SYLTON, Thomas

Sylton was a Portsman of Winchelsea at least by the early 1430s, from when he claimed exemption from taxation on his chattels at nearby Icklesham. In later years he also claimed exemption on moveable possessions at Udimer, Fairlight and Eastbourne.4 E179/226/69; 228/131; 229/138, 151, 154. His active involvement in the government of Winchelsea began in 1432, if not before, serving as a jurat for at least five years and as mayor for three, and it was perhaps because of his knowledge of the affairs of this and the other Ports that he was returned to four Parliaments. In April 1435 he was one of three men named as approvers of the goods of William Morfote* which the warden of the Cinque Ports had ordered the authorities at Winchelsea to confiscate, and in February 1441 he deputized for William Pope*, the royal bailiff of Winchelsea, at sessions of the hundred court.5 Cott. Julius BIV, ff. 59-60v, 64. He was sent to Brodhulls as a representative from Winchelsea on no fewer than 21 occasions, of which the first took place in 1436.6 White and Black Bks. 7, 12, 13, 15-17, 21, 22, 24-26, 31, 33, 34, 36. Three years later he was the man sent from Winchelsea and Rye to be one of the Ports’ bailiffs at the herring fair at Yarmouth.

Sylton was a jurat when elected to the Parliament which met between 25 Jan. and 27 Mar. 1442. Evidently his performance proved satisfactory, as five days later, immediately after his return home, he was chosen mayor. Further business of the Ports engaged him when at the Brodhull of 24 July following it was decided that he, John Greenford* and Godard Pulham* should visit Rye to examine the process in a suit for debt, after an action of withernam had been unlawfully brought against Folkstone by the authorities there. He was re-elected mayor in the next year. Again a jurat when returned to the Parliament of 1447, he most likely continued to act in this capacity in later years, although records providing the names of jurats in that period no longer survive. He was among those whose attendance was required at a special Brodhull in September 1448 to hear and determine the disputes between Sandwich and Nicholas Aydlabye of Dover.7 Ibid. 12, 16, 24. While his third Parliament was in progress in Hilary term 1450 Sylton brought a suit in the court of common pleas against a man from Eastbourne for breaking into his close there and taking crops worth £5.8 CP40/756, rot. 351.

Little is recorded about Sylton’s private affairs, although it is known that in 1455 he was a feoffee of the manor of Levesham, probably at the request of Thomas Pope* of Rye.9 CP25(1)/241/91/1. His son and heir, John Sylton, accompanied him to the Brodhull of September 1456 as the only other deputy from Winchelsea. At that time Thomas was once more serving as mayor, but is not recorded after this final term of office. He died before Easter 1462, when John accompanied John Copledyke*, the bailiff of Winchelsea, to the Exchequer to render account for Scottish coins and other items forfeited in the Port during his late father’s mayoralty.10 White and Black Bks. 43; E159/239, recorda Easter, rots. 29, 29d.