II. ELECTIONS OF THE FIRST PERIOD.
Edward III., 1366-1377
In the Reign of Edward III., after the fortieth year, when the record of Dover Parliamentary representation begins, there are seven ParHaments on record, to which eight different Burgesses were sent from Dover.
1366 Nicholas atte Hall and William de Denne.
Nicholas atte Hall was a member of an influential family which settled at Dover soon after the Conquest.
William de Denne was a Jurat of considerable influence, who was then Mayor.
1368 Nicholas atte Hall and Simon Monin.
The Parliament to which these two were returned was called after a lapse of a year.
Simon Monin was of a family which came from Normandy at the Conquest, and settled at Dover.
1369 There was a Parliamentary writ issued in this year, but no names are entered on the return.
137 1 The next return found was for this year, but the name of Simon Monin only was entered on the return.
1372 John atte Hall and Water EHs.
John atte Hall sat for Dover in eight Parliaments, and was Mayor nine times.
Walter Elis was a Jurat, and was three times sent as Burgess of Parliament, but was never Mayor.
1373 John atte Hall and John atte Street.
John atte Street sat in nine Parliaments for Dover.
1376 Simon Coldred and John Elis.
These two members were Jurats, but are not otherwise mentioned in the local records.
1377 The writ was returned without names.
Richard II., 1377-1399.
In this reign twenty-two Parliaments were summoned, but in several of them no returns were made from Dover, only four new Members are introduced.
1378 John atte Hall and John Monin.
John Monin sat in four Parliaments. He was styled " junior," his father being of the same name. The seal of this Member was three crescents within an indented border. It is attached to a deed dated 141 5, preserved in the Dover Muniment Cabinet.
1379 None of the writs of the Cinque Ports had names attached this year.
1380 This year Parliament sat at Northampton. No Dover Members were returned.
1381 John atte Hall and John atte Street.
1382 John atte Hall and John Monin.
1383 John atte Hall and Walter EUs.
The above two were the Members in the Spring Session.
1383 Walter Elis and John atte Street.
These two went to the Autumn Session. The second Session had to do with the war in France. The English contributed " a tun of gold " towards the extinction of the Clementines, who were defeated this year at the Battle of Dunkirk.
1384 John atte Street and John Hamon.
John Hamon was a Jurat and a Chamberlain of the Dover Corporation.
1385 John atte Street and John Gyles.
John Gyles was returned as Member eight times. His family had an estate in Dover called " Gyles 's Coomb," north of the Castle.
1386 John atte Hall and John Gyles.
1388 John atte Hall and John Gyles.
These two Members went to the Spring Session of 1388, which was held in London, and adjourned.
1388 John Monin and John Gyles.
These two went to the Autumn Session, the same year, which was held by adjournment at Cambridge, and was called " The Wonderful Parliament," because it was held at London and Cambridge.
1390 John Gyles and John Monin.
1390 A writ came to Dover for an Autumn Session, but no Dover Members went up.
1391 John Gyles and John atte Street.
In this Parliament the Burgesses of Dover who went up had, as Burgesses, a striking object lesson. Richard II. demanded a contribution of j£i, ooo from the City of London. The citizens refused to pay it. The King forthwith annulled their Charter, and they were compelled to pay _^ 10,000 for its renewal.
1393 John Gyles and John atte Street.
This Parliament was held at Winchester.
1394 No return made to the writ.
1395 John atte Street and John Gyles.
In this Parliament a truce of twenty-eight years was made with France.
1397 John Monin and Nicholas Spicour.
Nicholas Spicour was a Jurat, but never Mayor; but Thomas Spicour, his father, was Mayor twice. Nicholas Spicour was elected for ParUament twice.
1398 A writ received, but no Members returned this year.
1399 Writs were issued by Richard II. for a Parliament in September, but on the day of meeting the King was a prisoner in the hands of Henry, Earl of Oxford. Dover returned no Members to that Parliament, which sat for one day cfrily, and received Richard II. 's abdication.
Henry IV., 1399- 1413.
Henry, Earl of Oxford, as Henry IV., ascended the vacant throne on September 30th, 1399, and immediately called a Parliament to meet on the 6th October. In Henry's short and troubled reign (the first King of the House of Lancaster) only six elections are mentioned. 1399 John Gyles and John de Evebroke.
This Parliament was called by the new Knig on the ist October, and met on the 6th of the same month. Owing to the short time allowed for election, most of the Members were the same as in the preceding Parliament which assembled in September. It is doubtful whether the two Dover Members were in their places on the day of opening, but they were there on the 13th October, when the Coronation took l^lace.
John de Evebroke was a Jurat when chosen for Parlia ment. He was Mayor twice. He had a residence on the west side of King Street, where he died in 1415.
1401 In this year Dover received writs lo return two Members, but no return was made, nor did Parliament meet, for, early in the year, there was an attempt to dethrone Henry IV., and, by way of retaliation, Richard II., who was in prison, was murdered.
1402 John atte Street and Thomas Gyles.
Thomas Gyles was a son of John Gyles, a former Member.
1403 and 1404 Writs were received at Dover in both of these years, but no Members were returned. Civil war was raging. The Battle of Shrewsbury took place in 1403; and, in 1404, the Parliament being at Coventry, the ParUament "wages" would not have met the cost of travelling. That was called " The Unlearned Parliament," because all lawyers were excluded.
1406 Thomas Gyles and Henry Merle.
Henry Merle was a Jurat who was chosen for Parliament in 1406 and 1407. In the latter year an Act was passed curtailing the King's prerogatives by the establishment of a Privy Council.
1410 Peter Reade and Nicholas Spicour.
Peter Reade was the Lieutenant of Dover Castle.
1411 and 1412 There is no mention of writs in 1411 nor in
1412. It is presumed that Dover ignored the writs, for there were Parliaments held, at which the King reproved " the too great Hberty of speech of Members of the House of Commons."
Henry V., 1413-1422.
In this reign seven Parliaments were called.
1413 John Garton and Thomas Monin.
In this Parliament it was ordained that Members should reside at the places where they represented.
John Garton was a Jurat who was three times chosen for Parliament.
Thomas Monin was a Jurat.
1414 Walter Stratton and John Garton.
Walter Stratton was a Jurat of Dover in 1414 when he was returned to Parliament, and he was Jurat until his death in 1437. He was sent to Parliament five times, and he was eleven times Mayor.
1415 and 1416 In these years Dover received writs, but the Corporation sent no Burgesses to Parliament. This was because they were so busy at Dover in the transport of troops in the war with France.
1417 Thomas atte Crouche and John Braban.
Thomas atte Crouche owned much property in Dover. John Braban was chosen as a Burgess of Parliament eight times between 141 7 and 1431.
1419 Walter Stratton and John Braban.
1420 Thomas atte Crouche and Thomas Arnold.
Thomas Arnold was an owner of land in Snargate Ward.
He was Mayor three times. His name appears as witness to six Corporation Charters.
1421 (Spring Session) John Braban and Thomas Arnold.
1421 (Autumn Session) Walter Stratton and John Braban.
There were two elections of Burgesses of Parliament in the year 1421.
Henry VI., 1422-1461.
In this long reign only seventeen Parliaments are men tioned, and, owing to the disturbed condition of the Kingdom, many election returns have been lost.
1422 John Braban and William Hammond.
William Hammond was a Jurat, but never Mayor, and he was only once chosen for Parliament.
This ParUament had nothing to do but to appoint a Regent, owing to the King's infancy, he being less than a year old.
1423 Walter Stratton and John Braban.
1425 Thomas atte Crouch and John Carton.
1426 John Byngley and Thomas Frankeleyn.
John Byngley was a Jurat. He went to Parliament only once.
Thomas Frankeleyn was a Jurat and an attorney.
1427 Walter Stratton and Gilbert (jcrnun.
Gilbert Gernun was a Jurat, v/ho was elected for Par liament in the years 1427 and 1432. His family, alias Harpele, which migrated to Dover from Norfolk, was here in the time of Hubert de Burgh, William Gernun being one of the witnesses of the deed of gift by which Hubert granted the Manor of Eastbridge to the Maison Dieu. The Gernuns held the Manor of Siberston, in Hougham parish.
1429 Thomas atte Crouche and Thomas atte Coombe.
Thomas atte Coombe was a Jurat and coal merchant when chosen as a Burgess of Parliament, and he does not appear to have filled any other office.
1431 John Braban and William Brewys.
William Brewys was the Mayor of Dover who negotiated the agreement by which Faversham nominated one of its Burgesses to be elected for one of the Dover seats in Parliament.
1432 Gilbert Gernun and Walter Nesham.
Walter Nesham was the Bailiff of Dover. He was twice chosen for Parliament. In 1446, Henr}' VI., by letters patent, forgave several officials their trespasses, and Walter Nesham, Bailiff of Dover, was included in that Pardon.
1433 Burgesses of Parliament were elected in this year, but the returns are missing.
1435 John Pyrye and John Braban.
John Pyrye is not elsewhere mentioned in Dover records. He is supposed to have been a Burgess of Faversham, returned as one of the Parliamentary representatives of Dover in accordance with the agreement above referred to. He was the only Faversham Burgess who ever sat for Dover in Parliament.
1437 William Brewys and Walter Nesham.
For the following four years the returns are lost.
1442 John Ward and Ralph Toke.
John Ward's name appears in the Dover Hundred Courts' Records three times.
Ralph Toke was Seneschal and Marshal of the Castle. He was elected for Parliament three times. He was in Parliament in the Autumn Session of 1449 and the Session of 1450, when the Duke of Suffolk was impeached, and who, while attempting to leave the realm, was assassinated on board a ship off Dover.
1447 Richard Nesham and John Toke.
Richard Nesham was a son of Walter Nesham, the Bailiff of Dover.
John Toke was a brother of Ralph Toke, the Seneschal of the Castle.
1449 Stephen Grygge and John Toke.
Stephen Grygge was only returned for Parliament once.
1449 (Autumn) Ralph Toke and Richard Grygge.
Richard Grygge, who was Mayor three years, and lived in Snargate Street, was, in the year 1446, awarded jQ^ by the King for exposing himself to the dangers of the sea in conveying a Royal Message to Calais.
1450 Ralph Toke and Richard Grygge.
1453 Thomas Doyley and John Toke.
Thomas Doyley had " Sir" prefixed to his name, and was, it is supposed, in some office at the Castle. There is a record of his having been Mayor five times, but the Wars of the Roses commencing at this time, when Dover became deeply involved with the Yorkist faction, the records both as to the Mayoralty and the Parliamentary representatives are lost, or it is probable a good deal more might have been heard of Sir Thomas Doyley.
1454 Writs to elect two Members came this year, but none were returned.
Edward IV., 1461-1483.
During the period of seventeen years, 1465-1473, there were but few Parliaments called, and Dover was not repre sented in any. In 1455 Dover received the election writ, but made no return. In 1459 a Parliament was held in the Yorkist interest at Coventry, but Dover Castle, being in favour of the Lancastrians, and the Barons of the Cinque Ports being pledged to the Yorkists, no Dover representa tives were elected. In 1460 there was a Parliament held at Winchester, but no returns were made by Dover. From that time until 1471, a period of ten years, all the Cinque Ports' Parliamentary election returns, including those of Dover, are lost. Also, from 1478 until the end of the Reign of Edward IV. all the Parliamentary returns are missing. It was during this interval that the Liberties and Franchises of Dover were for one year seized by the Crown. 1472 Thomas Hextall and William Alytron.
This was the first Parliament to which Dover sent representatives during the Reign of Edward IV., as far as the existing records go.
Thomas Hextall was the Lord Warden's Receiver at Dover Castle, under the Duke of Buckingham, the Lan castrian leader, and under the Earl of Warwick, the Yorkist.
He served both of his masters so well that he got a strong position at Dover. Although not a native, he became a Freeman, a Jurat, Mayor, and a Burgess of Parliament ; and when the King, Edward IV., took away the Civil liberties of the Town and Port, he placed them in charge of Thomas Hextall as Gustos until the old rule was restored.
William Mytron was a Jurat who resided in King Street. 1478 Thomas Hextall and Roger Appleton.
Roger Appleton 's family came from Appleton Manor, of Ickham, near Wingham, where they had been since the Norman times. Roger Appleton settled in Dover, and held the Manor of Maxton at the time when he was sent as a Dover Burgess to ParUament.
Edward V., April 9th to June 25, 1483.
In this short reign of only 77 days, no Parliament was called. The Prince of Wales, who was proclaimed as Edward V., was a minor, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the late King's brother, assumed the office of Protector, ; but immediately after, on the pretext that the children of Edward IV. were illegitimate, he, on the 25th June, 1483, seized the Grown, and it is alleged that he caused Edward V, and his brother to be suffocated in the Tower of London.
Richard III., 1483-1485.
Richard, Duke of Gloucester, having usurped the Throne on the 25th June, 1483, as soon as pos.sible called a Parliament, which assembled on the nth November, 1483, but no Dover Burgesses were returned, for, before that Parliament met, the leading men of Kent had risen against Richard in favour of Henry of Richmond, who, two years later, was crowned as Henry VII. The Kentish ri.sing in favour of Henry was led by Sir Edward Poynings (who was subsequently Lieutenant of Dover Gastle and, later, Lord Warden). The risinc; was premature, and Poynings had to fly to France until Henry had rai.sed sufficient men and money to establish himself on the Throne, but when Henry VII. had the power he rewarded this Kentish supporter. The Acts passed in that one Parliament of Richard III. were for the first time written in English. Also, the Acts of Parlia ment were then printed for the first time.
Henry VII., 1485-1509.
In this reign of twenty-four years there were eight Parliaments, and there is no reason to beheve that Dover failed to return Burgesses of Parliament on each occasion, but the returns, which should be in the Record OfiEice, are lost. It appears from the records of the Cinque Ports Courts that the Burgesses attended Parliament, and they were requested to bring copies of all new Acts of Parliament, the practice of printing the Acts, commenced in the Reign of Richard III., having made copies available. In the last years of his reign, Henry VII. dispensed with Parliaments, his coffers being brimful.
Henry VIII., 1509-1547.
There were nine Parliaments summoned in this reign, of v.'hich all the returns are missing from the Chancery pr.pers except one, but four others appear in the Dover Records. Of the Parliaments assembled in 151 o, 1511 and 1 5 14 we have no information nor of the Parliament of 1545. The writ for the Parliament of 1523 was accompanied by a letter from the King, addressed to the Mayor and his Brethren of his Town of Dover, asking them to elect two barons of great discretion and experience in consequence of the weighty matters which would be considered in the coming ParHament, both affecting the state of the English Church and the war in France.
1523 Thomas Vaughan and Robert Nethersole.
Thomas Vaughan was a Jurat of large experience, and he had been Bailiff of Dover for some years.
Robert Nethersole was of a family of Wymynswold, Kent, and a Dover Jurat.
1529 Robert Nethersole and John Warren.
John Warren was of an old Dover family, his father having been Mayor in the Reign of Henry VII.
1536 John Warren and Robert Nethersole.
1539 Thomas Vaughan and John Paynter.
John Paynter was one of the Commissioners appointed in 1534 to take oaths of fealty to the King in Dover, and he had also been Mayor.
1541 John Warren and William Graenger.
William Graenger was a Dover Jurat who resided near Upwall Gate. When he was at the Parliament of 1541 he exhibited to the House of Commons the Dover Charter in order to secure authority for a new plan for the nomination of Mayors by the Jurats, instead of being proposed, as of old time, in the Common Assembly of Freemen.
Edward VI., 1547-1553.
In this reign of seven years there were but two Par liaments called. The Dover returns for them are not preserved with the Chancery Records, but in the Dover Records there are particulars of the election of 1553, a few months before the King's death ; and that return is of special interest because at that election one of the Members was selected from the Isle of Thanet, such a choice never having before nor afterwards been made.
1553 Henry Cryppes and Thomas Portway.
Henry Cryppes is described as being of the Isle of Thanet. It is not stated of what locality, but there is reason to believe that he was a native of Margate.
Thomas Portway was the Dover Baihff in the Reign of Edward VI., and a very active Jurat.
Mary, 1553-1558.
In this reign, which was first called "Mary's," and afterwards " Philip and Mary's," there were five Parlia ments called. One sat for a whole year, one four weeks, one three months, one ten weeks, and one ten months. There was an interval of two years between the fourth and fifth Parliaments.
The names of the Dover Members who sat in the Parliament called in 1553 are lost.
1554 John Webb and Thomas Collye.
There is nothing special on record concerning John Webb.
Thomas Collye was a sheep farmer and a beer brewer. He several times held the office of Mayor, and there is in the British Museum "A Book of Orders and Decrees passed in his time for the Good Rule of Dover."
1554 (Autumn) William Hannington and John Webb.
William Hannington was the head of the Victualling Department at Dover, a Jurat, and was Mayor. Particulars of his career will be found in a note on his Mayoralty in Section VI.
1555 Thomas Warren and Edmund Rowse.
Thomas Warren was a Dover Jurat who was sent to Parliament at three elections between 1555 and 1572. He mentioned in his will that his " wages " for attending Parliament were not paid, and that he had to pay his own expenses at the Coronation.
Edmund Rowse was a Castle official, and was nominated by the Lord Warden.
155S Joseph Beverley and John Cheyney.
Joseph Beverley was a Dover Castle official, a lawyer, and in the Corporation he was a Town Clerk and a Jurat.
John Cheyney was also a Castle official, a relative of Sir Thomas Cheyney, the Constable.
Elizabeth, 1558-1603.
In the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, which extended over forty-five years, there were ten Parliaments elected, this Queen having entirely ignored the old rule of annual Parliaments. Of the twenty Members elected for Dover, eleven were new men. Ten of them were Burgesses of Dover, and the others appear to have been Crown nominees. In the year 1572 the Court of Brotherhood of the Cinque Ports made a new decree for the choosing of Burgesses of Parlia ment, but it does not appear to have altered the procedure at Dover.
1559 Thomas Warren and John Robbynes.
John Robbynes was a master mariner who owned some of the ships of the Dover Passage. He was one of the canopy bearers at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth.
1563 Thomas Warren and John Robbynes.
1571 Thomas Andrews and John Pinchney.
Thomas Andrews was a Dover Jurat who was chosen as a Burgess of Parliament in 157 1 and 1572.
John Pinchney was an officer of Dover Castle nominated in the Lord Warden's interest.
1585 Sir Richard Barry and John More.
Sir Richard Barry was the Lieutenant of Dover Castle under Lord Cobham, the Lord Warden. He superintended the building of the long wall of the Great Pent in 1583. He was in charge of Dover Castle when the Spanish Armada was defeated within sight of it.
John More was a kinsman of Sir Thomas More, the Lord Chancellor.
1586 Sir Richard Barry and John More.
1589 Sir Thomas Fane and Edward Stephens.
Sir Thomas Fane was the successor of Sir Richard Barry as Lieutenant of Dover Castle, and he held that position until his death in 1606. He was knighted at Dover Castle in 1573, when (^ueen Elizabeth spent a week there during her progress through Kent. Sir Thomas Fane represented Dover in Parliament for twelve years, and was instrumental in obtaining the renewal of the Passing Tolls Act, which supplied Dover Harbour with its revenue, in recognition of which service the Common Council presented to Sir Thomas ten gallons of claret and five gallons of sack. When the new Court Hall was built in the Market Place in 1605 the coat-of-arms of Sir Thomas Fane was carved there, where it remained until the old structure was demolished in 1861.
Edward Stephens was an outsider who was admitted to the Freedom of Dover to qualify him to be elected.
1594 Sir Thomas Fane and Thomas Ellwood.
Thomas Ellwood, a Dover Jurat, was Dover's Parlia mentary representative for four years. After he retired he complained that his " wages " for attending Parliament had not been paid for two years.
1598 Sir Thomas Fane and William Leonard.
William Leonard was a Dover Jurat who was a Burgess of Parliament for three years.
1601 George Fane and George Newman.
George Fane was the younger brother of Sir Thomas Fane, and he held an office under his brother at the Castle. He represented Dover in Parliament until 1609, and was knighted by James L George Newman was a Doctor of Civil Law and Commissary General of the Diocese of Canterbury. He was knighted by James I.