Sir Henry Boynton (ca 1375 - 1405)
Beheaded, Northern Rising against Henry IV
Sir Henry Boynton is my 19th great grandfather by this path: RWA → Fred Pemberton Abbott → Arthur Merrill Abbott → Justin E. Abbott → Rebecca Boynton Abbott → Thomas Boynton → several generations left out → Sir Christopher Boynton → Sir Thomas Boynton → William Boynton → Sir Henry Boynton
The Boynton line can be traced back to the early 12th century and were landowners and knights. Sir Henry Boynton inherited the family lands and title in 1402 and had the misfortune to get involved with Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland during the reign of King Henry IV. Henry Percy was made Constable of England by King Henry IV. However, in 1403 Percy and his son Henry “Hotspur” Percy aligned with Edward Mortimer and rebelled against King Henry. Hotspur Percy was defeated at the Battle of Shrewsbury and killed there; his father was not charged with treason although he did lose his position. Two years later, another rebellion against the king in support of Richard le Scrope began. Sir Henry Boynton, who had been sympathetic with Percy in 1403, took a more active part in the 1405 rebellion along with several others including, again, Henry Percy. This rebellion was defeated, and Henry Percy fled to Scotland, but the other leaders were captured. Sir Henry Boynton was captured when he fled to Berwick Castle (the ruins of the castle are pictured). He was beheaded for his treason and the Mayor of Newcastle-on-Tyne, on order of the king, had his head displayed on a bridge of the town “to stay there as long as it would last.” However, after a month, his head was allowed to be taken down and returned to his wife for burial. All of Henry Boynton’s lands were forfeited and granted to Roger de Thornton, the Mayor of Newcastle-on-Thyne. The following year, a grant was made to the widow Elizabeth Boynton so she would have sufficient ability to care for her family.
Sir Henry Boynton married Elizabeth Conyers and they had six children the first born in 1393. My ancestor is William the second oldest son.
Source:
Collier, Carus Vail. 1914. An Account of the Boynton Family and the Family Seat of Burton Agnes. Middlesborough, England: William Appleyard & Sons.
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