English Knights

THE LAST ENGLISH, SCOTTISH AND IRISH KNIGHTS

OF THE ENGLISH LANGUE OF

THE ORDER OF ST JOHN OF JERUSALEM

© John Cilia La Corte 2006

In the 1850’s William Winthrop had carried out extensive research on the English Langue in the Archives of the Order of St John in what was then known as the Record Office. With the aid of Dr L. Vella, possibly the Principal of that office, he compiled a list of the surviving knights of the English Langue at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII three centuries previously.

The English Langue was made up of the priories of England, Scotland and Ireland, with thirty-two different Commanderies. Its property, which was seized by Henry VIII in 1534, was afterwards restored by Queen Mary, and finally and effectually confiscated by Elizabeth in the first year of her reign. Queen Elizabeth’s order for the seizure of the Irish estates was dated 3rd of June, 1559, and addressed to William Fitzwilliam.

The Conventual Bailiff or Pilier of the Venerable Langue of England enjoyed the title of Turcopolier, which high honour the English knights won for themselves by their gallantry in the Holy Land and it remained with their Langue in remembrance thereafter. The Turcopolier was the third dignity in the Convent, and the last knight who enjoyed it was Sir Richard Shelley, Prior of England. On his decease the Grandmaster assumed the title for himself.

It might be of interest to note with regard to the following list that a knight could not become a commander before he had made four cruises in the galleys or served five years in the Convent in Malta. He had also to remain a commander for three years before he could claim a pension. Those knights who are known to have been in Malta are marked #.

Name	Nationality	Year
A.
Adfil, George		1524
Albrit, Oliver		1527
#Aylmer, Sir George Commander of Holstone	English	1521
B.
#Babington, John Bailiff of Aquila, Commander of Dalby	English	1531
#Babington, Philip	English	1531
#Balfard, Richard		1531
#Bellingham, Edward Commander of Dynmore	English	1531
#Bentham, Anthony		1536
Blasly, Robert		1526
Bouth, John Turcopolier, killed at the siege of Rhodes.		1522
Boydel, Edward		1529
Boydel, George		1532
Boydel, Roger Turcopolier		1533
Boyse, Andrew		1588
#Broke, Richard Commander of Mount St John	English	1531
#Brown, Edward	English	1531
Buck, John Turcopolier	English	Bef. 1522
Burchier, Catherine Prioress of Buckland in 1524	English	Bef. 1524
C.
Campledik, Thomas Commander of Corbroke		1529
Cave, Sir Ambrose		1525
Chambers, Sir James		1533
Chanure, John		1525
Corbet, William Commander of Temple Bruer	English	1522
D.
Deston, Claude		1522
#Dingley, Thomas		1531
Docra, Lancelot	English	c.1523
Docra, Thomas Prior of the English Tongue.	English	1523
Dundas, George Commander of Turfichin in Scotland	Scottish	1524
#Dundas, Alexander	Scottish	1538
#Dudley, George	English	1545
E.
Edward, George		1525
#Eluyn, Edmund		1545
F.
Fairfax, Nicholas Commander of Temple Combe	English	1522
Fitzmorth, Robert		1527
Fortescue, Adrian This knight suffered martyrdom and was canonised.	English	1532
Fortescue, Nicholas	English	1638
G.
#Gerard, Sir Henry	English	1541
Glene, Lewis		1555
Golings, Thomas Commander of Bodisford		1520
#Gonson, Sir David (also Genson or Jensey) The last lieutenant of the Turcopolier at Malta		1533
H.		1526
#Halison, James
Hall, Thomas		1526
Hill, Edward		1531
#Hornehill, Thomas		1536
Hussey, Edmund		1528
Hussey, Nicholas		1531
Hyerton, George		1523
I.
Irvine, James Prior of Scotland	Scottish	1569
J.
Jones, William		1522
L.
Lambert, Nicholas		1538
Layton, Ambrose Commander of Beverley	English	1527
Leighton (Layton), Cuthbert	English	1528
Lyndesey, Walter	Scottish	1532
M.
Massingberd, Oswald Prior of Ireland, Turcopolier	English	1527
Massingberd, Sir Thomas	English	c.1527
Mobysteyn, John Capellano, and Chancellor, of the Provincial Chapter of the English Language.		1526
N.
Nevil, Richard Commander of Willington	English	1528
Newdigate, Dunston	English	1536
Newdigate, Silvester	English	1536?
Newport, Thomas Bailiff of Aquila and Commander of Newland, Turcopolier	English	1528
Newton, Thomas		1529
O.
Ozis, John. On the 16th of March, 1533, he knight obtained permission to return to England.	English	Bef. 1533
P.
Pemperton, Thomas Commander of Mount St John	English