STOTARD, Richard

Through his wife, the obscure Stotard possessed interests in St. Mary’s parish at Romney.4 NR/FAc 4, f. 79v. He is first recorded as paying his maltolts in Olberd ward in 1427. From the following year until his death, however, he paid them in Sharle ward.5 NR/FAc 2, ff. 108, 109v, 111v, 113, 115, 117, 119v, 133. The later 1420s also saw him chosen as a jurat (an office in which he served almost continuously until his death), and returned to his only Parliament, a rapid rise to prominence which he probably owed to his marriage. His colleague at Westminster was the experienced parliamentarian, John Adam*. Both of them received wages from Romney for 39 days’ service, after which Stotard returned home and Adam continued to sit for a further 31 days on behalf of Romney and Dover.6 Ibid. f. 134v. Soon after the Parliament closed, Adam again rode to Westminster to pursue a ‘certain matter’ raised by the Port of Sandwich in the Brodhull and Stotard was paid 2s. for arranging his horse hire.7 Ibid. 109.

What little else is known about Stotard is easily summarized. In 1431-2 his Port paid him 12s. 3d., in discharge of unspecified debts, and a further 10s. for his ‘labours’, although in 1433 he incurred a fine of £2 6s. 8d., for failing to perform his duties as one of the Cinque Ports’ bailiffs at Yarmouth.8 Ibid. f. 118v. He probably died in the summer of 1435, since on 9 Nov. that year his widow demised their property in St. Mary’s parish, which she had by the enfeoffment of her father, to the jurat, James Bamlond*.9 NR/FAc 4, f. 79v.