PYRYS, Nicholas

Pyrys has been distinguished from Nicholas Pury† of Fordington and Dorchester, who sat in Parliament for Melcombe Regis in 1417,3 The Commons 1386-1421, iv. 149. Pury was still living in 1434 when he brought a plea of trespass against Robert Mose I* of Dorchester: KB27/693, rot. 24. but remains the most obscure of the representatives for Bridport in this period. A local man, he leased a tenement in East Street, which he held with his wife and son John for their lives in survivorship, paying a rent of 9s. 6d. a year.4 Bridport register, f. 120v. Pyrys and his wife were members of the fraternity of the two torches in St. Mary’s parish church, and he stood surety for the newly-appointed wardens of the fraternity at Easter 1420, 1421 and 1425.5 Bridport fraternities, CD16. He had filled the responsible office of a cofferer of Bridport before being elected to Parliament in 1425 in company with the highly experienced parliamentarian Simon atte Ford*. Pyrys received 10s. towards his expenses, but there is no record that he received any additional payments for attending the Parliament which lasted 71 days.6 Bridport cofferers’ accts. DC/BTB/M6, 1/3. As he is not mentioned in the borough records subsequently it may be that he died or moved away from the town shortly afterwards.