Robert Coker Esq. & Michaela Marchant

1901314. Robert Coker Esq. & 1901315. Michaela Marchant

~1395, Robert Cokr born in Somerset, England, s/o 3802628. Matthew Coker.

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

~1400, Michaela born in England, [likely] d/o §§John Marchant.

[––Michaela & John––]

Michaela married John Plecy.

3/20/1413, Henry V succeeded Henry IV as King of England.

5/4/1416, John Plecy died.

5/13/1416, IPM of John Plecy. Northampton: He held the manor of Burton called ‘Plecymanor’ in his demesne as of fee of the king in chief by knight service, annual value £12. He died on 4 May last. John Cammell is his next heir, being the son of Joan, sister of John, father of John, father of John Plecy, aged 30 years and more. … (S) CIsPM.

[––Michaela & Robert Derby––]

1416, Michaela married Robert Derby [without licence.]

6/10/1416, IPM of John Plecy. Dorset: … He also held to himself and his heirs the reversions of the following which Robert Derby and Michaela his wife hold in her dower from John Plecy … (S) CIsPM.

2/18/1417, Pardon, for 100s … to Robert Derby and Michaela late the wife of John Plecy, deceased, of their trespass in inter-marrying without licence. (S) CPRs.

[––Robert & Agnes––]

Robert married Agnes Longland. [No children.]

10/1414, Matthew Coker (father) and William Hastyngs querents, Robert Coker (son) and his wife Agnes deforciants: 24 messuages, 500a. land, 100s. meadow … [Apparently on the marriage of Robert & Agnes.]

12/1417, Agnes died. [On that date of IPM she jointly owned property that was granted to them by his father Matthew Coker.]

1/3/1418, The king ordered inquisitions into the lands of Agnes late the wife of Robert Cokyr ; in the counties of Cornwall and somerset. (S) CFRs.

1418, ‘Robert Coker esquire, of the parish of Lydeard St Lawrence and Agnes his wife’ granted the right to have masses and other devine services celebrated in their presence for 1 year. [Agnes appears to have been in ill health.]

Bef. 6/23/1419, Michaela’s brother William died.

Aft. 1420, Robert’s father died.

1422, Robert Derby died. (S) Proceeding of Somerset, Vs43-44, 1897, P101.

 [––Robert & Michaela––]

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

12/10/1422, Recognizance whereby Thomas Beaucham, knight, and Robert Coker of the county of Somerset, esquire, are bound to Thomas Smyth, … in 40 marks. (S) CCRs.

By 1423, Robert married Michaela.

1422-23, Robert Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset. (S) UKNA.

7/12/1423, Endorsement: Robert Coker, Sheriff, replies … [Somerset] (S) UKNA.

9/10/1424, Michaela died: “Coker, Michaela, who was the wife of the late Robert, esq: Som, Dors.” (S) UKNA, IPM. [By the date of her death she died soon after giving birth to daughter Elizabeth.]

[––Robert––]

10/18/1424, Writ of diem calusit extremum to the escheator in the counties of Somerset and Dorset after the death of Michaela late the wife of Robert Coker, tenant in chief of the king. (S) CFRs.

12/12/1424, Michaela, late the wife of Robert Coker, esquire, held for life on the day of her death the manor of Langeton Botyler, Dorset, … made to the said Michaela and to such heirs as Robert Derby, late her husband, might begat … (S) CPRs.

12/14/1424, Writ for IPM of Michaela wife of Robert Coker, Esquire. Somerset: … Michaela and Robert Derby, her former husband described as Robert Derby son of Annis … She died on 10 September 1424 … John Merchaunt is her kinsman and next heir as son of William her brother, and is aged 20 years and more. Robert Coker, esquire , occupied all the above from the time of her death until the following 30 September, and took the issues. …  John Plecy ,… now deceased, late husband of Michaela … Dorset: … She died on 10 September last without heir by Robert Derby … She held for life the manor of Shapwick as dower after the death of John Plecy , her late husband, … (S) CIsPM. [Multiple genealogies indicate she did not have a child, but multiple IPM say, if read carefully, she did not have a child by “Robert Derby”.]

2/18/1425, Writ of diem calusit extremum Michaela late the wife of Robert Coker, esquire; Dorset. (S) CFRs.

1425-26, Robert’s father died.

2/5/1426, To the escheator in Dorset. Order to … meddle no further with the manor of Shapwyke, …, that Michaela who was wife of Robert Coker esquire at her death held that manor for life as her dower after the death of John Plecy her husband … (S) CCRs.

3/1430 at Melcombe, … William Poulet of Melcombe and Martin Jacob to John Poulet esquire, son and heir of Eleanor Poulet sister of Ellis Delamare knight, … Witnesses: Giles Daubeny, Thomas Beauchamp knights, …, John Hulle, …, Robert Coker. (S) CCRs.

[––Robert & Margaret––]

Bef. 1432, Robert married Margaret Tuchet, widow of John Luttrell, Knt., d/o Sir John Tuchet & Elizabeth Stafford. [Without licence.]

6/1/1438, Margaret died.

[––Robert––]

1/24/1439, Walter Roche, parson of the church of Combflory, co. Somerset, for not appearing … to answer Robert Coker, esquire, touching a plea of debt of £10. (S) CPRs.

1439, John Coker, esq., sold lands to Robert Coker, on the marriage settlement of his son John to a d/o Robert Turges of Dorset.

9/23/1439, Commission to Humphrey Courteney, knight, … touching the places of concealment of the goods and chattels of Robert Coker, who has gone into hiding after occupying the castle of Dunster for a long time by permission of the farmer thereof, … (S) CPRs.

5/23/1440 at Netilcombe, … manors … Somerset … Witnesses: Robert Coker, … (S) CCRs.

7/17/1441, Commission to Humphrey Courteney, knight, … count of Somerset touching the wastes and destructions committed by Robert Coker in 2 parts of the castle of Dunster and the manor of Carampton. (S) CPRs.

1441, Robert of Lawrence Lydiard in com. Somerset died.

12/17/1441, In the will of John Hody (950558) … ‘cup of silver gilt which lately I had of Robert Coker’.

(S) Peerage of England, Collins, 1812, P148. (S) Magna Carta Ancestry, P554. (S) Annals of West Coker, Nathan, 1957, P489. (S) Hist. of Somerset, V6, 1992, Wembdon & North Petherton & Bridgewater & Spaxton & Pawlet.

Family notes:

·         From IPM of 12/14/1424, Michaela had a brother named William who’s son and heir was “John Merchaunt”. Checking the rolls of the time, the most common spelling is “Marchant”. Contemporary records associated with the names were found in Surrey, London, and Kent. In 1371, John of Gaunt married Queen Constanza of Castile and Leon and brought her to England. Michaela was likely a descendent of someone in her entourage.

Child of Robert and Michaela:

i. Elizabeth Coker (950657), born 9/1424 in England.

(S) Peerage of England, Collins, 1812, P148.

1489, John Seymour heir to his cousin Margaret Coker; inheriting manors of West Bower, Cokers, and Moorland. [John is Elizabeth’s son, and Margaret is the daughter of Elizabeth’s father’s older brother John.]