Appendix C2: The composition of the Cambridge Parliament (Sept. 1388)

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993
Available from Boydell and Brewer

The composition of the Cambridge Parliament of September 1388

By their actions and propaganda in the Merciless Parliament the Appellants had aroused expectations of reform at home and the introduction of a more vigorous foreign policy. Disillusion with their regime evidently grew rapidly in the summer of 1388, and the Commons of the Parliament held at Cambridge in the autumn were in a critical mood.1 Fifty-four of the Members of the Merciless Parliament (dissolved just three months earlier), had been re-elected to the new assembly, and were thus well placed to raise questions as to why the favourable replies to their petitions calling for administrative reforms had not been put into effect. They were joined by 92 other knights and burgesses who had served in the House on some earlier occasion, and were thus experienced parliamentarians, too; but no fewer than 104 of the 250 whose names are known were apparently complete newcomers to the Commons. Taken overall, the proportion of experienced Members in this particular Parliament was very low for Richard II’s reign as a whole: only 58% were not novices. In the lists below those who had sat in the Merciless Parliament are marked *.

POSSIBLE SYMPATHIZERS WITH THE KING

Name                                     
StatusFee
*Annesley, Sir John‘King’s knight’£40 p.a. jointly with wife
*Cheyne, Sir Hugh ten marks p.a.†
*Lee, Sir Walter?knight of Household 
Sebrooke, Sir Laurenceformer member of the King’s mother’s household 
Thorpe, John‘King’s esquire’£10 p.a.†
*Waldegrave, Sir Richard‘King’s knight’ 
Watford, Stephenservant of Household£10
*Wightman, Williamroyal servant6d. per diem
*Wyly, Johnroyal servant6d. per diem

† Granted by Edward III.

 

HOLDERS OF OFFICES IN THE CROWN’s APPOINTMENT FROM BEFORE FEB. 1388

1. Customs officials
Beleyeter, Edmunddep. butler, Bishop’s Lynn
Calche, Robertdep. butler, Som. and Dorset
Gosselyn, Walterpesager, Chichester and Lewes
*Hadley, Petercontroller, Exeter
*Ramsey, Ralphcollector, Gt. Yarmouth
Sherwind, Nicholassearcher, Southampton Water
2. Employed in royal castles and manors                                                           
*Cheyne, Sir Hughkeeper of Shrewsbury castle
*Jonet, Williamconstable of Narberth and Builth
3. Other
*Jonet, Williamsteward of lordships of Narberth, St. Clears, etc.
*Mapperley, Thomasunder sheriff, Notts.
Monceaux, Amandescheator, Cumb., Northumb. and Westmld.
Scarle, Walterescheator, Rutland and Northants.
*Waryn, Robertcoroner, Hunts.
*Wightman, Williamspigurnel of the Chancery

 

ASSOCIATES OF THE LORDS APPELLANT

1. Thomas of Woodstock, duke of Gloucester
Algar, RalphA
Golafre, WilliamA, M (1378)
Montgomery, Sir Nicholas IM (1380)
Ore, RobertA
Poyle, Sir Thomas de laM (1377)
*Waldegrave, Sir RichardA
Walden, Sir AlexanderM (1378)
Walton, RalphM (1377)
2. Richard Fitzalan, earl of Arundel
*Annesley, Sir JohnM (1387)
Bamme, AdamA
Daneys, Sir JohnM (1387)
Grenville, Sir JohnM (1387)
*Strange, Sir JohnA
*Turk, Sir RobertM (1387)
*Waldegrave, Sir RichardA
Wilcombe, NicholasA, R
3. Thomas Beauchamp, earl of Warwick
*Bagot, Sir WilliamA, prob. C
Besford, AlexanderA, C, R
*Lilling, Sir NicholasA, C, E, F, M, O, R
*Spyne, GuyA, R
4. Henry of Bolingbroke, earl of Derby
*Annesley, Sir John†M
Assheton, Sir John I†M, R
*Bagot, Sir Williamprob. C, R; †R
Bamme, Adam†A
Bussy, Sir John†O, R
*Clerk alias Okham, GeoffreyO; †O
Croft, Sir John†O
Fitzsymond, Sir John†M
Hacon, John†R
Hungerford, Sir ThomasO; †C, E, O, R
Lambourne, Sir William†M
*Lee, Sir Walter†M
Montgomery, Sir Nicholas I†A, M
Neville, Sir Robert†F, M, R (£20 p.a.)
Perwych, Sir Roger†R
*Strange, Sir John†R (20 marks p.a.)
*Tilney, Sir Philip†O
Walden, Sir Alexander†M
*White, Sir John†A, M, O
5. Thomas Mowbray, earl of Nottingham
*Bagot, Sir WilliamAtt., prob. C, E, F, O, R

† Associated with Henry of Bolingbroke's father, John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster

 

THOSE APPOINTED TO CROWN OFFICES BEFORE THE APPELLANTS RELINQUISHED POWER

1. Sheriffs (appointed on 1 Dec. 1388)                        
Cheyne, Sir Ralph

Willts.                                                                    

*Flamville, Sir WilliamWarws. and Leics.
Moigne, Sir JohnSom. and Dorset
*Peckham, JamesKent
*Popham, HenryHants
Poyle, Sir Thomas de laOxon. and Berks.
Scarle, WalterRutland
Sebrooke, Sir LaurenceGlos.
Stafford, Sir Humphrey IStaffs.
2. Customs officials
Calche, Robertconfirmed as dep. butler, Som. and Dorset 8 Oct. 1388
Drew, Thomascontroller, Bishop’s Lynn 9 June 1388
*Waleys, Robertcollector, Ipswich June 1388
3. Others
Acton, Edwardescheator, Salop, Staffs. 30 Nov. 1388
Clenhand, Johndiplomatic envoy to Flanders, May 1388
Horne, Richardescheator, Hants and Wilts. 30 Nov. 1388
*Lee, Sir Walterconstable, Colchester castle 23 Mar. 1388
*Mitford, Johnsteward of Hexhamshire 20 Mar. 1388
Vanner, Henrydiplomatic envoy to Flanders, May 1388

 

MEMBERS BENEFITING DIRECTLY FROM GRANTS MADE IN CHANCERY AND THE EXCHEQUER WHILE THE APPELLANTS WERE IN POWER

Besford, AlexanderSampford, John
Horne, RichardSomery, John
*Lilling, Sir NicholasStafford, Sir Humphrey I
Moyle, Thomas*Strange, Sir John
Neville, Sir Robert*Waldegrave, Sir Richard

 

MEMBERS PARDONED IN 1397-8

At least 27 Members of the Cambridge Parliament died before royal pardons were issued in the year beginning October 1397. Of the survivors 26 (12%) received pardons from Richard II, ten of them for the active support they had rendered to the Appellants. Those pardons specifically relating to the recipients’ adherence to the Appellants are marked ; those enrolled on the patent roll, rather than on the supplementary pardon rolls, are marked .

Acton, Edward5 Feb. 1398
Arnold, John I16 Apr. 1398
Aston, Sir Thomas12 May 1398
†*Bagot, Sir William‡1 Mar. 1398, †20 Oct. 1398
*Berkeley, Sir John I10 June 1398
†Besford, Alexander†12 May 1398
†*Bixton, Walter†‡20 May 1398
†Bussy, Sir John†‡1 May 1398
†*Cheyne, Sir Hugh†12 May 1398
Daneys, Sir John12 June 1398
*Drew, Laurence14 June 1398
*Francis, Sir Robert16 June 1398
Golafre, William12 June 1398
Harrowden, John12 June 1398
Herlyngton, John15 June 1398
†*Lilling, Sir Nicholas†18 Oct. 1397, 16 June 1398
*Mitford, John15 June 1398
Mulsho, John12 June 1398
†Sampford, John†12 Oct. 1398
Scarle, Walter15 May 1398
†Somery, John†26 Oct. 1398
*Turk, Sir Robert5 June 1398
*Waldegrave, Sir Richard‡14 Nov. 1398
Walden, Sir Alexander7 June 1398
†Walton, Ralph†5 May 1398
†*White, Sir John†28 May 1398

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Author: J. S. Roskell

End Notes

  • 1. J.A. Tuck, ‘The Cambridge Parliament, 1388’, EHR, lxxxiv. 225-43.