ADAM, John | HoP Development Site

Constituency	Dates
New Romney	1410, ,1413 (Feb.), ,1416 (Mar.), ,[1419]1The electoral return lists Adam and Richard Clitheroe II, but Thomas Rokeslee and Thomas Smith III* were paid for attending the Parliament: Romney assmt. bk. 2, f. 92., ,14232He was paid £3 17s.6d. for 31 days’ attendance down to 16 Nov. 1423 (at 2s.6d. per day) and £1 for the period 13-20 Jan. 1424. From 20 Jan. to 1 Mar. he also represented Dover, so Romney paid him at the rate of 1s.4d. per day, and Dover paid him £3 3s.4d. for 38 days’ service: ibid. f. 100; Add. 29615, f. 75., ,14273He again gave service for Dover too, receiving 1s.8d. per day for 48 days’ attendance for that Port, besides his wage from Romney: Add. 29615, f. 136; Romney assmt. bk. 2, f. 106., 14294Receiving £4 6s. for 43 days’ sevice at 2s. per day: assmt. bk. 2, f. 100., 14315Romney paid him for 29 days at the rate of 2s. a day, and 45 at 1s.8d. per day, while Dover paid him for 48 days: assmt. bk. 2, f. 111; Add. 29615, f. 173.

Constituency

Dates

1410, ,1413 (Feb.), ,1416 (Mar.), ,[1419]1The electoral return lists Adam and Richard Clitheroe II*, but Thomas Rokeslee* and Thomas Smith III* were paid for attending the Parliament: Romney assmt. bk. 2, f. 92., ,14232He was paid £3 17s.6d. for 31 days’ attendance down to 16 Nov. 1423 (at 2s.6d. per day) and £1 for the period 13-20 Jan. 1424. From 20 Jan. to 1 Mar. he also represented Dover, so Romney paid him at the rate of 1s.4d. per day, and Dover paid him £3 3s.4d. for 38 days’ service: ibid. f. 100; Add. 29615, f. 75., ,14273He again gave service for Dover too, receiving 1s.8d. per day for 48 days’ attendance for that Port, besides his wage from Romney: Add. 29615, f. 136; Romney assmt. bk. 2, f. 106., 14294Receiving £4 6s. for 43 days’ sevice at 2s. per day: assmt. bk. 2, f. 100., 14315Romney paid him for 29 days at the rate of 2s. a day, and 45 at 1s.8d. per day, while Dover paid him for 48 days: assmt. bk. 2, f. 111; Add. 29615, f. 173.

Family and Education

prob. s. of Stephen Adam† (d.1405) of New Romney. m. bef. 1419, Eleanor (c.1394-1 Mar. 1452), da. of William Northwode (d.1396), of Harrietsham, Kent, and sis. and coh. of John, de jure 5th Lord Northwode (d.1416), 2s. Dist. Kent 1411.

Offices Held

Cinque Ports’ bailiff at Yarmouth Sept. – Nov. 1410, 1412,6 E. Kent Archs. Romney assmt. bk. 1384–1446, NR/FAc 2, f. 84. 1430.

Jurat, New Romney 25 Mar. 1415–16, 1429 – 33, 1437 – 38; bailiff by Oct. 1422 – Apr. 1427, by Dec. 1433 – aft.July 1435, by July – aft.Dec. 1438.

Commr. Cinque Ports 1434.

Address

Main residence: New Romney and Goudhurst, Kent.

biography text

There is more to add to the earlier biography.7 The Commons 1386-1421, ii. 6-7. Adam’s marriage to Eleanor, coheiress of John, 5th Lord Northwode, involved him in a lengthy legal dispute with her kinsman John, son of James Northwode, the younger son of the 3rd lord, who was the closest male heir after the death of Eleanor’s brother in 1416. In Michaelmas term 1422, along with Henry Hickes*, who had recently married Eleanor’s older sister, Elizabeth, Adam was sued by John Northwode for close-breaking at the Northwode manor of Bredhurst. This action probably resulted from Adam assisting Hickes to take possession of part of his new wife’s inheritance.8 CP40/647, rot. 181; 648, rot. 82d. Although three years later it appeared that some compromise had been reached between the parties, as they acted together in suing Thomas Frank for close-breaking at Thurnham and Stockbury,9 CP40/658, rot. 459; 659, rots. 80d, 386. by 1437 the dispute had escalated. In Easter term 1439 Adam and Hickes again sued the Northwodes for entering their property at Bredhurst and Gillingham, but on this occasion the defendants had gained the support of an influential patron, Sir Roger Chamberlain*, who may have already been appointed lieutenant to Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, at Queenborough castle.10 CP40/705, rot. 204; 713, rot. 236. Hickes continued to pursue the matter at common law after Adam’s death, in association with the MP’s widow, who by Michaelmas term 1441 had married John Colkirk.11 CP40/723, rot. 591; 724, rot. 114. Eleanor’s 2nd marriage is not mentioned in CP, ix. 758-9.

Author

D.I.G.

Volume

Commons 1422-1461

Notes

1. The electoral return lists Adam and Richard Clitheroe II*, but Thomas Rokeslee* and Thomas Smith III* were paid for attending the Parliament: Romney assmt. bk. 2, f. 92.
2. He was paid £3 17s.6d. for 31 days’ attendance down to 16 Nov. 1423 (at 2s.6d. per day) and £1 for the period 13-20 Jan. 1424. From 20 Jan. to 1 Mar. he also represented Dover, so Romney paid him at the rate of 1s.4d. per day, and Dover paid him £3 3s.4d. for 38 days’ service: ibid. f. 100; Add. 29615, f. 75.
3. He again gave service for Dover too, receiving 1s.8d. per day for 48 days’ attendance for that Port, besides his wage from Romney: Add. 29615, f. 136; Romney assmt. bk. 2, f. 106.
4. Receiving £4 6s. for 43 days’ sevice at 2s. per day: assmt. bk. 2, f. 100.
5. Romney paid him for 29 days at the rate of 2s. a day, and 45 at 1s.8d. per day, while Dover paid him for 48 days: assmt. bk. 2, f. 111; Add. 29615, f. 173.
6. E. Kent Archs. Romney assmt. bk. 1384–1446, NR/FAc 2, f. 84.
7. The Commons 1386-1421, ii. 6-7.
8. CP40/647, rot. 181; 648, rot. 82d.
9. CP40/658, rot. 459; 659, rots. 80d, 386.
10. CP40/705, rot. 204; 713, rot. 236.
11. CP40/723, rot. 591; 724, rot. 114. Eleanor’s 2nd marriage is not mentioned in CP, ix. 758-9.