John, King of England have involved only a few of his pack-horses. Modern historians assert that by October 1216 John faced a "stalemate", "a military situation uncompromised by defeat". John's illness grew worse and by the time he reached Newark Castle he was unable to travel any farther; John died on the night of 18/19 October. Numerous – probably fictitious – accounts circulated soon after his death that he had been killed by poisoned ale, poisoned plums or a "surfeit of peaches". His body was escorted south by a company of mercenaries and he was buried in Worcester Cathedral in front of the altar
Nicholas de Moels baron of Okehampton, who had inherited much of the land formerly held by Baldwin, including Okehampton Castle. This John de Molis, perhaps a brother of Nicholas, would also hold Lashbrook, Dornaford, Exbourn and Highampton, which had been held by a Roger de Molis in 1086. Nicholas was born in about 1195 and appears to have spent some of his early life in the court of King John (1199-1216), whose son King Henry III (1216-1272) he would later serve. He served as Sheriff of Hampshire (1228–1232), Sheriff of Devon (1234), and Sheriff of Yorkshire (1239–1242); also as Constable of Winchester Castle,