John Fettiplace of the London Drapers' Company, was the son of Thomas Fettiplace and Beatrice De Pinto of Portugal, b. abt 1386. He was the grandson of King John I of Portugal, great grandson of John of Gaunt* King of Castile & Leon and great-great grandson of King Edward III (1312-1377) King of England. He married Joan Fabyan with whom he had a son Richard Fettiplace.

John, the third son, was of the Household of King Henry VI and a citizen and draper of London. From the time of King Edward II, it was a fashion at Court for the nobility and gentry, and even Royalty itself, to become members of one of the great City Guilds. Thus Edward III, Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI, and Edward IV were all brethren of the Skinners' Company

Hence it is probable that John Fettiplace only followed the fashion of his day and, although belonging to the Drapers' Company, was not actually engaged in trade. Quite possibly his position at Court was owing to his mother's influence, or to the acknowledged fact of his connection with the Portuguese Royal House, and to these causes, and his probable acquaintance with the Portuguese language, may be attributed his employment by King Henry in carrying and presenting to the King of Portugal "a certain gilt garter, ornamented with pearls and flowers," for which service he received £40, "which the Lord the King commanded to be paid to the said John for his costs and expenses in carrying the said garter to the King of Portugal." The cost of this garter was considerable, the King paying no less than £66 13s. 4d. (a sum equivalent to about £1,200 at the present day) for it to Matthew Philips, the London Goldsmith.

John Fettiplace seems to have amassed much wealth during his residence in London, partly derived, no doubt, from his marriage with Joan Fabian, widow of John Horne, Alderman of London. He died in 1464, leaving his manors of East Shefford, Berks, and New Langport, Kent, to his eldest son Richard, and considerable sums of money to all his children. He also left money --------------

"For a closur to be maade aboute the tombe of my Fader and my Moder to renewe the remembraunce of hem" - and out of the residue of my goods, "I wol and biqueth that myn Executours therwith after their discrecons shall purchase and, bye londs and tents to the value of £V or VI by yere which londs and tents I wol by the moderacon ordinaunce and adoyse of myn Executours shall goo to the encresing and augmentacion of the parsonage of Shifford yerely for ewmore to thentent that the parson ther for the tyme beyng shall pray ppetually for my soule and for all myn Auncestres soules. And also to the Releuyng Refresshing and to the fynding and sustentacon of pour Almesmen ther for ewmore to pray for my soule." -----------

He seems to have preferred London to the country up to the last, for both he and his wife were buried in St. Margaret's Church, Lothbury, London, according to his last instructions, where a monument existed to their memory at the time that John Stow wrote his Survey of London. John Fettiplace left four sons, Richard, Anthony, Thomas and William, and a daughter Margaret, married to Marmaduke Beke of Whiteknights, Berks, whose family had obtained a, grant of this Manor in the time of Henry IV.

John Fettiplace and Joan Fabian had five chilldren: Richard Fettiplace ; Anthony Fettiplace ; Thomas Fettiplace ; William Fettiplace and Margaret Fettiplace (who married Marmaduke Beke) ------------------------------------------

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op =GET&db=amandataylor&id=I10094