JOHNSON, Oliver

Johnson, whose antecedents are not known, probably came from Yorkshire, for he married the widow of a Yorkshireman who had been appointed a collector of parliamentary subsidies in the North Riding in 1440. On 14 Nov. 1447 he and his wife, together with William Bekwith, her former husband’s son and heir, obtained pardons of all fines, amercements and accounts due from the deceased to the Crown, and a release from any legal actions the King might have against them in regard to the taxes.1 CPR, 1446-52, p. 120. How he came to be promoted thereafter is unclear, although, significantly, he failed to attract royal patronage until the summer of 1455, following the Yorkist victory at St. Albans. First, on 29 July, he was made alnager of Nottinghamshire authorized to farm the cloth-subsidy for seven years (two men from Yorkshire acted as his mainpernors); and then, just 11 days later, he was granted in survivorship with John Benson the office of packer of woollen cloths, pewter vessels, rabbit skins and all other merchandise awaiting shipment in two widely-separated ports: Poole in Dorset and Ipswich in Suffolk. Johnson and Benson, who were permitted to exercise their office by deputy, were allowed to keep all profits arising from their office.2 CFR, xix. 104; CPR, 1452-61, p. 252. However, at some point in the next few months the authority of the man they assigned to do their duties in Colchester (deemed to be a ‘creek’ pertaining to Ipswich), was challenged by one of the bailiffs there, who released 13 packs of cloth for shipment before he had examined them. Johnson and Benson petitioned the chancellor for redress.3 C1/17/198. There is no ready explanation for Johnson’s election to the Parliament summoned to meet in October 1460 as a representative for the Sussex borough of Steyning, although it is possible that he was a placeman of John Mowbray, duke of Norfolk, a prominent landowner in that part of Sussex, who is known to have recruited a number of Yorkshiremen to his service. Perhaps the connexion was made through the duke’s retainer John Bekwith*, who was probably a kinsman by marriage of Johnson’s wife. Bekwith sat with him in the Commons, as a representative for the nearby town of Lewes. While the first parliamentary session was in progress, on 4 Nov. 1460, Johnson obtained a grant for life of the keeping of the stank or water of Fosse, to hold himself or by deputy. He received his wages from the sheriff of Yorkshire, and, as with his post as packer, he was not required to render anything to the Crown.4 CPR, 1452-61, p. 630; CCR, 1454-61, pp. 466-7. As had been the case in 1455, when he had secured his other offices, the Yorkists were in control of the government following a victory on the battlefield. The only conclusion to be drawn is that he was a servant of one of the duke of York’s allies (among whom Mowbray was numbered). Nevertheless, not long after Edward IV took the throne and Mowbray had died, Johnson ceased to be alnager of Nottinghamshire, and when he lost the keepership of Fosse, in February 1462, the new keepers were allotted the fees and profits as from the first day of the reign. Although he appears to have kept his office of packer at Poole and Ipswich for a few months more,5 CFR, xx. 24; CPR, 1461-7, pp. 137, 185. he is not recorded thereafter.