According to other sources, we know that John Fitz Alan was born 14 Sep. 1246, whereas the fine was dated 14 May 1260. As such, the fine was recorded a mere four months before John Fitz Alan reached his 14th birthday. The fine was evidently part of the preparations the parents of the two parties took immediately prior to the consumation of the marriage.

The wording of this fine reflects the fact that by medieval custom, couples betrothed as children were considered married, regardless of the fact that their marriage had not yet been consumated. As such, I believe it is incorrect to say there was a difference in Latin phrases, "led in marriage" or "married" in this time period. As we can see in this fine, the bethrothed couple are called "married," even though the fine makes it clear that the marriage was not consumated.

As a side note, the bride in this fine, Isabel de Mortimer, was grandaughter of the ever popular Gladys Dhu, daughter of Llewelyn ap Iowerth, Prince of North Wales. The marriage between Isabel de Mortimer and John Fitz Alan was in due course consumated and surviving children born to the marriage. The manor of Chipping Norton, co. Oxford mentioned in the fine descended in the Fitz Alan family until about 1385, when it was settled by Richard de Arundel, 11th Earl of Arundel, on his niece, Philippe Arundel, wife of Richard Sergeaux, in satisfaction of her claims on her grandfather, the 10th Earl's estate. The manor was subsequently held by Philippe (Arundel) Sergeaux's descendants.

Best always,

Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah, Home of the Winter 2002 Olympics

E-mail: royalancestry@msn.com