Chapter XIV - The Proctorship of John Syclyng: Early Years, 1490–1496

Summary

Hurte, Fallan and Basset were elected into the proctorship of Godshouse from outside, Hurte from Clare, Fallan from his archdeaconry of London and his rectory of St Magnus there, Basset from his prebendal stall in the college of Stoke Clare. Byngham, from being in its early days the head of the college, under the name of ‘ordainer’, became its first Proctor when its royal founder issued his charter. Barton, fellow and lecturer, succeeded to the proctorship in the natural order of promotion, and was followed by Syclyng, a son of the house who had served his apprenticeship to the position as president of his predecessor. This last item of information comes from a statement made by John Syclyng himself in a formal document prepared under his instructions, if not written by his own hand, and used by him on a formal occasion in accordance with the statutes of Godshouse. In presenting the half-yearly statement of account to the fellows of Godshouse on 18 April 1491, he says that he does so ‘for the whole time in which he was occupied in the said office of Proctor and for the whole time in which he was occupied as president of Master Ralph Barton in the aforesaid office of Proctor immediately preceding’. As Syclyng was the last Proctor of Godshouse (the name of the college being changed to Christ's, and the description of its head to Master in his time) there were six Proctors in all, of whom three were chosen from within the college and three from without.