Family and Education

Offices Held

Bailiff, Cambridge Sept. 1407-10, 1414-17, 1423-4, 1428-9, 1432-3.1

Biography

Neel is first heard of in 1400 when acting as a juror at an inquisition ad quod damnun in Cambridge. Having served for three consecutive years as bailiff, he was returned to the first Parliament of Henry V’s reign, after which he was in regular attendance at borough elections, being present at those of 1414 (Apr.), 1417, 1420, 1421, 1426, 1431 and 1432. On 1 Apr. 1426, he was among the first eight burgesses selected by John Knapton* and Richard Bush* as members of the common council of Cambridge following its reconstitution in mid term after a disputed election, and later that year he attended the Magna Congregatio as one of the four town ‘consellors’ chosen for the annual meeting with representatives of the university.2

Neel assisted John Hokington* and his wife in transactions concerning their property in Cambridge, which were carried out in 1419 and 1427. He himself is referred to in a deed of 1431 as the owner of a tenement in the parish of St. Peter.3. Nothing is recorded of him following his ninth tenure of the post of bailiff in 1432-3.

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Author: E.M. Wade

Notes

• 1. Add. 5833, ff. 134-6; CPR, 1422-9, p. 266.
• 2. C143/430/1; J.H. Cooper, Annals, i. 175-6.
• 3. Cambridge Antiq. Soc. xxxi. no. 258; CP25(1)30/95/19, 96/13.