John Cokayne (died 1438) facts for kids

Sir John Cokayne (died 1438) was an important English soldier, politician, and landowner. He lived during a time when England was ruled by the House of Lancaster (a royal family). His wealth made him a very powerful person in Derbyshire.

John Cokayne was connected to John of Gaunt, a very important duke and son of King Edward III. He supported Henry IV when he became king. Sir John fought in two battles during the Hundred Years War against France. He also served as High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the Royal Forests three times. He was elected to the House of Commons of England (part of Parliament) nine times for Derbyshire and twice for Warwickshire.

Early Life and Family

Family Background

Effigies of John and Edmund Cokayne, Sir John's father and grandfather, in Ashbourne parish church.

John Cokayne was the oldest son of Edmund Cokayne (who died in 1403) and Elizabeth Harthill (who died in 1416). His family had lived in Ashbourne, Derbyshire since the mid-1100s.

His mother, Elizabeth, came from the Harthill family, who owned Pooley Hall in Warwickshire. This inheritance made Sir John Cokayne even more important in his county. The Cokayne family was already wealthy, but they sometimes had less money because older female relatives (dowagers) lived a long time and kept control of some family income.

The Cokayne family also had a strong connection to the Duchy of Lancaster. This was a large area of land owned by the royal family, especially by John of Gaunt. Sir John's grandfather, also named John, helped manage these lands.

Confusing Names

It can be tricky to tell Sir John Cokayne apart from other family members because many of them had the same name!

For example, his uncle, also named John Cokayne (died 1429), was a very important lawyer. This uncle was the Chief Baron of the Exchequer (a top judge for money matters) during King Henry IV's reign. He was also a Justice of the Common Pleas (another high court judge). People sometimes called him "John Cokayne the Elder" to tell him apart from his nephew.

Sir John Cokayne's own oldest son was also named John and was knighted. This makes it even more confusing because the son died before his father. This means their careers overlapped for many years. Sir John also had a second son named John by a different wife, adding to the confusion.

Early Career and Challenges

Early Disputes

Sir John Cokayne first appeared in records during the reign of King Richard II. In 1388, he was accused of causing trouble in Derbyshire. He was said to have ambushed officials who worked for John of Gaunt. Even though his family was connected to Gaunt, Sir John was not yet officially part of Gaunt's close group of supporters.

Later, in 1388, Cokayne joined a group that took a young woman named Maud from her home. They forced her to marry Sir John's friend's son and give up her claim to some land. Maud's mother-in-law went to court, saying the group had broken into her home and stolen things. Cokayne was named in these accusations, but he was later found not guilty by a jury. This was probably because people were afraid to speak against him.

Community Involvement

In 1392, Cokayne helped with an important donation to fund a chantry at St Oswald's Church, Ashbourne. A chantry was a special fund to pay a priest to pray for the souls of certain families. This showed his involvement in local community and religious life.

First Time in Parliament

By 1395, Cokayne started to gain more influence in Derbyshire. He was chosen to be a commission of array (meaning he helped organize local defenses). He also received a commission to arrest a fugitive.

In 1395, Sir John Cokayne was elected to Parliament for the first time. He was one of the two "knights of the shire" (representatives) for Derbyshire. It was unusual for Derbyshire to send two new members to Parliament.

His friend, John Ipstones, was murdered in London in 1394. This showed the dangers of the time. King Richard II did not seem to trust Cokayne.

Joining the Lancastrian Group

Despite his past troubles, Sir John Cokayne eventually became part of John of Gaunt's close group of supporters, known as the Lancastrian "affinity." He received an annual payment from Gaunt. This connection was very helpful for his career. His uncle, the lawyer John Cokayne, also helped smooth the way for his nephew.

Supporting the New King

Royal Favor Under Henry IV

Henry of Bolingbroke claims the throne, 1399.

When Henry Bolingbroke (John of Gaunt's son) became King Henry IV in 1399, Sir John Cokayne was a strong supporter. He was rewarded by the new king. His annual payment from the Duchy of Lancaster was increased.

In 1399, both Sir John and his uncle were given important military roles in Derbyshire. Even though Sir John had not yet inherited all his family's lands, he was called to important royal meetings. In 1401, he became a justice of the peace (a local judge) for Derbyshire. In 1402, he was asked to help fight against people spreading rumors about King Henry IV.

Cokayne was elected to Parliament again in 1402, along with Roger Leche, another supporter of the king.

Inheritance and Continued Service

In 1403, Sir John's father died fighting for King Henry IV at the Battle of Shrewsbury. This meant Sir John inherited his family's lands and wealth. His role as a justice of the peace was renewed in 1404.

He attended Parliament again in 1404. During this time, he was accused of taking control of the manor of Baddesley Ensor in Warwickshire with "200 men dressed for warfare." This manor was part of his mother's inheritance. While he avoided punishment, he did not gain full control of the manor until much later.

Military Service in France

Cokayne then joined King Henry IV's son, Thomas of Lancaster, for military operations in the English Channel. This was during a quieter time in the Hundred Years' War. In 1405, he obtained special permission to travel, likely with 12 archers.

The next year, Cokayne served under Thomas of Lancaster again. Thomas was in charge of stopping rebels who were trying to join Owain Glyndŵr in Wales. Cokayne was one of the knights in Derbyshire who helped Thomas.

Challenges and Imprisonment

Although Cokayne was a justice of the peace in 1406, he did not serve again for ten years. However, he was still called upon to help keep order. In 1408, he helped the sheriff restore peace in Chesterfield. In 1410, he was asked to arrest Henry Pierrepont, another powerful landowner.

Around 1410, Cokayne gathered 200 armed men at his home in Ashbourne. He claimed he heard that Roger Leche was coming to kill him. Leche was a close supporter of the Prince of Wales, and there seemed to be a rivalry between Cokayne and Leche.

In October 1411, Cokayne and several other knights were ordered to be held in the Tower of London. This was likely to temporarily remove them from the region and stop their disputes. They were released after about five weeks.

More Time in France

While Cokayne was in the Tower, the king made changes in his government. In 1412, Cokayne went to France with Thomas of Lancaster (now Duke of Clarence). They were part of an English army helping one side in a French civil war. Knights were paid 2 shillings a day for this service. Before leaving, Cokayne made a will, arranging for his daughter Alice to receive property and for money to be set aside for his younger daughter Elyn's marriage. He also hoped to fund prayers for his family in churches at Polesworth and Ashbourne.

Continuing Local Disputes

Henry V.

When Henry V became king, Cokayne continued to be involved in local disputes. In 1414, he was ordered to appear in court to answer charges of "extortions, conspiracies and insurrections." However, he was also asked to help settle a dispute between two other powerful families.

In 1415, Cokayne appeared in court regarding his 1410 dispute with Roger Leche. He was able to show a general pardon he had bought.

Cokayne did not serve much in Henry V's wars in France. Instead, he continued his local activities. In 1419, he used armed force to take control of manors belonging to John Finderne. Cokayne claimed he had a right to the property, but the local official ordered it returned to Finderne.

By December 1419, Cokayne attended his fourth Parliament for Derbyshire. He was also elected for the next three Parliaments, representing either Derbyshire or Warwickshire, where he now owned a lot of land after his mother's death.

Later Career and Influence

Growing Power and Connections

During the time when Henry VI was a child king, Cokayne became very influential. He was able to use his connections with powerful people to gain more power. In 1422, he helped investigate illegal fishing in the River Trent.

In 1423, he was appointed Sheriff for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. This was an important and costly role, but it gave him great influence, especially in choosing who would represent the county in Parliament. Cokayne served as sheriff again from 1428 to 1430 and in 1435. He also became a justice of the peace for Derbyshire again in 1423 and remained so for the rest of his life.

By 1436, Cokayne was a very wealthy man, with lands valued at £200 a year. He lent money to the king for the war effort. He also became connected to Ralph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell, a very rich and powerful lord who was close to the king. Cokayne helped Cromwell in his legal battles over land.

Elections and Local Tensions

In his later years, Cokayne worked closely with Sir Richard Vernon, who was the wealthiest landowner in Derbyshire. They often worked together to manage local politics. In 1432, Cokayne helped elect Richard Vernon's son to Parliament. Around the same time, he arranged for his own heir, John, to marry Vernon's daughter Anne.

In 1433, Cokayne and Vernon were involved in a major dispute between the Foljambe and Pierrepont families. This led to violence in Chesterfield in 1434, where one person was injured and two were killed. Cokayne and Vernon were accused of gathering 300 men to influence the county election. Parliament had recently passed a law against powerful lords and landowners using armed groups to intimidate people. Ironically, Cokayne and Vernon were then asked to help enforce this law in Derbyshire.

Despite these events, Cokayne remained a trusted agent of the government until the end of his life. He continued to help raise money for the king and organize local defenses.

Land and Wealth

In 1412, Sir John Cokayne's income from his Derbyshire lands was about £40. He also received an annual payment of £60 from the king, which was a grant for his lifetime.

It took a long time for him to fully control the lands he inherited from his mother's family (the Harthills). After his grandfather Richard Harthill died, there was a young male heir who was supposed to inherit most of the estates. However, this heir died in 1402 without children. This meant that Sir John Cokayne's mother, Elizabeth, would inherit the lands.

Elizabeth married John Francis in 1403. She did not quickly hand over her inheritance to her son, Sir John. It was only after her death in 1416 that all the Harthill properties were officially transferred to him in 1417.

In the last 20 years of his life, Cokayne became a very important landowner. He owned many properties in three different counties:

Derbyshire Estates

• Ashbourne: The Cokayne family had lived here for centuries. Sir John's main home, Ashbourne Hall, was here.
• Parwich and Thorpe: These lands were held by Cokayne in 1431 and were likely part of his father's family estates.
• Middleton-by-Wirksworth, Ballidon, Tissington, Harthill, and Alport: These were inherited from his mother's Harthill family. The property at Alport included a valuable watermill.

Staffordshire Estates

• Calton: His mother's inheritance included the income and feudal services from Calton.

Warwickshire Estates

• Baddesley Ensor: This manor was held from the Earl of Warwick.
• Newton Regis: The manor of Newton Regis was split in half in 1259. The Harthill family owned one half.
• Pooley: This was another important property that came from the Harthill family.

Marriage and Family Life

Sir John Cokayne was married twice.

Effigy of Margaret Cokayne, Ashbourne.

His first wife was named Margaret. They had a son and a daughter:

• Sir John Cokayne the younger: He died before his father. He married Joan, the daughter of Sir John Dabrichecourt.
• Alice Cokayne: She married Sir Ralph Shirley, a wealthy landowner who was also a Member of Parliament.

His second wife was Isabel Shirley. They married by 1422. Isabel was the sister of Sir Ralph Shirley, who was married to Sir John's daughter Alice. This made Isabel and Alice sisters-in-law. Isabel lived much longer than Sir John, surviving into the 1460s. With Isabel, Sir John had four sons and two daughters. The most well-known was:

• John Cokayne: This was his second son named John. He was still young when his father died. He married Anne (or Agnes) Vernon and was later knighted. He also lived to be very old, dying in 1504.

Death and Legacy

Towards the end of his life, Sir John Cokayne focused on how his lands would be passed down. In 1438, he made legal arrangements to ensure his second wife, Isabel, would share ownership of some of his manors, like Calton, Staffordshire and Ballidon. This was to make sure Isabel would inherit smoothly after his death.

Sir John Cokayne died on June 7, 1438, at his home, Pooley Hall, in Warwickshire. He was buried next to his first wife in the parish church at Ashbourne. After his death, legal processes confirmed that his lands would go to Isabel and his heirs.

However, legal disputes continued between Isabel and other family members. In 1439, Joan, the widow of Sir John's oldest son, tried to have Isabel arrested over a debt. Isabel was held in London but later released. Isabel later married Thomas Bate, a lawyer.