Henry Frowick

  General Notes:

"On 11 November 1271 the members of the king's council, seeing that nothing was to be gained by dragging out this matter further, called before them the aldermen and also Walter and his associates, and told them: "The king wishes to preserve intact all your liberties; since you cannot agree together on the election of one person as mayor, it is his wish that both Walter Hervy and Philip le Taillur be removed from the mayoralty and that you have a warden chosen by us, who can on my behalf keep custody of the city for the benefit of myself and that of my son, Edward. From this moment on, Henry de Frowick is appointed warden of the city, to hold that office until 13 January next. Although if at any time the citizens are prepared to reach unanimous agreement on a mayor, they may present him to the king and the king will be pleased to admit him to the office, removing Henry from the wardenship of the city."

Following this, certain members of the king's council – that is, Walter de Merton and others – came into the city and over several days held discussions with the aldermen and Walter, with a view to restoring peace and harmony. As a result of which it was agreed by all parties that five men be chosen on behalf of the aldermen and five on behalf of Walter, and that whomever they elected would be mayor for that year.

The names of those chosen by the aldermen were John Adrian, Walter le Poter, Henry le Waleys, Henry de Coventre, and Thomas de Basinge.

The names of those chosen by Walter Hervy were Robert Gratefige, Robert Hauteyn, Alan le Hurer, Bartholomew le Spicer, and Henry de Wynton.

However, these arrangements agreed upon were not put into effect, as indicated by what is written below" Walter was able to prevail by other means and was ratified as Mayor. The King, Henry II was close to death, dying the following year so his nobles persuaded the Alderman to accept Walter to have peace in the city for the following year

Pleas of the crown 3 edward I [1274– 5]
Luke de Batencurt, for whom no one answers, and Henry de Frouwyk, who answers now, being sheriffs; Henry de Suffolk fell from a step in the house of Luke de Batencurt and died. Value of the step ½ mark (deodandum) for which Henry de Frouwyk is to answer. Guillot le Moler, who was in the house at the time, was attached, but does not come and is not suspected. He was attached by Hubert de Arraz and Ralph de Rumford. So they are in mercy. All the neighbours come and are not suspected. No one else is suspected. Judgment: misadventure.

['Crown Pleas: 1 Edward I - 4 Edward I (nos 238-294)', The London eyre of 1276 (1976 ), pp. 66-83]

Holdin le Taillur was accused of harbouring thieves, so the bailiffs of the City went to arrest him. He at once fled and absconded and has now returned and been arrested. He comes and denies the harbouring and everything and for good or ill puts himself upon the verdict of the aldermen and neighbourhood who say in the faith in which they are bound to the king that he is not guilty; so he is quit, but he previously fled, so his chattels are to be confiscated for the flight. Chattels 20s. for which Luke de Batencurt and Henry de Frouwyk are to answer.

['Crown Pleas: 1 Edward I - 4 Edward I (nos 238-294)', The London eyre of 1276 (1976), pp. 66-83]

Henry de Frowik presented himself on the fourth day against Maud widow of Luke de Badencurt on a plea of trespass whereon he impleads her without a writ. She has not come, and has made many defaults. So the sheriff of Essex is ordered to distrain her by all her lands. And he is to have her body before the justices on the morrow of the Ascension [15 May 1276] at St. Martin le Grand London.

['Civil pleas 'extra coronam': (nos 470-523)', The London eyre of 1276 (1976), pp. 98-118]

Of the escape of thieves, they say that John de Frome, during the shrievalty of Robert de Linton and William Essewy mercer, escaped from the prison of Neugate. So to judgment on the sheriffs for the escape. Likewise Roger de Clere was convicted before the justices and handed over to the bishop of Lincoln and by licence of the sheriffs he was imprisoned at Neugate, during the shrievalty of John de Norhamton and Richard Picard; he broke out of prison and escaped with four others whose names are unknown and who were imprisoned there by the sheriffs. So to judgment on the sheriffs for the escape, but because Roger was not imprisoned in the custody of the sheriffs, they are quit of his escape. Likewise Roger Drinkwater and another twelve whose names are unknown, during the shrievalty of Henry de Frouwyk and Luke de Batencurt, escaped from the prison of Neugate. Henry Walemund sheriff imprisoned Roger Lythfot in his house on suspicion of theft and he escaped from his custody. So to judgment on them for the escapes. John Frome, Roger Drinkwater and [Roger] Lythfot have absconded and are suspected, so let them be exacted and outlawed according to the custom of the City. Nothing is known of chattels. So to judgment on the sheriffs for the amercements and chattels. Of the names of those who escaped . . . Arnald Petri, during the shrievalty of Henry de Coventre and Adam de Bruning, broke out of the prison of Neugate and took sanctuary in the church of the Friars Minor and abjured the realm. No chattels. So to judgment for. . . Likewise Thomas de Barton during the same shrievalty was being pursued by some men and took sanctuary in the church of Aldermannechirche and he afterwards absconded from the church and is suspected, so let him be exacted and outlawed according to the custom of the City. Chattels £4 10s. 8d. for which the sheriffs are to answer; since they concealed the chattels in their roll they are in mercy.

['Responses to the Articles of the Eyre: (nos 295-341)', The London eyre of 1276 (1976), pp. 83-9.]

He appears to have owned land in Honey Lane and Milk Street

Henry Frowyk held a windmill in Enfield in 1284.

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Monday next before the Feast of S. Dunstan [19 May].

Frowick (Henry).— To Isabella his wife rents in the parishes of S. Dunstan towards the Tower and S. Matthew in Fridaystrate. To John his son rents before the gate of S. Martin le Grand in the parish of S. Michael. To Reginald his son houses in Melkstrate and Yvilane, and a garden in the parish of S. Giles with four adjacent houses. To William and Stephen his sons shops in Eldefistrate, parish of S. Vedast. To Thomas his son a shop and rents in Westchep; and to Anketin his son rents in the parish of S. Agnes. To Johanna, Rosamund, and Johannetta his daughters shops and rents in Eldefistrate and elsewhere in the parish of S. Vedast, and at the Red Cross. No date.

And forasmuch as the above legacy to his wife was contrary to the custom of the City, the said Isabella came and claimed no more than a life interest in the said rents.

[Calendar of wills proved and enrolled in the Court of Husting, London: Part 1: 1258-1358]

  Events

• Manorial Estate, 1271, Old Ford Manor, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6, GB. ¹ The manor of OLD FOLD emerged from the capital manor. It was bought from Ernulf de Mandeville by the Frowyks, who were prosperous London merchants, shortly after 1271 (fn. 29) and it descended in the direct male line of the family until 1527. In 1308 Henry Frowyk was kidnapped by Thomas Lewknor, lord of South Mimms, William Pouns, a local landowner, (fn. 30) his son Richard, and John of Felstead, parson of Hadley. Henry was married to William Pouns's daughter, Margaret, for which act the Frowyks subsequently obtained financial redress, on the grounds that Henry was a minor in the wardship of his mother Agnes. (fn. 31) Henry died in 1377, having outlived his son Thomas. His grandson Henry married Alice Cornwall, whose second husband Thomas Charlton had the manor in 1397, (fn. 32) apparently during the minority of Thomas, Henry and Alice's son. Thomas Frowyk was the husband of Elizabeth Aske, heir to the manor of Weld or Newberries in Shenley (Herts.). (fn. 33) His son and heir Henry married Joan Lewknor (fn. 34) but was sued for debt by Sir Roger Lewknor and committed to prison. (fn. 35) Accordingly Henry sold the manor of Weld and lands in Shenley, Aldenham, and St. Albans (Herts.) in 1473 (fn. 36) and sold the manor of Durhams and land in London to his cousin Thomas Frowyk of Gunnersbury two years later, (fn. 37) although he retained Old Fold. His successors seem not to have paid the rent for Old Fold which was due to the manor of South Mimms, and in 1501 Henry's grandson and namesake was distrained for the non-payment for many years. (fn. 38) The younger Henry married Anne, daughter and coheir of Robert Knollys, who brought the manor of North Mimms (Herts.) into the Frowyk family. Henry's son Thomas married Mary, daughter of Sir William Sandys, and died without issue. (fn. 39) By will proved in 1527, Henry therefore left his estates to his daughter Elizabeth and the children of her first husband John Coningsby. (fn. 40) It was not until 1547, however, that Elizabeth recovered Old Fold from John Palmer and his wife Mary, whose first husband had been Thomas Frowyk. (fn. 41)

Footnotes:
29. Lysons, Mdx. Parishes, 228; J.I. 1/540 rot. 3v.
30. C.P. 25(1)/148/37/320; and see p. 275.
31. Year Bk. 2 & 3 Edw. II (Selden Soc. xix), 162.
32. Cass, South Mimms, 25.
33. Brittain, South Mymms, 17; V.C.H. Herts. ii. 270.
34. Mdx. Pedigrees, ed. R. Mundy, 90.
35. Cal. Pat. 1476-85, 8.
36. Cal. Close, 1476-85, 12.
37. Cal. Close, 1468-76, 351-2.
38. Hatfield C.F.E.P. (Ct. Roll) 14/28, f. 4v.
39. Cass, South Mimms, 102, 111.
40. Story of Potters Bar, 41.
41. C.P. 25(2)/61/473/1 Edw. VI Hil.

• Occupation: Sheriff of London, 1274.

Henry married Isabel de Durham, daughter of Thomas de Durham and Unknown, about 1259. (Isabel de Durham was born about 1235 and died in 1300.)