Family and Education

Offices Held

Biography

Although possibly a kinsman of Thomas Patching* of Chichester, John had no recorded association with him; indeed, all the evidence about John relates to the affairs of his home town, Arundel, and its lord. Patching brought actions in the borough court in 1387 and 1388 against Richard Wodeland*, Thomas Spicer* and others. For the most part these were for the recovery of debts, although in July 1388 he alleged that John Hereward* had stabbed him with a knife. On 24 Oct. 1397, shortly after his return home at the end of the first session of the Parliament of 1397-8, he served at Arundel on the jury required to provide evidence to the Crown about the forfeited possessions of Richard, late earl of Arundel, whom the Lords in that same session had condemned to death for treason. He himself was a tenant of the earl’s in a burgage in the town, and had been closely attached to him. Indeed, he had been one of the men of Sussex who, in the winter of 1387-8, had risen up in arms to assist Earl Richard when, leagued with the duke of Gloucester, he seized control of the government. Not surprisingly, Patching subsequently, in June 1398, saw fit to procure a royal pardon for this crime.

Patching was fined in the court of the honour of Arundel in 1407-8 for committing offences against local trading regulations. His knowledge about the property of the earls of Arundel was again required in October 1415, this time by the royal escheator conducting an inquisition post mortem on the recently deceased Earl Thomas.

Arundel Castle mss M9, 23; C67/30 m. 2; C138/23/54; C145/269/10; Two Fitzalan Surveys (Suss. Rec. Soc lxvii), 119.

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Author: L. S. Woodger

Notes