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Clerks of the Signet c. 1539-1660 - Alphabetical list

Provisional list c. 1539-1660 compiled by J.C. Sainty March 1999

Alphabetical list

Cliffe, John [1555]-1589
Gt. in reversion after Sir John Godsalve, Richard Taverner, William Honing, Gregory Railton (in possession) and Nicasius Yetsweirt (in reversion) 20 Aug. 1547 (CPR 1547-8, p. 216); succ. Godsalve or Taverner by 21 Apr. 1555 (CPR 1554-5, pp . 279-80). D. 9 Mar. 1589 (Visitation of Essex (Harleian Society, xiii, 1878), i, 178).

Derby, John [?]-1539
Vac. by 2 Oct. 1539 on app. as secretary of council of West (LP, xiv(2), 425(2)).

Faunt, Nicholas 1595-1608
App. 23 Dec. 1595 in place of Charles Yetsweirt (C 66/1449). D. 1608 (HP 1558-1603, ii, 109).

Gall, Francis 1608-[1641]
Gt. in reversion after Sir Thomas Windebanke, Sir John Wood, Sir Thomas Lake, Nicholas Faunt (in possession) and Levinus Munck (in reversion) 1 Sept. 1603 (C 66/1610); succ. 1608 (d. of Faunt). Vac. 5 Aug. 1641/17 Dec. 1645 (C 66/2890, gt. to Sidney Ber e; Docquets, p. 411).

Godsalve, John (later ktd.) [1541]-[1547]
First occ. 29 Oct. 1541 (LP, xvi, 1308(28)). Vac. 20 Aug. 1547/21 Apr. 1555 (CPR 1547-8, p. 216; CPR 1554-5, pp. 279-80).

Honing, William [1544]-1569
Gt. in reversion after John Godsalve, William Paget, Richard Taverner and Thomas Knight 29 Oct. 1541 (LP, xvi, 1308(28)); succ. Paget by 23 Jan. 1544 (LP, xix(1), 80(35)). D. 10 or 17 Dec. 1569 (HP 1509-58, ii, 384).

Huttoft, John 1539-1541
App. 2 Oct. 1539 in place of John Derby (LP, xiv(2), 435(2)). Surr. 1 Jan. 1541 on app. as secretary to queen (ibid.; LP, xvi, 503(13)).

Kirkham, Robert 1616-1638
Gt. in reversion after Sir Thomas Lake, Levinus Munck, Francis Gall and Francis Windebanke 25 Apr. 1611 (C 66/1902); succ. 13 Jan. 1616 (d. of Lake). D. by 13 Nov. 1638 (CSPD 1638-9, p. 103).

Knight, Thomas 1540-[1544]
App. 14 Apr. 1540 in place of Thomas Wriothesley (LP, xv, 611(17)). Vac. 23 Jan. 1544/11 May 1545 (LP, xix(1), 80(35); LP, xx(1), 846(26)).

Lake, Thomas (ktd. 20 May 1603) 1589-1616
Gt. in reversion after John Cliffe, Thomas Windebanke, Charles Yetsweirt and John Wood 7 Jan. 1589 (C 66/1331); succ. 9 Mar. 1589 (d. of Cliffe). Vac. 13 Jan. 1616 on app. as Secretary of State.

May, Sir Humphrey, Kt. 1623-1630
Gt. in reversion after Sir Thomas Lake, Levinus Munck, Francis Gall, Francis Windebanke (in possession) and Robert Kirkham (in reversion) 14 Dec. 1611 (C 66/1898); succ. 27 May 1623 (d. of Munck). D. 9 June 1630 (DNB, xxxvii, 141).

More, John 1630-1638
Gt. in reversion after Sir Thomas Lake, Levinus Munck, Francis Gall, Francis Windebanke (in possession), Robert Kirkham and Sir Humphrey May (in reversion) 23 Dec. 1615 (C 66/2068); succ. 9 June 1630 (d. of May). D. by 24 Aug. 1638 (CSPD 1637-8, p. 603).

Morland, Samuel 1656-[?]
App. 20 Mar. 1656 (C 66/2914). No further occ.

Munck, Levinus 1607-1623
Gt. in reversion after Thomas Windebanke, Sir John Wood, Sir Thomas Lake and Nicholas Faunt 10 June 1603 (C 66/1609); succ. 24 Oct. 1607 (d. of Windebanke). D. 27 May 1623 (HP 1558-1603, iii, 110).

Norgate, Edward 1638-[1645]
Gt. in reversion after Levinus Munck, Francis Gall, Francis Windebanke, Robert Kirkham (in possession), Sir Humphrey May, John More and Abraham Williams (in reversion) 8 May 1618 (C 66/2182); adm. in place of More 26 Aug. 1638 (CSPD 1637-8, p. 60 3). Last occ. 17 Dec. 1645 (Docquets, p. 411).

Nutley, James 1655-[?]
App. 16 June 1655 (C 66/2913). No further occ.

Paget, William 1541-[1541]
App. 8 Jan. 1541 in place of John Huttoft (LP, xvi, 503(13)). Vac. 29 Oct. 1541/23 Jan. 1544 (LP, xvi, 1308(28)); LP, xix(1), 80(35)).

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Railton, William [1545]-1561
Gt. in reversion after John Godsalve, Richard Taverner, Thomas Knight and William Honing 23 Jan. 1544 (LP, xix(1), 80(35)); succ. Knight by 11 May 1545 (LP, xx(1), 846(26)). D. by 30 Oct. 1561 (CPR 1560-3, p. 100).

Somer, John 1561-[1578]
App. 30 Oct. 1561 in place of Gregory Railton (CPR 1560-3, p. 100). Vac. 20 June 1578/7 Jan. 1589 (CPR 1575-8, p. 553(3721)); C 66/1331, gt. to Thomas Lake).

Taverner, Richard [1541]-[1547]
First occ. 29 Oct. 1541 (LP, xvi, 1308(28). Vac. 20 Aug. 1547/21 Apr. 1555 (CPR 1547-8, p. 216; CPR 1554-5, pp. 279-80).

Warwick, Philip 1638-[1645]
Gt. in reversion after Francis Gall, Francis Windebanke, Robert Kirkham, Sir Humphrey May (in possession), John More, Sir Abraham Williams and Edward Norgate (in reversion) 1 June 1629 (C 66/2516); new gt. in reversion after Francis Gall, Robert Kirkham , John More, Sir Abraham Williams (in possession) and Edward Norgate (in reversion) 23 Aug. 1632 (C 66/2612); adm. in place of Kirkham 13 Nov. 1638 (CSPD 1638-9, p. 103). Last occ. 17 Dec. 1645 (Docquets, p. 411). For position after Restorat ion 1660, see Officials, p. 114).

Williams, Sir Abraham, Kt. 1632-[1645]
Gt. in reversion after Levinus Munck, Francis Gall, Francis Windebanke, Robert Kirkham (in possession), Sir Humphrey May and John More (in reversion) 29 Mar. 1617 (C 66/2135); succ. 15 June 1632 (vac. of Windebanke). Last occ. 17 Dec. 1645 (Docquets, p. 411).

Windebanke, Francis 1610-1632
Gt. in reversion after Sir Thomas Windebanke, Sir John Wood, Sir Thomas Lake, Nicholas Faunt (in possession), Levinus Munck and Francis Gall (in reversion) 22 Feb. 1605 (C 66/1653); succ. 5 Sept. 1610 (d. of Wood). Vac. 15 June 1632 on app. as Secretary of State.

Windebanke, Thomas (ktd. 23 July 1603) 1569-1607
Gt. in reversion after William Honing, Nicasius Yetsweirt, John Cliffe and John Somer 9 Sept. 1567 (CPR 1566-9, p. 145(924)); succ. Dec. 1569 (d. of Honing). D. 24 Oct. 1607 (DNB, lxii, 163).

Windebanke, Thomas (created Bart. 25 Nov. 1645) [1645]
Gt. in reversion after Francis Gall, Robert Kirkham, John More, Sir Abraham Williams (in possession), Edward Norgate and Philip Warwick (in reversion) 25 Apr. 1633 (C 66/2631); succ. Gall 5 Aug. 1641/17 Dec. 1645 (C 66/2890, gt. to Sidney Bere; Docqu ets, p. 411). For position after Restoration 1660, see Officials, pp. 117-18.

Wood, John (ktd. 20 May 1603) [1589]-1610
Gt. in reversion after Nicasius Yetsweirt, John Cliffe, John Somer and Thomas Windebanke 15 June 1575 (CPR 1572-5, p. 560(3276)); succ. Yetsweirt or Somer 30 June 1587/7 Jan. 1589 (CPR 1575-8, p. 553(3721)); C 66/1331, gt. to Thomas Lake). D. 5 Sept. 1610 (P. Morant, History and Antiquities of the County of Essex (1768), i, 177).

Wriothesley, Thomas [?]-1540
Vac. by 14 Apr. 1540 on app. as secretary (LP, xv, 611(17)).

Yetsweirt, Charles [1589]-1595
Gt. in reversion after John Cliffe, John Somer, Thomas Windebanke, Nicasius Yetsweirt (in possession) and John Wood (in reversion) 23 May 1578 (CPR 1575-8, p. 545(3699)), 30 June 1578 (ibid. p. 553(3721)); succ. Nicasius Yetsweirt or Somer by 7 Jan. 1589 (C 66/1331, gt. to Thomas Lake). D. by 23 Dec. 1595 (C 66/1449, recited in gt. to Nicholas Faunt).

Yetsweirt, Nicasius [1555]-[1587]
Gt. in reversion after John Godsalve, Richard Taverner, William Honing and Gregory Railton 11 May 1545 (LP, xx(1), 846(26)); succ. Godsalve or Taverner 20 Aug. 1547/21 Apr. 1555 (CPR 1547-8,p. 216; CPR 1554-5, pp. 279-80). Vac. 30 J une 1578/7 Jan. 1589 (CPR 1575-8, p. 553(3271); C 66/1331, gt. to Thomas Lake).

Unsuccessful reversioners

 

Bell, William
Gt. in reversion after Francis Gall, Sir Abraham Williams, Edward Norgate, Philip Warwick (in possession), Thomas Windebanke and William Trumbull (in reversion) 26 Nov. 1638 (C 66/2822). Last occ. 17 Dec. 1645 (Docquets, p. 411).

Castle, George
Gt. in reversion after Sir Abraham Williams, Edward Norgate, Philip Warwick, Sir Thomas Windebanke (in possession), William Trumbull, William Bell, Robert Reade and Sidney Bere (in reversion) 17 Dec. 1645 (Docquets, p. 411). Vac. 13 June 1664/12 June 1674 (C 66/3061, gt. to William Trumbull; C 66/3156, gt. to John Gauntlet).

Reade, Robert
Gt. in reversion after Francis Gall, Sir Abraham Williams, Edward Norgate, Philip Warwick (in possession), Thomas Windebanke, William Trumbull and William Bell (in reversion) 27 Nov. 1638 (C 66/2822). Vac. 12 June 1674/2 May 1678 (C 66/3156, gt. to John Gauntlet; C 66/3201, gt. to William Cooke).

Yaxley, Francis
Gt. in reversion after William Honing, Gregory Railton, Nicasius Yetsweirt and John Cliffe 21 Apr. 1555 (CPR 1554-5, pp. 279-80). Vac. by 30 Oct. 1561 (CPR 1560-3, p. 100).

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