KNIGHTLEY, Richard

More may be added to the earlier biography.5 The Commons 1386-1421, iii. 528-30.

Knightley’s appointment as Bishop Beaufort’s steward of Southwark no doubt arose out of his service in the Exchequer, as did his nomination as bailiff of the part of the episcopal liberty of John Stafford, bishop of Bath and Wells, treasurer from 1422 to 1426. His Exchequer service was profitable. In addition to the grants detailed in the earlier biography, on 28 Nov. 1415 he and an Exchequer colleague, Thomas Stockdale†, were granted the keeping of the manor of Newton Blossomville (Buckinghamshire) and other lesser properties during the minority of Humphrey, earl of Stafford.6 CFR, xiv. 127, 199-200, 230-1. His marriage at about this time to a daughter of Thomas Purefoy, a lawyer in the service of Richard Beauchamp, earl of Warwick, probably arose out of their mutual connexion with the Beauchamp earl.7 W. Dugdale, Warws. i. 54.

A damaged indenture, dated 10 Jan. 1417, details an agreement between Knightley, John Catesby* and John Brook of Astwell, on the one part, and Sir John Chastelioun and Margaret, his wife, on the other. The latter were to convey their property in Northamptonshire (by final concord) and London (by deed acknowledged before the mayor and sheriffs of the city) to the former, who were to hold the same at an annual rent of £200 payable to Sir John and of a further £10 payable to the couple for term of their lives. This, at least, is the clearest reading the document allows, but the purpose of the agreement is not clear. By a fine levied at the following Purification the Chasteliouns duly conveyed a third of the Northamptonshire manors of Alderton and Stoke Bruerne and of the advowsons of the churches to Knightley and the others. It is tempting to conclude that this marked another of our MP’s purchases – the Chasteliouns were elderly and childless – but there is no evidence that the Knightleys had any interest in these manors until the marriage of our MP’s grandson to Joan Skennard of Alderton.8 Northants. RO, Knightley chs. 153; CP25(1)/179/92/22.

On 31 Jan. 1435 Knightley appeared personally before William Gray, bishop of Lincoln, at the Old Temple in London to secure absolution for his part in the clandestine marriage of Sir Thomas Green* and Marina, sister of John Bellers*, which had taken place in his private chapel at Fawsley. The penance imposed was that he should go from Fawsley to the cathedral church of Lincoln on foot, approaching the cathedral barefoot for the last four miles of the journey, and, on the feast of the Assumption, offering ‘more penitentis ... humiliter et deuote’ a candle weighing 10 lbs. at the high altar. Similar penances were imposed on his wife and servants.9 Lincs. AO, Reg. Gray, f. 119v.

On 11 May 1437 Knightley sued out a general pardon as a former teller of the Exchequer and late farmer of the manor of Newton Blossonville.10 C67/38, m. 26. In about 1439 he was one of those to whom the earl of Stafford referred the dispute between Richard Hotoft† and Robert Catesby over the Metley lands. In view of his long-standing friendship with the Catesbys, it is likely that he was intended to act in their interest in company with another of the earl’s nominees, William Catesby*.11 E163/29/11, m. 2.

In a pardon sued out as late as 1464 Knightley’s widow is described as ‘kinswoman and heir of Simon, son of Robert de Daventre, late farmer of the manor of Fawsley’. This raises the possibility that that manor came to the Knightleys through marriage rather than purchase, and if this is the case then Elizabeth must have been an heiress through her mother.12 C67/45, m. 8.

Knightley’s family had a remarkable later history of service in the Commons. His direct descendant, Rainald Knightley† (d.1895), was elevated to the peerage in 1892.13 CP, vii. 344.