Richard Elyot

Who was Richard Elyot?

Sir Richard Elyot, SL was an English landowner and judge. He held large estates in Wiltshire and in 1503 became serjeant-at-law and Attorney-General to the Queen consort, Elizabeth of York. Soon afterwards he was commissioned to act as Justice of Assize on the western circuit, becoming in 1513 judge of the Court of Common Pleas.

His first marriage was with Alice, daughter of Sir Thomas de la Mare of Aldermaston House in Berkshire and widow of Thomas D'Abridgecourt of Stratfield Saye House in Hampshire. The marriage brought him a son and two daughters. The son became a well-known diplomat and author and one of his daughters was the mother of supposed literary writer George Puttenham. Richard later married Elizabeth, widow of Richard Fettiplace of East Shefford and daughter and heiress of William Bessels of Besselsleigh.