7 - Life and death

Summary

Life began for John Chesilden II on St Valentine's Day, Wednesday 14 February, 1425 at Seaton in Rutlandshire. Although the Chesildens normally resided in Rutland, they had landed interests in Northamptonshire and, after 1428, in Leicestershire, too, when John II's grandmother, Anne or Amice, inherited the manor of Allexton from her mother, Margaret Burgh. Within a few hours of John II's birth, the stage had been set for his first public appearance in the near-by parish church of All Hallows. Before the day was out, John would be baptised here and given the name which his father also bore. But first, John senior despatched a rider, William Baxter, to fetch lady Elizabeth Longford to be his son's godmother. Meanwhile, the church was made ready; John Club carried fire to light the candles and John Murdok brought water to fill the font. Once these preparations were complete and Elizabeth Longford had arrived, a procession set out from the Chesilden's house to travel the short distance to All Hallows. Apart from John Chesilden senior and Elizabeth Longford, most of those present were probably neighbours, household servants and local tenants. There is no indication that the infant's mother attended the baptismal service. Her presence was not required and her first post-natal visit to the church would follow some days later for the ceremony known as ‘churching’.