King's Sergeant, circa 1445

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Gjest

King's Sergeant, circa 1445

Legg inn av Gjest » 14 mai 2006 10:46:24

In HoP, Biographies, 1439-1509, it is said of Sir John Cheyney of Fen
Ditton (c1423-1489) that he was "King's Sergeant, 1445".

Does anyone know exactly what office this connotes?

I am aware of the historical 'Order of the Coif' - the senior
barristers who were styled Sergeants-at-law (now superceded by Queen's
Counsel) - but surely Cheyney cannot have been one of these at such an
early age, particularly as he was not admitted to the Bar until the
subsequent year (Lincoln's Inn, 1446).

Could it have been a position analogous to today's Sergeants-at-arms?

MA-R

Matt Tompkins

Re: King's Sergeant, circa 1445

Legg inn av Matt Tompkins » 14 mai 2006 20:31:48

mjcar@btinternet.com wrote:
In HoP, Biographies, 1439-1509, it is said of Sir John Cheyney of Fen
Ditton (c1423-1489) that he was "King's Sergeant, 1445".

Does anyone know exactly what office this connotes?

I am aware of the historical 'Order of the Coif' - the senior
barristers who were styled Sergeants-at-law (now superceded by Queen's
Counsel) - but surely Cheyney cannot have been one of these at such an
early age, particularly as he was not admitted to the Bar until the
subsequent year (Lincoln's Inn, 1446).

Could it have been a position analogous to today's Sergeants-at-arms?


A King's Sergeant at that date (and later) was a Sergeant-at-Law who
acted for the Crown (though not exclusively) - but as you say 22 would
have been an unusually young age to achieve that status. I have a
couple of books about the fifteenth century legal profession on my desk
at work and I'll have a look at them tomorrow to see if they offer any
explanation.

Matt Tompkins

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