John Basset (1518–1541)

He died a year after the arrests, from an unknown illness, but his siblings all went on to have successful careers, especially his younger brother James, mostly as royal courtiers, apparently unaffected by the crisis.

[2] His siblings included:[3] John's first ten years of childhood were probably spent at his father's principal seats of Umberleigh in Devon and Tehidy in Cornwall.

After his father's death in 1528 John was brought up by his mother Honor Grenville and stepfather, Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle (d. 1542), Lord Deputy of Calais, uncle of King Henry VIII.

Husee wrote the following letter to Lady Lisle on 27 January 1535:[16] "My humble duty premised unto your good ladyship...Mr Basset is all out of apparel.

And less than here written he cannot have to be anything likely apparelled as appertaineth to his birth...Bremelcum would have a new coat, for he hath but one..."By 12 October 1538 the 20-year-old John had been placed in the household of Thomas Cromwell, Lord Privy Seal, chief minister to King Henry VIII.

Lady Lisle was at this time petitioning Cromwell over the complex legal issues which were separating her son John from his Beaumont inheritance.

At first John served as a waiter, which involved him being admitted every day to Cromwell's audience chamber when suitors presented their suits to the Lord Privy Seal.

However the indenture allowed for Sir John Basset and any future wives of his to retain possession of Umberleigh and lands in Bickington during their lives.

During the time when the agreement was operative the deeds to the properties concerned were kept in safe custody by Richard Coffin (1456–1523)[23] of Portledge, Sheriff of Devon in 1510,[24] the Beaumont's tenant at Heanton Punchardon and at East Hagginton[25] (in the parish of Berrynarbor), who was clearly trusted by both parties,[26] and whose Easter Sepulchre tomb survives in the chancel of Heanton Punchardon church.

[29] The matter of John Basset's inheritance had not been resolved at the time of his death in 1541, despite intervention at the highest level from his master Thomas Cromwell.

One of the witnesses to his will was his fellow North Devonian, the lawyer George Rolle (d. 1552),[38] who had done much to assist his mother and step-father in attempting to recover his Beaumont inheritance.

[39] He bequeathed all his estates in Devon, Cornwall and Wiltshire to his wife Frances for her life, "towards her living and advancement", whom he appointed his sole executrix and to whom he left all his goods and chattels.

He listed his manors of Trevalga and Femarshall in Cornwall; Whitechapel, Holcombe, Upper Snellard, and lands in the parish of Chudleigh in Devon; and Calston in Wiltshire.