Mayor Thomas Rogers Esq. & Cecilia Besill

475280. Mayor Thomas Rogers Esq. & 475281. Cecilia Besill      

8/31/1422, Henry VI (an infant) succeeded Henry V as King of England.

~1425, Thomas born in Wiltshire, England.

~1432, Cecilia born in Wiltshire, England, coheir & d/o 950530. William Besyll. [Sister of (475265).]

Thomas attended Oxford University.

~1450, Thomas started construction of Rogers manor.

11/24/1450, “Thomas Halewey, burgess, to Thomas Rogers and John Streynesham, burgesses …”. (S) UKNA, Bristol Record Office.

1453, William Howell, Philip Mede and Thomas Rogers submitted to the king as candidates for sheriff of Bristol. William Howell selected.

8/1453, King Henry VI had a mental breakdown. [3/27/1454, Richard, Duke of York, appointed Protector of the Realm.]

9/21/1453, Thomas Rogers 1 of 3 candidates to be Sheriff of the county of Bristol. [Not selected.] (S) CFRs.

9/22/1454, Thomas Rogers 1 of 3 candidates to be Sheriff of the county of Bristol. [Not selected.] (S) CFRs.

~1455, Thomas married Cecilia and continued construction of Rogers Manor in Bradford on Avon. [It remained in the Rogers family until 1657.]

1455, Thomas a Burgess of Bristol.

9/22/1455, Commitment of the county of Bristol to Thomas Rogers for 1 year, so that he answer at the Exchequer as sheriff ; the mayor and commonalty having submitted to the king his name. (S) CFRs. [For 1 year.]

1456-60, “Henry May, merchant, of Bristol. v. John Shepeward, late mayor, Thomas Rogers, late sheriff, and the chamberlains of Bristol.: …”. (S) UKNA.

12/6/1459, “William Canterbury, esq., … Witnesses: Thomas Rogers, mayor, …”. (S) UKNA, Bristol Record Office.

1459-61, “Thomas Rogers, Bristol Exchequer.” (S) UKNA.

6/28/1461, Edward IV crowned at Westminster, beginning the House of York.

1461, Thomas, Justice of the Peace for Wiltshire.

11/23/1464, Commission to Joh Wroughton, Thomas Rogers, … county of Wilts., to enquire what honours, castles … possessions Robert, late lord Hungerford, attainted of high treason … held in the said county on 3/4/1461. (S) CPRs.

1/7/1465, Commission to William Laken, Thomas Rogers, ... lands of Edward Coudray ... [inquisition] (S) CPRs.

1465, Edward IV captured Henry VI and put him in the Tower of London.

7/8/1469, at Westminster by John Hampton and Philip Chard , containing 20 messuage, 16 tofts, 800 acres of land , 100 acres of meadow, 400 acres of pasture , 10 marks rent, and a rent of a pair of gilt spurs and a pound of cumin, held in chief, with the exception of 100 acres of wood, parcel of the manor, to John Leukenore and Joan his wife for life with remainder to Thomas Roger and William Roger his son , and the heirs of Thomas , and to grant the said 100 acres of wood held in chief as parcel of the manor, to the said Thomas and William and heirs of Thomas. Licence of £6 paid into the hanaper.

9/1470, Thomas Rogers bought the manor of Smallbrook and 1 messuage … [Wiltshire] from Hugh Pakenham and John Hill, chaplain. (S) The Fee Tail, Biancalana, 2001, P357.

Cecilia died.

[––Thomas––]

10/30/1470, Henry VI regained the throne of England.

5/11/1471, Edward IV regained the crown after the Battle of Tewkesbury.

Aft. 5/31/1471, Thomas married 2^nd Katherine, d/o 950692. Philip Courtenay. (S) Magna Carta Ancestry, P679. [Katherine widow of Sir Thomas Pomeroy who died on this date.]

1472-75, Thomas, MP for Marlborough.

1478, Under appointment by the Crown Thomas was created “Serviens ad Legem”, Serjeant-at-law of Bradford on Avon, a life office bestowed because of professional attainments and worth of character.

10/5/1478, Thomas died.

[––Katherine––]

10/31/1478, IPM of Thomas Rogers at Somerset: Thomas Rogers held no lands or tenements of the king when he died, but was seised of one messuage, 40 acres of land, 100 acres of pasture with appurtenances in Frome, held of William Leversege, …, value £4 per annum. And William Rogers his son and heir is aged 22 years or more.

11/2/1478, On the day he died, held of the Abbess of Shaftesbury , two messuages, one toft with appurtenances in Bradford and Trotte in socage for rent of 12d per annum, value £4 per annum. They also say that Hugh Pagenham esquire was seised of the manor of Smalbroke with appurtenances and by deed granted the said manor to Thomas Rogers and his son William Rogers for ever by virtue of which they are seised. William the son survives and the manor is held of Henry Duke of Buckingham by what service they did not know, value £18 per annum. ... William Rogers his son and heir , aged 20 years.

1479, Margaret Bessill and her sister Cecilia [deceased] heir to their father.

Bef. 10/12/1479, William Huddesfield (475350) married 2^nd Katherine Courtenay, d/o Phillip (950692) [her 3^rd].

1511, Katherine wrote her will: ... her written mass book , ... to the churchwardens of Bradford to pray for the soul of me and Thomas Rogers sometyme my husband and serjeant at the law ... my daughter Elizabeth Poyntz have all such stuff as remaineth at my place at Brittport ... I give and bequeath to William Rogers of Bradford aforesaid , gentleman, son to the said Thomas a standing cup of silver and gilt with a cover with dragon wings and to his brother John Rogers a flat cup of silver white with cover of my own arms ... I give and bequeath to Katherine one of the daughters of George Rogers my son 20 marks in money.

(S) Wilts. Arch. & NH Mag., Vs5-6, P367. (S) Common Lawyers of Pre-Reformation England, Ives, 1983, P475.

Children of Thomas and Cecilia:

i. William Rogers (237640), born 1457 in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England.

ii. John Rogers, born ~? in England.

John, of Sutton Valence, Kent.

Child of Thomas and Katherine:

i. George Rogers, born ~1474 in England.

George, of Lopit, married Elizabeth ?.

Children: Edward Rogers, born ~1498 in England. Edward a Comptroller of the household of Queen Elizabeth I.