Sir Henry Hussey 5th Baron Hussey

  General Notes:

Family and Education
b. Nov. 1361, s. of Sir Henry Hussey (d.1383) by his 2nd w. Ankaretta (d.1389). m. bef. 1387, Margaret, 1s. Sir Henry. Kntd. bef. Mar. 1387.

Offices Held
Commr. to determine an appeal in the constable's ct. Nov. 1396; of inquiry, Surr., Suss. Mar. 1402 (concealments); to make proclamation of Hen. IV's intention to govern well, Suss. May 1402; of array July 1402, Nov. 1403.
J.p. Suss. 16 May 1401-Feb. 1403.
Tax controller, Suss. Mar. 1404.

Biography
Since before 1154 the Husseys had been seated at Harting, which they had made into a handsome estate boasting two parks. The shire knight was the fifth Sir Henry to hold the manor in succession from the mid 13th century. Both his great-grandfather, who died in 1332, and his grandfather, who died in 1349, had received personal summonses to Parliament, but his father was not so called to the Upper House, doubtless because of the unusual circumstances of his inheritance of the family estates, for he was not the last Lord Hussey's true heir. Lord Hussey's eldest son, Sir Mark, had died during his lifetime leaving a son named Henry, but Hussey then entailed his manorial holdings to favour his own younger sons, thus disinheriting the boy. The deaths respectively of Lord Hussey in 1349, his third son, Richard, in 1361 and his widow in 1376, brought all the Hussey manors to Sir Henry, following whose own demise in 1383 they descended to the future shire knight. The MP's patrimony included a moiety of Sapperton and property at Broad Rissingdon (Gloucestershire), Hascombe (Surrey), Standen (Wiltshire), and South Moreton (Berkshire) as well as three other manors besides Harting in Sussex. It is uncertain whether he ever possessed the family property in Kent and Hampshire, but nevertheless he could still expect an annual income probably in excess of the £105 at which his lands were assessed at his death.¹

Hussey's manorial profits were temporarily reduced while his mother kept possession of her dower portion, and in 1389 he brought an action in the common pleas against her and her second husband, claiming damages of 1,000 marks for their wasting of his inheritance. He alleged that at Harting they had sold 80 oaks, 80 beeches and some fruit trees, and had demolished two gate houses, a dairy, a grange and certain habitations of bondmen. The defendants denied the charges, though admitted felling timber to repair a drawbridge. Hussey's mother died later that year, but owing to an administrative error it was not until June 1391 that he secured full possession of her dower lands.²

The Husseys had long been closely connected with the Fitzalan earls of Arundel, from whom they held Harting by knight service. Indeed, the second Lord Hussey had been married to the aunt of Earl Richard (d.1397). Not surprisingly, Sir Henry enlisted for service in the retinue of the earl in March 1387, when the latter as admiral of England assembled the fleet which achieved great success in the narrow seas, and later that year he gave Arundel his armed support by joining him and the duke of Gloucester at Haringay at the start of their bid to take power. At that time Hussey was being sued in the common pleas for a debt of £9 6s.8d. incurred in London, but by mistake his cousin Henry (son of Sir Mark) was summoned to answer. The latter, of course, already bore a serious grudge against his kinsman: in 1393 he began legal proceedings to obtain a third part of Harting and, after a postponement in 1395 while Sir Henry finished his military service at Sangatte castle (Pas-de-Calais), the court awarded the dispossessed man an annuity of marks to be paid in perpetuity from the manorial revenues. Save for Sir Henry's appointment to a judicial tribunal to determine an appeal from the constable's court in 1396, he was noticeably absent from royal commissions in the last years of Richard II's reign. This is hardly surprising given his close connexion with the earl of Arundel, following whose execution he purchased a royal pardon, in April 1398. Hussey seems then to have attached himself to the King's half-brother, John Holand, duke of Exeter, who had hastened to secure possession of the forfeited Fitzalan estates; certainly, when required to offer sureties for good behaviour a month afterwards, he called on the duke's retainers, (Sir) Thomas Shelley and Robert Cary, to act on his behalf. It was not until after his first election to Parliament, in 1401, that Sir Henry was appointed as a j.p. in Sussex. Some indication of his standing in the locality is, however, provided by the summonses he received to great councils held in August that year and again about two years later.³

In 1406 Hussey was a witness at Arundel castle when Thomas, earl of Arundel, completed an important settlement of his estates. His intimacy with other members of the earl's entourage is further suggested by the gift he made to Arundel's retainer, John Tauk, of his manor in Surrey to hold for life. However, Tauk may have been a relation of his, certainly Robert Tauk * and two of his brothers were the only men he trusted to be feoffees of his property. Hussey died on 5 May 1409. His widow met with harassment from her son Henry (c.1387-1450), who, one Sunday while she was at the parish church attending high mass, entered the manor-house at Harting with a gang of armed men and removed a number of title deeds. Evidently she did not lack influential friends: the pledges for her petition to the chancellor were the former Speaker, Sir William Sturmy, and his kinsman, Robert Erle. Having obtained a royal licence in 1410 to marry whom she pleased, she accepted the hand of Richard Bitterley.⁴

Author: L. S. Woodger

Notes
1. CP, iv. 1-11; CIPM, ix. 222; xi. 94; xiv. 314; xv. 995-7; CFR, x. 26; VCH Suss. iv. 10-11, 14-15, 24, 64.
2. CPR, 1381-5, pp. 401, 555; Yr. Bk. 1388-9 ed. Deiser, 173; CIPM, xvi. 856-7; CCR, 1389-92, pp. 38, 270.
3. E101/40/33 m. 1; Yr. Bk. 1387-8 ed. Thornley, 128-9; CP, iv. 7-8; C67/30 m. 3; CCR, 1396-9, p. 289; PPC, i. 161; ii. 87.
4. CPR, 1408-13, p. 236; 1452-61, p. 203; C137/71/17; CCR, 1409-13, pp. 18, 40; C1/16/35; Feudal Aids, vi. 521-2.

[History of Parliament 1386-1421]

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Sir Henry Husee m., 1stly, Elizabeth daughter of John de Bohun, and, 2ndly, Ankaret, who was the mother of his son and heir, yet another Sir Henry. It was this last Sir Henry Husee with whom Henry, son of Mark, had the lawsuit in 1393. He appears to have been knight of the shire for Sussex from 1400 till 1402. He d. in 1409, holding all that his father held of the Husee properties. By his wife Margaret (who had licence to remarry 9 Oct 1410) he left a son and heir, Sir Henry Husee...

[Complete Peerage VII:10-11 Note B]

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Henry Hussey, son of Henry Hussey and Ankaret Hussey, was born in 1362, probably at Saperton, Wiltshire.

Henry Hussey was married about 1386, wife's name Margaret. He inherited Saperton manor in 1389 upon the death of his mother. In 1393 he was sued by his cousin, Henry Hussey, in an attempt to recover the inheritance due him under promigeniture.

He was a witness to a charter of King Richard II July 18, 1397, according to "Calendar of Close Rolls." On April 26, 1399 the king awarded to "Henry Hussey, knight" an annual pension of 20 pounds. He was named Knight of the Shire for Sussex in 1400 and 1402 and appeared on a commission March 1, 1402 to "inquire into illegal practices said to be in use by the collectors of customs and excise in Kent," according to "Patent Rolls." He was referred to as a tax comptroller in Sussex in 1404. He received a grant of free warren in Harting manor, Sussex in 1407, according to "Dictionary of National Biography."

He died in 1409 holding all of the property that his father had wrested from the Hussey inheritance. In an inquisition held at Cirencester, Gloucestershire "on Monday after the Feast of St. Barnabus, 1409 it was determined that "Sir Henry Huse died on Sunday before the feast of St. John before the Latin Gate last, holding in his demesne as of fee a moiety of Saperton manor, held of the king in chief as l/4 knight's fee, worth 10 marks a year clear. Henry, his son and heir, was aged 22 and more."

Margaret Hussey was granted a license to remarry on October 9, 1410.

Children born to them include:
- Henry Hussey born about 1387

[Gowen Research Foundation - Hussey Manuscripts] ^{1 4}

  Events

• Manorial Estate, 1383-1409, Harting Manor, Harting, Petersfield, West Sussex, GU31, GB. ⁵ Between 1156 and 1166 William, Earl of Arundel, gave to Henry Husee 2 knights' fees which were evidently in Harting, and were subsequently held of the honor of Arundel. On the death of Hugh d'Aubigny, last Earl of Arundel of his line, in 1243 the overlordship of Harting passed to his eldest sister Maud and her husband Robert de Tateshall, of whose son Robert the manor was held in 1253. His grandson Robert in 1303 inherited 3 knights' fees in Harting and Chithurst held by Henry Husee, and in 1341 these fees were held of Alice, widow of William de Bernake, who was daughter of the eldest of Robert's coheiresses. By 1409, however, Harting manor was said to be held of the Earl of Arundel as of his manor of Walderton, and it was still held of that manor in 1555.

Henry Husee, first lord of Harting, or his son Henry, had remission of Danegeld in Sussex in 1154. The younger Henry founded a leper hospital at Harting and also (before 1169) the Abbey of Durford. He is said to have died about 1174 in the Holy Land. A third Henry Husee, in 1190-6, confirmed gifts to Durford Abbey made by his father, and in 1194 he made an agreement with the Abbot of Séez about the advowson of the church of Harting. Land in Sussex given to him by the king was taken away in 1205, but in 1208 the patronage of the Abbey of Durford was restored to him, as well as the land of his brother Hubert. He died about 1213, when his son Henry paid 100 marks for his patrimony in Wiltshire. This Henry was in arms against the king in 1216 but returned to his allegiance in 1217, and died before 1 April 1235. He was succeeded by a son Matthew, called his heir, though there had been an elder son Henry who died before his father, leaving a daughter Maud, who in 1239 unsuccessfully sued Matthew for 3 knights' fees in Harting. Matthew was in possession in 1242, and in June 1252 he obtained a grant of free warren in his manor of Harting. He died early in 1253, and his young son Henry succeeded. At the instance of Prince Edward the king granted licence to Henry Husee in 1266 to build a crenellated house at Harting, inclosing it with a dyke and a wall of stone. In 1268 Maud, mentioned above, with her husband William Paynel confirmed Harting manor to Henry. He obtained in 1271 a grant of a weekly market on Wednesday at Harting and a yearly fair there on the eve, day, and morrow of SS. Simon and Jude, and a grant of free warren there. He died in 1290, when Henry his son, afterwards Lord Husee, succeeded. He was visited at Harting in September 1302 by Edward I. He died in 1332, when seisin of his land was given to his son Henry, with whose consent a third of the manor of Harting was assigned as part of the dower of Isabel, widow of Sir Henry. A settlement of the manor was made in 1347 upon Sir Henry for life, with remainder to his younger son Henry and his wife Elizabeth daughter of John de Bohun of Midhurst and their issue, Mark the eldest son of Sir Henry having died in 1346, leaving an infant son Henry. Sir Henry Husee died in 1349 and Harting manor passed under the settlement to his son Henry, a third of the manor being assigned as dower to Katherine widow of Sir Henry, and a very detailed account exists of her share. She had all the chambers near and over the west door and a garden near these rooms to the west, all the chambers near and over the east gate, except the prison, the gates being held in common, and the right to use Henry's bakery and kitchen until he should build another for her near the west gate. Katherine was also to enjoy parts of several gardens, a third of two dovecotes, the part of the park to the north of the town called Nether Park, a third of the woods and warrens and of the yearly fairs. The well called Typut was held in common.

Henry's land was extended for debt in 1370, and the inquisition then taken gives a detailed account of his part of the manor. The land was divided into that above the down and that below the down. Sir Henry Husee died in 1383, and the manor passed to his son Henry, then aged 22. Ankaretta widow of Sir Henry married as a second husband Sir Andrew Hake, and she had a third of the manor as dower. On her death in 1389 this passed to Sir Henry Husee. Just before her death Sir Andrew and Ankaretta were sued by Henry son of Mark Husee, mentioned above, for a third of the manor, and in 1393 this Henry sued Sir Henry Husee for the same. He claimed it under the grant made by William and Maud Paynel to Henry Husee in 1268. He was not successful in his claim to the manor, but he seems to have obtained from Henry an annuity of 40 marks from Harting in perpetuity. On the death of Sir Henry Husee in 1409 Harting manor was delivered to his widow Margaret, who had held it jointly with him. She complained in 1412 that her son Sir Henry Husee came to Harting manor when she was in the parish church at High Mass on the feast of St. Lawrence, and stole a chest of muniments. She married before 1412 Richard Biterley, with whom she was at that date holding a third of Harting manor and an annuity from the other two-thirds. Sir Henry in 1430 obtained a confirmation of the grant of free warren made to Matthew Husee his ancestor. He settled Harting in 1434 upon Constance his wife for life, with remainder in tail male to his sons Henry and Nicholas. He died on 30 January 1449-50, when it was said that he held no land in Sussex, as he had granted all his estate to trustees in 1434. His son and successor Sir Henry, in May 1451, with the trustees, granted the demesne land of the manor for Sir Henry's life to John Husee, in satisfaction of the annuity of 40 marks from the manor. In 1453 he settled the manor upon himself in fee tail with remainder to his brother Nicholas in tail. He again conveyed the manor to trustees in July 1460 and died without issue soon after. His trustees leased the manor in August 1464 to John, Earl of Worcester, for his life. The earl shortly after assigned the lease to Nicholas Husee, reserving to himself the two parks, Up Park and Down Park, and the site of the manor when he should choose to visit it; during these visits, Nicholas Husee was to have two rooms in the manor-house. Nicholas Husee obtained a pardon in 1467 for all debts to the king, incurred while he served the offices of buyer, receiver, and keeper of victuals and equipment provided for the defence of Calais, the lieutenancy of the castle of Guynes, and sheriff of Surrey and Sussex. Before July of the following year he had been outlawed for treason and his lands forfeited, but he evidently again obtained pardon, for on his death in 1472 he held the manor of Harting. His heirs were his daughters Constance aged 12, and Catherine aged 10. Constance married firstly Henry Lovell and afterwards Sir Roger Lewkenor, and Catherine married Reynold Bray.

In 1478 Thomas Husee sued Sir Roger Lewkenor, Thomas Hoo, and Thomas Bassett for the manor of Harting. Thomas claimed it as great-grandson of the Henry son of Mark Husee, the claimant in 1389, and recovered the manor against Sir Roger Lewkenor, but immediately took part in a conveyance of the manor to trustees to the use of the coheirs of Nicholas Husee, and the manor was divided between them. Reynold Bray and Catherine had land held by certain tenants in East Harting, land in Rogate, Wenham, and Chalecroft in Harting with 15s. 2½d. from the Up Park, and the hamlet of West Harting, except Bakersholt, Ladyholt, and Mereland. The rest of the manor was assigned to Henry Lovell and Constance, the hundred of Dumpford, the wood called Harting Combe and the fair and advowson being held jointly. From this time the manor became divided into West, East, and South Harting.

By Henry Lovell Constance had two daughters, Elizabeth and Agnes. Agnes married John Empson, and Elizabeth married firstly Sir Edward Bray, and afterwards, before 9 February 1509, Sir Anthony Windsor, brother of Andrew, Lord Windsor, by whom she had two children Henry and Constance.

Catherine and Reynold Bray had no children, but Reynold appears to have acquired some title to the manor of West Harting and land in Harting, in his own right. This he left by will to his nephew Edmund Bray in tail male, with contingent remainder to his niece Margery wife of William, Lord Sandes, in fee tail.

• Inquisition: Post mortem, 8 Sep 1383. ⁶ 995. Henry Huse, or Husee, knight

Writ: 8 September, 7 Richard II GLOUCESTER. Inq. (indented) taken at Saperton, 17 October, 7 Richard II. He held the under-mentioned moiety and land in his demesne as of fee.

Saperton. A moiety of the manor, held of the king in chief by service of a fourth part of a knight's fee.

Brode Rusyndon. 2 a. land, held of the king in chief by service of rendering 12d. yearly by the hands of the escheator.

He died on Tuesday after St. Bartholomew. Henry Huse, his son, aged 21 years and more on the feast of All Saints last, is his heir.

996. Writ: 8 September, 7 Richard II SURREY. Inq. taken at Godalmyng, Monday the eve of Michaelmas, 7 Richard II. He held the under-mentioned manor in his demesne as of fee.

Hascombe. The manor, held of Thomas de Breouse, knight, by service of paying 66s. yearly and by suit to his court of Bromlegh every three weeks.

He died on Tuesday the morrow of St. Bartholomew last. Heir as above, aged 22 years and more.

997. SUSSEX. Inq. taken at Hertyng, Saturday before Michaelmas, 7 Richard II. He held the under-mentioned manor and moiety in his demesne as of fee.

Hertyngg. The manor, with the advowson of the church, held of the heirs of Robert Tateshale by service of three knights' fees.

Pulbergh. A moiety of the manor, with the advowsons of the churches of Pulbergh and Rugwyke, held of John Somery, knight, by knight's service.

Date of death and heir as last above.

C. Ric. II. File 32 (6)

E. Enrolments &c. of Inq. No. 216 (11) (Gloucester)

• Inquisition: Post mortem, 15 Nov 1389. ² 856. Ankaretta late the wife of Henry Husee, the elder

Writ, 15 November, 13 Richard II SUSSEX. Inq. taken at Hertyng, 19 November, 13 Richard II.

She held the under-mentioned third part in dower after the death of the said Henry her husband.

She also held the under-mentioned manor of Ipyng.

Hertyng. A third part of the manor with the advowson of the church, held of the heirs of Robert Tateshale by knight's service.

Ipyng. The manor with the advowson, held of the earl of Stafford, services not known.

She died on Thursday the feast of St. Martin the Bishop last. Henry Husee, knight, aged 27 years, is her son and heir.

857. Writ, 15 November, 13 Richard II GLOUCESTER. Inq. taken at Sapurton, Thursday after St. Andrew, 13 Richard II.

She held the under-mentioned moiety and land in dower after the death of the said Henry.

Sapurtone. A moiety of the manor, held of the king in chief by service of a fourth part of a knight's fee.

Broderysyndon. 2 a. land, held as above by service of rendering to the king 12d. yearly by the hands of the escheator.

Date of death and heir as above.

C. Ric. II File 60 (8)

E. Inq. P.M. File 55 (18)

• Inquisition: Post mortem, 12 May 1409. ³ 513 HENRY HUSE, KNIGHT

Writ 12 May 1409. GLOUCESTER. Inquisition. Cirencester. 17 June. He held half the manor of Sapperton in his demesne as of fee of the king in chief as a quarter of a knight's fee, annual value 10 marks. He died on 5 May last. Henry his son and heir is aged 22 years and more.

514 Writ 12 May 1409. BERKSHIRE. Inquisition. Wallingford. 31 May. He held a manor in South Moreton called Huses in his demesne as of fee of the king in chief as a tenth part of a knight's fee, annual value £10. Date of death and heir as above.

515 Writ 12 June 1409. SURREY. Inquisition. Guildford. 25 June. He held the advowson of Hascombe of George de Brewes of his manor of Bramley, service unknown. Long before his death he had held the manors of Hascombe and Danehurst of George de Brewes and Thomas Wyntersell, and granted them to John Tauk for life with reversion to himself and his heirs; service unknown, annual value 8 marks. Date of death and heir, aged 22 on 16 April last, as above.

516 Writ 12 May 1409. SUSSEX. Inquisition. Petworth. 23 May.

He held jointly with Margaret his wife, to them and his heirs, by the grant of William and Richard Tauk:

Harting, the manor and advowson, of the earl of Arundel of his manor of Walderton by knight service, annual value 100 marks.

Pulborough, the manor and advowson, of the heir of Roger Somery, service unknown, annual value £16.

Date of death and heir, aged 21 on 16 April last, as above. Writ to assign dower to Margaret, his widow, 12 March 1410.

C 137/71, no.17 E 152/426, no.1

Henry married Margaret before 1387.¹ (Margaret died between 29 Mar 1410 and 1430.)