PORTER, William I, of London and Southwark, Surr.

The only evidence about Porter derives from his four appearances as a mainpernor in Chancery. The first of these occurred in May 1387, when, being described as ‘of London, grocer’, he offered sureties for Martin Domyngus who was then under arrest for counterfeiting the great seal of Bristol. In the following year, this time as ‘of Surrey’, he was a surety for William Spalding and eight other local men; and in February 1390 he appeared among the mainpernors of William Janyn, a former constable of Southwark. Nothing is known of his commercial activities, for despite his connexions with the City he appears never to have become a member of the Grocers’ Company.1CCR, 1385-9, pp. 235, 460; 1389-92, pp. 162, 167; Ms Archs. Grocers’ Company ed. Kingdon, passim.