William Sabine

William Sabine, also Sabyn or Sabyan (by 1491 – 11 April 1543), of Ipswich, Suffolk, was an English merchant, ship-owner, naval sea-captain and municipal figure.

[5][6] William was the son of John Sabyn, or Sabyan, Esq., who in 1516 received a life pension of a shilling a day for being in arms in the king's service.

[22] A few days after, on his homeward voyage, he chased a Spaniard, and next two French vessels off Orford Ness, finally putting into Orwell Haven, where he had left his boat.

[27] As a municipal leader in the town he was also its representative in Parliament in 1539, perhaps assisted by his association with Sir Ralph Sadler, whom he named supervisor of his probate.

[30] Upon the suppression of the Ipswich Blackfriars monastery in 1538, the site and conventual buildings were at first leased to Sabyn (who had premises adjacent), and were finally sold to him in November 1541, to hold in chief for the twentieth part of a Knight's fee.

[33] William Sabyn bore arms, Sable three bees [or flies] or, two and one, which appeared carved in stone, and in glass, in the church of St Mary Key, or at the Quay, Ipswich.

St Mary Key stands between the former curtilage of the Blackfriars and the historic quay of Ipswich: Henry Tooley's grave and monument were in the same church.