James Fitzwilliam

[1] He married, after 1390, a daughter of Sir John Cruys or Cruise (died 1407) and his wife Matilda Verdon of Clonmore (now Togher), County Meath, one of several marriages between the two families, and had at least one son, Phillip.

Cruys was a distinguished diplomat and military commander and a major landowner in Dublin, who held the manors of Mount Merrion, Stillorgan and Thorncastle, which comprise roughly modern Booterstown.

[2] Whereas Sir John was forgiven payment of the Crown rent on his estates, due to the devastation of his lands by Irish clans from County Wicklow, the Fitzwilliams were assessed at £5 and 8 shillings a year.

In 1406 there were complaints that James was unlawfully intruding into the Cruys estates at Merrion and Thorncastle, and alienating property there, but he received a royal pardon.

He was a ward of his father's successor as Chief Baron, James Cornwalsh;[4] ironically Cornwalsh was murdered 20 years later in a private war with the Fitzwilliam family over the disputed possession of Baggotrath Castle,[4] although Philip himself was not, as far as is known, personally involved in the feud, which was carried on mainly by his cousin William Fitzwilliam and William's wife Ismay Perrers.