John de Benstede
Sir John de Benstede
In royal service
On the chancellor, John de Langton, going to Rome in reference to the action of the pope in annulling his election to the see of Ely, which the king had approved, the seal was delivered to Benstede, who almost immediately transferred it to William de Hamilton, afterwards (1305) Lord Chancellor. We find him again mentioned as having charge of the seal during the interval which elapsed between William de Hamilton's appointment as Chancellor (29 December 1304) and its delivery to him (16 January 1305).[1]
In the parliament of 1305, he was one of twenty-one English members appointed to confer with the same number of Scotch representatives concerning the best means of promoting the stability of Scotland. In the same year he was made chancellor of the exchequer. This office he held until 20 August 1307, when
Peace commission abroad
In 1318, he acted as one of the envoys empowered to treat for peace with
Between 1311 and 1321 he was regularly summoned to parliament as a justice. In 1312 we find him present on two occasions at the exchequer with the barons; but there is no reason to infer from this, with Dugdale, that he was ever regularly appointed a baron. He was probably present merely as one of the council. In 1314–15 he was employed in Scotland upon affairs of state, the nature of which does not very clearly appear. Fines were regularly levied before him between 1312 and 1320. In the latter year he resigned, William de Hale being appointed to succeed him. In 1322, he was returned by the sheriff as one of the inhabitants of Hertfordshire liable to military service, and summoned to render the same, being described as a banneret. His death probably took place in 1323, as his estates are entered amongst the escheats of the seventeenth year of Edward II's reign (July 1323–July 1324).[1]
Family
He was twice married, the name of his first wife being Isabella, and that of his second Petronilla. At the date of his death he was possessed of estates in Devonshire, Middlesex, Hertfordshire, Essex, Wiltshire, and Hampshire. His wife Petronilla and a son, Edmund, thirteen years old, survived him. Petronilla was life-tenant of a portion of the estates in right of dower. She died in 1342. The last male representative of the family, Sir William de Benstede, died in 1485.[1]
See also
References
Notes
References
Bibliography
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rigg, James McMullen (1885). "Benstede, John de". In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 4. London: Smith, Elder & Co.