CADE'S REBELLION
The Clenche family was well established in the Hundred of Milton, when Thomas Clenche followed Jack Cade off to London during the rebellion of 1450. Some think of it as the start of the Wars of the Roses. As many as 5,000 men from Kent and the surrounding counties may have participated. Clenche was one of the 47 men from Borden. (Helen Allison, Borden: "The History of a Kentish Parish," Syndon Books, pp. 15-16). They ambushed a royal detachment, led by Sir Humphrey and William Stafford, killing both commanders. Cade set up headquarters in The White Hart Inn, in Southwark, before entering London on 3 July 1450. They executed the High Treasurer of England and Sheriff of Kent. Things might have turned out differently, if Cade had been able to keep control of his men, but they proceeded to loot and pillage. There was a battle on London Bridge, on the night of July 8, in which the rebels appear to have got the worst of it.
Much to Cade's dismay, his followers agreed to return to their homes after Archbishop John Kemp (Lord Chancellor) offered to fulfill their demands and issue official pardons. (This pardon has proved to be invaluable for genealogists). King Henry VI would subsequently reject this and issue an order for Cade's arrest. He was mortally wounded in a skirmish with Alexander Iden, who was subsequently appointed Sheriff of Kent.
Kent rose again in 1460, when the earl of Warwick and Edward of March (the future King Edward Edward IV) landed in Calais during 1460. Their tiny army of 1,500 would swell to 40,000 by the time they reached London. Kentish contingents played a prominent part in the battles of Northampton (1460) Second St Albans (1461). The Kentish contingents of Sir John Fogge and John Scott distinguished themselves in the decisive battle of Townton (1461).
A HOUSE IN BORDEN
On 13 Oct, 1462, Thomas Clench purchased a house and 3 acres in "Middleton" and Borden:
WARS OF THE ROSES ENDS
The Wars of the Roses were not over. Many followed the earl of Faucenberg's bastard son Thomas when he tried to capture London in 1471.
The men of Kent assembled on Penenden Heath too early, during the ill rising of 1483. Finding the road to London blocked, they decided to watch what happened elsewhere in the nation. (Two years later Henry VII won the throne at Bosworth Field.)
While we will never know if Thomas Clench took part in any of these subsequent risings, a study published in Archaeologia Cantiana shows that he came from a region that had a "culture of rebellion." A significant proportion of the men pardoned after Cade's rebellion in 1450, and Wyatts in 1554, came from Borden or Sittingbourne. Borden is also one of the parishes with known connections to the Peasants Revolt of 1381 (Allison, Borden, p 13).
MILTON WILLS
Thomas Clench's name appears in some wills from Milton:
MILTON IN 1511/12
By the time of Archbishop William Warham's visit, in 1511/12, wrote that Holy Trinity church, in Milton Regis, needed to be repaired, and special instructions were issued to clean up the horse and cow dung that fouled the churchyard! The local butchers were told they could not sell meat on Sundays and feast days. One parishioner restored the tenement bequeathed to the church, and another was restored to fellowship. (KENT VISITATIONS, pp 268, 269)
THOMAS CLENCHE's WILL
He left his own will (PRC17/6/195) in Borden:
THOMAS CLENCHE, of Chalkwell. (From KAS) 18 June 1495. Buried in the churchyard. To the mother church of Holy Trinity Canterbury 4d. High altar of Middelton 6-8d, to the "fabrice et operibus" of the church 20/-. Light of St. Mary a cow. A secular priest celebrate for a year for my soul, parents, £6-13-4d. Residue after paying debts to wife Katherine, who with John Bromefeld my Ex’ors, and Ralph Chiche, gent, overseer. Wife have my tenement in Chalkwell with garden and five acres of land, eight acres in Nolefield in Borden parish, one acre and a virgate in Buggisfield, one acre and a virgate in Schamellisfield, half acre of woodland in Puc wood, one acre of woodland at Deneway in Newington parish, four acres in Bordensdane whereof one acre is in Sittingbourne, during the life of Katherine if she do not marry; if wife marry then John Bromefeld, John Bury, Thomas Coting my Feoffees, shall pay yearly to Katherine 40/-. After the death of wife Katherine the four acres in Bordensdane to Agnes Brette my daughter her heirs assigns for ever. After the death of Katherine then John son of William Clenche my son have residue of lands tenements, and to his heirs assigns for ever, when John is 21, until then Feoffees have charge of the same. If John be dead then to his brother Thomas when 21, but if Thomas dead then be sold, the money :—to a priest to celebrate for our souls £6-13-4d, to the repair of Middelton church £6-13-4d, for painting (picturam) the Images of Blessed Mary and St John Baptist in the church £6-13-4d, Andrew Joye of Ledes my kinsman and his brother Henry Joye each £3-6-8d, the residue in repairing the road between Chalkwell and Middelton, between Bobbing and Middelton, between Chalkwell and Chesten Wood by my Feoffees. The aforesaid Thomas Clench after the death of Agnes Tunbrigge his mother, have that tenement in Middelton next the Fox which Agnes holds for life, and to the heirs of Thomas for ever. If Thomas die before 21 then to Agnes Brett my daughter and her male issue for ever, in default to heirs female. John Joye have a piece of land between the Water Mill of Thomas Iden and land of John Hoggs east. Witness :—William Petyte vicar.
[Probate 17 June 1497.] (A. Vol. 6, fol. 195.)
A cousin wrote: After two days and with 6 FHL experts we have finally translated the Latin 1496 will of Thomas Clenche of Chalkwell/Milton upon Sittingbourne. I Basically for family connections, Thomas was a large landholder. His wife was of course Katherine. He had two children -- a son William who appears to be deceased and a daughter with the married name of Agnes Brett. William had two sons mentioned, both under the age of 21 -- John and Thomas. John seems to be the older one of the two brothers. The deceased son William's widow was named Agnes Cranbruge (probably remarried name) and still living in one of the testator's property.
KATHERINE CLENCH
Will of Nicholas Woode written 24 May 1501, probated 17 June 1501 states his house and garden are to be sold to pay his debts. One of the six creditors listed is the Widow Clench 3-4d. Any residue after the debts to go to Woode'sson and two daughters.
MARRIAGE AND CHILDREN
Thomas probably married Katherine (Triplowe?) around 1459.
Children: