Constituency Dates
Staffordshire 1406
Dorset 1414 (Apr.), 1414 (Nov.), 1417, 1419, 1420, 1421 (May), 1422, 1426, 1427, 1432
Family and Education
b. c.1379, s. and h. of Sir Humphrey Stafford† (d.1413) of Hooke by his 1st w. Alice (c.1345), da. and h. of Sir John Greville of Southwick, Wilts. m. bef. Oct. 1397, Elizabeth (c.1380-1422), da. and coh. of Sir John Mautravers† of Hooke by Elizabeth, da. and coh. of Sir William d’Aumarle† of Woodbury, Devon, 5s. inc. Sir Richard* and William* (4 d.v.p.), 2da. Kntd. by Oct. 1397.
Offices Held

Attestor, parlty. elections, Staffs. 1407, Dorset 1431.

Sheriff, Staffs. 5 Nov. 1403 – 22 Oct. 1404, Som. and Dorset 1 Dec. 1415–30 Nov. 1416.1 E13/136, rot. 9d shows that it was in fact his son Sir Richard who served as sheriff of Somerset and Dorset in 1423–4.

Commr. Bristol, Cornw., Devon, Dorset, Som., Staffs., Salop, Wilts. May 1407 – Feb. 1441; of gaol delivery, Dorchester June 1428, Feb., July 1434, Feb. 1435, Ilchester Aug. 1435, Dorchester Aug. 1436.2 C66/423, m. 8d; 435, m. 17d; 436, m. 14d; 437, mm. 4d, 25d; 438, m. 4d.

J.p. Dorset 16 Jan. 1414 – July 1418, 12 Feb 1422-July 1437, 15 Oct. 1439 – d., Som. 16 Jan. 1414 – Nov. 1417, 12 Feb. 1422 – July 1423, 2 Dec. 1430 – Feb. 1433, 18 Sept. 1433 – Mar. 1440.

Capt. of Domfront from 29 Apr. 1419.3 A.E. Curry, ‘Military Organization in Lancastrian Normandy’ (Council for National Academic Awards Ph.D. thesis, 1985), app. p. lxx.

Address
Main residence: Hooke, Dorset.
biography text

More may be added to the earlier biography.4 The Commons 1386-1421, iv. 439-41.

While Stafford sat in the Parliament of 1414 (Apr.) as a knight of the shire for Dorset, he and John Meverel†, one of the Members for Staffordshire, became subject to legal proceedings at the Staffordshire assizes, but succeeded in having them quashed before the end of May by royal letters of privy seal.5 KB145/5/2/1. That same autumn Stafford quarrelled with his brother-in-law, Sir John Dynham, over the division of the Mautravers inheritance, but seems to have prevailed.6 CP40/615, rot. 124.

A close associate of Sir Humphrey’s who was to rise to considerable prominence in the period was Sir William, later Lord, Bonville*. The ties between the two men had their origins in the marriage of their respective fathers and grandfathers to two sisters, Elizabeth and Margaret d’Aumarle and outlasted Stafford’s lifetime into that of his grandson, Humphrey II*.7 CAD, i. C1093, iv. A9022; E159/200, brevia Easter rot. 24.

Author
H.W.K.
Volume
Commons 1422-1461
Notes
  • 1. E13/136, rot. 9d shows that it was in fact his son Sir Richard who served as sheriff of Somerset and Dorset in 1423–4.
  • 2. C66/423, m. 8d; 435, m. 17d; 436, m. 14d; 437, mm. 4d, 25d; 438, m. 4d.
  • 3. A.E. Curry, ‘Military Organization in Lancastrian Normandy’ (Council for National Academic Awards Ph.D. thesis, 1985), app. p. lxx.
  • 4. The Commons 1386-1421, iv. 439-41.
  • 5. KB145/5/2/1.
  • 6. CP40/615, rot. 124.
  • 7. CAD, i. C1093, iv. A9022; E159/200, brevia Easter rot. 24.