Richard was admitted of Lincoln’s Inn, 1486. He resided at Hangleton, Sussex. According to a chancery case below, perhaps it is his father that should be called "the valettus".
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: between 21 February 1499/1500 and 19 May 1500.
These are the dates when Richard made his will and when it was proved. A brass plate at West Blatchington gave his date of death as 1499. (Renshaw p. 221, VCH of Sussex 7:285)
Place of Burial: probably Preston, Sussex, England (St Peter’s).
In his will, Richard directed that he be buried at Preston (Renshaw, p. 221).
Relationships
Father: Richard Scrase (died 1487).
See the Commentary section.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Alice.
Richard mentioned his wife Alice in his will.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. Richard (died 1549) mentions his brother John Scrase, who is not mentioned in the will of Richard (died 1499). It is possible that this John married one of the daughters here, or that he was simply not mentioned in the 1499 will.)
Richard Scrase (buried 4 April 1549 at Preston) married Mary de la Chambre.
Edmund Scrase
Walter Scrase
James Scrase
Constance Scrase married Thomas Cheyne.
A daughter married ? Porresley.
A daughter
Evidence
Cases from the Court of Common Pleas:
Hilary term 1489: CP40 no 907
71 f:
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Thomas Bellyngeham
Defendants: Richard Scras of Hangilton, gentleman, and Henry Scras of Hove, beer brewer
(indexed by Vincent Mead)
and
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Thomas Bellyngeham
Defendants: Henry Scras of Hove, beer brewer
(indexed by Vincent Mead)
and
Devon, debt:
Plaintiff: Thomas Aclum, clerk; Peter Skreche, clerk, executors of John Stubbys, clerk, precentor of Exeter Cathedral, prebendary of Huveville
Defendants: Richard Scras late of Hangelton, gentleman, executor of Richard Scras of Hangleton, yeoman alias Richard Scras late of Hangleton late valettus corone of King Edward IV.
(indexed by Vincent Mead)
Henry VII, 1492: CP40 no 919
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Richard Scras of Hangylton
Defendants: John Smyth of Kyngeston Bowecy, yeoman, and Edward Berd of Shermanbury, yeoman
(indexed by Vincent Mead)
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Richard Scras
Defendants: John Scras of Wynchelse, labourer
(indexed by Vincent Mead)
Henry VII, 1495: CP40 no 931
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Richard Scras, executor of Richard Scras
Defendants: executors of William Aleyn (William Bynkys of Almodyngton, husbandman; Alice, his wife; William Alyen of Almodyngton, husbandman).
(indexed by Vance Mead)
Henry VII, 1500: CP40 no 951
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Richard Scras
Defendants: Michael Farnefeld of Stenyng, gentleman
(indexed by Vance Mead)
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: Richard Scras
Defendants: John Broune of Craweley, labourer; William Hobson of Southwike, labourer; Richard Frye of Shorham, yeoman
(indexed by Vance Mead)
Henry VII, 1502: CP40 no 959
Sussex, debt:
Plaintiff: executors of Richard Scras of Hangilton, gent (Walter Newdegate, John Strode)
Defendants: Walter Padwell of Hove, brewer; John Gounter of Laundyng, gent; Ralph Furber of Shorham, yeoman
from the West Sussex Record Office catalogue:
Grant
27 Nov 1513
By Edmund Scrace, son and heir of Richard Scrace late of Hangilton, co. Sussex, gent., to Cristofer Metcalfe and Thomas ap Rice of all messuages, lands &c. which he had in Henfeld. Also appointment of Henry Trollope as attorney to give livery of seisin of and in the said lands. Signature of Edmund Scras & seal. No witnesses
Grant
5 Aug 1514
By Richard Staplegh of Twynham to John Goring, Richard Bellungham, William Everard, William Staplegh, Thomas Chayney, John Mychell junr., John Chattefeld and Richard Hover of all lands and tenements &c. held by him or for his use in Hennefeld and Wodemancote, co. Sussex, lately of Edward Scrace and afterwards of Christopher Meddecalff and whci the said Christopher sold to the said John Goring who teleased his right to the said Richard Staplegh by charter dated 3 Aug., 6 Hen. VIII
Signature of Richard Staplegh (per me manu mea propria) and seal
Endorsed with livery of seisin on 18 Aug., on which day John Cales farmer there attorned by 1d
from a brass plate discovered at Preston (Lower p. 3)
Here lyeth buried Rychard Scrasce late of Hangelton Gentema: whiche died in the yeare or our lorde god one. 1499.
The will of Richard Scrase:
In the name of god amen the xxith day of the moneth of February In the yer of or lord god ml cccc lxxxxix I Richard Scras of Hangilton in the dioc of Chichester in hoole mynde and Remembrance make and ordeyn my testament and my last wil in this wise. First I bequeth my soule to Almyghti god and to our Lady Saint Marie and to alle the holy company of hevin my body to be buryed in the church of Saint Peter of Preston be side my fader and moder / Also I bequeth to the moder Church of Chichester iij s iiij d Also to the Rep[ar]acon of the church of Preston xiij s iiij d. Also to the Church of Hangelton vi s viij d. Also I bequeth to the high auter of the same church of Hangelton for tithes forgotin v s. Also to the church of Alryngton x s. Also to the church of Hove x s. Also I bequeth to the foresaid church of Alryngton a [E…] for xvi s. Also to the church of Henfeld iij s iiij d. Also I wil that alle those Landes and tent.s Rents and fines with alle their appurtenances lying and being in Romney or els any wher within the Countie of Kent that late were Robert Scras myn Uncles (not sold neither gevin to noe churches within the said Towne of Romney that they be sold; by myn executors and the money thereof comyng to be disposed for the soule of my said uncle and for his wifs soule) according to the last will of my said uncle that is to say I will that a prest be founde to singe for the soule of my said uncle my fader and my moder soules and all my frendis soules and for alle crestin soules by the space of a yer in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Romney wher my said uncle lieght and the said prest to have for his salarye and labor x marc / Also I will that other x marc of my [...] goodes be gevin to x poure Maydenes mariags and in and in especiall(?) as [...] as it may be to theym/ that be of kinne or Alyannce to the said Robt Scras if any fortune to marye within(?) shorte space and yf not to other poure maydens Wd lying a bowte Preston./ Also I wil that ther be ordeyned a picture(?) of Latyn and Scriptur thereuppon to be sete uppon the Stand uppon the said Robt wher he hath buried at Romney to the value of xx s and the stone to be ammended. Also I wil that Alice my wife have with that she kepe finde setforth maynteine and marye my iij Daughters and to finde mayntene and to finde to scole and to other her mynd James my sonne all such goods Resonably apporcyoned uppon [...] and Hangelton as it may bere that is to say with M.cccc shepe. whereof Dcc Ewes cccc weders and ccc teggs of the best teggs with ij temes Oxen ij plowes and that therto be longith ij harowes iij horsis a mare and the gray gylding with alle suche whete and barly as is growing uppon the said Anidton(?) and hangelton except xx li wich same the whiche I wil and the saide Alice my wife is content It shalbe deliviryd and go to the mayntenance of the brewehous att Hove to the fynding Wat Scras my son Also the said Alice shalhave alle the [...] being in Hangilton except ij Fedirbedds with the bolsters and also the apparells and stuf to the said beedys belonging Unn to be at Hove and the other at Blachington with all this the said Alice is content/ and byndith her a fore god wele and trewly to p[er]forme the said wil on hir behalf/. The residue of my goodes and Cataills being at Blachington I wil that be att order and Rente of Walter Newdegate and John Strode whome I make myn executors. I will the said goodes be orderd aftere thre sons that is to say xxx li therof to be deliviryd to Edmund Scras my Sonne when he comyth to the lawfull age Also I wil that xx li worth of the corn ther be delivering and go to the mayntenence and fynding of the foresaid Brewhous the the behofe of the foresaid Walter Scras my sonne the whiche brewe hous with alle the Landes and tents and housyng with thappurtenances in Hove and also the rent therto belonging and apperteynyng I will the foresaid Walter Newdegate take the profit thereof tylle the tyme that the said Walter Scras is abill to have the Rents and ov[er] sight thereof hym self./ And the same Walt Scras to have the East fold and Estains(?) with Resonable corne and Shepe as it wil kepe finde and bere as sone as he tainyth(?) to his [dis... n]. Also the said Walter my sonne to be kepte mayntened to scole with the profit of the same / And as to the residue of the goodes and catailles of Blachington I will that the said Walt Newdegate and John Strode take alle the Rents and profittes thereof and to finde Richard Scras my sonne to scole and to preserve him yerly to be lernyng and whenne he is able to be at his Revenewe and hath discrecon the same Richard Scras shalhave all the said yard of Blachyngton with alle theappertenances forth with alle suche store of Corne and graynes shepe oxen horsis and suche bests as he nee[d]ith to mayntene his housholdrye ther and as is thought most Resonible and will Resonablely bere and kepe uppon the same maner with theappertenances the same Richard Scras to pay and geve Resonably recompens to the forsaid Walter Newdegate and John Strode/ Also If it happen the said Edmund Walter and Richard my sonnes to dissesse I wil that Alice my wife yf she will deliv[er] James my sonne to the foresaid Walter Newdegate and John Strode with xx li with hym/ Also I wil that Walt Newdegate and John Strode have the rule and profit of alle suche lands and tents Rents and fines that I have or my p[er]sone or p[er]sones have to myn use by sede Alice my wifs Joyntor untill Edmund my sonne comeith to full age and the said Edmunde to be found to gramer scole and aftere to the universite untyll he be abill to goe to the lawe and he to have sufficient fyndinge of the forsaid landes and goods. Also I will that the foresaid Walt and Richard my sonnes have yerely fynding to scole that is to say to gramar and afterward to the universite or to lawe or to suche lernyng as is thought most bnficiall for them and by the discrecon of my said Executors. Also I will that my said Executors fynde an honest Preste to singe at Preston by the space of a yere And he to have for his Labor x marc. Also I will that Alice my wife have my Wynde Mylle in Portslade fore of hir lief and she to kepe the Rep[ar]acons therof. /Also I will and bequeth to John Pelybon(?) c s and xxx Ewes. The residue of my goods not bequethed I will that my Executors be stow as it may be most bnficiall for my soule and alle cristen soules.
[proved 19 May 1500]
Commentary
Richard’s parentage
In his 1487 will, Richard Scras of Hangilton mentioned his wife Alice, his decease wives Alice and Malma, and his son Richard.
In his 1474 will, Robert Scras of New Romney mentioned his brother Richard and Richard’s children, and made bequests to his niece Alice and his nephew Richard Scras.
A number of Common Pleas cases in Sussex in the 1470s have as plaintiffs Richard Scras senior, or Richard Scras senior and Richard Scras junior.
A quitclaim from 1468 was made to Richard Scras senr. and Richard Scras his son of land in Hanefeld and Wodemancote.
Renshaw ( p. 221) states that Richard’s father was the Richard of the 1487 will.
References
Anglo-American Legal Tradition (aalt.law.uh.edu).
Baker, Sir John. Men of Court 1440 to 1550. (London: Selden Society, 2012).
Lower, Mark Anthony, “Genealogical Memoir of the Family of Scrase” in Sussex Archaeological Collections, Volume 8 (London: John Russell Smith, 1856).
Miller, Helen. “Cheyne, Thomas (by 1537-66), of Westfield, Suss.” in The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1509-1588 (S.T. Bindoff ed.) (1982)
Page, William, et al. The Victoria History of the County of Sussex: Volume 7. (London: A. Constable, 1905 -).
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 Scras of Hangilton, register copy, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, piece 12: Moore (1500-1501) [digital image at Ancestry.com]