Walter Culpeper, of Calais & Wigsell, Esq.

Walter Culpeper began life, like his grandfather, the squire of Agincourt for whom he was named, as a professional soldier; but, unlike his grandfather, he did not live to retire to his estates. The earliest record of him is on the page of national history, at the very end of his career.

The Chronicle of Calais (Camden Society, No. 35, p. 6) recites him in October, 1508 as under marshall of that town, present at the treaty for the marriage of Mary, daughter of Henry VII to the Duke of Burgundy, afterwards the emperor Charles V; and in that capacity there was assigned to him at the beginning of the next reign (July, 1509) a Crown tenement in Fisherstrete in Calais and an annuity of £20 out of the revenues of the town. Two years later, in November, 1511, being then recited a 'squire of the body' of Henry VIII, lie was granted also the post of bailiff of the Scavage of Calais and the isle of Colne (L. & P. Henry VIII, i, 47, 94, 298).

His crowding hour came in August, 1513, when his young master was engaged in the invasion of France to assert an outworn claim of inheritance of that realm, and it was Walter's fortune to be left for the moment in responsible command of the garrison of Calais. The chronicler Hall records (Holinshed iii, 580) that as the King lay before Therouanne on the Flemish border, the captain of Boulogue made a night foray on Calais seeking booty and to insult the invading English. Arriving with a thousand men at the bridge which defended the causey leading to the town, the Frenchman surprised the guard and captured the ordnance there mounted. Retaining 600 men at the bridge 'for a stale' he then dispatched the remaining 400 'into the marishes and meadows to fetch away the beasts and cattle which they should find there.' Some of these foragers approached so near the walls of Calais as to raise the alarm, whereupon:

"about five of the clocke in the morning the gate of Calis, called Bullongue gate, was opened, and by permission of the deputie one Culpeper, the under marshall, with two hundred archers under a banner of Saint George, issued forth,' and 'set so fiercelie on that finallie the Frenchmen were discomfited and four and twentie of them slaine, besides twelve score that were made prisoners and all the ordnance and bootie again recouered. These prisoners were brought to Calais and there sold in open market."

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Walter died before June 24, 1515 (when he was recited dead on the appointment of Sir H. Banaster to his bailiffry, L. & P. Henry VIII', ii, 168), leaving a will which bristles with as many old world weapons as a modern museum. The will was as follows:

14 Sept 1514

P.C.C. 16 Holder

I Walter Colepepir onder m'shall of the town of Calays. To be byried in the Resurreccon Chapell within Saint Nicholas Churche, to the whiche chapell my newe poleax and ij of my spere staffs myn Ermite and my swarde. To St George Chapell within the same Churche my cote of plate couered wt chamlet and myn old polleax. To Jhus (Jesus) Chapell wtin the seyd Churche my best Javelyn and a copyll of my spere stavys. Unto St John in the wall 6s Vnto the reparacons of the said Church of St Nicholas 10s. "I wyll that Anne my wyff haue all my lands lying within the Shyre of Kent and Sussex, or in any other place within the Realme of England during hir lyff and after hir decesse to remayne to the heires of my body lawfully begotten after the course of the comen lawe of Ynglond and laudable customes of the seyd Shyres of Kent and Sussex where the lond lyeth. To my seruants that ar sworne in the Retynewe her onder me and in my petie wags ther brigandynes folds standards saletts and musteryn cotes stavys and saletts that they wer wont to were at the musterys." To Richard Payn myn old seruant my gowne of marble colour furred. To Henry hacuplaynt my veluet doblet, my blak jacket and oon sheff of arowes. To Richard Borne my blak cote of cloth bordered with Sarsenet and oon sheff of arowes. To the Churche of Newenden for the discharging of my consciens of such duties as I owe to the same 4 m'ks sterling. Church of Gowtherst 40d sterling. Church of Sevenoke 3s. If the next heires of Thomas Ratlyff of Newenden will pay to my wyff £5 sterling then they shall have the croft and house place that was Thomaseys ther fader to theym and their heirs. Margaret Swayne my seruant my blak gowne lyned wt Sarcenet. To Nanne the bedrede woman's daughter oon payr of myn old hoses and ij of my shirts. To my cosyn Otewell Gaynesford my blak damask cote. To my cosyn George Gaynesford my damask cote of white and grene. To my cosyn Lewes Clyfford my crossebowe and wenlasse and my gune wth her apparel. To Henry Tetle my bowe case of tymbre and one sheff of arowes. My galberdyne of scarlet bordered with veluet to my sone Thomas. To my daughter Elizabeth Welford my grete lewte and oon dosyn of fyne dyaper napkins. To my brodyr Alexander Colepepyr my white harnesse complete. Residue to Anne Colepepyr my wyff to se me honestly byried, and to se Anthony and Willm our sonnys founde to schole. She is to be executrix. Wrytyn wt myn own hand. Witnesses Henry hacupleynt, Richard Borne and Willm Annyley. In the presence of Robert Wyndebanke and of John Wyndebanke who have subscribed ther names with ther own hands. Robert Wyndebank pson of Colne. John Wyndbank solgyer of Calays. Proved at Lambith 28 April 1516 by Anne the relict and executrix.

Source: Fairfax Harrison, "The Proprietors of the Northern Neck."