John Haye
John Haye was born in about the mid-1400s. According to Paul C. Reed, “John Haye was the first member of this family to appear in Sussex, surfacing abruptly during the turbulent reign of Edward IV.” During that time, on 14 March 14 Edward IV (1473/4), he was granted land in Robertsbridge, Sussex, England by the Abbot and Convent of Robertsbridge, consisting of a messuage with curtilage (a dwelling house with the outbuildings and land immediately surrounding it) called “the George” and pasture called “Upper Fayrefield.” The abbot reserved the right of access to the pasture for three days per year for a fair held for Holyrood day.
On 15 March 1477/8 (18 Edward IV), he also received a grant in fee from the Abbot for a messuage and garden in Robertsbridge called “Westpelmede,” as well as a separate grant for a messuage called “Henry Awardes” in Robertsbridge. He was listed as a plaintiff, along with Nicholas Morant and John Parker in a writ of praecipe (a writ requiring a person to do something or else appear and show why they should not) dated Easter term 1501 against several couples concerning messuages with gardens in Battle, Sussex, England.
Paul C. Reed mentioned a relevant entry on the court roll 14 August 8 Henry VIII (1516) which could indicate the payment of a heriot (a tribute paid to lord upon the death of a tenant, often a live animal from the estate of the deceased). This could possibly mean that John had died recently.
John’s known children are:
- William Haye, married Joan Tufton (dau. of Sir Nicholas and Margaret (Hever) Tufton ), found in the subsidy roll of 1524, being taxed for £23 of goods at Robertsbridge, Sussex, England, and in the subsidy roll of 1525, being taxed for £26 of goods, granted a messuage called "Wysemede" in Robertsbridge, as well as a meadow in Salehurst, Sussex, England, 10 December 27 Henry VIII (1535), juror 2 April 1536 in Robertsbridge, died 22 August 30 Henry VIII (1538), inquisition post mortem held 17 October 34 Henry VIII (1542) in Robertsbridge, Sussex, England.
- John Haye, appears in the subsidy roll of 1524 for Robertsbridge, Sussex, England, being taxed for £19 and in 1525 for £17, a feofee of George Stephen of Salehurst and Echingham.
Sources:
Records related to the John Haye family but not copied below due to copyright considerations:
- Reed, Paul C., "The English Ensigns: Ancestral to Thomas Ensign of Scituate, Massachusetts, and James Ensign of Hartford, Connecticut (Wybourne Descent and Haye/Hayes Descent)," The American Genealogist, Vol. 75, Jul 2000, p. 229-40.