The Boynton family and the family seat of Burton Agnes/Boynton of Hunmanby

by Carus Vale Collier

THE BOYNTONS

OF HUNMANBY

(I)RABOT, RABOD OR RAWODUS DE BOVINGTON, received from his father, Walter de Bovington, about the end of the 12th or beginning of the 13th century, a grant of land in Rotsea. The Chartulary of Guisborough Priory records that Rabod de Bovington gave to that monastery a toft and a fishery in Rotsea,^[1] and he gave besides to that religious house one bovate of land with a toft, in Tibthorpe.^[2]

(II)ROBERT DE BOVINGTON [] gave two bovates of land with three tofts and their appurtenances in Rotsea to Guisborough Priory,^[3] and I am of opinion that this Robert was son or grandson of the above Rabod de Bovington (I). This Robert held a carucate of land in Boynton.^[4]

(III)SIR ROBERT DE BOVINGTON, KT., [1273-1324], son of Robert de Bovington (II), gave to Bridlington Priory three bovates of land, less a perch and a half, in Boynton, from the carucate his father had held there.^[5] Sir Robert held of Nicholas de Meinell by the service of half a knight's fee, one carucate and two bovates of land in Boynton, and three in Thorpe.^[6] He held in Hunmanby one sixth of a knight's fee,^[7] and he held freely a toft and a carucate of land rendering eightpence annually in Hunmanby, and rendered service to Joan, widow of Robert, son of Robert de Tateshele, and he also held one-tenth part of a knight's fee of Thomas de Cailli, kinsman and co-heir of Robert de Tateshele.^[8] He acquired too of Gilbert de Gaunt a messuage, a toft and two and a half bovates of land, thirteen acres of meadow, twenty acres of pasture, and fifty acres of moor in Hunmanby, held in chief and entered without licence; also in the time of Edward II, he acquired of Robert de Burton,^[9] Vicar of Boynton, a messuage and land in Hunmanby held in chief with remainder to John de Bovington in fee-tail, etc.

Sir Robert de Bovington with others rendered an account of the fifteenth of Yorkshire at the exchequer.^[10]

Sir Robert married Constance,^[11] and had issue by her—

1. John (IV).
2. Walter (VI).
3. Roger (VII).
4. Lambert, a Canon of Newborough.
5. Alice.
6. Constance.

(IV)JOHN DE BOVINGTON, [1323-1326], son of Sir Robert de Bovington, entered into the inheritance of his father at Hunmanby in chief, and entered therein without licence, but the King granted him this by fine of 40s.^[12] In 1323 he granted a messuage and land in Boynton and Rudstone to a chaplain in the Church of St. Andrew, Boynton, to celebrate divine service for himself and the souls of his parents and ancestors, but he apparently did not live to see this accomplished.^[13]

He married (?) and had issue—

Walter (V).

Richard.

His Inq. post mortem (writ. 4 Feb., 1 Ed. III (1326-7) (Inq. 1st Mar. 1 Ed. III, York. N.R.),^[14] states that he held in the North Riding—

Thornton-in-the-Street. A waste toft and seven bovates of land, held under an entail to him and his heirs of his body of John de Waxand in chief, by service of one pound of pepper and of a pair of spurs or threepence yearly, and by knight's service. He died without heirs of his body.

Walter de Boynton, his brother, aged 34 years and more is his next heir.

In the East Riding he held (Inq. p. m. 27th Feb., 1 Ed. III.)

Hundmanby, Boynton and Ruddestan. Divers tenements of which he became seized upon the death of his father, Robert de Boynton, who had acquired them of Robert de Burton, vicar of the church of Boynton, to hold for his own life with remainder to the said John and the heirs of his body, and like remainders to Lambert and Roger his brothers, which Roger survives and now holds the same after the death of the said John, because the said Lambert is a canon and professed in the priory of Newborough (de Novo Burgo) with like remainders to Alice, sister of the said Roger, and Constance her sister, and ultimate remainder to the right heirs of the said Roger de Boynton, viz.:—

Hunmanby. A capital messuage called "le Castlegarth," a several pasture called the "Ox pasture," subject to inundation by the river Burlyn, a meadow called "le Erleheng," subject to inundation by the sea, and rents held of the king in chief by service of a fortieth part of a knight's fee; and seven tofts, a croft, four bovates of land, and a rent of one penny and of a pair of gloves, held of Joan de Tatersall by service of two shillings yearly.

Boynton. A capital messuage, nine waste tofts and lands, some of which are subject to inundation by the river Gypse, held by knight's service in part of Nicholas de Menhill and the residue of Roger de Somerville.

Ruddestan. A messuage and a bovate of land held of William de Ruddestan by knight's service in part of Richard Thorny and the residue of William de Ruddestan.

Thorpe. Twenty six shillings rent he held of Nicholas de Menill by knight's service.

Sywardby. Two tofts and two bovates of land held of Robert de Sywardby by knight's service.

Heir as above.

C. Edw. III. File 2 (7).

(V)WALTER DE BOYNTON [1326-1327], son of John de Boynton (IV), is granted a general pardon, 29th May, 1327, on condition he join the expedition against the Scots, for the death of William Dynant of North Tyndale.^[15]

(VI)WALTER DE BOYNTON [1327], heir to his brother John de Boynton (IV). An order was issued in 1327, whereby the Escheator, Simon de Grymesby was not to intermeddle further with the lands of John de Boynton, and to restore the issues thereof, as the king learns by inquisition taken by the escheator that John held no lands in chief of the king at his death, by reason whereof the custody of his lands ought to pertain to him, but that he held divers lands of other lords by various services, and that Walter de Boynton his brother is his next heir and is of full age.^[16]

Walter cannot have lived long after this, for the same year another order is issued whereby the property is to be delivered to another brother of John, named Roger.

(VII)ROGER DE BOYNTON [1327-1350?], brother of Walter de Boynton (VI), and heir to his brother. An order was issued 19th March, 1327, to deliver to him the property of his late brother John, namely, one and a half bovates of land in Hunmanby and certain lands in Boynton and Rudstone, which were taken into the King's hands by reason of John's death, and to restore the issues of the tenements in Boynton and Rudstone, as the king learns by Inquisition taken by the escheator that John held the premises on the day of his death in fee tail of Robert (Roberti Roberti) de Burton, vicar of the church of Boynton, and that they ought by the form of the grant to remain to the aforesaid Roger and to the heirs of his body, and that the tenements in Hunmanby are held of the King in chief by the service of a fortieth part of a knight's fee, and that the tenements in Boynton and Rudstone are not held of him, and the king has taken Roger's homage for the tenements in Hunmanby, and has rendered them to him.^[17]

In 1330 licence was granted for alienation in mortmain by Roger, brother and heir of John, son of Robert de Bovington, who had a licence for a chaplain to celebrate divine service in Boynton Church, as his brother John intended for a fine of 20s.^[18]

Roger left two sons—

1. Robert (VIII).^[19]
2. William.^[20]

(VIII)SIR ROBERT DE BOYNTON, KT. [1353-1384], son and heir of Roger de Boynton (VII). An order was issued in 1353 to take the fealty of Robert, son and heir of Roger de Bovyngton tenant in chief, and to cause him to have seizin of all the lands whereof his father was seized at his death in his demesne as of fee, as Robert had proved his age before the escheator, and for half a mark which he had paid to the king; the escheator gave him respite of his homage for the lands which his father held in chief until the king's arrival in those parts.^[21]

In 1374-5 Robert de Boynton, Kt., was witness to an exemplification of letters patent, by Henry, Lord Percy granting to Sir Ingelram de Umfraville, Kt., for life, for his good service to his progenitors and himself, two-thirds of his manor of Wharram Percy in Yorkshire, and an annuity of £10, from his Manor of Wilton Laysynby in Cleveland,^[22] for the service of a rose at Midsummer yearly.^[23]

In 1375 Robert de Boynton, Kt., contended with Sir William de Aton, before Lord Percy as Judge, the right to bear the arms Gold, on a cross sable, five bull's heads caboshed silver.^[24] Percy awarded the arms to de Aton, who immediately granted the arms to Boynton for ever.

On 29th October, 1377, a fiat was decreed for the protection for a year for Sir Robert de Bointon, Constable of the Castle of Berwick on-Tweed.^[25] Berwick-on-Tweed was captured by the Scots on 25th November, 1378, and in December, 1384. Of the earlier capture Fordun^[26] says it was effected during the truce of some of the meaner sort, but the place was soon recaptured, and all the Scots killed. Walsingham (I. 387) says that it was taken by surprise by some March robbers. Sir Robert Boynton, the Constable, slain, and his wife and children held to ransom.^[27]

Sir Robert de Boynton married Isabella,^[28] and had issue—

John (IX).

(IX)JOHN DE BOYNTON [1384-1419], son of Sir Robert de Boynton, Kt., (VIII). In 1405 a commission was ordered to John de Boynton and others to inquire the names of all in the East Riding who shall contribute to a subsidy granted to the king in the last Parliament.^[29]

The same year a pardon of outlawry was granted to John de Boynton for not appearing to answer Thomas Bridlington, citizen and draper of London, for a debt of 40s.^[30]

In 1413 John de Boynton's priest and chaplain was cited for not appearing before the justices of the bench of Henry IV to answer a debt of £10,^[31] and in 1419 was a Commission of Array to John Boynton and others for the East Riding for defence against the King of Castile and Leon, who had prepared a great armada of ships and vessels of Spain with no small number of the king's enemies, and purposed shortly to send it to do harm to the king and his, and burn and destroy the ships and shipping of the realm, and especially the king's ships and invade the realm.^[32]

John de Boynton married Elizabeth^[33] daughter of and had issue, one daughter, Elizabeth, married to Thomas Newport.

BOYNTON OF HUNMANBY

(I) Rabot de Bovington

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(II) Robert de Bovington

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(III) Sir Robert de Bovington, Kt.

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Constance

(IV) John Bovington

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(VI) Walter Bovington

(VII) Roger Bovington

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Lambert Canon of Newburgh

Alice

Constance

(V) Walter Bovington

(VII) Sir Robert de Boynton, Kt. contending with de Aton concerning coat of arms

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Isabella

(IX) John Boynton

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Elizabeth

Elizabeth

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Thomas Newport

1. Guisbro' Chart. I, 115u.
2. In the parish of Kirkburn. Guisbro' Chart. I, 96; II, 445.
3. Guisbro' Chart. II, 441.
4. Bridlington Chart. 183.
5. Bridlington Chart. 183.
6. Cal. Inq. p. m. 23rd Feb., 28 Ed. I.
7. Cal. Close Rolls, 2 Ed. II. Cal. Close Rolls, 12th June, 1308, p. 71.
8. Cal. Close Rolls. 2 Ed. II, p. 100.
9. Cal. Pat. Rolls, 18 Ed. II, p. 38.
10. Cal. Pat. Rolls (1313-1318), p. 6. She married later Robert de Heighten, whom she outlived. She had had property in Carleton alienated in fee by Peter de Brus to herself and her husband Robert de Heighten by the yearly service of one penny. Of this property she enfeoffed in her widowhood to her son John de Bovington 24 acres of meadow and 68s. and 8d. rent, part of which John's son Richard became possessed of. Cal. Pat. Rolls, 18 Ed. II. p. 38.
11. Cal. Pat. Rolls. 18 Ed. II. p. 38.
12. Cal. Pat. Rolls. 18 Ed. II, p. 38.
13. Inq. ad q. d. 17 Ed. II. Cal. Pat. Rolls. 4 Ed. III. p. 18.
14. Inq. p.m. 1 Ed. III, p. 14.
15. Cal. Pat. Rolls. 1 Ed. III, p. 111.
16. Cal. Close Rolls, 1 Ed. III (1327-1330), p. 37.
17. Cal. Close Rolls (1327-1330), 1 Ed. III, pt. 1.
18. Cal. Pat. Rolls. 4 Ed. III, p. 18.
19. Y. A. S. Journal, XII. 265.
20. Bridlington Chartulary, 184.
21. Cal. Close Rolls (1349-1354), 27 Ed. III, p. 548.
22. Lazenby. a hamlet in the parish of Wilton.
23. Cal. of Doc. relating to Scotland. Vol. IV, p. 50, No. 226.
24. Y.A.S. Journal, XII, 264.
25. Chancery Files, bundle No. 360.
26. Gesta Ann. clxxxvij.
27. Introd. to Cal. of Documents relating to Scotland IV, p. xvj.
28. Inq. p. m. 1378.
29. Cal. Pat. Rolls, 5 Hy. IV. p. 434.
30. Cal. Pat. Rolls, 5 Hy. IV. p. 434.
31. Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1 Hy. V, p. 83.
32. Cal. Pat. Rolls, 6 Hy. V, p. 211.
33. Feet of Fines, 16 Ric. II.

Notes