Richard Scrase (died 1487)
Richard’s will was dated 21 February 1480/1 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.
Spouse: Malma.
Malma 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 Malma ("iuxta Aliciam [et] Malmam 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.
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)
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.
A Quit-claim
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. 11 April 1468.
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
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
References
Anglo-American Legal Tradition (aalt.law.uh.edu).
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).
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.