Sir Michael l'Arcedekne, MP

Family and Education 9th s. of Sir John Archdeacon† of Ruan Lanihorne, Cornw. by Cecily, da. of Jordan Fitzstephen of Haccombe, Devon. Kntd. by 1393.1

Offices Held

Biography With his elder brother Sir Warin† (knight of the shire for Cornwall in 1380 and 1382), Michael was an executor of their father’s will, which, although it was probably made in 1377, was not proved until 1390, long after his death. In 1378 he stood surety for Warin as tenant of some family lands in Cornwall. His own landed holdings at Combehall (where he was licensed by the bishop of Exeter to have an oratory) were insignificant when compared with Warin’s, for besides the Archdeacon estates in Cornwall and Devon, Warin’s marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of John, Lord Talbot, gave him a share in extensive lands in six other counties. Their grandfather, Thomas Archdeacon† had been summoned to Parliament as a baron, but the third generation was comparatively inactive in royal administration. Whether Michael owed his knighthood to military service has not been ascertained. He is not recorded after 1393 and died probably a long time before 1433, the year that another brother of his, Master Martin Archdeacon, made provision in his will for Michael’s remembrance.2

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Notes

For the many variants in spelling see Trans. Devon Assoc. li. 181-3.

Reg. Brantingham ed. Hingeston-Randolph, 559.

1. Trans. Devon Assoc. lii. 321; J. Maclean, Trigg Minor, iii. 256, 259; CP, i. 186-8; Peds. Plea Rolls ed. Wrottesley, 259. 2. Reg. Brantingham, 713; CCR, 1377-81, p. 206; Sel. Cases in Chancery (Selden Soc. x), 12; Reg. Chichele, ii. 477. Another Michael Archdeacon, his nephew or own illegitimate son, became treasurer of Exeter cathedral (Biog. Reg. Univ. Oxf. ed. Emden, ii. 1133-4).