Biographical Notes

Younger son of John Stourton of Stourton, Wilts. by his 2nd w. Alice (d.1407); half-bro. of William. m. (1) bef. 1403, Joan (c.1376-1406), da. and h. of William Banaster (d.1395) of East Lydford, Som., wid. of Robert Affeton, 1da. Cecily; (2) bef. 1416, Alice Denys or Peny, 1da. Joan; (3) bef. 1430, Katherine (d. 20 Mar. 1473), da. of Thomas Payne of ‘Paynshay’, Devon by Margery, da. and h. of Peter Yeovilton of Speckington, Som., 1da Alice. He died on 16 Dec. 1438.

Primary Sources

Will of John Stourton of Preston, the elder, son of John Stourton, formerly Lord de Stourton, brother of William Stourton, son and heir of the said John Stourton de Stourton, dated 10 November 1438 and proved 27 January 1438/9.

"my body to holy burial in the church of Staverdale"

Family members mentioned:
"Katherine, my wife"
"Master Richard, my brother"
"Anastasia, my sister"
"Cecilia, my daughter"
"Joan Sydenham, my daughter"
"John Stourton, knight, my nephew"

Inquisition Post Mortem for John Stourton of Preston Plucknett, Writ. 13 March 1439.
He died on 16 December 1438. Cecily, wife of Thomas Curiell, knight, Joan, wife of John Sydenham, esquire, and Alice Stourton, are his daughters and co-heirs. Cecily is aged 34 years and more, Joan is 21 years and more, and Alice is 7 years and more.

Full Transcript of Will

1438. JOHN STOURTON.

[25 LUFFENAM. FO. 195.]

I, John Stourton of Preston, the elder, son of John Stourton,
formerly Lord de Stourton, brother of William Stourton, son and heir of the said John Stourton de Stourton, on the tenth day of November, 1438, make my will in this manner :

I bequeath my body to holy burial in the church of Staverdale. Item, I will that my body shall be carried thither in my best waggon (plaustro), and that the same shall be drawn by my ten best oxen, and that the waggon and oxen shall remain to the said house for a memorial of my soul

Item, I will that on the day of my burial the prior of the said place shall have 40s. ; and every canon there 20s.

Item, I bequeath to Katherine, my wife, 14 oxen being at Preston, with the waggon, ploughs, yokes, iron chains, " dragges," harrows (herpices] with all the apparatus to the same, and which belongs to husbandry there. Also 200 sheep (multones) and one half of my corn and grain at Preston, both in the barns there and sown in the fields, equally to be divided between the said Katherine and my executors. I give to her also all my brewing vessels (vasa pandoxabilid) and all that belongs to my bake-house (pistrinani) and my brewing house (domum pandox- abiliem) there, both lead, brass and wood, and all my vessels of tin, brass, stone and iron, with iron spits (veruferreis) and other necessaries and utensils belonging to the offices of the kitchen and larder (lardarie) there. Also all that "stuffe" which belongs to my chambers there, and to the pantry and butlery there, such as beds, sheets, blankets (lodicibus), "matreas, quyltes, fetherbedys, pylowes," cloths, towels, and other necessaries, and all things belonging to the said houses, except all jewels and all silver vessels gilt or not gilt, which I reserve at the disposition of me and my executors. Item, I bequeath to the said Katherine of vessels (de vasts) two chased silver salts, whereof one is covered, and all cups which are assigned by writing in the butlery to Thomas "Panter," with one "potte" of silver there. Also one pair of vestments for the chapel, which belonged to Master Richard, my brother of black "tartryne" and red, with all the apparel to the same for the altar. Also one white chalice, one "frount" and "rerefrount" of "Grenetarteryn," and two phials which belonged to the said Master Richard. Also one silver cup covered, which belonged to St. Thomas the Martyr (quod fuit sancti Thome martiris). Also all my "stuffe" which belongs to the hall as well for the summer as for the winter, except the silver vessels. Item, I bequeath to the said Katherine one cup called " le Note" harnessed with silver and gold and covered. Item, one grey " ambler "horse, which I had of the receiver of the Lord Bishop of Bath. Also one silver cup called" a stonnynge cuppe" "coueryd and gyld enameled the pomelle of blew, paysynge 2lbs. 71/2 ounces." Item, I bequeath to John Stourton, knight, my good psalter which belonged to William, his father, and one pair of vestments of blue cloth of gold, one gilt chalice, two cruets of silver, one bell of silver, two candlesticks of silver, and three "quysshyns" of silk for his chapel.

Item, I bequeath to the Lady Abbess of Shafton one piece of silver, "flatte," and covered and gilt, which belonged to Master Edward Prentys.

Item, I bequeath to Anastasia, my sister, one piece of silver, "flatte," covered.

Item, to William Carent and Margaret his wife, one pair of beads of gold. Item, to the said William, my black horse which I had of Thomas Knyvalle, knight.

Item, I bequeath to Cecilia, my daughter, one cup of silver covered and gilt, which I had of Nicholas Orteys.

Item, I will that the church of Staverdale and the cloister there shall be completed in all things, as well in glazing the windows as in other buildings there to be done, and that the expenses and costs thereof shall be borne by my executors.

Item, I will that two images carried thither by me \per me cariatas), shall be ordained and placed in the middle of the choir of the said church, between the stalls there, and that underneath shall be made a certain tomb (sepulcrum), ordained and walled (muratum) for the bodies of me and my wife to be placed therein reasonably and honestly after our death, with one "closet" of iron bars around the said tomb ; and that the reading-desk (lectrinunt) shall be at the head of the said tomb.

Item, I will that the aforesaid church shall be throughout (in omnibus) honestly paved with " Tyle " of my arms and the arms of my mother.

Item, I bequeath to the Friars of Dorchester 6s. 8d.

Item, to the Friars of Brygewater 6s. 8d.

To the fabric of the church of Yeuelle 40s.

To the fabric of the church of St. Andrew of Wells 6s. 8d.

Item, I will and firmly prohibit that any great cost be incurred on the day of my burial, nor further cost on the day of my anniversary, except such as must of necessity be borne, but that what is [usually] spent in these uses should be dis- tributed among the poor, though it reach (licet attingaf] the sum of 20li.

Item, I bequeath to Joan Sydenham, my daughter, one covered cup gilt in the likeness of a custard (costardi) with leaves.

Item, to William Carent, for his labour and friendship, beyond what is bequeathed to him, 10li.

Item, to William Bochelle, 10 marks.

To John Godewyne, for the execution of the will of Master Richard Stourton and mine, 10li,

Item, I bequeath to Lewis, rector of the church of Penne [Pendomer], 100s.

Item, I will that a tomb (tumbd) shall be made by my executors at Dowlysshwake of two images, one of a man armed and the other of a gentlewoman, designed (deputate) for a memorial of John Keynes and his wife, at the cost of my said executors, and that the images shall be placed between the high altar of the church there, and the chapel of the chantry of the said John Keynes.

Item, I will that if John Stourton, knight, my nephew, shall make complaint (querelaverit) to my executors for any things which belonged to William his father, and if he be not content

with what I have bequeathed to him (et de remanere maneriorum terrarum et tenementorum vieorum quod sibi et heredibus suis post diversos status terminandos rectis heredibus met prefati Johannis Stourton) ; but if he make no complaint, then I will he shall have what I have disposed.

Item, I will that all my garments shall be distributed amongst my household servants, at the discretion of my executors ; and all the residue of my goods not bequeathed I give and bequeath to my executors to distribute for my soul, and to perform my last will. And I ordain William Carent, John Godewyne and William Bochelle (Bocheft), my executors.

Proved 27th January in the year abovesaid, before Master John Lyndefeld, commissary, and administration committed to the executors named, in the person of William Payne, their proctor in this behalf.

References

• Will: https://archive.org/stream/somersetpub16someuoft#page/143/mode/1up
• STOURTON, John I (d.1438), of Preston Plucknett, Som. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993