PORTMAN, Walter

More may be added to the earlier biography.12 The Commons 1386-1421, iv. 122-3.

Portman’s first wife was a local woman, and brought him property in Taunton, as well as in Staple Fitzpaine, and Hyde in West Monkton.13 Portman mss, DD\PM/5/2/8. His second wife, Christine Orchard, was a wealthy heiress in her own right, but could expect little by way of dower from her first husband, the impoverished Devon esquire Philip Cary. Under the terms of the couple’s marriage contract of 14 July 1439 Portman had to agree not only to pay her an annuity of £20 from the revenues of her lands (which would increase when she gained control of the portion of her inheritance held by her mother in dower), but also to make provision for William Cary, her son by her first husband, who would receive her moveable property when he came of age. Walter further agreed to pay Cary’s debts to John Mules*, Christine’s stepfather, and was, interestingly, explicitly required to provide a priest in his household. This last provision at least Portman is known to have fulfilled, for in 1443 he procured a special licence from Archbishop Stafford to employ a priest to celebrate mass for him and his wife anywhere in the southern province.14 Ibid. DD\PM/5/2/11; Som. Archs., Misc. docs. VCH, T\PH\vch/62.

Portman’s standing as a lawyer owed much to his extensive network of prominent clients who besides the Courtenays, Hungerfords, Kyriells and Luttrells included Sir Theobald Gorges*, Sir Edward Hull*’s mother, the Warre family, and lesser south-westerners of local importance.15 C1/7/110, 32/222; KB27/782, rot. 23d; Som. Archs.,Sanford of Nynehead mss, DD\SF/1578; Devon RO, Petre (Bonville) mss, 123M/TB211. Equally, however, he periodically found himself the target of minor, but annoying lawsuits over small professional matters, such as his purported failure to return a bond entrusted to him for safe keeping.16 CP40/712, rot. 330d. Perhaps rather more serious was Portman’s clash in about 1451 with Richard Gosse*, who accused him of the theft of his muniments and the fraudulent promulgation of other, forged ones, in their place.17 CP40/762, rot. 53.