John Chichester (politician, around 1520)

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Funerary monument of John Chichester in Pilton Church

Sir John Chichester (1519 or 1520 - November 30, 1568 ) was an English politician.

origin

John Chichester came from the family Chichester , an old and respected family of the gentry of Devon . He was the eldest son of Edward Chichester and his wife Elizabeth Bourchier . His father died on July 27, 1526, and after the death of his grandfather John Chichester on February 22, 1536, young John became the heir of the family estates in northern Devon and thus head of the Chichester family. The annual income from his estates was put at £ 185 at his death.

Ascent at the royal court

Chichester probably came to the royal court before 1538 through the influence of John Bourchier, 1st Earl of Bath , his maternal grandfather. Chichester learned about Protestantism at the royal court and became a staunch advocate of the Reformed faith before the death of King Henry VIII . Through his grandfather Bath, who was the third marriage to the stepmother of Edmund Wyndham , Chichester also came into contact with him. In 1546 he supported Wyndham as guarantor when this was accused of having illegally seized a Spanish ship. During the campaign of 1544 in the war against France , Chichester accompanied King Henry VIII to France and took part in the siege of Boulogne . In 1545 he served under the command of his neighbor Sir George Carew as captain of a warship in the Royal Navy .

Political activity under Henry VIII and Edward VI.

In the general election in 1547 was Chichester, possibly due to its position in the royal court and with the support of Lord Protector Somerset as a Knight of the Shire elected for Devon. In return, Chichester arguably supported the candidacy of James Wilford and Bartholomew Traheron , two other Somerset supporters. Both were elected as MPs for Barnstaple, where Chichester had significant political influence due to its land holdings. When riots broke out in south-west England in 1549, Chichester supported Sir Gawain and Sir Peter Carew , whom the government had hired to negotiate with the rebels. However, the negotiations failed, which led to the unsuccessful Prayer Book Rebellion . While the rebellion was being put down , Chichester became aware of John Russell, 1st Baron Russell , commandant of the royal troops. Russell allowed Chichester, together with Sir Arthur Champernowne , to recycle the metal from the confiscated church bells in the region, and recommended Russell Chichester as sheriff of Devon, whereupon he took over this office for Devon from November 1550 to 1551. As sheriff, he secured the election of Champernowne as MP in a by-election in Barnstaple. On March 29, 1550, Chichester was charged with assaulting and robbing two Irishmen in Exeter, but on August 11, 1551, he was pardoned. When the former Lord Protector Somerset was overthrown in the fall of 1551, Chichester was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London . However, like John Brende and Sir John Thynne , two other Somerset followers, he was released and allowed to attend the final session of the House of Commons . On April 7, 1553, he was finally pardoned.

Possible portrait of John Chichester by Corneille de Lyon , made between 1540 and 1545

Supporting the succession to the throne of Maria I.

As a former partisan of Somerset, Chichester did not take part in the parliament in March 1553 that was dominated by the Duke of Northumberland . After the death of King Edward VI. he also did not support Lady Jane Gray's claim to the throne , but quickly followed the example of his cousin John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath , who was one of the first nobles to proclaim the succession to the throne from Mary the Catholic and thus opposed Northumberland. After taking the throne, Mary rewarded Chichester by knighting him on October 2, 1553 . Apparently he was not a member of Queen Mary's first parliament, but was re-elected as Knight of the Shire for Devon in the general election in April 1554. In 1554 he became a Barnstaple recorder , which he remained until at least 1559, and in 1555 he became Justice of the Peace for Devon.

Change to opposition to Maria I.

In 1555, Chichester accompanied his friend Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford , when he traveled as envoy to Emperor Charles V in Brussels and then on to Venice , where they arrived before July 31st. It is not known exactly when he returned to England, but he was back in London during the session of Parliament in the autumn of 1555. It is unclear whether he was a member of the House of Commons during this session. A Mr. Chichester is named as a member of the opposition, but since all the members of the 1555 general election are known from Devon, John Chichester is likely not a member of the House of Commons. He may have attended meetings of fellow MPs who were friends and was therefore mistaken for a MP. While Chichester had welcomed the succession to the throne of Mary I, he was drawn into the Henry Dudley conspiracy in early 1556 . After this was exposed, Chichester was arrested and detained again in the Tower on April 29th. However, he was not charged, but released on May 15 with the condition that he be ready for a hearing before the Privy Council . On July 6th he was allowed to retire to his Devon estate, but after a subpoena he appeared before the Privy Council within 20 days. Nevertheless, there was never a negotiation, instead he received, probably through the mediation of the Earl of Bath, who was Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall , permission to exploit newly discovered ore deposits in Devon.

Political activity under Elizabeth I.

After Queen Elizabeth I ascended to the throne at the end of 1558, Chichester was able to be actively involved in politics again. He was now considered a radical Protestant and was elected MP for Barnstaple in the general election of 1559. In the general election of 1563 he succeeded again in being elected as Knight of the Shire for Devon. He was now a member of numerous committees and was in close contact with his friend, the Earl of Bedford. In 1559 he was deputy lieutenant and his deputy. In May 1566 he was able to acquire the rights to the borough and the castle of Barnstaple.

Family and inheritance

Chichester had married Gertrude Courtenay († 1566), a daughter of Sir William Courtenay of Powderham Castle . With her he had seven sons and nine daughters, including:

He was buried next to his wife in the parish church of Pilton near Barnstaple. His heir became his eldest son, John Chichester. Several of his sons served in Ireland, because of their services there, Arthur was promoted to Baron Chichester and Edward to Viscount Chichester .

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personal data
SURNAME Chichester, John
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Chichester, Sir John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English politician
DATE OF BIRTH 1519 or 1520
DATE OF DEATH November 30, 1568