FOUGLE, Robert

Fougle’s election to Parliament for his home town came near the beginning of his career. He twice acted as a mainpernor for the appearance in the Commons of another Portsmouth MP, John Carpenter I* (in December 1436 and January 1442), and held both the local offices of any importance, that of bailiff and constable, filling the former role at least three times. As bailiff in 1453 he was responsible for making the return to the sheriff of Hampshire of the names of the parliamentary burgesses.4 C219/15/1, 2, 16/2. In the following year he acted as rent collector on the nearby manor of Stubbington, belonging to Southwick priory, and he continued to be employed there, organizing the carriage of agricultural produce, until 1463 or later.5 Winchester Coll. muns. 15392-4.

Robert occasionally witnessed deeds at Portsmouth, sometimes in association with Peter Fougle, probably his kinsman,6 Add. Chs. 15855, 15857; Portsmouth Recs. ed. East, 672. and he evidently continued to hold a prominent place in the local community, for in June 1464 Bishop Waynflete commissioned him to sequestrate the goods of the vicar of Portsmouth’s parish church. However, when Peter Fougle died intestate shortly before January 1466, Robert was not among the men appointed by the bishop to administer his effects.7 Hants RO, Reg. Waynflete, 1, ff. 82*, 87*v. He appeared on the Portsmouth electoral return in 1467 as a surety for Richard Gay*,8 C219/17/1. and is last recorded in 1469 when although the sum of 4s. 1d. due to the borough in rent from a deceased tenant was said to be held by him, he himself was no longer leasing half an acre in Bacons Croft and a property known as ‘Porrocke’.9 Portsmouth Recs. 494, 500.