This John being second son to King Edward the Second, was born[363] at Eltham in Kent, upon the festival of the Blessed Virgin’s Assumption, in anno 1316, the 9th of his father’s reign; and in 16 Edward II. had a grant[364] in fee of the castle, manor, and honour of Tuttebury, part of the possessions of Thomas Earl of Lancaster, then attainted. Also in 1 Edw. III. another[365] in general tail of the manor of Milham in com. Norfolk; and a third[366] in reversion after the death of John de Britannia, Earl of Richmond, to himself and the heirs male of his body, of the honour of Richmond, with all the castles, manors, and lands belonging thereto; shortly after which, viz. in 2 Edw. III. he was advanced[367] to the title of Earl of Cornwall in that parliament which begun at Salisbury after the quindesme of St. Michael. And in 3 Edw. III. the king, then going[368] into France to do his homage for the dukedom of Aquitaine, was constituted[369] his lieutenant here during his absence. In 4 Edw. III. he had another grant[370] in tail general of twenty pounds per annum, by the title of Earl of Cornwall, to be paid out of the issues of that county; likewise of the manor of Hanlegh, and of the castle and manor of Eye, with the hamlets of Dalingho, Alderton, Thorndon, and certain lands in Clopton, in com. Suffolk; also of twenty pounds yearly rent, payable by the Prior of Bromholme, in com. Norfolk, for the manor of Baketone; of certain rents pertaining to the honour of Eye in com. Norfolk, Suff. and Essex; of the guardianship of the castle of Eye, and of the free court in Lincoln belonging thereto; of the castle, town, and honour of Berkhamstead in com. Hertford; of the manor of Risberghe, with the park and manor of Cippenham, in com. Bucks; of the castle, town, and honour of Walingford in com. Berks, with its members; of the honour of St. Walerie, in com. Oxon, and other counties; of the mills at Oxford, with the meadow there called Kingsmede; of the manors of Boudon and Haverbergh in com. Leicester; of the manor of Byflete in com. Surrey; and of the town of Rokyngham in com. Northampton, all of which were then valued[371] at two thousand per annum. Besides which, he then also obtained a grant[371] of the hundreds of Hertsmere and Stow in com. Suffolk, and of the yearly ferme of Queenhithe in the city of London.