CRESE, Richard, of Exeter Devon.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421, ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1415
1420

Family and Education

m. by 1413, Alice.

Offices Held

Steward, Exeter Mich. 1412-13; member of the council of 12, 1415-18, 1420-1.1

Biography

Crese became a freeman of Exeter on 6 Oct. 1393 after completing a seven-year apprenticeship to a mercer, the then receiver of the city, William Oke. His property included a house, shop and cellars in North Street, next to St. Kerian’s church, and a tenement in St. Paul’s Street.2 An inquiry made in 1403 regarding the capture of the Seint Pier of Dundarre by seamen from Dartmouth revealed that Crese had illegally purchased from them four tuns of oil and 14 bales of almonds from the ship’s cargo. His more legitimate trade was in wine and woollen cloth, which was sometimes carried on his own ship, Le Marie of Exmouth, ownership of which he shared with the famous sea captain William Wilford*. It was specifically as a merchant that on 6 Nov. 1420 (when up at Westminster for his second Parliament) Crese was pardoned his outlawry in connection with a debt of £5 to the recorder of Exeter, William Wynard. Crese’s record as a civic officer is unimpressive, and he appeared on the panel of electors of the governing body only in 1414, 1415, 1416, 1420 and 1424.3 He was still living in 1426.

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Author: L. S. Woodger

Notes

  • 1. Exeter City RO, mayors’ ct. rolls 14 Hen. IV-3 Hen. VI.
  • 2. Ct. rolls 17-18 Ric. II m. 1, 1-2 Hen. VI m. 10, 4-5 Hen. VI m. 54; ED/M/576, 578, 618, 619.
  • 3. CIMisc. vii. 251; Reg. Stafford ed. Hingeston-Randolph, 402; CPR, 1416-22, p. 290; mayors’ ct. rolls 2 Hen. V-3 Hen. VI.