John Northampton

John Northampton was a citizen of London his whole life, from a decent-sized family (two brothers and two sisters). He became a cloth merchant and a member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers, founded in 1361 and one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies (among the 114 that operated in London). At its founding he was named one of the "upholders," so he was probably well-known and respected at the time.He had some trouble with the law, however. Records from 1365, 1369, and 1371 show he was warned to keep the peace and refrain from affrays in the streets. An affray was a fight that becomes so large that it frightens others. The 1371 incident was so serious that King Edward III summoned the mayor (John Bernes, himself a mercer and member of the same guild) and aldermen an d leaders of the guilds to swear to keep the peace. John Northampton and eleven others were imprisoned in the Tower of London for a time.Despite all this, he was considered a good enough candidate for sheriff that he…