Edmund Ropere & Katherine Burgh

312514. Edmund Ropere & 312515. Katherine Burgh

~1375, Edmund born in Kent, England, heir & s/o 625028. Ralph Ropere & 625029. Beatrice Lewknor.

6/30/1396, “From: John Collay; Edmund Langle; John Sheldwych; John Pirie; Richard Cook, chaplain; Robert William; Edmund son of Ralph Ropere To: John Ropere of Westgate 6 acres of meadow in Hackington at 'Stoursete', …”. (S) UKNA.

9/30/1399, Henry IV succeeded Richard II as King of England.

1401, John Ropere [Edmund’s grandfather] of the parish of St. Dunstans in his will 100s to Edmund Roper, son of Ralph Ropere. Ralph Roper and his son Edmund Roper named executors. (S) Collins Peerage of England, 1812, P78.

6/10/1401, John Ropere of Westgate by Canterbury to Ralph Ropere, John Rollynge and Edmund son of the said Ralph, their heirs and assigns. Quitclaim with warranty of all the manors, lands, farms, rents and reversions in Kent which they have by his late feoffment. (S) CCRs.

1401-02, Edmund’s paternal grandfather died.

1402, “Ralph Ropere, John Rollyng, and Edmund son of the said Ralph, to found a chantry at the altar of St. Nicholas in the church of St. Dunstan without Westgate, Canterbury, and to endow it with a messuage in the said parish of St. Dunstan, and rent charged on the manor of Chestfield and on lands in Whitstable, Swalecliffe, and Herne. Kent.” (S) UKNA.

2/8/1408, John Yonge to Peter Halle, his heirs and assigns. Charter with warranty of all the lands, rents, reversions and services in Hierne in the borrow (bergha) of Haghe co. Kent which the grantor had by feoffment of Ralph Roper, John Rollynge the elder and Edmund Roper. (S) CCRs.

By 1407, Edmund’s father died.

1407-33, Plaintiffs: John and Edmund Roper. Defendants: Adam Beggenden and Joan his wife, and Henry Anger and Alice his wife. ubject: Detention of evidences: Kent. (S) UKNA.

1407-33, Plaintiffs: Henry Anger and Alice his wife, and Adam Beggenden and Jane his wife. Defendants: Thomas Kempe, archdeacon of Richmond, and his half brethren, John and Edmund Roper. Subject: Divers oppressions: (petition for a writ of `dedimus potestateum' to examine divers aged witnesses): Kent. (S) UKNA.

1422-33, Plaintiffs: John Roper and Edmund Roper. Defendants: John Rollyng. Subject: to compel defendant, a feoffee in the manor of Chestvyle in Kent, to make estate to plaintiffs, as heirs of John Roper the elder. (S) UKNA.

8/31/1422, Henry VI (an infant) succeeded Henry V as King of England.

1425, Edmund of Ditton, Kent, died. (S) Viullare Cantianum: Or, Kent surveyed and Illustrated, Philipot, 1776, P132.

Family notes:

·         “Edmundi Roper de St Dunstans p’pe vrbem Cantuariae”, St. Dunstans, Cantebury.

·         The 1619 Visitation ‘Roper’ pedigree gives Agnes as d/o Edmund’s parents. However, 3 other pedigrees give her as d/o Edmund. In addition, having Edmund as her father fits much better in the timeline of events. ‘John Weever’ cites a monumental inscription: "Agnes erat filia Edmundi Robar iuxta Cantuar".  Finally, Ditton, Kent, descended through Agnes to the Colepeper family.

·         1425-56, Defendants: John and Edmund Roper. Subject: Tenements in Whitstable parcel of the manor of Chestvyle. (Petition for examination of Katherine Burgh, sometime the wife of Edmund Roper, as to whether Ralph Roper, grandfather of defendants, was a bastard). Kent. (S) UKNA. [There was put forth a claim that Edmund’s father Ralph was the illegitimate son of John Roper’s [the grandfather] sister Juliane Braboner.]

Child of Edmund and ?:

i. Agnes Roper (156257), born ~1405 in England.

ii. Edmund Roper, born ? in England.

iii. John Roper, born ? in England.