Robert Peyton (abt. 1523 - 1590)

Born about 1523 in Isleham, Cambridgeshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Rich) Peyton — married before 1551 in England

Descendants

Died 19 Oct 1590 at about age 67 in England

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Biography

This profile is part of the Peyton Name Study.

Robert was the son and heir of Robert Peyton of Isleham, Cambridgeshire and Frances Hasilden.^[1][2][3] He was said to be 27 in 1550 when his father died, pointing to a birth year of about 1523.^[4][5]

Robert studied at Jesus College, Cambridge.^[6][7]

Robert married Elizabeth Rich, daughter of Richard Rich,^[1][2][3] the 16th century lawyer and politician, and Elizabeth Jenkes,^[4][5] by 1550.^[6][7] They had the following children:

• Robert,^[1][2] who died in his father's lifetime^[4][5]
• John,^[1][2][3] who became his father's heir^[4][5]
• Richard^[1][2] (not referred to by Douglas Richardson^[4][5])
• Mary, who married Charles Balam and Richard Cox^[1][2][4][5]
• Frances, who married John Haggar^[1][2][4][5]
• Winifred, who married Edward Osborne, Samuel Harfleet and Richard Hornby^[1][2][4][5]

On the death of his father in 1550, Robert inherited substantial lands in East Anglia. From that year he held various positions of local responsibility in Cambridgeshire. He was a knight of the shire for Cambridgeshire (Member of Parliament representing the county) in 1558 and 1563.^[6][7]

Robert was Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire in 1553-4.^[8] While he was in office, five prisoners escaped from the prison at Cambridge Castle: as Sheriff, Robert was in law accountable for this, and he obtained a pardon in 1554.^[7]

In November 1588 Robert was given custody of his brother William, who had been arrested for (unspecified) suspicious behaviour.^[6]

Robert died on 19 October 1590. He was buried at Isleham.^[9] His monument there portrays him and his wife and has this inscription:^[10]

"Yeeres of sixtie seaven did pass in governing.

Both just and wise he was

By antient stock, but more by merit.

His body the earth, his soule Heaven inherit."

His will, dated 12 October 1590, was proved on 19 November 1590. In it he:^[6][11]

• described himself as of Isleham, Cambridgeshire, Esquire
• included a long pious introduction, suggesting he was of Puritan leanings
• requested burial in an already-prepared tomb in the parish church of Isleham, Cambridgeshire
• named:
  • his wife Elizabeth
  • his son John
  • his daughters Balam (Mary), Hagger (Frances) and Osborne (Winifred)
• appointed as executors his wife and his son John

Inquisitions Post Mortem were held in 33 Elizabeth (17 November 1590 - 16 November 1591).^[12]

His wife survived him, dying on 17 October 1591.^[4][5][10]

Research Notes

Death Place

There is disagreement about his death place. Douglas Richardson gives it as London,^[4][5] as does Waters' book on the Chicheley family,^[10] with neither giving a source for the death place; the History of Parliament says (again without sourcing) that he died at Isleham, Cambridgeshire,^[6] which was his residence and burial place.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} John Fetherston (ed.). The Visitation of the County of Warwick in the year 1619, Harleian Society, 1877, pp. 380-381, Internet Archive
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7} John W Clay. The The visitation of Cambridge made in a (1575) : continued and enlarged with the vissitation of the same county made by Henery St. George, Richmond herald, marshall and deputy to Willm. Camdem, Clarenceulx, in a 1619, with many other descents added therto, Harleian Society, 1897, p. 5, Internet Archive
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Robert Hovenden (ed.). The Visitation of Kent taken in the years 1619-1621, Harleian Society, 1898, p. 66, Internet Archive
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9} Douglas Richardson. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition (Salt Lake City: the author, 2011), Vol. III, pp. 355-356, PEYTON 13, partially viewable on Google Books
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9} Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), Vol. IV, pp. 370-371, PEYTON 13
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} History of Parliament Online, 1509-1559, entry for 'PEYTON, Robert II (by 1523-90), of Isleham, Cambs.'
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} History of Parliament Online, 1558-1603, entry for 'PEYTON, Robert (c.1523-90), of Isleham, Cambs.'
8. ↑ List of Sheriff's for England and Wales, Public Record Office Lists and Indexes Vol. IX, HMSO 1898 (Kraus Reprint Corporation 1963), p. 14, Internet Archive
9. ↑ Cambridgeshire Burials, Find My Past citing: Robert Peyton, Esq 12 Nov 1590, Isleham - died 19 Oct FMP accessed: 3 May 2021
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} Robert Edmond Chester Waters. Genealogical memoirs of the extinct family of Chester of Chicheley., Vol. I, Robson and Sons, 1878, pp. 218-220, Internet Archive
11. ↑ The National Archives, ref. PROB 11/76/333, Discovery Centre catalogue entry
12. ↑ The National Archives, ref. C 142/228/76, Discovery Centre catalogue entry

See also:

• Wikipedia: Robert Peyton (died 1590) (as at 18 October 2023, a stub article)
• Payton/Peyton DNA Project

Acknowledgements

Magna Carta Project

This profile was re-reviewed for the Magna Carta Project by Michael Cayley on 18 October 2023.

Robert Peyton appears in trails badged by the Magna Carta Project from Gateway Ancestor Robert Peyton, through his father, to Magna Carta Surety Barons William d'Aubigné and Robert de Ros and was later identified in badged trails to surety barons Richard de Clare, Gilbert de Clare, John de Lacy, and Saher de Quincy. All of these trails are set out in the Magna Carta Trails section of the Gateway's profile.

See Base Camp for more information about identified Magna Carta trails and their status. See the Project's glossary for project-specific terms, such as a "badged trail".