John Chichester (died 1569)
Videos
Sir John Chichester (1519/20-1569) of Raleigh in the parish of Pilton, near Barnstaple in North Devon, was a leading member of the Devonshire gentry, a naval captain, and ardent Protestant who served as Sheriff of Devon in 1550-1551, and as Knight of the Shire for Devon in 1547, April 1554, and 1563, and as Member of Parliament for Barnstaple in 1559, over which borough his lordship of the manor of Raleigh, Pilton had considerable influence.
Small monumental brass (c. one ft high) in St Brannock's Church, Braunton, Devon, of Lady Elizabeth Bourchier (died 1548), daughter of John Bourchier, 1st Earl of Bath & wife of Edward Chichester (died 1522) of Raleigh, Pilton. She kneels at prayer before a prie dieu on which is an open book. Gothic text inscription under: "Here lyethe Lady Elyzabethe Bowcer daughter of John Erle of Bathe & sumtyme wyffe to Edwarde Chechester Esquyer the whyche Elyzabethe decessyd the XXXIIIth day of August in the yere of O_r Lorde God M Vc (i.e. 5*c)
Heraldic escutcheon on the monument to Sir John Chichester (died 1569) of Raleigh in Pilton Church, Devon. Showing arms of Chichester impaling Bourchier (Argent, a cross engrailed gules between four water bougets sable, here restored incorrectly as gules), representing the marriage of his parents
Heraldic panel on monument to Sir John Chichester (died 1569) in Pilton Church, showing his children and their marriage alliances
Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester of Eggesford in Devon, was Governor of Carrickfergus and Lord High Admiral of Lough Neagh, in Ireland.
Arms of Chichester of Eggesford: Chequy or and gules, a chief vair a crescent sable for difference
Monument to Edward Chichester (1568–1648), 1st Viscount Chichester, and his wife Anne Copleston (1588–1616), Eggesford Church, Devon. The heraldic achievement above shows an escutcheon of Chichester impaling Copleston, with the supporters of Chichester, two wolves and the Chichester crest of a heron rising with an eel in her beak proper. The Latin motto of Chichester is: Invitum Sequitur Honor, literally translated as "Honour follows against one's will", rendered generally as "Honour is awarded when unsought"
Heraldic escutcheon from monument to Edward, 1st Viscount Chichester (1568–1648), and his wife Anne Copleston (1588–1616), Eggesford Church, Devon. Arms of Chichester impaling Copleston: Baron: Chequy or and gules, a chief vair a crescent sable for difference (Chichester); Feme: Argent, a chevron engrailed gules between three lion's faces azure (Copleston), surmounted by the coronet of a viscount showing 9 of its 16 pearls. The difference of a crescent indicates the arms of a second son