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HISTORY OF EAST GRINSTEAD. |
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1467. Nicolaus Morley and Ricardus Alfray.
1472, Sept. 18th. Ricardus Lewknor and Robertus Foster.
Foster has always been a fairly common name in East
Grinstead. The Lewknor family occupied a very high
position in Sussex from 1300 to 1550. Its members
frequently filled the office of High Sheriff and represented
East Grinstead and other towns in Parliament. Richard
Lewknor, who was elected M.P. for East Grinstead in
1472, lived at Brambletye. He was Sheriff of the County
in the years 1471, 1492 and 1496. When Richard III.
came to the throne there was trouble in the State and
Richard Lewknor was one of several called on to besiege
Bodiam Castle, which the rebels were holding and
which belonged to Thomas Lewknor. He served in two
Parliaments as M.P. for this Borough and died February
13th, 1503. His second wife was Katharine, daughter of
Lord Scales, to whom further reference will be found in
the chapter dealing with the Charities of East Grinstead.
1477, Dec. 31st. Ricardus Lewknor, sen., and Ricardus Alfray. 1529. Willielmus Rutter and Edwardus Grodewyn.
This was the beginning of the ''Seven Years' Parliament." From the 22nd year of King Edward IV. down to the 14th of Henry VIII. it is the only return for East Grinstead of which any record has been preserved. To a certain extent this is accounted for by the fact that Parliament was rarely summoned. It only met once during the 13 years of Henry VII.'s reign, and very rarely during the first 20 years of Henry VIII.'s.
1541-2. John Sakevyle.
This apparently was the first member of the illustrious Sackville family sent to Parliament by East Grinstead. He lived at Chiddingly, and married an aunt of Anne Boleyn's, so was great uncle, by marriage, to Queen Elizabeth. He died on October 5th, 1557, and was buried at Withy ham. He willed that at his funeral " 12 great tapers of viii. lb. a piece be alight all the service time and every man receive a gown, viid and his dinner."
1547. Jasperus Culpeper and Johannes Sakvyle, junior.
The Culpepers were a very old Sussex family and for a long period of years occupied Wakehurst, the mansion |
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