PYREWELLE, Ralph, of Bedford.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

Offices Held

Bailiff, Bedford 1396-7.

Biography

In July 1391, Pyrwelle began a lawsuit against a Bedford butcher for debt, and in May 1393, described as ‘of Bedford’, he was himself sued by the prior of Newnham, Bedfordshire, for uttering threats. The presence of an ironmonger of London among his mainpernors on the second occasion suggests that he may have been a tradesman of some kind. Pyrewelle was one of William Cotterstock’s sureties at the borough elections to the first Parliament of 1397. His name appears on the Bedford burgess roll for 1399; he also attended the views of frankpledge held by the mayor in 1400 and 1401, both as a juror and in order to bring a suit for trespass against Thomas Ferrour*. His fellow plaintiff on this occasion was Roger Tunstall*, but the outcome of the case is not recorded.

CCR, 1389-92, pp. 487-8; 1392-6, p. 147; 1396-9, p. 229; C219/9/12; C.F. Farrar, Old Bedford, 111; Bedford Town Hall, Bedford ct. bk. 1400-1, passim.

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Author: C.R.

Notes