ALBY, Stephen

Alby is one of the more obscure men to have sat as a parliamentary baron for the Port of Hythe. His first appearance in the local records was in July 1425 when he sued a plea of debt before the bailiff.1 E. Kent Archs., Hythe jurats’ ct. bk. 1421-41, H 1018, f. 46v. Around this time he appears to have married Isabel, the widow of a prominent townsman, Henry Philpot, and in May 1426 he appeared with her in the bailiff’s court in pursuit of her late husband’s debtors.2 Ibid. f. 53v. Thereafter he was a regular litigant. At times this involved suits against some of the town’s leading inhabitants. In June 1430 he was distrained for not answering a plea of debt brought by John Overhaven* and in October 1431 he sued William Walton* for debt.3 Ibid. ff. 93v, 108. Although Alby apparently never served as a jurat, his election to Parliament in December 1430 may have been due to the fact that he was one of the few Hythe Portsmen with some legal training. His knowledge of the law may explain his appearance as an attorney in the local courts and his regular nominations as an arbiter in local disputes.4 Ibid. ff. 104v, 120. Indeed, the Parliament of 1431 saw the barons of the Cinque Ports petitioning against the bailiffs of Yarmouth who had obstructed the Ports’ bailiffs sent there during the herring fair of the previous year. Alby was one of four Portsmen, along with John Adam* of New Romney, Thomas Carpenter* of Hastings and William Broughton* of Rye, all then sitting in the Commons, who presented a schedule of their grievances before the King’s council.5 SC8/296/14753-4. As he was not a jurat, it seems unlikely that Alby had himself served as bailiff to Yarmouth the previous year, although that may well have been the reason for the election to Parliament of his fellow baron for Hythe, John Leigh*.

Little other evidence survives of Alby’s career or private interests. He had connexions with London merchants and despite his apparent competence in the law he was himself engaged in trade and on occasion was described as a merchant. In October 1423 he had received royal letters of protection for one year going overseas in the retinue of Richard Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, perhaps being involved in the victualling of Calais.6 DKR, xlviii. 227. In April 1433 a London bladesmith, Thomas Persale, bound himself in £5 which Alby owed to one of the mercers of the city, Richard Lovelas. Alby defaulted on the payment and Persale was forced to settle the debt himself, later petitioning in Chancery against Alby to recover the money. Alby attempted to acquire property in Sandwich, although this too ended in litigation in Chancery when the vendor’s feoffee, John Green I*, refused to deliver seisin.7 C1/10/99, 68/197. The remainder of Alby’s career is obscure. In September 1440 he apprised certain cloth that had been brought into the bailiff’s court at Hythe. He died before September 1451 when Isabel, by then a widow, brought another plea of debt before the bailiff.8 Hythe jurats’ ct. bks. H1018, f. 170v; 1449-67, H 1023, f. 26v.