Constituency Dates
Lincoln [1416 (Mar.)], [1420], [1421 (May)], 1422, [1423], [1426]
Lincolnshire 1431, 1435, 1439
Family and Education
b. c. 1392, s. and h. of Robert Sutton† of Lincoln. m. (1) by July 1426, Margaret, da. of Sir Henry Vavasour (d.1413) of Hazlewood, Yorks., by Margaret (d.1415), da. of Sir William Skipwith† (d. by 1389) of South Ormsby, Lincs., and Skipwith, Yorks., j.c.p., c.j.KB. Ire., 3s. inc. Robert* (d.v.p.) and Hamon II*, at least 2da.; (2) Agnes (fl.1476). Dist. 1430, 1439, 1457.
Offices Held

Attestor, parlty. elections, Lincoln 1421 (Dec.), 1429, 1431, 1435, 1437, 1442, 1449 (Nov.), 1450, 1453, Lincs. 1425, 1426, 1437, 1442, 1447, 1450.

Commr.Lincs., Lindsey, Kesteven, Boston, Grimsby, Kingston-upon-Hull, Lincoln Nov. 1422–60; of gaol delivery, Lincoln June 1424, Feb. 1428, Jan. 1430, Jan. 1432, Mar. 1436, Lincoln castle Mar. 1439, Lincoln May 1441, Mar. 1442, July 1458, Aug. 1459;1 JUST3/203, rot. 10; C66/414, m. 33d; 422, m. 2d; 427, m. 34d; 431, m. 8d; 438, m. 14d; 443, m. 26d; 450, m. 32d; 452, m. 6d; 485, m. 2d; 487, m. 10d. of inquiry, Lincs. Sept. 1449 (treasons etc.);2 KB9/265/79. to treat for loans May, Oct. 1442.

Escheator, Lincs. 13 Nov. 1423 – 6 Nov. 1424.

Sheriff, Lincs. Mich. 1429 – 10 Feb. 1430.

Mayor of the staple of Calais by 10 May 1433 – bef.13 July 1434, Oct. 1442-Apr. 1447.3 C241/225/25; E403/715, mm. 14–15; A.F. Sutton, Mercery of London, 250; G.L. Harriss, ‘Marmaduke Lumley and the Crisis of 1446–9’, in Aspects of Late Med. Govt. and Soc. ed. Rowe, 162.

J.p. Lindsey 8 Aug. 1433 – Dec. 1434, 22 Oct. 1436 – Nov. 1458.

Dep. to Sir Ralph Butler (later Lord Sudeley), chief butler of England, Kingston-upon-Hull 28 Oct. 1435 – aft.Mar. 1447.

Ambassador to treat for a truce with the duke of Burgundy and the Flemish towns 1435, Feb. 1446.

Address
Main residence: Lincoln.
biography text

More may be added to the earlier biography.4 The Commons 1386-1421, iv. 533-5.

Sutton’s final term as mayor of the Calais staple ended in unhappy circumstances. In December 1446 his fellow staplers accused him to the royal council of ‘outragiously and immesurably’ wasting their goods to the value of in excess of 5,000 marks, the most part of which was money he had received from the Crown in repayment of the loans made by the company of the Staple. What precisely lay behind this complaint is unknown, but it is not surprising that he was replaced by Robert White* at the mayoral elections of the following April.5 E28/77/13; Harriss, 162.

Sutton had protracted financial dealings with the indebted Lincolnshire knight, Sir John Gra* (not Sir John ‘Good’ as in the earlier biography). These culminated in the early 1450s when Gra brought a petition against him in Chancery, claiming that Sutton, having been satisfied of £60 advanced on the security of Gra’s property in Kingston-upon-Hull, had refused to reconvey the property to him.6 C1/19/108. Gra had borrowed money from Sutton as early as 1432 and there had been periodic litigation between them thereafter: C241/225/17; CP40/701, rot. 47d; 703, rot. 134; 713, rot. 491d; C1/71/91.

Sutton’s wealth enabled him to marry his daughters into leading Lincolnshire families. As remarked in the earlier biography he spent 260 marks to marry his daughter Agnes to John Bussy of Hougham, and in the late 1450s he invested 300 marks in the marriage of his daughter Alice to William Copledyke of Harrington.7 C1/34/9.

Sutton died shortly before 16 Sept. 1461. His widow married one of his fellow Calais staplers, John Thirsk*, and was alive as late as June 1476.8 CP40/804, rot. 146d; E13/155, rot. 77; York House Bks. ed. Attreed, i. 112.

Author
S.J.P.
Volume
Commons 1422-1461
Notes
  • 1. JUST3/203, rot. 10; C66/414, m. 33d; 422, m. 2d; 427, m. 34d; 431, m. 8d; 438, m. 14d; 443, m. 26d; 450, m. 32d; 452, m. 6d; 485, m. 2d; 487, m. 10d.
  • 2. KB9/265/79.
  • 3. C241/225/25; E403/715, mm. 14–15; A.F. Sutton, Mercery of London, 250; G.L. Harriss, ‘Marmaduke Lumley and the Crisis of 1446–9’, in Aspects of Late Med. Govt. and Soc. ed. Rowe, 162.
  • 4. The Commons 1386-1421, iv. 533-5.
  • 5. E28/77/13; Harriss, 162.
  • 6. C1/19/108. Gra had borrowed money from Sutton as early as 1432 and there had been periodic litigation between them thereafter: C241/225/17; CP40/701, rot. 47d; 703, rot. 134; 713, rot. 491d; C1/71/91.
  • 7. C1/34/9.
  • 8. CP40/804, rot. 146d; E13/155, rot. 77; York House Bks. ed. Attreed, i. 112.