CORY, John

Further information can be added to the earlier biography.3 The Commons 1386-1421, ii. 664.

Although Cory’s lengthy spell as a customs official may suggest a degree of reliability in collecting money, he was less dependable when it came to handing any funds over to the authorities. Although he and his fellow customers at Plymouth were paid rewards for their good service in both 1424 and 1426, their conduct was not invariably beyond reproach. Thus, at Easter 1426 the sheriff of Cornwall was ordered to attach the officials to render account, and some years later Cory and his colleague John Cokeworthy* were charged with having concealed certain pieces of tin destined for Calais.4 E403/669, m. 10; 677, m. 5; E159/202, recorda Easter rot. 9; 210, recorda Mich. rots. 32-32d; 211, brevia Hil. rot. 16d. Similar problems arose in March 1427, when Cory, who had served as portreeve of the duchy of Cornwall borough of Dunheved in the previous year, failed to appear at Lostwithiel to present his account to the duchy auditors.5 SC6/820/12, rot. 6.

Such negligence also found its reflection in Cory’s private affairs, for at Michaelmas 1401 half the annual farm of 13s. 4d. he owed to the borough authorities of Launceston was in arrears.6 Cornw. RO, Launceston bor. recs., B/Laus/132, m. 1d. The date of his death is not recorded, but it occurred before November 1443, by which date the sheriff of Cornwall, John Blewet, had taken his property in Launceston into the King’s hands, in order to levy his then still unpaid customs revenues.7 The sheriff’s account erroneously names the debtor as William Cory: E199/6/24.