Richard’s will was dated 21 February 1486/7 and proved 27 November 1487. He resided at Hangleton, Sussex.
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Place of Burial: Preston, Sussex, England (St Peter’s).
Richard asked to be buried at Preston in his will. His son, in his will, asked to be buried at Preston near to his father and mother.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Alice.
Alice was buried at Preston. It was presumably this Alice who was named in the 1451 Essex fine given below in the Evidence section.
Spouse: Malina.
Malina was buried at Preston.
Spouse: Alice, widow of John Walsh of Chichester.
In his will, Richard’s asks to be buried next to his deceased wives Alice and Malina ("iuxta Aliciam [et] Malinam uxores meas defunctas") and also leaves a bequest to his wife Alice. A 1477 chancery case (CP40 no 861 f. 332) names "Ricus Scras & Alicia ux[or] euis que fuit ux[or] Johis Walsshe..." as executors to John Walsh.
Brother: Robert Scrase of Romney, Kent married Joan.
The 1499 will of Richard's son Richard names his uncle, Robert Scrase of Romney, Kent (deceased). Robert Scrase was Member of Parliament for New Romney in 1449, 1464, and 1472.
Sister: Isabel.
Robert Scras names his sister Isabel in his will.
Kinsman: Andrew Scrase.
Richard, in his will, leaves a bequest to "Andree Scrace cognato meo".
Children:
(It is not clear by which wife Richard had the following children)
Richard Scrase (died 1499/1500) married Alice.
Alice Scrase married Richard Cressy.
Step-children or sister's children (filiastri):
John Cace.
Matilda Cace.
Evidence
Cases in the Court of Common Pleas
1444:
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Richard Jay
Defendants: Nicholas Warde of Arundell, Sussex, clerk; John Gyffard of Ichill, Hants, esq; Joan Scras of Burghersshe, Sussex, widow, Alice Brynkley of Rumsey, Hants, widow; Richard Berd of Coweden, Kent, yeoman
(indexed by Vance Mead)
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Joan Scras; Richard Scras gentleman
Defendants: William Carpenter of Brydham, husbandman
(indexed by Vance Mead)
1448:
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Thomas atte Welle, bailiff of the King's Liberty of the Dukedom of Lancaster;
Defendants: Richard Scras of Hangleton, gentleman; John Scras of Preston, gentleman; and Richard Scras of Isefeld, yeoman
(indexed by Vance Mead)
1450:
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Thomas atte Welle, bailiff of the King's Liberty of the Dukedom of Lancaster;
Defendants: Richard Scras of Hangleton, gentleman, and John Scras of Preston, gentleman
(indexed by Rosemary Simons)
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Richard Scras of Hangleton
Defendants: Thomas Knotte of Lewes
(indexed by Rosemary Simons)
1453:
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Richard Scras of Hangilton
Defendants: William Heywode of Stratford Langthorn, Essex, brewer; William Havelok of Stratford Langthorn, brewer or smith
(indexed by Vance Mead)
1470:
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiffs: Richard Scras, senior
Defendant: William Boteler of le Legh, yeoman
and
Sussex, trespass:
Plaintiffs: Richard Scras, senior, and Richard Scras, junior
Defendant: William Sterman of Henfeld, husbandman
(indexed by Rosemary Simons)
1472:
Sussex, trespass: close
Plaintiffs: Richard Scras, senior, and Richard Scras,junior
Defendant: William Henfeld, husbandman
Sussex, debt
Plaintiff: Richard Scras, senior
Defendant: Boteler of Stenyng, chapman
(indexed by Vance Mead)
1477:
Sussex, debt
Plaintiffs: Richard Scras of Hangylton, gentleman
Defendants: William Colyn of Fyrle, gentleman; William Caym of Dunstall, Kent, yeoman; William Hert of Sydyngbourn, Kent, yeoman
(indexed by Vance Mead)
and
Sussex, debt
Plaintiffs: executors of John Walssh of Chichester; Richard Scras and Alice his wife
Defendants: John Hunte of Aldyngbourne, husbandman; Robert Wermond of Aldyngbourne, husbandman; Richard Kemod of Chichester, husbandman
(indexed by Vance Mead)
and
Sussex, trepass: close
Plaintiffs: Richard Scrace senior; Richard Scrace junior
Defendants: William Sterman of Henfeld, husbandman
(indexed by Vance Mead)
from the Feet of Fines for Essex:
29 Henry VI. (1451)
300. Eas. Richard Jay and William Thwaytes, pl. Richard Scras of Hangelton, co. Sussex, and Alice his wife, def. 1 messuage and 1 garden in Stratford Langhorn. Def. quitclaimed to pl. and the heirs of Richard. Cons. 20l.
A Chancery Certificate of Statute Merchant and Statute Staple
C 241/239/10 (4 Feb 1456)
Debtor: Richard Stapleton of Chichester in Sussex, merchant.
Creditor: Richard Scras of Hangleton
Amount: £ 16 13s. 4d.
from the West Sussex Record Office catalogue:
Grant
3 Apr 1468
By Robert Smethe, son of John Smethe of Henfeld, to Richard Scras of Hangelton and Richard Scras his son of all his lands, tenements, rents and services in Henfeld and Wodemancote
Witnesses:- John Burdevyle, John Underwode, Richard atte Wode, Thomas Chattefeld, Thomas Boneface. Seal
Quit-claim
11 Apr 1468
By Robert Smethe of Bolney to Richard Scras senr. and Richard Scras his son of and in the lands and tenements in Hanefeld and Wodemancote. No witnesses. Remains of seal
from the will of Robert Scras of New Romney (from Grummitt):
-dated 17 March 1474
-to be buried in St Nicholas, New Romney
-a missal for the church of Preston
-an honest priest to sing at Preston for his soul and those of his kindred (‘parentum meorum’)
-to his two daughters, 12d
-bequests to his brother Richard and Richard’s children; to the son of Henry Scras of Winchelsea; to the widow and sons of the elder John Chenew (his former associate in the parliament of 1460); to his sister Isabel; to his niece Alice and his nephew Richard Scras; to his wife Joan
A Chancery Pleading addressed to the Bishop of Lincoln as Lord Chancellor
C 1/54/44 (1475-1480 or 1483-1485) [image of original]
Short title: Hunt v Scrace
Plaintiffs: John Hunt, citizen and grocer of London, and Johanne, his wife, previously the wife of Robert Scrace, merchant.
Defendants: Richard Scrace, feoffee to uses.
Subject: Messuages in 'Dokelane,' Romney, and land called 'Montfordes' in Romney, and in Hope. Kent
A Chancery Pleading addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury as Lord Chancellor
C 1/162/11 (1486-1493 or 1504-1515) [image of original]
Short title: Scras v Dowell.
Plaintiffs: Richard Scras, nephew and heir of Robert Scras, of Romney.
Defendants: Rauff Dowell.
Subject: Detention of deeds relating to land in Romney, Hope, and Lyde. Kent
Richard’s will:
In dei nomine Amen vicesimo primo die Mensis Februarij Anno d’ni Mill’imo CCCClxxxmo sexto Ego Ric’us Scrace senior de Hangleton’ Cicestren’ dioc’ compos mentis & sane memorie videns tamen mortis p[er]ic’l’m michi imminere condo testamentum meum in hunc modum. In primis lego animam meam deo omnipotenti deo b’te Marie Matri sue et om’ibus s’tis corpusq’ meum sepiliend’ in eccl’ia p[ar]och’ sancti Petri de Preston’ iuxta Aliciam & Malinam vxores meas defunctas It’m lego Fabrice eiusdem eccl’ie xxs’. It’m lego Fabrice eccl’ie Cath’ Cicestren’ iijs iiij.d. It’m lego Altari eccl’ie p[ar]och’ sancte Helene de Hangleton’ p[re]dict’ iijs.iiij.d. It’m lego Fabrice eiusdem eccl’ie v.s. It’m lego Priori & Conuentui Monasterij sancti Pancracij de Luva vt orent pro anima mea & Parentum ac Amicor’ meor’ xl.s. It’m do & lego cuili’t p[ar]och’ eccl’ie a Ponte de Bramburgh vsq’ ad Pontem levvie in longitudine & a limite Maris vsq’ ad Sagittatu’ sub collib’ in latitudine iij.s.iiij.d. sinantem j q’rt’ ordij ad disposico’em executoris mei. It’m lego duob’ locis fratru’ infra Ciuitatem Cic’ vj.s.viij.d. equalit’ diuidend’ It’m do & lego fr’ib’ Arundalie ut orent p[er] anima mea vj.s viij.d. sinantem vj oues matrices. It’m lego domui fr’m de Seale ut orent similit’ iijs iiijd It’m lego domui fratru’ de Luva ut orent pro anima mea iijs iiij.d. It’m lego duab’ domib’ fratrum in Wynchelsee ut orent similiter vjs viij.d equalit’ diuidend’ It’m do & lego Alicie vx’ mee M’ oues Quar’ prima pars arietes s’c’da’ pars oues matrices & t’r’ia pars erunt Agni per equales porco’es & p[ro]pria bona cum ornamentis du’moo non clamitet nec vendicet aliquam dotem de terris & tenement’ meis imposteum nec aliqua alia bona sibi in p[re]sentib’ non legata It’m do & lego Ric’o filio meo & heredi hered’ & assign’ suis omnimod’ t’ras & ten’ mea in Sussexia & Cancia excepta una domo cum p[er]tin’ in palenta apud Cicestria’ & trib’ aliis ten’ cum suis p[er]tin’ in strata boriali eiusdem Ciuitat’ Cic’ que do & lego Alicie filie mee & heredib’ de corpore suo l’time p[ro]creatis Et volo q’d feoffati mei feoffabunt p[re]d’tam Aliciam filiam meam in p[re]dict’ ten’ ut supra Et si contingat p[red’tam Aliciam decede sine herede de corpore suo l’time p[ro]creat’ tunc volo q’d om’ia p[re]d’ta ten’ta reu’tant & remaneant Ric’o filio meo & heredi heredit’ & assign’ suis imp[er]p’m. It’m do & lego Ric’o filio meo & heredi p[re]dict’ MM oues quosdam arietes quasdam oues matrices quosdam hoggastros & quosdam agnellos iuxta quantitatem ouiu’ mear’ It’m do & lego Alicie filie mee pr[e]dict’ M oues videl’t quosdam arietes quasdam oues matrices & quosdam hoggast’ ut supra It’m do & lego seruientib’ meis CCC oues s’c’d’m disposic’o’em executoris int’ ipsos diuiend’. It’m do & lego cuil’t filiolo & filiole meis ut orent pro anima mea iij.s iiijd sinantem tres oues matrices p[er] disposicione’ executoris mei p[re]d’ti ut sup’ It’m do & lego Andree Scrace cognato meo xx oues matrices It’m do & lego Johanni Cace filiastro meo xx oues matrices It’m lego Matildi filiastre mee & sorori eiusdem Johannis vj oues matrices. It’m lego Juliane Gurre vj oues matrices. It’m lego Alianore sorori sue iiij oues matrices It’m lego Agneti Gurre Matri ear’dem iiij oues matrices Residuu’ vero omn’ bonor’ meor’ non legator’ do & lego Ric’o Scrace filio & heredi meo p[re]d’to ut exhibeat Capellanu’ bene dispositu’ ad celebrand’ p[er] anima mea parentu’ & antecessor’ meor’ ac omn’ fideli’ defunctor’ p[er] q’nq’nniu’ quem ordino facio & constituo executorem meum ut ip’e disponat p[er] anima mea p[ro]ut ei melius videbitur expedire Hijs testib’ Ma’stro Johanne Clerke p’ auc’te ap’lica Notario ac Rectore eccl’ie p[ar]och’ de Hangleton’ Andrea Scrace Johanne Cace Johanne Rykforth Thoma Jakes & alijs Et in testimoniu’ p[r]o]missor’ Sigillum meum p[re]sentib’ est appensum Et volo q’d p[re]d’tus Ric’us Scrace filius heres & executor meus faciat & p[er]impleat om’ia p[ro]missa in voluntate mea contenta p[er] visum & consiliu’ d’ni Thome Atwelle Prioris Monasterij sancti Pancracij de Luva quem facio ordino & constituo Sup[er]uisorem p[re]sent’ testamenti mei. It’m volo q’d feoffati mei feoffabunt p[re]d’em Ricu’ Scrace filium & heredem meum in om’ia illa terras & ten’ mea redditus & s[er]uicia cum suis p[er]tin’ in Com’ Sussex’ & Cancie sibi & hered’ suis imperpetuu’.
[Proved 27 November 1487, Richard Scrace and Thomas Jakes swearing oaths.]
Shannon McSheffrey translates the 1489 testimony of Richard’s daughter Alice that she gave in a case seeking to confirm the validity of her marriage to Richard Cressy in opposition to her brother Richard’s wishes. [Richard Cressy c. Alice Scrace] The details are fascinating.
About six years previously, Alice’s brother Richard had brought Richard Cressy to stay for about three weeks at Hangleton, where Alice and Richard’s father Richard Scrase was living. The younger Richard Scrase and Richard Cressy were companions at Lincoln’s Inn. A short time after leaving, he sent a gift to Alice (a headdress), as well as gifts to her brother Richard (a “hanger”, that is, a short sword) and her father’s servants (pin cases).
Six years later, Alice was living with John Scot the elder near the Austin Friars’ gate in London. She had one of John Scot’s servants, Elizabeth, arrange a meeting between her and Richard Cressy. The meeting took place through John Scot’s kitchen window. At this meeting, Alice asked Richard Cressy to intercede on her behalf with her brother, who was the executor of their father’s will and was not transfering a legacy owed to Alice. Richard said he wanted to “know more of her mind” first. Alice told him to return in two or three days, which he did. Then, in a meeting in John Scot’s house, John’s wife Margaret convinced Richard to help Alice out. He said he would gladly do this, had some beer, kissed them, and left.
Elizabeth told Alice that Richard said he loved her. Alice told Elizabeth that she loved Richard, since he had been so kind when he had visited her family. Richard sent Alice (through Elizabeth) a smock, two kerchiefs, a pomander, and a mirror encased in ivory. Alice sent Richard a small wooden crucifix. These gifts were “in the spirit of” a marriage contract. Richard also sent Alice gifts through another woman named Elizabeth: two gold rings, a silver earwax pick, a “St James’ shell”, a small staff of silver, and a silver heart. Eventually Richard came to John Scot’s house, and asked Margaret’s permission to speak with Alice alone. Then and there they agreed to marry and (formally) exchanged vows, Richard giving Alice a pair of gloves. After some further business, which apparently took place against the will of John and Margaret Scot, they had a marriage ceremony at St Paul’s cathedral in London.
References
Anglo-American Legal Tradition (aalt.law.uh.edu).
Feet of Fines for Essex. Volume IV 1423-1547. (Essex Archaeological Society; Colchester, 1964)
Grummitt, David. “Robert Scras (d. 1474) of New Romney, Kent” in The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1422-1461 (Linda Clark ed.) (University of Cambridge Press, 2020).
McSheffrey, Shannon. “Richard Cressy c. Alice Scrase” in Consistory: Testimony in a Late Medieval Church Court [Website. Consulted 11 October 2025]
Renshaw, Walter Charles. “Notes on the Scrase Family of Co Sussex”, in The Genealogist (New Series) Volume XX, pages 217 to 221, 1904.
Will of Richard Scrace of Hangleton, Sussex, in Church of England. Province of Canterbury. Prerogative Court. Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Probate Records, 1384-1858, PROB 11/8/111.