Printed and Published at the Dover Express Works. 1916.

TO BE FORMATTED

ANNALS OF DOVER.
SECTION SIX.
THE MAYORS AND THEIR TIMES.
V. FROM THE SUSPENSION OF 1470 TO 1556.

THE LIBERTIES.



1472 Thomas Toke (47)



1^74 Thomas Hexstall



1475.



not oth.erwisa



The seizure of Dover's Liberties by King Edward IV.
at the close of the Wars of the Roses is dealt with in the
History of the Corporation, therefore the event is only
mentioned here as one of the notable land-marks which arrest
attention as we follow the incidents of the Mayors and their
Times from the Wars of the Roses to the fires of martyrdom
in the reign of Queen Mary :-
1471 Thomas Hexstall

(47) Thomas Toke, Mayor in 1472, was a son of Ralph Toke,
a former Mayor.

1473 Thomas Hexstall

1475 Richard Pleysington (48)
48 Richard PleysingtfOn, Mayor in

mentioned.

1476 Robert Vincent (49)

(49) Robert Vincent, who was Mayor tliree times, in his first
Mayoralty is said to have strengthened and completed the walls of
Dover.

1477 Thomas Hexstall 1478 Thomas Hexstall
1479 Richard Palmer 1480 Thomas Fcuche (50)

(50) Thcma« Fouch, Mayor in 1480, was a yeoman. His name
appears several times in Llio Hundred Court records.

1481 Thomas Hexstall 1482 John Byngham (51)

(51) John Byngham, elected Mayor in 1^82, filled that office
six times between that date and i4ri8. In Pyngliam's third Mayoralty
1484, Richard HI. granted a poll-tax of " ono penny on each goer
and comer," as well as a toll on horses, oxen, sheep and merchandize
imported at Dover for the maintenance of tb.e Castle Quay at East
Brook Harbour.

1483 John Byngham 1484 John Byngham

1485 Robert Vincent i486 John Templeman (52)

(52) John Templeman, Mayor in i486, is stated in the Charter
to have received from the Corporation, in 1477, grant at fee farm
of a plot of land hi Mankin war'l with the reservation: "Provided
always that the aforesaid Mayor, Chamboilain^ and Commonalty and
their successors shall have in the aforesaid plot of land their common
park for imparkiri? pigs." This "park" \va=; on the west side of the



THE MAYORS AND THEIR TIMES 293

river adjoining Mill Lane, and was probably used as the pig market.
He was a Clerk in Holy Orders. That park for pigs, in 1623, had
passed out of th© hands of the Corporation, and had to be purchased
from an inhabitant of Coldred.

1487 John Byngham 1488 Robert Vincent

1489 Robert Vincent 1490 Edward Hexstall ($t,)

(53) Edward Hexstall, Mayor four times between 1490 and
1506, was the son of Thomas Hexstall, of Hougham Court.

1491 Robert Vincent 1492 Henry Balgy (45)

(54) Henry Balgy, Mayor in 1492, is only otherwise mentioned
as witness to a Charter in 1499.

1493 William "Warren (55)

(55) William Warren, Mayor in 1493, is not otherwise mentioned.

1494 Edward Kexstall 1495 Edward Hexstall

1496 Richard I'yneaux (56)

(56) Richard Fyneaux, Mayor, 1496, and four times later, waa
a eon of John Fyneaux, who was Clerk of Dover Castle in 1488.

1497 John Byngham 1498 John Byngham

1499 William Stone (57)

(57) William Stone, Mayor in 1499 and 1500, was Mayor when
Sir John Clark's " Paradise Harbour " was commenced at Archclifife
Point.

1500 William Stone 1501 John Pocock (58)

(58) John Pocock, Mayor in 1501, is not otherwise mentioned.
1502 Richard lyneaux 1503 Richard Fyneaux

1504 Oliver Lythgo (59)

(59) Oliver Lythgo, Mayor in 1504, held from the Prior of
Dover a house on the lower side of Market Lane, at Queen Street
corner, which was acquired by the Corporation for an almshouse, and
was used as a Seamen's Hospital until 1873.

1505 Robert Nethersole (60)

(60) Robert Nethersole, Mayor in 1508, held the office twice in
the reign of Henry VFI., and three times under Henry VIII. He was
a native of Womenswould, Kent.

1506 Edward Hexstall 1507 Richard Fyneaux
1508 Robert Nethersole 1509 Richard Monin (61)

(61) Richard Monin, Mayor in 1509, was e member of the
ancient Monin fa.mily of Ringwould. /

1 5 10 Nicholas Terapleman (62)

(62) Nicholas Templeman, Mayor in 15 10, held land in Snargate
Street.

1511 John Broke (6;^)

(63) John Broke, Mayor in the years 151 1 and 1526, was a
member of the Dover family called "atte Broke." Hie father,
William, was Bailiff.



294



ANNALS OF DOVER



151 2 Robert Nethersole 15 13 Nicholas Aldy (64)

(64) Nicholas Aldy, was Mayor in 1513 and 1517.

1514 Richard Fyneaux 1515 Thomas Vaughan (65)

(65) Thomas Vaughan, Mayor in 1515, was Mayor three times
after, and wae also Bailiff. During Thomas Vaughan's first Mayoralty
the Duke of Suffolk and his retinue crossed from Dover to Calais in
six ships, provided by the Mayor, oonceming which Stowe's M.S. 146,
in the British Museum has the following: — "By the Duke of Suffolk.

" — Pleasyth it your lordship to understand that on the XXth day
" of Jaunary I passed the sea to Calise with VI. shippys of Dover
"wherfore I pray you to be so godd lord to the poor men of Dover
" as to apoynt them payment of XXIIII. L. sterling for the same
"•writen at Calise the XXI day of January, by your servant
" Charles Suffolke." Then follov?s a receipt for the money :—
" Received by me, John Paynter, servant to Thomas Vaughan,
" Dover, for and in the name of the said Thomas and to his use
"of Sir John Daunce Knt, by the King": Commandant the Xlth
"day of February anno. VI., to Regni Henrici VIII. twenty-four
" pounds sterling for the payment of the hyre c( certeyn shippea
" for settinge over of the Duke of Suffolke from Dover to Caleys
"sent as ambassade 10 the French Kyng, John Paynter to be
" Right-reverent Fathv^r in god my lord Archbyschopp of Yorke."

Thomas Vaughan was also Mayor in June 1520 when Henry VIII.

embarked at Dover on his way to the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

That famous embarkation scene is depicted in one of the stained

glass windows in the Maison Dieu Hall.

15 16 John Gregorie (66)

(66) John Gregorie, Mayor in 1516, is not otherwise mentioned.

1517 Nicholas Aldy 1518 Ilobert Weltden (67)

(67) Robert Weltden was Mayor only once.

1519 Thomas Vaughan 1520 John Elam (68)

(68) John Elam, Mayor in the years 15^0 and 1543, had land
and a house adjoining Turn-again Lane, nov/ called New Street.

152 1 Robert Stelman (69)

(69) Robert Stelman, Mayor i;i the years 1521 and 1522, waa of
a family that had Jurats in the Corporation in the Reign of Henry
V.

1522 Robert Stelman 152^^ Robert Dyer (70)

(70) Robert Dyer, Mayor in 1523, was of a family who
derived their name from their occupation.

1524 John Broke 1525 John Warren (71)

(71) John W .rren was Mayor in 1525, 1536 and 1540. During
his last Mayoralty Henry VIII. took po'-Jossion of the Castle Guard
Lands to pay fo" repairs and to establi h a new Castle Guard to
take the place of the Knights and their retain : 3, who previously were
iiuppofied to man Iho walls and towers.



THE MAYORS AND THEIR TIMES 295

1526 Richard Crouch (72)

(72) Richard Crouch, Mayor in 1526, was probably of the old
Dover family atte Crouch, of the reign of Henry V.

1527 Thomas Vaughan 1528 Robert Fluce (73)

(73) Robert Fluce, Mayor in 1528 and 1529, lived in & faou£e
next the gate in Snargate Street.

1529 Robert Fluce 1530 Robert Nethersole

1531 Robert Nethersole 1532 Thomas Vaughan

1533 Edward May (74)

(74) Edward May, Mayor in 1533 and 1538, "was one of th«
experienced Dover Mariners consulted by Henry VIII., before com-
mencing his great Harbour Works, and May was one of the Overseers
of the operations.

1534 Edward May 1535 John Paynter (75)

(75) John Paynter, Mayor 1535, was in office during the period
of greatest activity at the Harbour.

1536 John Warren 1537 Ralph BufFkin (76)

(76) Ralph BufFkin, Mayor in 1537, when the Priory was sur-
rendered to the Crown, is said to have had valuable "pickings"
from the dismantled buildings, and his son was lessee of the Priory
lands.

1538 Edward May 1539 John Bowles (77)

(77) John Bowles, Mayor in 1539.. the year when St. Bartho-
lomew's Hospital and lands were surrendered to the Crown, rPceived
a grant of the hospital buildings and the site they stood on for his
life. He died in 1542, but before that time the whole structure
was demolished.

1540 John Warren 1541 Thomas Foxley (78)

(78) Thomas Foxley, Mayor in 1541, remained on the Bench
of Jurats during the subsequent reigns of Edward, and Mary.

1542 Robert Justice (79)

(79) Robert Justice, Mayor in the years 1542 and is^i, was
another of the Mariners consulted' by Henry VIII., as to the Harbour
and commiesioned to take oversight of the work.

1543 John Elam 1544 William Fisher (80)

(80) William Fisher, Mayor in 1544, was in office during the
year that Henry VIII. embarked at Dover to commence the War
with France, which began with the seige of Boulogne, from whence
the King returned in the Autumn with the gates of Boulogne as a
trophy which he gave to Sir Thomas Hardres, one of his principal
officers, who set them up in the boundary wall at Upper Hardres,
between Hardres Court and the Churchyard.

1545 Thomas Collye (81)

(81) Thomas Collye, who was Mayor in the years 1545, 1546,
and 1558, was a sheep farmer and, also, a Municipal Reformer. He
insisted on good rule at inns and victualling houses, and made it
compulsory that each one should have a sign over their front door.



296 ANNALS OF DOVER

Likewise, he made stringent rules that the hackney men who pro-
vided horses for travellers both locally and on the Dover roed to
London should have good and reliable horses to let at fair prices.
But the principal reform that he introduced was a novelty in the
form of a regular system of town scavenging. The ordinance on
that subject as written down by John Beverley, the Town Clerk,
shall be given as he recorded it, thus : — " By the assent and consent
of the Mayor, Jurats and Commonalty, it was enacted to have a
common carrier for the purifying and keeping clean of the town and
streets of the same in form following, that is to wit, twice a week
weekly, viz., Wednesday and Saturday, and the stipend of the said
carrier, then and there taxed at five pounds quarterly, to be paid
him by the hands of the Mayor for the time being, and to be levied
of every householder ; and that every such householder, twice a week,
cause the dust, compost and suUage of the housesi to be laid in heaps
before their street doors ready for the said carrier to take up and
carry away ; provided always that this Act does not charge the
said common carrier to carry away the dung and suUage of the
stables of any innholders or other person inhabiting the said town,
unless they agree with him for the same." But, although Thomas
Collye was strict on the victuallers and innholders, he encouraged
wine and beer drinking at what he considered the proper time, for,
being Mayor in the year 1558, when Queen Elizabeth came to the
throne, he caused to be set in the Market Place a hogshead of wine,
a tun of beer to be drunk by the townspeople while they made a
bonfire, " to the Queen's Majesty's honour and to the praise of Gcd
for her Majesty's reign."

1546 Thomas Collye (until January, 1547)

1547 Richard Fyneaux (from January to 8th September) (82)

(82) Richard Fyneaux, Mayor for a year and a half, from
January 1547 to the end of the next Municipal year. He took
oflBce in January, 1547 on the accession of Edward VL, because the
Privy Council had some political objection to Thomas Collye.

1547-8 Richard Fyneaux (for a whole year)

1548 Hugo Brackett (from September to December 31st) (83)

(83) Hugo Brackett, elected Mayor on September 8th, 1548
was also unacceptable to the Privy Council and was removed after
being in of&ce three months. The Corporation Minutes say there was
a supper given to celebrate his election which cost 12s. 6d.

1549 Thomas Mauncell (from January to September 8th) (84)

(84) Thomas Mauncell, elected Mayor in January 1549 (on th«
removal of Brackett), held office until September 8th in that year.
He was e Tavern Keeper and on the occasion of his election 13s.
was spent in treating the Freemen, 4s. was paid for a hogshead of
beer set in the Mnrket Place for the Commoners.

1549 Thomas \\'aren (from September 8th) (85)

(85) Thomas Warren was Mayor five times. In his first
Mayoralty the Chamberlains accounts show various sums spent in
mending the ducking stool, putting a new lock on the stocks, and
setting up a new gallows.



THE MAYORS AND THEIR TIMES 297

1550 Thomas Warren (from September 8th to December 31st)

1 55 1 Thomas Portways (from January to September) (86)

(86) Thomas Portways, who was Mayor from January to
September 1551, was put in by the Privy Council in the room of
Thomas Warren, who was not acceptable to the Privy Council.

1551-2 Robert Justice 1552 Thomas Finnett (87)

(87) Thomas Finnett, Mayor in 1551 and 1552, lived in an
old brick house, still standing, in Chapel Place.

1553 Thomas Finnett 1554 WiUiam Hannington (88)

(88) William Hannington was elected Mayor in 1554 and
in 1561 was nominated Mayor by the Privy Council, owing
to the disturbances in the Corporation, and he held the
oflSce for a year and a half. He was the head of the
Victualling Ofl&ce in Dover, and resided at Hougham Court. There
is a monument to him and his family in Hoixgham Church, on which
is the following inscription : — " Here in their silent urns (again wedded
after death's divorce) lie William Hannington, Esq., and his wife,
daughter of William Monin, Esq., some time Lieutenant of Dover
Castle, expecting a blessed resurrection of the just. These happy
olives budded fruitfully, in two sons and five daughters, two as
soon blasted as blown. His works made his own demonstration under
Henry VIII. and his successive heirs, the last of whom, by special
favoured order, sealed him twice in the Mayoralty of Dover. Qui
10 May, 1607; quae 21 September, 1574."

1555 Adrian Whitt (89)

(89) Adrian Whitt was Mayor in the years 1555 and 1556.
In the first of these Mayoralties the Corporation moved the Curfew
bell from St. Peter's to St. Mary's Tower, and in the second the
Common Council was established.

1556 Adrian Whitt



298 ANNALS OF DOVER