Sir Thomas Swynford, Sheriff of Lincoln

1367 - 1433  (66 years)

• Name	Thomas Swynford
  Birth	1366/67  [2]
  History	birth to death
  By 1382, Sir Thomas had taken his father's place in John of Gaunt's retinue. [3] In the struggle for the throne between Richard II and his cousin, Henry of Derby (future Henry IV), he supported his step-brother, Henry, and is said to have acted as constable of Pontefract Castle where Richard was kept in custody before dying under mysterious circumstances. [3] Before 1402, he became the Sheriff of Lincoln. [2, 3] In 1402, his household wine provision was curtest of Henry IV. [3] By 1404, he was captain of Calais. For the next few years he was on official duty for Henry IV as one of the two people negotiating a treaty with France and Flanders. [3] But this overseas engagement is the beginning of troubles that were to plague Thomas to the end of his life. His reports and dealings in Calais were apparently the cause of some international concern due to Thomas' lack of fluency in French and, one might infer, his abilities as a diplomat. His father was not retained for diplomacy, and there is no evidence that Thomas, as his father's heir, received the education necessary to succeed in this role. Additionally, Thomas' term as sheriff of Lincoln was marred by the escape of at least one prisoner, for which he was fined. The fine was forgiven; perhaps a realistic assessment of Thomas' financial condition, smoothed by his familial relationship with Henry IV and his half-brothers. That Thomas Swynford suffered financial problems is also suggested by a 1409 notice of his outlawry on account of indebtedness to a London draper. In this same year, he is also only late sheriff of Lincoln and as such is pardoned by the king of £116 of the £135 he owed as sheriff. Is it any surprise, then, that in 1411 he is making a desperate bid to try to obtain a reputed inheritance in Hainault? [3] In 1411, he tried to retrieve an inheritance in Hainault that had come to him through his mother. [1, 3] At his death, his inquisition post mortem shows he had alienated Coleby and Kettlethorpe as he held no lands in Lincoln. [3]
  Death	1432/33  [2, 3]
  Siblings	2 sisters
  1. Margaret Swynford,   b. Abt 1363   d. 1433  (Age 70 years) > 2. Blanche Swynford,   b. Abt 1366 ▻ Sir Thomas Morrieux,  m. 1381 > 3. Sir Thomas Swynford, Sheriff of Lincoln ,   b. 1366/67   d. 1432/33  (Age 66 years) ▻ Joan Crophill,  m. 1383 - 1393 ;   Margaret Grey, Lady Darcy
  Half siblings	2 half brothers and 1 half sister (family of John of Gaunt and Katherine Roet)
  + 1. Joan de Beaufort, Countess of Westmoreland,   b. 1379, Château de Beaufort, Luxembourg d. 13 Nov 1440, Howden, East Riding, Yorkshire, England  (Age 61 years) ▻ Sir Robert de Ferrieres of Willisham,  m. Before 30 Sep 1390 ;   Sir Ralph de Neville, KG, Earl of Westmoreland,  m. Before 3 Feb 1396/97 > 2. Sir John Beaufort, KG, Duke of Clarence,   b. Abt 1370   d. 16 Mar 1409/10  (Age 40 years) ▻ Margaret de Holand,  m. Before 28 Sep 1397 > 3. Henry Beaufort, Cardinal of St. Eusebius,   b. Abt 1375   d. 11 Apr 1447, Winchester, Hampshire, England  (Age 72 years) ▻ Alice FitzAlan
  Patriarch & Matriarch	Sir Hugh Swynford,   b. Abt 1340  (Father)  Katherine Roet,   b. 1350   d. 10 May 1403  (Age 53 years)  (Mother)
  Person ID, Branch	I21801
  Last Modified	29 Nov 2019

  
  

  Father	Sir Hugh Swynford,   b. Abt 1340
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Katherine Roet,   b. 1350   d. 10 May 1403 (Age 53 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Family ID	F6040	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Spouse / Partner 1	Joan Crophill   d. 1416 - 1421  [2, 3]
  Marriage	1383 - 1393  [3]
  Issue: 1. Catherine Swynford 2. Thomas Swynford (1406-____) [2, 3]
  Age at Marriage	He : ~ 26 years - She : ??.
  Family ID	F8064	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Nov 2019

  
  

  Spouse / Partner 2	Margaret Grey, Lady Darcy  [2, 3]
  Marriage	Issue: 1. William Swynford (____-1483) [2]
  Family ID	F8065	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Nov 2019

  
  

• Pedigree

  ← Click to display 1Sir Thomas Swynford, Sheriff of Lincoln (1366/67 – 1432/33) 2Sir Hugh Swynford(Abt 1340 – ) 4 5 3Katherine Roet(1350 – 1403) 6Sir Payne Roet, Guienne King of Arms(Abt 1309 – 1351) 7

  
  

• Sources 🟢 Primary Evidence 🟡 Secondary Evidence 🟠 Tertiary Evidence 🔴 Unreliable Evidence

  [S1456] Brook, Lindsay L. "The Ancestry of Sir Paon de Ruet, father-in-law of Geoffrey Chaucer and John of Gaunt" , (Chobham, Woking, UK: Foundations: Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, volume 1, January 2003). [S1457] Perry, Judy. "Katherine Roet's Swynfords: A Re-examination of Interfamily Relationships and Descent" , (Chobham, Woking, UK: Foundations: Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, volume 1, July 2003). [S1536] Perry, Judy. "Katherine Roet's Swynfords: A Re-Examination of Interfamily Relationships and Descent - Part 2", (Vowchurch, UK: Foundations: Journal of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, volume 1, January 2004).