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From: (Reedpcgen)
Subject: Re: Edmund, Earl of Lancaster's cousin, John de St. John
Date: 12 Aug 2003 12:24:50 GMT
References: <20030812080921.07525.00000331@mb-m18.aol.com>
John,
Also remember that during the earlier period we are exploring, it was required
that one know one's ancestry back through the 7th degree. (That puts the "rule
of 5" to bed!).
Two people could not marry if they had a common ancestor within 7 generations
of their ancestry. It was not until the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215 that
this was reduced. Tricky thing, Church law.
We would therefore EXPECT they would know their ancestry back seven
generations, at the least, and more in famous lines. One has to only look at
the _Pedigrees from the Plea Rolls_ to find evidence that numerous families of
normal gentry status in England knew extended ancestry.
Paul
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