John Browning (died 1416)

John Browning (c. 1369–1416) (alias Brounyng, etc.) of Melbury Sampford in Dorset and of Leigh near Deerhurst, Gloucestershire, was thrice a member of Parliament for Gloucestershire, in 1397, 1401 and 1414.^[2]

He was born in about 1369, the eldest son and heir of John Browning by his wife Alice Mautravers, a daughter and co-heiress of Sir John Mautravers, MP, of Hooke in Dorset (and a half-sister of John Maltravers, 1st Baron Maltravers (c.1290–1364)^[3]), by his second wife Joan Foliot, daughter and heiress of Sir Walter Foliot of Nantwich, Cheshire, and of Melbury Sampford in Dorset.

He married twice:

• Firstly at some time before February 1383, to Agnes Rodborough (c.1364-pre.1392), a daughter and co-heiress of William Rodborough of Leigh, near Deerhurst, Gloucestershire, by whom he had issue one son, who predeceased him, and one daughter:
  • Richard Browning (1387-1400), died an infant;^[4]
  • Cecily Browning, wife of Guy Whittington, MP, eldest son of Robert Whittington of Pauntley, and nephew of Richard Whittington, Mayor of London. She inherited several of her maternal Rodborough estates.^[5]
• Secondly, at some time before 1397, he married Eleanor FitzNichol, the younger daughter and a co-heiress of Sir Thomas FitzNichol, MP, of Hill near Berkeley Castle, in Gloucestershire, by whom he had two sons including:
  • John Browning (1397-1420), eldest son and heir,^[6] who besides his paternal inheritance also inherited various FitzNichol estates from his maternal grandfather. He died childless aged 23 when his heir became his younger brother William Browning.^[7]
  • William Browning (born 1400), thrice an MP for Dorset in 1439, 1450 and 1455.^[8]
• Thirdly, in 1408, he married Alice Berkeley (c.1379-1414), a daughter and co-heiress of Thomas Berkeley, MP, of Coberley, and widow of Thomas Bridges of Haresfield, Gloucestershire.^[9]

• Woodger, L. S., biography of "Browning, John (c.1369-1416), of Melbury Sampford, Dorset and Leigh near Deerhurst, Glos.", published in: History of Parliament: House of Commons 1386-1421, ed. J.S. Roskell, L. Clark, C. Rawcliffe., 1993 [2]