The town of Calais, France, was in English hands from 1347 to 1558. During this historical period the task of the treasurer, in conjunction with the Captain of Calais, was keeping the defences in order, supplying victuals and paying the garrison. The treasurer was responsible for raising revenue from the Company of the Staple of Calais, which was required to contribute towards the expenses of defence.History of Parliament, WESTON, Sir Richard (c.1465-1541), of Sutton Place, Surr.
The treasurer was a trusty servant of the Crown, which fostered the respect accorded to him by the garrison and officials as well as by those required to pay taxes to him, namely, merchants and burgesses. He acted on rare occasions as the delegate of the garrison in applying for their arrears of wages. The detailed functions of the treasurer remain unknown, but included the general supervision of the royal finances at Calais. He also was responsible for the letting of certain lands, and was empowered in conjunction with the captain to make appointments to unoccupied posts. The treasurer was a post of honour and several holders went on to hold great offices of state on their return to England, for example Sir Edward Wotton was nominated Administrator of the Kingdom during the minority of King Edward VI.Sandeman, pp.19-20
List of treasurers of Calais
Thomas de Brantingham, 1361–1368 Sir William Armyn, 1385 Roger Walden, 1387 Robert Folkingham (died 1394), 1393–1394Will dated 6 July 1394, transcribed in University College MS 97, folios 170-1; McFarlane, K.B., Lancastrian Kings & Lollard Knights, Oxford, 1972, p.213, quoting: 4 Oct 1393, c.f. Cal. Patent Rolls, 1391-6, p.369, revocation of protection granted 24 September 1393; c.f. Cal. Close Rolls, 1392-6, p.237 Richard Selby (died by November 1450), 1394-His account, as Treasurer of Calais, for the year 18 Ric II, is in The National Archives, E 101/696/17 Thomas Stanley, prior to 1401Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; CP 40/561, year: 1401; last entry before the flap; county margination: London, against Paul de Monte Sacre; http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT2/H4/CP40no561/bCP40no561dorses/IMG_1096.htm John Bernard, prior to 1401Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; CP 40/561, year: 1401; 7th entry in http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT2/H4/CP40no561/aCP40no561fronts/IMG_0265.htm; National Archives Robert Thorley March 1403 – October 1404Grummitt, D;1406 Petition to Parliament SC 8/144/7 163 "The petitioners (including Robert Thorley described as Treasurer of Calais") state that they were formerly discharged of their offices, leaving various sums of money unpaid, for the wages of soldiers and others. The King then re-appointed them, and they now cannot sustain the necessary expenses of these offices. They ask for reasonable payment for the sums mentioned above, and for what is due from the time when Thomas Nevylle, Lord Furnival, was Treasurer of Calais; and that a sufficient ordinance might be made for future payments, by means of an annual sum (and they give examples of reasonable sums) taken from the customs of certain ports in England". Thomas Neville, 5th. Baron Furnivall (died 1407), 1404–14061406 Petition to Parliament SC 8/144/7 163 Robert Thorley, Easter 1406 – March 1407 John de Langton, 1442–1445Sandeman, p.25 Sir Richard Vernon (1391- ), 1444–1450 (Resigned in favour of son Sir William Vernon) Sir William Vernon (1418–1467), 1450- (Succeeded father Sir Richard Vernon as Treasurer)His monumental brass at Tong Church states:Here lie Sir William Vernon Kt. sometime Knight Constable of England son and heir of Sir Richard Vernon Kt. who sometime was Treasurer of Calais which Sir William indeed died 30 June in the year of Our Lord 1467 Gervase Clifton, 1450–1460 Sir Thomas Blount, -1459 Walter Blount, 1st Baron Mountjoy (died 1474) 1460–1461 (Succeeded his father, Sir Thomas Blount, as treasurer of Calais in 1460, becoming governor a year later) William Slyfield, 1481–1485 (of Slyfield Manor, Great Bookham, Surrey) Thomas Thwaites (died 1503), 1483–1490 Sir Richard Nanfant, temp. Henry VIINicholls, p. xl; Nash's History of Worcestershire, vol. i. p. 85, pedigree of the family of Nanfant or Nanfan; Sir Richard Nanfant, was an early patron of Wolsey (Sandeman, p.20). Sir John Turberville (Turbrevyle, Turbervyle, Trobeville, et al.), temp. Henry VIINicholls, p.xl: "mentioned in the letter of bishop Fox printed in Ellis's Original Letters, Second series, ii. 7"; He was Marshal of the Household until 1509, Letters & Papers of Henry VII, 193, p. 104 Sir Hugh Conway, 1504–1517Nicholls, p.xxx. In MS. Cotton. Vesp. F. xiii. p. 78, is a royal warrant, dated Greenwich, 12 March 1511, to sir Hugh Conway, treasurer of Calais, to pay 200^ to Thomas Deacon, to be expended in the repairs of Rysebank William Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys, July 1523Nicholls, p.xl: "Holinshed, p. 1526" Sir Richard Weston (died 1541), 1525–1528Nichols, p. 209 Sir Edward Wotton (1489–1551), 1540–1547 (Brother of Nicholas Wotton (died 1567) Sir Maurice Denys (died 1563), December 1548 – August 1553Bindoff, Stanley T.(ed.), History of Parliament, House of Commons, 1509–1558, London, 1982, vol.2, pp. 31–33, "Denys, Sir Maurice", biog. by T.F.T. Baker Sir Thomas Cornwallis, last Treasurer of Calais, April 1554 – December 1557.Nichols, p.xl
Notes and references
Sources Nichols, John Gough, The Chronicle of Calais from the Reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII to the year 1540, London, 1846 Sandeman, G.A.C., Calais Under English Rule, Oxford, 1908 Grummitt, D., The Financial Administration of Calais during the reign of Henry IV, 1399-1413, English Historical Review, 133 (1988) pp. 277–299