Submitted by legacy on
Family and Education
s. of Robert Soper by his w. Clemency.Hants RO, D/LY/7/25. m. (1) by 1420, Isabel (d. by 1435)CPL, vii. 337; Black Bk. (Soton Rec. Soc. xiv), ii. 59.; (2) by 1438, Joan, da. of Thomas Chamberlain and niece of William Chamberlain, s.p.CPL, viii. 579-80; Queen’s Coll. Oxf. God’s House, D432. She was not the widow of Richard Gould* as stated in HP, 1439-1509 ed. Wedgwood, Biogs. 782-3..
Offices Held

Steward, Southampton Mich. 1410–11; mayor 1416 – 17, 1419 – 20, 1424 – 25; alderman 1417 – 19, 1425 – 29, 1430 – 33, 1434–7.Stewards’ Bks. (Soton Rec. Soc. xxxv), i. p. vii; J.S. Davies, Hist. Southampton, 173; CPL, vii. 337; Black Bk. ii. 16, 18, 19, 27, 40, 43, 50–52; Southampton RO, SC4/2/255; CCR, 1435–41, p. 32.

Collector of customs and subsidies, Southampton 5 Nov. 1413-c.1446.

Commr. to build or repair the King’s ships, Southampton Feb. 1414, July, Dec. 1416, Nov. 1417, July, Dec. 1418, Feb. 1420, May 1429, June 1432, Nov. 1435; organize transport of soldiers to France from south coast ports May 1416, July 1418, Oct. 1419, May 1420, June 1423, Mar. 1436, May 1439, July 1440, Nov. 1441, July 1442, Mar. 1443, Dec. 1445; of inquiry, Suss., Hants, I.o.W. Apr. 1417, Dec. 1418, June 1421, July 1424, Dec. 1428, Mar. 1433, Jan. 1434, Jan. 1440, Feb. 1441, July 1448, Feb. 1451 (piracy, customs evasion and shipping), Oxon., Berks., Wilts., Hants July 1427 (concealed royal income) Hants July 1433 (treason and felonies), to hold musters, Southampton or Portsdown Nov. 1417, Mar., July 1418, Apr. 1419, Apr. 1420, May 1421, June 1430, May 1431, Dec. 1435, July 1436, May 1441, Aug. 1442, July 1443; organize works, Normandy Aug. 1419; of arrest, Hants, Devon July 1426, Dec. 1441; to raise a loan, Hants Mar. 1431; purchase wine for the royal household Feb. 1435; of array, Hants Jan. 1436, Mar. 1443; to confiscate smuggled goods, Southampton Apr., Oct. 1436, Dec. 1443, Sept. 1450; of gaol delivery, Winchester castle July 1445.

Surveyor of the King’s ships, 6 July 1418–20; clerk or keeper of the same 3 Feb. 1420 – 7 Apr. 1442; controller 1442–52.

Dep. butler, Southampton 22 Nov. 1418-Dec. 1422.

Verderer of the New Forest by 1428 – c.45.

Tax assessor, Hants Jan. 1436.

Parlimentarian
SOPER, William
Main residences: Southampton; London.
Notes

For fuller details of Soper’s life, and especially of his work as keeper of the King’s ships, see Navy of Lancastrian Kings (Navy Recs. Soc. cxxiii), 6-27.

Author
L.S.W.
Volume
Commons 1386-1421
Web Title

SOPER, William (-d.1458/9)

Will
Estates
Oxford 1644
No
Addresses
Religion
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