p. 28. but was pardoned for his involvement with Sir Gilbert (with the exception of the robbery committed upon the cardinals) on 19th March 1318 in accordance with the terms granted upon surrendering Knaresborough Castle and again on 12th November, forfeting a portion of his lands for adhering to the Earl of Lancaster's rebellion,Middleton, Sir Arthur E. (1918). Sir Gilbert de Middleton. Mawson Swan and Morgan Limited. p. 86-92. some of which were later restored to the family after Sir John's death.Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1358-1361, 141. In fact, despite his transgressions, Sir John was deemed to have borne "himself well towards the late king and the king and died in the fealty of the latter without any suspicion of evil against him" albeit an "adherent of the Scots with Gilbert de Middleton, traitor to the late king".
The rebellion itself ended in the same year after the execution of Sir Gilbert de Middleton (due to his station and that of the cardinals, assaulted while on a diplomatic mission, he was hanged, drawn and quartered on 26th January) with the stipulation of the Treaty of Leake on 9th August between Edward II and the Earl of Lancaster.
== Later offices and death ==
Sir John de Lilburne of West Lilburne was also Commission of array in Northumberland in 1325, a member of Parliament of England for Northumberland as of February 1327 and Sheriff of Northumberland from 1327 to 1328 and again in 1330.Fraser, Northumberland Petitions, 116, N. 92. Sir John de Lilburne of West Lilburne fought the Scots under Edward III and died in 1355.
Category:1279 births
Category:1355 deaths