Walter CULPEPER of Calais and Wigsell
[5482] [5481]
ABT 1458 - BEF 24 Jun 1515
BIRTH: ABT 1458, Bedgebury, Goudhurst, Kent, Eng.
DEATH: BEF 24 Jun 1515
PROBATE: 28 Apr 1516, Lambeth, Surrey, England
RFN: 8387

Father: John CULPEPER of Bayhall,Hardreshull,Bedgebury
Mother: Agnes GAINSFORD

Family 1 : Anne AUCHER MARRIAGE: ABT 1480

+William CULPEPER of Wigsell
Thomas CULPEPER
Anne CULPEPER
+Elizabeth CULPEPER
Anthony CULPEPER


_Thomas CULPEPER of Bayhall,Hardreshull,Exton_+
_Walter CULPEPER of Goudhurst, Bayhall, Hardreshull_|
| |_Joyce _______________________________________
_John CULPEPER of Bayhall,Hardreshull,Bedgebury_|
| | _Edmund ROPER of St. Dunstan's Canterbury_____
| |_Agnes ROPER _______________________________________|
| |______________________________________________
|
|--Walter CULPEPER of Calais and Wigsell
|
| ______________________________________________
| _ GAINSFORD ________________________________________|
| | |______________________________________________
|_Agnes GAINSFORD _______________________________|
| ______________________________________________
|____________________________________________________|
|______________________________________________


[5482] He began life, like his grandfather, the squire of Agincourt for whom
he was named, as a professional soldier; but, unlike his grandfather,
he did not live to retire to his estates. The earliest record of him
is on the page of national history, at the very end of his career.
.
The Chronicle of Calais (Camden Society, No. 35, p. 6) recites him in
October, 1508 as under marshall of that town, present at the treaty
for the marriage of Mary, daughter of Henry VII to the Duke of
Burgundy, afterwards the emperor Charles V; and in that capacity there
was assigned to him at the beginning of the next reign (July, 1509) a
Crown tenement in Fisherstrete in Calais and an annuity of 20 pounds.
Out of the revenues of the town. Two years later, in November, 1511,
being then recited a 'squire of the body' of Henry VIII, lie was
granted also the post of bailiff of the Scavage of Calais and the isle
of Colne (L. & P. Henry VIII, i, 47, 94, 298).
.
His crowding hour came in August, 1513, when his young master was
engaged in the invasion of France to assert an outworn claim of
inheritance of that realm, and it was Walter's fortune to be left for
the moment in responsible command of the garrison of Calais. The
chronicler Hall records (Holinshed iii, 580) that as the King lay
before Therouanne on the Flemish border, the captain of Boulogue made
a night foray on Calais seeking booty and to insult the invading
English. Arriving with a thousand men at the bridge which defended the
causey leading to the town, the Frenchman surprised the guard and
captured the ordnance there mounted. Retaining 600 men at the bridge
'for a stale' he then dispatched the remaining 400 'into the marishes
and meadows to fetch away the beasts and cattle which they should find
there.' Some of these foragers approached so near the walls of Calais
as to raise the alarm, whereupon:
.
"about five of the clocke in the morning the gate of Calis, called
Bullongue gate, was opened, and by permission of the deputie one
Culpeper, the under marshall, with two hundred archers under a banner
of Saint George, issued forth,' and 'set so fiercelie on that finallie
the Frenchmen were discomfited and four and twentie of them slaine,
besides twelve score that were made prisoners and all the ordnance and
bootie again recouered. These prisoners were brought to Calais and
there sold in open market."
.
Walter died before June 24, 1515 (when he was recited dead on the
appointment of Sir H. Banaster to his bailiffry, L. & P. Henry VIII',
ii, 168), leaving a will which bristles with as many old world weapons
as a modern museum. The will was as follows:
.
14 Sept 1514 (P.C.C. 16 Holder)
I Walter Colepepir onder m'shall of the town of Calays. To be byried
in the Resurreccon Chapell within Saint Nicholas Churche, to the
whiche chapell my newe poleax and ij of my spere staffs myn Ermite and
my swarde. To St George Chapell within the same Churche my cote of
plate couered wt chamlet and myn old polleax. To Jhus (Jesus) Chapell
wtin the seyd Churche my best Javelyn and a copyll of my spere stavys.
Unto St John in the wall 6s Vnto the reparacons of the said Church of
St Nicholas 10s. "I wyll that Anne my wyff haue all my lands lying
within the Shyre of Kent and Sussex, or in any other place within the
Realme of England during hir lyff and after hir decesse to remayne to
the heires of my body lawfully begotten after the course of the comen
lawe of Ynglond and laudable customes of the seyd Shyres of Kent and
Sussex where the lond lyeth. To my seruants that ar sworne in the
Retynewe her onder me and in my petie wags ther brigandynes folds
standards saletts and musteryn cotes stavys and saletts that they wer
wont to were at the musterys." To Richard Payn myn old seruant my
gowne of marble colour furred. To Henry hacuplaynt my veluet doblet,
my blak jacket and oon sheff of arowes. To Richard Borne my blak cote
of cloth bordered with Sarsenet and oon sheff of arowes. To the
Churche of Newenden for the discharging of my consciens of such duties
as I owe to the same 4 m'ks sterling. Church of Gowtherst 40d
sterling. Church of Sevenoke 3s. If the next heires of Thomas Ratlyff
of Newenden will pay to my wyff £5 sterling then they shall have the
croft and house place that was Thomaseys ther fader to theym and their
heirs. Margaret Swayne my seruant my blak gowne lyned wt Sarcenet. To
Nanne the bedrede woman's daughter oon payr of myn old hoses and ij of
my shirts. To my cosyn Otewell Gaynesford my blak damask cote. To my
cosyn George Gaynesford my damask cote of white and grene. To my cosyn
Lewes Clyfford my crossebowe and wenlasse and my gune wth her apparel.
To Henry Tetle my bowe case of tymbre and one sheff of arowes. My
galberdyne of scarlet bordered with veluet to my sone Thomas. To my
daughter Elizabeth Welford my grete lewte and oon dosyn of fyne dyaper
napkins. To my brodyr Alexander Colepepyr my white harnesse complete.
Residue to Anne Colepepyr my wyff to se me honestly byried, and to se
Anthony and Willm our sonnys founde to schole. She is to be executrix.
Wrytyn wt myn own hand. Witnesses Henry hacupleynt, Richard Borne and
Willm Annyley. In the presence of Robert Wyndebanke and of John
Wyndebanke who have subscribed ther names with ther own hands. Robert
Wyndebank pson of Colne. John Wyndbank solgyer of Calays. Proved at
Lambith 28 April 1516 by Anne the relict and executrix.
- Fairfax Harrison


[5481] [S580] Sussex Colepepers-I




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• Married: ABT. 1507

1. William Culpepper b: ABT. 1509 in Wigsell, Salehurst, Sussex, England