The Stoughtons were prominent figures in Guildford in the early fifteenth century. John Stoughton† junior represented the borough in the Parliament of 1419, and his older namesake attested the returns of the knights of the shire for Surrey at elections held in Guildford on eight occasions between 1407 and 1422. He was joined in the shire court by other kinsmen a number of times. The most important member of the family was Thomas Stoughton, an attestor of indentures for 20 of the Parliaments summoned between 1407 and 1437, active in county administration as a coroner,
In the winter of 1458-9 Stoughton found himself in serious trouble and faced with the forfeiture of his property. Accordingly, he placed his goods and chattels in the hands of the Essex esquire Henry Lewis on 1 Dec. 1458, and on the following 1 Jan. he authorized Lewis to enter all his property at Stoke, Shaldford and Guildford, receive all rents and services due there, and prosecute in the law-courts any actions as seemed needful for Peter’s advantage. Four days later he procured royal letters of attorney as going overseas. His destination and the purpose of his journey are not recorded, but there can be little doubt that he was intent on fleeing prosecution for serious criminal activities. That same month indictments presented before the j.p.s at Guildford alleged that he (here accorded the alias of Cradeler), had in December 1457 organized an armed raid on the house of Thomas Wynnale of St. Nicholas’s parish in Guildford, from which he had stolen a large quantity of household goods, including cloth and pewter vessels worth a total of £10. Furthermore, less than 12 months later, in September 1458, he had committed another felony by stealing six horses worth £6 from Richard at Lee, one of his neighbours at Stoke.