FOURTEENTH GENERATION

35. Sir John FORTESCUE the younger of Punsbourne⁽⁴⁵⁾. Sir John: The Family Tree shows two sons named John, each of whom had a wife named Alice. Clermont's text says that little is known about John-the-elder. It says that there was a Sir John who bought a manor of Mymmeshall and lands in the parish of Northmymmes, and concludes that he must have been knighted early since it "must have been this John." But the text says that this Sir John married Alice Montgomery, whereas the Family Tree shows that it was Sir John-the-younger who married her!!

Alice Montgomery was a co-heiress with her sister, (also named Alice); their inheritance of the Montgomery estates from Sir Thomas Montgomery passed to Sir Thomas's niece named Philippa, who married Sir John Fortescue, son of Sir John-the-younger. Note that the Family Tree shows him as the son of John-the-elder!!

Sir John-the-younger inherited Punsbourne from his father before 1464. In 1471 the King, to whom he was Esquire of the Body, sent him to Cornwall - a hotbed of rebellion - as sheriff of the county and duchy. He remained there until 1476, although in 1475 and 6 he was deputy to Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

He laid siege to St. Michael's Mount, where John De Vere, Earl of Oxford held out, but the siege was unsuccessful, lasting from 23rd December 1472 to 15th February 1473. His marriage was probably not later than 1475, since his second son Adrian was a married man in 1499. His wife Alice Boleyn was a daughter of Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, whose son Thomas was the father of Anne Boleyn; so Alice was the aunt of Anne Boleyn.

On 29th August 1479 Sir John attended the ceremony for the installation of John Morton as Bishop of Ely. In 1481 he served as Sheriff of Hertfordshire and Essex, and in 1482 or 3 he became one of the chief officers in command at Calais - this continuing under Richard III (28th June 1483). He was then styled "Maister-porter of Calais". Richard was a usurper.

On 5th March 1484 Sir John was appointed Esquire of the Body of the new king. But he, Sir John Bount and the Earl (John Vere) of Oxford (imprisoned in the care of Blount) joined the Earl of Richmond in Paris. Deserters!! In August 1485, Fortescue attended the Earl of Richmond on his expedition to England, landing at Milford Haven. Henry knighted Fortescue, marched through Wales to Leicestershire and defeated Richard, who was killed at Bosworth Field on 22nd August. Henry was proclaimed King of England.

Fortescue became Chief Butler of England on 20th September 1485; he was proclaimed Lieutenant of the Tower of Risbanke in the Marches of Calais, also Master of the Forest and Chase of Enfield, and Keeper of the Park there. He was also granted the Farm of Enfield. Sir John Fortescue (and Sir William Stonor) were made bannerets at the time of Henry's coronation. Attainders pronounced by Richard on Sir John Fortescue and other supporters of Henry, were annulled by Henry.

On 13th March 1486, the following manors were granted to Sir John and his heirs: Eyworth (Bedfordshire). Mire (or Moore) Hall (Essex); a one-third part of Mytton-Clevedon (Somerset); Crowley (Buckinghamshire); and Brampton (Northamptonshire). Moorehall remained in the hands of Sir John's heirs until 1592. One-third of the manor of Trumpington (Cambridgeshire) was also granted.

In 1486 Sir John served as Sheriff of Hertfordshire and Essex again (for 6 months).

In 1488 he became the guardian of the estates of Philippa Spice, daughter of Humphrey Spice, during her minority; she married his eldest son John.

Sir John's wife Alice died before 1495. He then married Elizabeth, daughter and co-heiress of Sir Miles Stapleton of Ingham in Norfolk. She was the widow of Sir William Calthorpe who died in 1494.

On 15th May 1500, Sir John Fortescue attended the King and Queen on their journey to Calais to avoid the plague in England.

Sir John died on 28th July 1500 at Punsbourne, and was buried in Bishops Hatfield. There is a marble tomb in the church. His only issue was by Alice.

He was married to Alice BOLEYN (daughter of Sir Geoffrey BOLEYN) about 1462. Alice BOLEYN died before 1495. Aunt of Anne Boleyn. Her brother Thomas was father of Anne Sir John FORTESCUE the younger of Punsbourne and Alice BOLEYN had the following children:

+59 i. Sir Adrian FORTESCUE.
+60 ii. Sir John FORTESCUE.
+61 iii. Anne FORTESCUE.
+62 iv. Mary FORTESCUE.
+63 v. Elizabeth FORTESCUE.

He was married to Elizabeth STAPLETON of Ingham, Norfolk (daughter of Sir Miles STAPLETON) about 1495.