Chaucer's Official Life

by James R. Hulbert

The wives of the esquires came chiefly from two classes—first, the "domicellae" of the queen's retinue, and second, the daughters and heiresses of country gentlemen. Esquires who married wives from the second class frequently owed a great part of their importance in the county to the estates which their wives brought. So, frequently in the county histories occurs an account of some esquire whose family and antecedents the writer has been, unable to trace, but who was prominent in the county—sheriff perhaps or Knight of the Shire—as a result of the lands he held in right of his wife. An example of this is Helmyng Leget, who was member of Parliament for Essex in 7 and 9 Henry IV, and sheriff in 1401 and 1408. He had married Alice, daughter and coheir of Sir Thomas Mandeville and received the estates of Stapleford-Taney, Bromfield, Chatham Hall in Great Waltham and Eastwick in Hertfordshire. [Footnote: Morant's Essex vol. 2, p. 75; vol. 1, part 2, p. 179.] Similarly John de Salesbury, who had received from the King a grant of the custody of the estates of John de Hastang defunct, and of the marriage of the latter's daughter and heir Johanna, married the lady himself and held in her right extensive lands. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 292, mem. 21, idem 289, mem. 30, Dugdale's Warwick, p. 313.]

John Beauchamp married Joan, daughter and heir of Robert le Fitzwyth. [Footnote: Ancient Deeds, A 8171.] Simond de Bokenham married Matilda Gerounde, who brought him the only land he possessed at his death. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 267, mem. 7, Inq. P. M. vol. 3, p. 173. ] Hugh Cheyne married Joan, daughter and heir of John de Wodeford. [Footnote: Abb. Rot. Orig. II; 264.] Robert Corby married Alice, daughter and heir of Sir John Gousall. [Footnote: Hasted's Kent II, 428.] Collard Dabrichecourt married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Sibilla, daughter of Thomas de Saye, and held in her right Strathfield-Saye. [Footnote: Beltz. Mem. of Garter, p. 90 ff, Woodworth, Wilks, Lockhart, Hampshire III, 274.] George Felbrig married Margaret, daughter of Elizabeth dame de Aspall, and received with her certain lands in Norfolk and Suffolk. [Footnote: Abstracts and Indexes—Duchy of Lancaster I, 157.] Robert Ferrers married Elizabeth Boteler, daughter and heir of William Boteler of Wemme. [Footnote: Dugdale I. 269. Cal. Inq. P.M. Ill, 333.] John Legge married Agnes de Northwode, coheir of the manour of Ertindon in Surrey. [Footnote: Manning's Surrey I. 85.] Hugh Wake married Joan de Wolverton and received lands with her. [Footnote: Baker's Northampton II, 252.] Walter Walssh married Joan Duylle, widow of John Fletcher, called "bel," and received with her the house of Gravebury, which she and her former husband had held. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 290, mem. 14.] Walter Whithors married Mabel, daughter and coheir of Philip Niweham (or Newnham.) [Footnote: Dugdale's Warwickshire, p. 86.]

Even more interesting—because of their analogy with Chaucer's marriage—are the instances of marriage with the queen's damsels. In one case, at least, this kind of alliance was considered a meritorious action on the part of the esquire concerned, for not only did he receive an annuity therefor, but ever afterwards when a payment was made on the annuity, the circumstances were given in full. "To Edmund Rose, valletus, to whom the King has given ten pounds per annum to be received at the Exchequer, for good service rendered to the King and because he has married Agnes Archer formerly damsel to Queen Philippa." [Footnote: Issues, P. 210, P. 204; mem. 5, etc.] Similarly Roger Archer (called "esquier ma dame," and, in the grant, valet to Isabella, daughter of Edward III) married Alexandra de la Mote damsel to Isabella. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 273, mem. 8. Issues, p. 213, mem, 22.] It is curious that in both these cases the maiden name of the wife is given in the Issue Rolls for years after the grant of the annuities. In the other cases only the surname of the husband is given. These cases are: Walter Wyght and Margaret Wyght, [Footnote: Issues, p. 221, mem. 11.] Thomas and Katherine Spigurnell, [Footnote: L.R. p. 172, C.R. 1357, p. 351, 404, 438.] John and Almicia de Beverle, [Footnote: L.R. p, 172, Cal. Inq. P.M. III, 29.] John and Stephanetta Olney, [Footnote: L.R. p. 172. Issues, P. 241, mem, 8.] Robert and Joan Louth, [Footnote: L.R. p. 172, Pat. Roll 264, mem. 39.] Piers and Alice Preston, [Footnote: Pat. Roll 1378, p. 125.] Hugh and Agatha Lyngeyn [Footnote: Issues, P. 272, mem. 13.] and John and Margaret Romsey. [Footnote: idem, P. 200, mem. 19, Home's Wilts, Hundred of Cawdon, p. 13.]

THE CAREERS OF THE INDIVIDUAL ESQUIRES

In the preparation of this study, I have collected all the facts I could find about the esquires of 1368. [Footnote: A statement of the facts will be found deposited in the University of Chicago Library.] Since the essential facts about them have been discussed in the preceding pages, however, I shall present in detail the careers of only three or four typical esquires. Of the others, John de Herlyng, for many years usher of the King's chamber, received many grants from the King and held many offices; Thomas Cheyne, [Footnote: Cf. Froissart XX, 562.] keeper of the royal jewels, fought in the wars in France and received grants of lands and wardships; John de Romeseye acted at various times as royal messenger, and as royal treasurer at Calais; Walter Walssh, another usher of the King's chamber, received the custody of the possessions of an alien abbey, and the grant of a house and land; Hugh Wake made journeys on the King's service and received some grants; Roger Clebury and Piers de Cornewaill received a few grants; Robert de Ferrers had the grant of a manor; Helmyng Leget, for years receiver of the King's Chamber, had many grants of land and custodies; Robert de Corby had the grant of a manor; Collard Dabrichecourt had grants of 'manors and offices; Thomas Hauteyn received one custody and one grant of land in Ely; Hugh Cheyne had a few grants; the only Thomas Foxle I find trace of, who died in 30 Edward III, received some grants; Simond de Burgh is mentioned in many financial transactions of the time, and he was for some time treasurer of Calais; of John Tichemerssh, I find no mention, and of Robert la Souche very little; Esmon Rose was keeper of the King's horses; information about Laurence Hauberk is ambiguous since there seem to have been two or more men of that name; Griffith de la Chambre and John de Thorpe received minor grants; of Raulyn Erchedeakne I find no mention; Thomas Hertfordyngbury, Hugh Strelley, Hugh Lyngen, Nicholas Prage and Richard Torperle received various small grants; Richard de Wirle appears only as an esquire of John of Gaunt; about John Northrugge and Hanyn Narrett, I find very little; Simond de Bokenham was chief sergeant of the King's larder; and John Legge, who seems to have been really an esquire at arms, met his death in the Peasant's Revolt.

WALTER WHITHORS

Walter Whithors is mentioned in the records first in 1343 when he received an order granting him his wages for life, and the custody of the River Posse for life. [Footnote: C. R., p. 203.] In 1346 he was granted two marriages, in 1347, five marks a year, the tronagership of Lenn, and the constableship of Conisborough Castle. [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, pp. 37, 69, 234, 451, 545.] In 1348 the King granted Whithors all the tenements and rents in the city of London which were in the King's hands by reason of the forfeiture of a certain William de Mordon. [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 48.] In the same year he was given the custody of the smaller piece of the seal for recognizances of debts in the city of York. [Footnote: idem, p. 148.] In 1349 he received a grant of forfeited houses in the county of York, [Footnote: idem, p. 261.] and likewise a mill and more lands forfeited by William de Mordon. [Footnote: idem, p. 333.] Furthermore he was given in the same year the right to dispose of some of these latter lands. [Footnote: idem, p. 440.] In 1349 further he was granted the stewardship of the forest of Galtres, and the roots of all trees cut down in that forest. [Footnote: idem, pp. 368, 433—apparently with deputy, for in Cal. Pat. Roll 1352, p. 214, a lieutenant is mentioned.] In 1352 the office of tronage of the wools at Lenne was granted to his former deputy, at the request of Walter Whithora who surrendered a grant of that office. [Footnote: idem, pp. 267, 293.] Next year he was given an annuity of twenty marks, and also the right to exercise the office of recognizances of debts by deputy, "because he stays continually in the King's service, at his side." [Footnote: idem, pp. 380, 498.] In the same year he was granted the custody of the forest of Lynton, adjacent to Galtres. [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 417.]

In 1360 Whithors was granted certain houses in York formerly belonging to Richard de Snaweshull, [Footnote: Pat. Roll 256, mem, 5.] and also the custody of the lands and tenements formerly belonging to Nicholas de Litton, during the minority of the heir. [Footnote: idem, mem. 18.] In 1361 he was given a messuage and shop formerly owned by Walter Ragoun in London and worth forty shillings yearly. [Footnote: idem 261, mem, 12.] From a document of the same year we learn something about the marriage of his daughter. By this document Stephen Wydeslade, cousin and heir of Thomas Branche, acknowledged a debt of two hundred pounds to Whithors, which is to be paid in the form of an annuity of twelve marks to Mary, daughter of Whithors and widow of Thomas Branche. She is to have further as dower certain manors in Norfolk and Surrey. Her husband had been a ward of her father's and had died a minor. [Footnote: C. R., p. 134.] In 1363 Whithors was pardoned the payment of all moneys which he had drawn in advance from the wardrobe. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 262, mem. 15.] Likewise in the same year he had a grant of the marriage of the son and heir of John Colvyll, Chivaler, defunct. [Footnote: idem 262, mem. 18.] In 1363 he received a grant of the custody of the Palace of Westminster and the prison of the Fleet, [Footnote: idem 265, mem. 15.] and of the custody of all lands and tenements formerly the property of William Bruyn, defunct. [Footnote: idem, mem. 17.] In 1365 Whithors had a grant of the manour of Naburn with pertinences in York, formerly the property of a felon. [Footnote: idem 270, mem. 34.]

In 1370 he was granted free warren in Brenchesham, Surrey. [Footnote: Cal. Rot. Chart, p. 187.] And in the same year and nearly until his death, he had an annuity of forty marks a year as usher or doorkeeper of the King's free chapel of Windsor. For this office also he received twelve pence a day "because that the same Lord the King charged the same Walter to carry a wand in the presence of the said Lord the King, before the college" when the King personally should be there, "and that the same Walter might be able more easily to support that charge." [Footnote: Devon's Issues, p. 101.] In that year likewise he was sent to York to borrow money from divers abbots, priors and others for the King's use. [Footnote: idem, p. 111.] In 1373 he and Isabella his wife acquired by a devious series of transfers a messuage of land with reversion to their son Walter. [Footnote: Pat. Roll 287, mem. 4.] In 1377 Gerard Brocas acknowledged a debt of 160 m. to Walter Whithors. [Footnote: C. R. 216, mem. 8 dorso.] In 1377 he was granted the lands and tenements of Simon Raunville, defunct, and the marriage of his heiress to Ralph, son of Walter Whithors. In 1383 he was still exercising the office of custodian of the smaller piece of the seal for York by deputy. [Footnote: Cal. Pat. Roll, p. 242.] Three years later the King at his supplication granted his annuity of forty marks to another. [Footnote: idem, p. 146.] In 1387 he was apparently dead, for the King granted to another the office of usher of St. George's Chapel, and the house which he had occupied. [Footnote: idem, p. 297.]

According to Dugdale, Walter Whithors married Mabel, daughter and coheir of Philip Neweham (or Newnham) of Neunham Padox in Warwick. Their son and heir was Sir Ralph Whitehorse Kt. [Footnote: Warwickshire, p. 86.] JOHN DE BEVERLE