Sir Nicholas de Loveyne

Sir Nicholas de Loveyne (died 24 September 1375) was a major English property owner and courtier, who held a number of senior positions in the service of King Edward III.

The parentage of Sir Nicholas de Loveyne (Lovayne/Lovaine/Lovain/Louveyne) has not been firmly established. There is evidence that suggests he may have been a son of Sir Thomas de Loveyne, whose own father Sir Matthew de Loveyne held land in Little Easton, Essex in 1300.

Writing at the end of the 18th century, Edward Hasted stated that Nicholas "was a descendant of the noble family of Lovaine, a younger branch of the duke of Lorraine. Godfrey de Lovaine, having that surname from the place of his birth, possessed lands in England in right of his mother, grand daughter of king Stephen."

He married twice, both of his wives having the Christian name Margaret. This has been one reason for confusion about his marriages and the associated relatives, a subject that is comprehensively discussed with extensive reference to original sources in two articles by Walter Lee Sheppard Jr. Accounts of the activities of Nicholas and his relations appear in numerous other printed and online publications. Amongst the former is a substantial proportion of "Godstone: a parish history". However, this book was written before some of its conclusions were challenged by Walter Lee Sheppard's articles.

Sir Nicholas’ first wife was Margaret, daughter of John de Bereford, a citizen of London, and widow of Sir John de Pulteney, who died on 8 June 1349. Margaret’s marriage to Nicholas evidently took place between that date and 1 September 1350. On 12 October of the same year Nicholas obtained custody of the lands and marriage of William de Pulteney, the son and heir of Margaret’s first husband. William de Pulteney died on 20 January 1366/7 and it appears from the evidence given at an inquisition post mortem held on 2 July 1367 that his mother was still alive on the latter day.

There is no definite evidence of any children from Nicholas’ first marriage. However, it is possible that one “Guy de Loveyne” who on 22 April 1365 was included in an indenture that entailed much of the de Pulteney estates and who does not appear to be recorded subsequently may have been a child of that marriage who presumably died young.

Nicholas married Margaret de Vere, the widow of Henry de Beaumont, 3rd Baron Beaumont, who had died on 25 July 1369. Margaret was a daughter of John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford and his wife Maud de Badlesmere. The marriage must have taken place without royal consent, as on 9 May 1375 a pardon was granted to the couple for Margaret having married without the King’s licence.