John Handlo, her last husband, and who assumed his mother's family name[1], came into estates greatly diminished.
Edward Burnell served in many actions in Scotland under Edw. I., and appeared with great splendour. He was always attended with a chariot decked with banners; on which, as well as on the trappings of his horses, were depicted his arms. He married Alice, daughter of Lord Despenser, by whom he had no issue. On his decease in 1315, his sister Maude became sole heir. She married first John, Lord Lovel of Tichmarsh, surnamed the Rich; he died in 1335. Her second husband was John de Handle, who died in 1346, and left by her one son, Nicholas Lord Burnell, the subject of much contest in the court of chivalry with Robert de Morley, on account of the arms which Nicholas bore, in right of certain lands of the barony of Burnell, bestowed on him by his mother. These arms de Morley had assumed without any just pretence; but because, as he declared, "it was his will and pleasure so to do, and that he would defend his so doing." Probably he had no arms of his own, having been the first of his family who had appeared in a military capacity. He had served as esquire to Sir Edward Burnell, without any other domestic than one boy; and ever since the death of his master assumed the arms in dispute. It happened that they both were at the siege of Calais, under Edw. III. in 1346, arrayed in the same arms. Nicholas Lord Burnell challenged the arms as belonging to the Burnells only, he having at that time under his command a hundred men, on whose banners were his proper arms. Sir Peter Corbet, then in his retinue, offered to combat with Robert de Morley in support of the right which his master had to the arms, but the duel never took place, probably because the king denied his assent. The suit was then referred to the court of chivalry, held on the sands at Calais, before William Bohun, earl of Northampton, high constable of England, and Thomas Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, earl marshal. The trial lasted several days, when Robert, apprehending that the cause would go against him, took an opportunity, in presence of the king, to swear by God's flesh, that if the arms in question were adjudged from him, he never more would arm himself in the king's service. On this the king out of personal regard for the signal services he had performed in those arms, and considering the
- ↑ Bridges's Northants., vol. ii. p. 36.
