COLE, Martin (d.1588), of Sudbury, Suff.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

s. of John Cole of Sudbury and bro. of Edward. m. Helen Hancock, 3s. 1da.

Offices Held

Mayor, Sudbury 1568-9, 1578-9, 1585-6, coroner 1579-80, 1586-7.

Biography

Cole was a Sudbury mercer. In 1576 he remitted to the town the wages and expenses due to him for his parliamentary service, and in return was allowed to enclose four feet of town land adjoining his house. He did accept expenses for various duties discharged at London on behalf of the corporation. The only references to him in the proceedings of the 1572 Parliament are to two licences of absence: on 30 May 1572, for his ‘great business and affairs’ and again on 1 Mar. 1576. He made his will on 9 Aug. 1588. He asked to be buried in the churchyard of St. Gregory, Sudbury, and looked forward to his place ‘in the company of the heavenly angels and blessed saints’. The will was proved on 29 Oct. 1588.

PCC 3 Leicester; J. E. Cole, Gen. Fam. of Cole, 9; Cal. Sudbury Muniments, 18, 21, 24, 26; Suff. Green Bk. xii. ff. 137, 122, 142; CJ, i. 99. 109.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: Roger Virgoe

Notes