Most marriages were arranged between families for mutual gain or assistance. But in researching the story of Nicholaa de la Haye , I came across just that: a rather unique love token. Unfortunately, the love token did not belong to Nicholaa, the defender of Lincoln Castle and first ever female sheriff in England, it belonged to one of her sisters. Richard was the eldest son and heir of William du Hommet or Hummez , constable of Normandy, who died around and his wife, Lucy.
According to a charter dated , recording donations to the monks of Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte, Lucy was the granddaughter and heir of Adam de Bruys. She will have probably married Richard du Hommet some time in the s, when she was in her mid-to-late teens.
She died in the s and her husband remarried before his own death at the turn of the century. Julia and Richard had at least three sons and two or more daughters; two of these sons were the last two constables of Normandy from the Hommet family, succeeding their grandfather in the role. Richard du Hommet had certainly married Julia by the mids at the latest, when his grandfather, another Richard du Hommet, was still constable of Normandy, and while the younger Richard was still underage.
Richard du Hommet predeceased his father by four or five years, so never became constable of Normandy in his own right, though he does appear to have assisted his father in his duties.
The charter was preserved by the Abbey of Aunai, which had been founded by the du Hommet family. And it has very famous laces by which the seal was attached.
