BASSINGBOURNE, John

The lack of borough records for Weymouth makes it difficult to distinguish the MP of 1435 from his namesake, the merchant who represented Weymouth in at least five Parliaments from 1385 onwards.3 The Commons 1386-1421, ii. 143. Given that 50 years separated that John Bassingbourne’s first Parliament from the one assembled in 1435 it is most unlikely that the same man sat in the Commons on all these occasions. Yet it is now impossible to pinpoint when the career of the older man ended and that of the younger began. Perhaps the divide came after the Parliament of 1410 and before that of May 1421. To the details of the older John’s trading concerns given in the earlier biography, should be added information about his dealings in the capital, which give an impression of the scale of his enterprise. In association with a London vintner named Edward Skinner he contracted a debt of 100 marks at the staple of Westminster to John Sudbury†, the grocer. Eighteen months after Bassingbourne and Skinner failed to pay on the appointed day, 25 Dec. 1406, such goods as they had in London (hides and cloth) were confiscated and handed over to their creditor.4 C131/56/3. That John’s property in Weymouth was referred to in the will which Thomas Cole† made in 1413, and it may have been he who witnessed a deed in the town early in the following year.5 PCC 27 Marche (PROB11/2A, f. 212); C146/1415.

It is probably to a younger man that should be ascribed the seat in the Parliament of May 1421, but even if so not much else is known about him. Bassingbourne attested the Weymouth election return to the first Parliament of Henry VI’s reign, and was returned to the Commons of 1435. He died just a short while afterwards, for by the Hilary term of 1438 his widow and executrix, Alice, had married John Sirla*, who had sat as his companion in the Lower House. Bassingbourne had apparently died owing the widow of John Crouk† of Bridport the sum of £19; this she claimed against the Sirlas in the court of common pleas.6 CP40/708, rot. 379d.