13th century. William Morton in 1389 was one of the Wardens of the Guild of All Saints' Church. In the last half of the 16th century Alderman William Morton, linen-draper, was a person of some importance. He lived in the Stocks House at the High Cross, attached to which, on the northern side of Dead Lane, was a garden and orchard, part of which he sold off to accommodate the new Grammar School that was built in 1574. He was an adherent of the Earl of Huntingdon, but no friend of Sir Edward Hastings. Most of the public offices of the town were filled by him, and he was Mayor three times, 1582, 1596 and 1612. His son became Archdeacon of Durham.
The Gillots seem to have come from Arnesby to settle in Leicester about the middle of the 14th century. Richard Gillot, who was a grocer, became Alderman of the Seventh Ward, which comprised most of the present High Street, and was Mayor in 1467. He caused a number of regulations to be passed at a Common Hall, which, in the words of James Thompson, "placed almost despotic power in the hands of the Mayor, who resembled the king of a small state more than the chief functionary of a free community." It was probably his son, another Richard, who was Mayor in 1497 and 1512, and whose sister Isabella married William Wigston, the founder of Wigston's Hospital. The Will of Richard Gillot, senior, was proved at Leicester in 1519. Four other Gillots, following in the footsteps of the two Richards, became Mayors and Aldermen of Leicester in the course of the next hundred years.
Towards the end of the 16th century the Chettles made their appearance on the municipal stage. Ralph Chettle was a leading Baker of the town, and one of the plaintiffs in the action which they brought against William Becket. In 1591 he became Mayor, and died before the end of 1600, for it was recorded in the annals of that year that "Mr. Ralph Chettle, baker, one of the Aldermen of the town of Leicester, deceased, by his last Will and Testament did give and bequeath unto the Mayor and Burgesses of the town of Leicester the sum of £5, to be yearly bestowed in coals for the use of the poor in Leicester for ever." His son Ralph Chettle was a woollen-draper, who
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