MORTON, Reynold

Together with his wife Agnes, in August 1452 Morton took possession of lands known as ‘Whicchers’ in the west Sussex village of Yapton. These may have formed part of Agnes’s inheritance, for they had previously been settled by Henry Exton on his son John, with remainder to her right heirs, and it seems likely that she was the Agnes who had been John’s wife in the 1440s.4 Suss. Arch. Collns. lxxxix. 161. Yapton is some three miles from Arundel, the borough Morton represented in two Parliaments. It is not known what property he held in the town, but he held a prominent position there for on 28 Aug. 1460 he was one of the six burgesses named with the mayor on the electoral indenture for Arundel, which was drawn up at the shire court at Chichester with the sheriff of Sussex as the other party.5 C219/16/6.

Although Morton was not a landowner of any substance he was styled ‘esquire’ when he witnessed deeds at Arundel in May and August 1469, so it is at least possible that he was accorded this status as a member of the household of Arundel’s lord, William, earl of Arundel – a supposition given weight by the fact that the first of these deeds concerned land held by feoffees to the use of the earl.6 E210/9672; W. Suss. RO, Diocesan recs., Cap. I/15/1. Morton is last mentioned at the elections of borough officials conducted in the autumn of 1473, when his name was one of two put forward for the mayoralty. However, which of the two candidates was ultimately successful does not appear on the court roll.