EPPES, William, of New Romney, Kent.

Of a family long settled in the New Romney district, Eppes was probably related to the Thomas Eppes who was twice mayor of that town and who, in 1584, was accused by William Southland of misconduct in the discharge of his office. Though repeatedly returned for his borough, the last time in 1576 to replace William Wilcocks for the last two sessions of the 1572 Parliament, little is known about him. On 18 Nov. 1566 he was given leave of absence from Parliament for eight days. A William Eppes, described as a ‘yeomen’ of Old Romney, holding lands in New Romney, died in 1596, leaving an heir William, aged 30, but it is not possible to identify him definitely with the MP.J. Cave-Browne, Marriage Reg. All Saints, Maidstone, 11; CPR, 1560-3, p. 499; Indexes of Table Bk. of Cinque Ports, 74; D’Ewes, 129; HMC 5th Rep. 553; Arch. Cant. xiii. 416; xx. 157; xxvi. 169; xxvii. 52; xli. 165; CSP Dom. 1581-90, pp. 167-8; C142/250/49.