DUTTON, John

A saddler by occupation, Dutton married the widow of another Winchester man similarly employed and thus acquired by 1422 the property she possessed in the city: a tenement in the High Street and a garden in Gold Street which she held for life, and an adjacent house which she rented from St. John’s hospital. He renegotiated the terms of the latter tenancy in 1441-2 (perhaps after his wife’s death), then taking on an 80-year lease for 7s. p.a., instead of the 3s. 4d. paid previously.2 Keene, ii. nos. 192-3, 649; Stowe 846, f. 148. Little is known about his commercial dealings, save that he supplied a corveser (shoemaker) named Godfrey Werys with shoes, tools, furnishings and money to pay the rent on a shop near the Star Inn, with the unfortunate consquence for Werys that he fell heavily into Dutton’s debt.3 Keene, i. 290.

Dutton had been admitted to the freedom of the city in 1421, but was fined half a mark in the following year for a trespass against its liberties. He held minor offices before gaining promotion to the bailiffship of the 24 in 1429. During his term, on 22 Jan. 1430 he was paid 13s. 4d. for riding to London on business concerning the rector of the church of St. Maurice.4 Hants RO, Winchester recs. W/E1/17. On his first election to Parliament Thomas Gardener* stood surety for his attendance in the Commons. In later years he himself appeared as a mainpernor for other of Winchester’s representatives (James Solas* in 1435, John Moule* in February 1449, and Thomas Robard* in November 1449), and he was put down for a contribution of 6s. 8d. towards the wages of the MPs of 1445-6.5 C219/14/4, 5, 15/6, 7; Winchester recs. W/E4/4.

Meanwhile, Dutton had been elected mayor in 1444 and as Winchester’s representative in Parliament for a second time six years later. He served another term as mayor in 1453-4. From that year onwards the city chamberlains paid for the obit of a John Dutton, one of the benefactors of the city, to be celebrated at St. John’s hospital, but it is unclear whether this was our MP, or one of his ancestors.6 Winchester recs. W/E1/20. Our John, the mayor, was certainly still alive on 20 July 1454, and there is nothing to show that he died before the end of his term of office.7 Winchester Coll. muns. 1232. Furthermore, a John Dutton was named along with Robert Dutton (the bailiff of 1449-50 and chamberlain of 1452-4) as a member of the 24 in January 1456,8 C219/15/7; Black Bk. 86; Winchester recs. W/E1/19, 20. and witnessed deeds in Winchester in July that year and in January 1457.9 Winchester Coll. muns. 1233-4. John was Robert’s executor (along with his widow, Isabel, afterwards wife of William Hore), and as such early in 1461 he brought actions in the court of common pleas against the deceased man’s debtors.10 CP40/800, rot. 158.