John Cheyne

Sir John Cheyne (1410 – 20 June 1467) of Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, was an English landowner and politician. By 1445 he was King's serjeant-at-arms and was knighted by 1447. He was elected MP for Kent in 1449. In 1452 he became Victualler of Calais, and was appointed sheriff of Kent in 1454.

Family He was born in 1410, the son and heir of William Cheyne (d. 1441) and Eleanor, daughter and heir of John Salerne of Iden, Sussex and his wife, Agnes.

In around 1439 he married Eleanor, daughter of Sir Robert Shottesbrooke of Faringdon, Berkshire, by whom he had at least eight sons and a daughter: Edmund Cheyne (died young) William Cheyne (d. 1487), married firstly, Isabel Boleyn, daughter of Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, by whom he had a son, Sir Francis Cheyne and secondly, Margaret Young, by whom he had a son, Sir Thomas Cheyne. John Cheyne, Baron Cheyne. Edward Cheyne (b. 1438), Dean of Salisbury, 1486–1502. Robert Cheyne Roger Cheyne, of Woodhay, Berkshire, married Anne, daughter of Richard Stanley of Lancashire. John Cheyne Alexander Cheyne Humphrey Cheyne (died young) Edith Cheyne, married Sir William Sandys of The Vyne, with whom she had a son and a daughter: William Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys Edith Sandys (d. 1529), married, as his 2nd wife, Ralph Neville, Lord Neville (d. 1498), the son and heir of Ralph Neville, 3rd Earl of Westmorland She subsequently married, before 7 December 1499, as his 2nd wife, Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy. She died at Stepney on 22 August 1529 and was buried at the Friars Observant, Greenwich.

Career Like the Cheynes before him he entered royal service and by April 1445 he was King's serjeant-at-arms. Cheyne was a justice of the peace for Kent from 28 December 1447 to 17 November 1460. By 1447 he had received a knighthood and was elected MP for Kent in February 1449. The following year he took part in Jack Cade's rebellion, for which he was pardoned. He was Victualler of Calais from 13 February 1452 to 1459, and served as sheriff of Kent from 1454 to 1455

He received pardons in 1452, 1455, 1458, and again with other Lancastrian officials in February 1462, when to the usual style "of Eastchurch" is added "of Wodehay, Berks." With Gervase Clifton, Treasurer of Calais, he accounted for expenditure on works at Calais from 1452 to 1457.

He died on 20 June 1467. His heir, William, according to the inquisition post mortem, was then aged 27.