Research Notes:
John Fitzherbert, of Norbury, reportedly married Benedicta, daughter of John Bradburne, of The Hough, Derbyshire, and died on 24 July 1531, having had, in addition to an illegitimate daughter (Jane, who married Anthony Basford, of Broadlow, Ash); Nicholas, Elizabeth, Anne, and Edith. [1]
1496 In a case before the King's Council, John Fitzherbert and John Madeley disputed rights to graze on land, in Quykkeshull, that John Fitzherbert had inherited from his father Rauff Fitzherbert. John Fitzherbert came upon animals grazing on the land and impounded the animals, which belonged to John Madeley. One animal died. Madeley stated that there was an agreement that animals could graze on the land. There was much testimony about deeds and leases. The final testimony was made by Richard Gener, a blind man, who recounted that he was son of the baillif to Katheryn and Symon Hanley, who had been leasing the land to the father of Madeley before the land was sold to Rauff Fitzherbert. The resolution of the case was not stated. [2]
1517 John Fitzherbert, oldest son of Ralph, dated his will. [3]:
This is the tomb of John Fitzherbert, twelfth lord of Norbury, already mentioned as the eldest son of Ralph. By his will, dated September 21st, 1517, he left his body to be buried in the parish church of Norbury, "under the newe made arche benethe the Steple or els where god shall otherwyse dispose it." He therein orders that thirteen pounds of wax shall be used in as many tapers "abowte my herse in the honor of God and our lady at my dirge and on the 7th day after," and that two tapers should be kept constantly burning till the seventh day was past He bequeaths a penny to "all Christen clerks that can and will say a de profundis for my soule, also every man woman and child that comes to my buriall shall have a farthing white loffe and a penny of silver, and the ringers of the bells 8d." To the church of Norbury he leaves twenty marks to buy "a cope of velvett and vestment branshed of one colour."
John Fitzherbert had three daughters—Elizabeth, the wife of Sir Philip Draycote, Anne, the wife of John Wells, of Hoarcross, and Editha; but his only son, Nicholas, who married Dorothy, daughter of Sir Ralph Longford, died without issue, in his father's lifetime. Norbury then reverted to Sir Anthony Fitzherbert, younger brother of John.
[1] Charles Mosley, ed., Burke's Peerage, Baronetage, & Knightage, 107th edition, Vol. 3 (Willington, Delaware: Burke's Peerage & Gentry, LLC, 2003), 3710.
[2] Select Cases Before the King's Council in the Star Chamber, commonly called the Court of the Star Chamber, 1477-1509 (Publications of the Selden Society, Vol. 16, 1902), 54-69, at 68, "Madeley v Fitzherbert", [GoogleBooks], [GoogleBooks], [GoogleBooks].
[3] J Charles Cox, Notes on the Churches of Derbyshire, Vol. 3, "the Hundred of Appletree and Repton and Gresley" (1877), 239, [InternetArchive], [GoogleBooks].