Commr. to distribute a tax allowance, Wilts. May 1373; of oyer and terminer Feb. 1375; inquiry Sept. 1377 (illegal confederations), Hants Jan. 1383 (piracy), Cornw. Mar. 1383 (maritime suit), Wilts. Mar. 1400 (dissensions at Amesbury priory); to put down rebellion, Hants, Wilts. July 1381, Wilts. Dec. 1381, Mar., Dec. 1382; of array, Hants, Wilts. July 1381, Wilts. Dec. 1399; arrest, Cornw. Feb. 1383; gaol delivery, Old Sarum Mar. 1384; to determine appeals against judgements in the ct. of chivalry Jan. 1386, Feb., Mar., May 1394, June 1395, Feb. 1396, in the ct. of admiralty Oct. 1391, Nov. 1393, Aug. 1396; investigate encroachments on the admiral’s jurisdiction by the civic authorities of London Jan. 1391; of weirs, Wilts. June 1398.
Surveyor of the forests of Chippenham, Melksham and Pewsham, Wilts. 5 Dec. 1373 – d.
Ambassador to Aragon 30 Oct. 1377 – 4 May 1378, 20 June 1378.
Jt. warden, Savernake forest, Wilts. 28 June 1381-c.1382.
Keeper of Marlborough castle and surveyor of Savernake forest 28 Mar. 1382 – d.
Adm. to the south and west 22 May 1382 – 23 Nov. 1383, to the north and west 21 May-22 June 1389.
J.p. Wilts. 20 Dec. 1382 – Mar. 1386, 28 June-Nov. 1396.
Dep. marshal of England bef. Mar. 1385, Jan.-Mar. 1394.
Capt. of Brest by 8 Jan. 1386-c. May 1388.
Alnager, Wilts. 20 Nov. 1388–8 Mar. 1389.
Sheriff, Wilts. 7 Nov. 1390–21 Oct. 1391.
Care has been taken to distinguish him from his father, from John de Roches† (d. bef. 1349), father-in-law of Sir Bernard Brocas* (M. Burrows, Fam. Brocas of Beaurepaire, 323), and from the Sir John Roches (d.1376) whose family held lands in Wales and Ireland (CP, xi. 43-44). It was probably our John’s father who was constable of Taunton castle by appointment of Bishop Edington of Winchester from bef. May 1355 until Edington’s death in 1366: Reg. Langham (Canterbury and York Soc. liii), 321.
ROCHES, Sir John (c.1333-1400)