| Constituency | Dates |
|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 1414 (Apr.), 1420, 1421 (Dec.), 1425 |
| Chichester | 1433 |
| Lincolnshire | 1437 |
Attestor, parlty. elections, Lincs. 1423, 1442.
J.p. Lindsey 16 Jan. 1414 – Feb. 1416, 27 Feb. 1419–d.2 He was more active as a j.p. than men of his high standing generally were, attending, as far as one can judge from the surviving records of payment to j.p.s., between one-third and a half of their meetings: E101/569/41.
Sheriff, Lincs. 1 Dec. 1415 – 30 Nov. 1416, 5 Nov. 1430 – 26 Nov. 1431.
Commr. Lincs., Rutland, Northants., Leics., Warws., Notts., Derbys. Feb. 1416 – Aug. 1450; of gaol delivery, Lincoln castle Apr. 1430; to treat for loans, Lincs. Mar., May, Aug. 1442, ? Mar. 1443, Lindsey Sept. 1449; of inquiry, Lincs. Sept. 1449 (treasons etc.).3 C66/426, m. 24d; PPC, v. 414; KB9/265/79.
More can be added to the earlier biography.4 The Commons 1386-1421, ii. 789.
Besides being a parishioner of the church at Chidham, on Chichester harbour, Dolyte was sometimes called ‘of Sidlesham’, situated nearby. As ‘the younger’ and together with three other local men he undertook at the staple of Chichester in December 1384 to pay £46 13s. 4d. for merchandise they had bought from a clerk. When they failed to pay orders went out for their arrest in February 1388.5 C131/204/34; C241/176/57.
After becoming a citizen of Chichester, Dolyte served as a juror at inquests held there in 1415, 1422 (regarding tenure of the nearby manor of Kingsham), 1424, at the post mortem of Joan, widow of Sir John Grey, and 1425, at those of the earl of March and Thomas Tauk. He also appeared as a witness at the proof of age of Tauk’s son and heir, Robert, whose baptism at Chidham he had attended long before.6 C138/11/3; C145/302/3; C139/18/32, 24/36, 26/42. In the Michaelmas term of 1433, while the second session of his last Parliament was in progress, he was sued in the court of common pleas by one of his fellow citizens, William Lede*, for a debt of £10. His status was then given as ‘husbandman’,7 CP40/691, rot. 543. although his main occupation seems to have been as a taverner.
- 1. C139/26/42.
- 2. He was more active as a j.p. than men of his high standing generally were, attending, as far as one can judge from the surviving records of payment to j.p.s., between one-third and a half of their meetings: E101/569/41.
- 3. C66/426, m. 24d; PPC, v. 414; KB9/265/79.
- 4. The Commons 1386-1421, ii. 789.
- 5. C131/204/34; C241/176/57.
- 6. C138/11/3; C145/302/3; C139/18/32, 24/36, 26/42.
- 7. CP40/691, rot. 543.