RUSHDEN, William

The Rushdens were one of the principal families of Northampton and this William assumed a prominent place in the town’s affairs even before his father’s death. He first appears in the records in the summer of 1433 when chosen as one of the borough’s MPs and this was very soon followed by election as bailiff. Such service very early in a career was the common pattern among the leading townsmen, who almost invariably chose young men to fill these roles. Much less typical was Rushden’s appointment by the Crown as one of the two alnagers in the counties of Northamptonshire and Rutland, an office his father had held briefly in the 1420s, and his election as mayor during his father’s lifetime.4 CFR, xvi. 223. These are clear indications of the family’s importance in the town and may be taken to imply that it was extensively involved in the cloth trade.

On 16 July 1442 Rushden and his father are recorded as present at the hustings among the 24 comburgesses (or mayor’s council) when penalties were devised for those who should breach the secrecy of the council’s deliberations. This is the only reference to him as one of the councillors, but little is known of the council’s membership and it is likely that he long served in the role.5 Northampton Recs. ii. 277. In the following year he was involved in a more significant episode. On 12 July 1443 he was one of the leading men of the town, who, along with Henry Stone*, Thomas Boltesham*, the mayor, and two mercers, William Derby and Geoffrey Holt, found mainprise in Chancery (each for the other) to be of good behaviour until the following Michaelmas term. There can be no doubt that this mutual mainprise was connected with an action of trespass brought against them by Edmund, Lord Grey of Ruthin. Indeed, on the same day as they had been required to find surety, the royal council instructed Grey to keep the peace towards the townsmen and all those either entering or leaving the town. The point at issue between Northampton and its powerful neighbour is not recorded, but the immediate disappearance of Grey’s suit from the plea rolls implies that the council’s action was effective in bringing the dispute to a close.6 CCR, 1441-7, p. 102; KB27/730, rot. 22 (Rushden is described as ‘junior’ so it is clear that it was he rather than his father who was involved); PPC, v. 305-6.

Although Rushden had been appointed alnager for a term of 20 years, he lost the office in September 1444 after only ten. It may be that he surrendered it willingly since the annual farm was in 1444 almost doubled to £10. In any event the new grantees’ term proved remarkably brief: just a month later the office was given to the courtier (Sir) James Fiennes* for life at the old farm. Significantly, our MP acted as one of the mainpernors for this grant and perhaps went on to serve as Sir James’s deputy.7 CFR, xvii. 306-7. In the later 1440s Rushden’s importance was further enhanced by his father’s death. Its precise date is unknown but there is no specific reference to the older William in the records after 1442. No doubt his father’s removal brought an augmentation of his commercial interests. His more frequent appearances as a plaintiff in the court of common pleas from about 1445 is certainly consistent with such a conclusion. For example, in Trinity term 1445, he had pleas pending against seven men, including William Lobenham, one of the Northamptonshire coroners, for debts totalling 52 marks.8 CP40/738, rots. 371, 372d.

Rushden’s enthusiasm for administrative office is explicit in his three terms as mayor. In 1437 the burgesses had passed an ordinance prohibiting anyone from holding the office twice within a period of seven years. Our MP’s election as mayor in 1439, 1447 and 1455 represents as frequent service as was consistent with this ordinance. After his last term he makes fewer appearances in the records. In Michaelmas term 1457 he was sued for a debt of £5 by Thomas Mulsho*, and on 14 Oct. 1458 he sued out a general pardon as ‘late mayor and escheator of Northampton, draper, vintner, late bailiff’. In 1460 he was named among the feoffees of a fuller of the town, William Green, and in 1464 he was a plaintiff in an action of debt against Margaret, widow of Sir William Lucy*.9 C67/42, m. 4; CP40/788, rot. 252; 812, rot. 19; Northants. RO, Northampton bor. recs. private ch. 50. He continued to trade in cloth to the end of his life, although seemingly not on a significant scale. Between 10 Sept. 1465 and the following 12 Mar. the alnager sealed eight of his cloths and two of his kerseys.10 E101/343/19.

Rushden made his will on 12 Mar. 1467. It is a colourless one concerned almost entirely with minor bequests for prayers for his soul to the collegiate church of All Saints, the abbey of St. James and other of Northampton’s religious institutions. Judging from its evidence alone, the testator, despite his prominence in the town’s affairs, was of relatively restricted means: the largest single bequest was a mere £2 in cash with a pardon of a debt of £3 13s. 4d. to his kinsman, William Smith of Stratford-upon-Avon. He wanted to be buried in the cemetery of the church of All Saints next to his late wife and daughter Katherine. He named the town’s recorder, Robert Tanfeld*, William Austen, one of its leading burgesses, and a draper, John Adam, as his executors. It was more than three years before they were called upon to perform their function for the will was not proved until 7 July 1470. In the meantime, the testator made one further appearance in the records: on 10 Dec. 1468, in company with a leading local lawyer, John Dyve*, he made conveyance of a messuage in Gold Street, seemingly acting as a feoffee of Simon Philip, senior.11 Northants. RO, Northampton Archdeaconry, Probate Reg. 1, f. 6; bor. recs. private ch. 51.