Survey

Members who sat for more than one borough

During the period under review the majority of parliamentary burgesses were returned by only one borough: their home town. However, 116 of our Members were selected at different times in their careers to represent other places as well. For the most part they were selected by another borough in the same county, although 21 were chosen by towns in different shires, and in six instances the places were very far removed from each other. The majority of the boroughs concerned in this survey were situated in the West Country: as many as 35 of the group of 116 were elected by towns in Cornwall, 21 in Devon and 19 in Dorset, while after 1399 the boroughs of Wiltshire (with 14 examples recorded) became increasingly more likely to return non-residents. Certain individuals secured election by several boroughs: Thomas Raymond represented five Devonshire towns all told; John Syreston and Robert Treage five each in Cornwall, and John Giles five in Wiltshire. It is likely that most, if not all, of the 116 would have failed to meet the legal requirements regarding residence as set out by the statute introduced by the Parliament of 1413 (May), and evidently in some areas the new legislation made little difference to customary practice. Those individuals (numbering 44 of the total) who switched constituencies after this legislation came into force, have been marked* in the list below. Of course, a few of the Members may have genuinely moved their places of residence as their personal circumstances changed, and taken the trouble to gain official acceptance as freemen of the towns which then elected them to Parliament, but it is unlikely that the men of law among them, such as Nicholas Aysshton, John Cork, John Ford II, John Fortescue, John Giles, Robert Hillary, John Lawhire, Robert Long, John Ludwell, Thomas Russell II, Walter Tracy, and John Treffridowe, ever did so. In the furtherance of their professional careers such individuals were always ready to offer their services (probably at a reduced rate) to the smaller, less wealthy towns situated at some distance from Westminster.

MEMBERS WHO SAT FOR MORE THAN ONE BOROUGH

Allet, Richard Bodmin, Launceston Cornw.
* Alysaundre, John Melcombe Regis, Lyme Regis Dorset
Aston, John II Gt. Torrington, Dartmouth, Barnstaple Devon (3)
* Aysshton, Nicholas Liskeard, Helston, Launceston Cornw. (3)
* Bailey, John Calne, Cricklade Wilts.
Bant, Stephen Liskeard, Bodmin, Lostwithiel Cornw. (3)
Beare, Ellis Barnstaple, Plympton Erle, Totnes Devon (3)
Bloyowe, Walter Bodmin, Liskeard, Truro Cornw. (3)
Bodilly, John Launceston, Helston, Liskeard Cornw. (3)
Bodrugan, William I Helston, Launceston Cornw.
* Borde, William Taunton, Wallingford Som./Berks.
Bosom, John I Dartmouth, Totnes Devon
Brasuter, John Dartmouth, Totnes Devon
Bremeler, Henry Dartmouth, Totnes Devon
* Brereton, William Midhurst, ?Chichester Suss.
Breton, John I Bodmin, Lostwithiel Cornw.
* Brice, John II Weymouth, Melcombe Regis Dorset
Burgrove, Robert Rye, Hastings Cinque Ports
Burlestone, William Totnes, Plympton Erle, Dartmouth Devon (3)
* But, John Barnstaple, Bodmin, Liskeard, Truro Devon/Cornw. (3)
Calche, Robert Wareham, Melcombe Regis Dorset
Chamberlain, William Truro, Southampton Cornw./Hants
Cheverell, John Wareham, Dorchester Dorset
Clerk, William I Weymouth, Melcombe Regis Dorset
Clink, John Liskeard, Lostwithiel, Helston Cornw. (3)
Cobbley, Robert Barnstaple, Exeter Devon
Cokeworthy, John I Liskeard, Launceston, Lostwithiel Cornw. (3)
Colet, Walter Wallingford, Oxford Berks./Oxon.
* Cork, John Helston, Liskeard, Bodmin Cornw. (3)
* Cricklade, Thomas Cricklade, Calne Wilts.
* Cullyford, Edward Lyme Regis, Bridgwater Dorset/Som.
Darcy, Robert Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Maldon Northumb./Essex
* Edgeley, Adam Stafford, Hereford Staffs./Herefs.
* Everard, John II Gt. Bedwyn, Old Sarum Wilts.
Fastolf, Hugh Gt. Yarmouth, London Norf./London
* Fenningham, William East Grinstead, ?Midhurst, ?Arundel Suss. (3)
* Ford, John II Melcombe Regis, Dorchester, Shaftesbury Dorset (3)
* Fortescue, John Tavistock, Totnes, Plympton Erle Devon (3)
Foxley, John Dartmouth, Barnstaple Devon
Frye, Robert II Wilton, Shaftesbury Wilts./Dorset
* Gerard, William Wareham, Melcombe Regis Dorset
* Giles, John Old Sarum, Marlborough, Calne, Wilton, Devizes Wilts. (5)
Golde, Richard Exeter, Plympton Erle Devon
Goldyve, Matthew Rye, Winchelsea Cinque Ports
Goly, John Helston, Liskeard, Launceston Cornw. (3)
Grey, John I Exeter, Barnstaple, Totnes Devon (3)
Hadley, Peter Exeter, Plympton Erle, Tavistock Devon (3)
Hamely, (Sir) John Liskeard, Lostwithiel, Truro, Launceston, Helston, Bodmin Cornw. (6)
* Harleston, John Wilton, Old Sarum Wilts. (2)
Haseley, Thomas Lyme Regis, Barnstaple Dorset/Devon
Helton, John Appleby, Carlisle Westmld./Cumb.
* Hillary, Robert Weymouth, Bridport, Dorchester Dorset (3)
Hurston, Richard Ashburton, Plympton Erle Devon
* Hussey, Thomas II Gt. Bedwyn, Old Sarum, Melcombe Regis Wilts. (2)/Dorset
* Jacob, Martin Bridgwater, Taunton Som. (2)
John, Lewis Taunton, Wallingford Som./Berks.
* Julkin, John Tavistock, Plympton Erle Devon
* Lawhire, John Truro, Bodmin, Lostwithiel Cornw. (3)
Lond, Thomas Melcombe Regis, Lyme Regis Dorset
* Long, Robert Old Sarum, Calne, Salisbury Wilts. (3)
Lowys, Simon Liskeard, Lostwithiel Cornw.
* Ludwell, John Old Sarum, Chippenham, Cricklade Wilts. (3)
Lunceford, Simon Rye, New Romney Cinque Ports
Lynde, Hugh de la Bath, Chippenham Som./Wilts.
* Manningham, Thomas ?Appleby, Carlisle Westmld./Cumb.
Mason, John Lewes, East Grinstead Suss.
* Mayne, Richard II Bridgwater, Wells Som.
* Motty, Philip Liskeard, Bodmin Cornw.
Newman, Robert Malmesbury, Cricklade Wilts.
Nicoll, John Bodmin, Helston Cornw.
Norris, Thomas II Barnstaple, Totnes, Plympton Erle Devon (3)
Palmer, John I Bridgwater, Bath, Wells Som. (3)
Pasford, John Dartmouth, Totnes Devon
Pengersick, John Helston, Launceston Cornw.
Penne, Robert Weymouth, Melcombe Regis Dorset
* Pety, Thomas Appleby, Carlisle Westmld./Cumb.
Polruddon, Pascoe Lostwithiel, Truro Cornw.
Prescott, John Exeter, Totnes Devon
Rauf, Henry ?Wareham, Bridport Dorset
Raymond, Thomas Barnstaple, Tavistock, Dartmouth, Plympton Erle, Exeter Devon (5)
* Reson, Walter Melcombe Regis, Wareham Dorset
Respryn, Richard Lostwithiel, Truro Cornw.
* Richard, William Helston, Truro Cornw.
* Russell, Thomas II Chichester, Midhurst, East Grinstead Suss. (3)
Salerne, John I Rye, Hastings Cinque Ports
Salerne, John II New Romney, Winchelsea Cinque Ports
Salman, Robert Malmesbury, Calne Wilts.
Sambourn, Nicholas II Chippenham, Malmesbury Wilts.
* Shelley, John Rye, Sandwich Cinque Ports
Sherare, John Chichester, Lewes Suss.
Sowerby, John Appleby, Carlisle Westmld./Cumb.
Stanford, Hugh Bridgnorth, Newcastle-under-Lyme Salop/Staffs.
* Studley, Walter Calne, Malmesbury Wilts.
Syreston, John Liskeard, Truro, Lostwithiel, Bodmin, Launceston Cornw. (5)
* Tamworth, John Winchelsea, Hastings Cinque Ports
* Tracy, Walter Dorchester, Bridport, Melcombe Regis Dorset (3)
* Treage, Robert Bodmin, Helston, Liskeard, Lostwithiel, Truro Cornw. (5)
* Treffridowe, John Liskeard, Helston, Launceston Cornw. (3)
Tregoose, John Helston, Truro, Bodmin, Liskeard Cornw. (4)
* Trelawny, John III Liskeard, Lostwithiel Cornw.
Trenerth, Robert Truro, Liskeard Cornw.
Trenewith, Nicholas Bodmin, Truro Cornw.
Trereise, John Helston, Truro Cornw.
* Trethake, William II Helston, Truro Cornw.
* Trewint, John Truro, Lostwithiel, Liskeard Cornw. (3)
* Trewoofe, John Liskeard, Bodmin Cornw.
* Urban, David Bodmin, Helston Cornw.
Urban, John Helston, Truro Cornw.
* Urry, Walter Horsham, Reigate Suss./Surr.
Veel, Robert Melcombe Regis, Dorchester Dorset
Vincent, John Midhurst, Chichester Suss.
Walsingham, Thomas Wareham, Lyme Regis Dorset
Weston, John Warwick, Worcester Warws./Worcs.
Whitelegh, Richard Totnes, Dartmouth Devon
Wigan, Hugh Shrewsbury, Hereford Salop/Herefs.
Wonston, Alfred Totnes, Barnstaple, Tavistock Devon (3)
Breakdown of the above by county:
Berks. 3 Northumb. 1
Cinque Ports 7 Oxon. 1
Cornw. 35 Salop 2
Cumb. 4 Som. 7
Devon 21 Staffs. 2
Dorset 19 Surr. 1
Essex 1 Suss. 6
Hants 1 Warws. 1
Herefs. 1 Westmld. 4
London 1 Wilts. 14
Norf. 1 Worcs. 1
Volume
Commons 1386-1421