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Robert (Chamberlayn) Chamberlain (1435 - 1491)

Sir Robert Chamberlain formerly Chamberlayn
Born in Kyngeston, Cambridgeshire, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Brother of [half]
Husband of — married 1457 in Kingston, Cambridgeshire, Englandmap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 56 in Tower Hill, Tower of London, London, Englandmap
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Profile last modified | Created 12 Sep 2010
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Contents

Work in Progress

Biography

Flag of Suffolk (adopted 2017)
Robert (Chamberlayn) Chamberlain was born in Suffolk, England.

Birth and Parentage

Sir Robert Chamberlayne, 'of Capel and Gedding' was son of Roger Chamberlayn and his wife, Margaret Martin.[1] Sir John Paston refers to Sir Robert as his 'Cosyn' in one of his letters to his brother John Paston Esq. [2]

Marriage and Family

He married Elizabeth FitzRalph, [3] daughter of John FitzRalph and his wife, Alice Walisborough.[1] They were parents of

  1. Edward
  2. John
  3. FitzRalph
  4. Constance
  5. Jane
  6. Margaret. [1]

His daughter, Constantia, married firstly Richard Harper and secondly Alexander Colepeper. [4]

Life

He fought for the Yorkist side for Edward IV during the Wars of the Roses at the Battle of Towton (1461), and in 1471 at Barnet and Tewkesbury.

In 1463, after the Battle of Hexham, he and others were tasked by the Duke of Norfolk with the transportation of victuals and ordinance from Newcastle to Warkworth for the supply and rescue of the three Northumbrian castles of Alnwick, Dunstanburgh and Bamburgh which had been taken by the Lancastrians.[5]

When King Edward IV went into exile in Flanders in the autumn of 1470, Sir Robert accompanied him, returning to England with the king and his army in 1471 to win back the throne. Off the coast of Norfolk, near Cromer, Sir Robert was ordered to go ashore to determine the balance of power on the ground and whether a landing was safe enough. His report resulted in their deciding to land further north near York.[6]

Created Knight of the King's Body, Sir Robert took part in Edward's French campaign in 1475, following which he was dubbed Knight of the Bath.

His loyalty was rewarded many times, and when he wished to travel to Italy, King Edward IV in a letter to Gian Galeazzo Sforza, Duke of Milan, alluded

to the grateful, upright, courageous and faithful service received by him these many years from Sir Robert Chamberlayne, knight, whom he most earnestly recommends to the duke, as it is his intention to visit the Milanese to see its marvels and princely palaces. Says Sir Robert is noble by princely descent, a valiant knight, skilled in military science, and beyond measure pleasing to him, so that any favours he may receive the king will consider as done to himself.
London, the 22nd May, 1482. [7]

On Richard III's accession to the throne, Sir Robert's loyalty to the crown continued and he was made Knight of the Kings Body. In 1485 Sir Robert was made Constable of Beaumaris Castle by Richard III, Sheriff of Anglesey, Receiver of North Wales and Keeper of Snowdon. He was sent to North Wales to monitor and secure the area, in all likelihood to prevent an influx of Welsh fighters into Henry Tudor's army.

The Wars of the Roses ended with a Lancastrian victory, however, and Henry VII was crowned king. Sir Robert received a royal pardon for his previous loyalty to the House of York, but he remained an uncompromising Yorkist, which resulted in his becoming suspected of high treason.

He was subsequently arrested and for being a sympathiser and supporter of Lambert Simnel. Some sources say that the French King Charles VIII was believed to have sought allies in England in 1490 through spies and middlemen in order to initiate a coup d'état, and is also said to have had contact with Sir Robert.

At the beginning of 1491, Sir Robert, together with other loyal Yorkists and conspirators, decided to escape to France or Burgundy. However, they were followed to the port town of Hartlepool. Seeking sanctuary in Durham Cathedral, they thought their ancient right of asylum would be respected. However Henry VII's men broke the unwritten law of church sanctuary and arrested Sir Robert and his two sons, Edward and Ralph.

Death

Tried for High Treason, Sir Robert was outlawed by Bill of Attainder and was beheaded in the Tower of London on 12 [8]or 14 March 1491.[9][10]

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Visitation of Cambridgeshire Page 41: Chamberlayne .
  2. Original Letters, Written During the Reign of Henry 6. Edward 4. and Richard 3. by Various Persons of Rank Or Consequence; Containing Many Curious Anecdotes, Relative to that Turbulent and Bloody, But Hitherto Dark, Period of Our History ... Fenn, Esq. John., M.A. and F.A.S. (1789)., (p.273)., Retrieved from Google e-Books (Here;) Accessed 10 Mar 2023.
  3. Newcourt, Richard., (1710) Repertorium Ecclesiasticum Parochiale Londinense: Comprising all the county of Essex. (Vol.2 p.326). Henny Magna, Rectory., (p.465)., Pebmarsh, Rectory., B. Motte. Retrieved from Google e-Books (Here;) Accessed 11 Sept 2021.
  4. The visitation of Kent : taken in the years 1619-1621 by John Philipot, Rouge Dragon, Marshal and Deputy to William Camden, Clarenceux. Camden, William, Philipot, John, -1645; Hovenden, Robert, (1898)., Harleian Society. Retrieved from the Internet Archive Visitation of Kent 1619 [Page 62;)] Accessed 10 Mar 2023.
  5. Paston Letters: Original Letters, Written During the Reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III. by Various Persons of Rank Or Consequence: Containing Many Curious Anecdotes, Relative to that Period of Our History., Fenn, John., Ramsay, Alexander., (1849)., Pub: H. G. Bohn. Retrieved from Google e-Books (Here;) Accessed 10 Mar 2023.
  6. Fenn, John., (1737)., Original Letters Written during the Reigns of HENRY VI. EDWARD IV. and RICHARD III By various Persons of Rank or Consequence ; CONTAINING Many curious ANECDOTES, relative to that turbulent and bloody, but hitherto dark, Period of our History; In Two Volumes. London: Robinson. Retrieved from Google e-Books (Here;) Accessed 10 Mar 2023.
  7. Calendar of State Papers and Manuscripts Relating to English Affairs Existing in the Archives and Collections of Venice, and in Other Libraries of Northern Italy, Vol. 1 Longmans, Green, Reader and Dyer, 1864 Retrieved from Google e-books (p.145) Accessed 1 Feb 2022.
  8. Confirmed executions at the Tower of London. Retrieved from capital punishment uk (Here;) Accessed 10 Mar 2023.
  9. East Anglian: or, Notes and queries on subjects connected with the counties of Suffolk, Cambridge, Essex and Norfolk; (Jan 1906). Norwich (Vol. 11, pp. 131-133). (Here;) Accessed 1 Feb 2022.
  10. A Chronicle of England During the Reigns of the Tudors, from A.D. 1485 to 1559 by Camden Society (Great Britain. Retrieved from the Internet Archive (Here;) Accessed 10 Mar 2023.
  • Original Letters written during the reigns of Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III., by various Persons of Rank and Consequence: (1787)., London: J. Robinson., (2nd Ed. Vol 1). Retrieved from Google e-Books [1] Accessed 5 Feb 2022.
  • Gairdner, James, (1900)., The Paston Letters 1422-1509 A.D. A reprint of the edition of 1872-5. Letters iii, (p. 232) . Retrieved from the Internet Archive (Here;) Accessed 10 Mar 2023.
  • Wedgwood Josiah C., (1936)., History Of Parliament (1439-1509)., Retrieved from the Internet Archive (Here;) Accessed 10 Mar 2023.




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if you look at the pedigree you will see that Elizabeth FitzRafe had an unnamed sister who married Sir William Pomeroy. No idea who he was but I discovered the following...

Joanna Raleigh widow Whalesborough Lady Pomeroy was buried 1435 in S. Francis' Chapel with her daughters Anne Molens and Alice FitzRauff at Greyfriars in Newgate London FindaGrave Alice Fitz Rauff. ' If she died in London, to be buried at the "grayfreres called freres menours beside Newgate, by my modres sepulture called Dame Johane Pomeray." On the day of her burial the Warden was to have 40d., every doctor 2s., and every "other frere cladde there in the same place," 12d. Bequeathed to the Friars her "candelstikkes" of silver, and her blue gown of damask to make vestments. Mentions Rauff and Anne, children of her daughter Elizabeth and Sir Robert Chamberleyn. Will dated 24 April, 1471. Proved 10 June, 1471. buried about the centre of the sixth bay of the Choir in S. Francis' Chapel. For Joan Pomeray see under 1435 above. Grey Friars, p. 97.

posted by Annie (Randall Cook) Pomeroy
edited by Annie (Randall Cook) Pomeroy

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