WHETELE, John

Whetele, whose origins and early career are obscure, was admitted to the freedom of Wells in July 1428, his entry fine being waived as he had married the twice-widowed former wife of the recently deceased master, Simon Bailly.3 Ibid. 261. His career of office-holding was brief, but his rise rapid: after serving two terms as constable of the peace in 1429-30 and 1431 (a gap in the records makes it impossible to tell whether he continued in post in the interim), he was elected master of Wells in the autumn of 1432.4 Ibid. 268, 277, 280 The background to Whetele’s election to the Commons on 5 Sept. 1429, four weeks before he first became constable, is unclear, but it seems that he may not have been the citizens’ first choice, for in the city’s record his name replaced that of John Godwin alias Glasier* which had been struck out. As his colleague the citizens returned the serving master, John Rokke*, and it may be significant that both MPs were elected (or in Rokke’s case re-elected) to civic office while sitting in Parliament.5 Ibid. 266.

Little else is known of Whetele. In the autumn of 1428 he was in dispute with his neighbour Henry Selwood* over a debt, and in late 1435 he accused the tanner William Tylly of an unspecified deception. He is not recorded at Wells thereafter, and may either have died or have left the city.6 Ibid. 263, 288. On chronological grounds it is just possible that Whetele might be identified with the man of this name who served as one of the filacers of the ct. of c.p. from 1430 to 1447 (CP40/677-744), but no other evidence to support this identification has been discovered.