CATTE, William

A baker by occupation, Catte nevertheless became a person of some standing in Shaftesbury. At the Dorset assizes held in 1416 he was among a number of townspeople, including John Pyjon† the former MP, who were accused of unjustly disseising the lawyer Thomas Cammell† of property in the town. However, since he was not a principal in the case, he was acquitted.1 JUST1/1531, rot. 9. He attested the Shaftesbury elections to Parliament in the following year, and went on to do so again twice more before his own return to the Commons in 1431. It may be presumed that he held local office, although the evidence is lacking. Catte was often called upon to be a juror at inquisitions post mortem held in Shaftesbury between 1419 and 1433, providing information about the landed holdings of such prominent members of the gentry as Sir Hugh Luttrell† of Dunster and Sir John Berkeley† of Beverstone.2 C138/40/56; C139/33/32, 35/50, 38/26, 45/39, 54/37, 64/32.

Although little is known about Catte’s private affairs, he was not infrequently recorded on the plea rolls of the court of common pleas, bringing suits for debt against local people,3 CP40/653, rot. 50d. such as members of the Croxhale family, and in the Michaelmas term of 1435 he was associated with the lawyer Robert Rempston* and with William Morton* in bringing a plea of conspiracy against a draper and two chaplains of Shaftesbury.4 CP40/699, rots. 437d, 596.