John Longstrother

LONGSTROTHER, JOHN (d. 1471), lord treasurer of England, was a knight of the order of St. John of Jerusalem. He was a favourite of Henry VI, who transacted business with him connected with his order in 1453. He then held the position of castellan of Rhodes. In 1454 he went to Rome, bearing messages from Henry to the cardinals. On 9 March 1469 he became English prior of the order of St. John, though a Lancastrian, and took an oath of fealty to Edward IV on 18 Nov. He joined, however, in Warwick’s rebellion of 1470, and on 20 Oct. swore fealty to Henry VI, and was appointed lord treasurer. On 16 Feb. 1470–1 he was sent into France to bring back Queen Margaret and Prince Edward, and landed with them at Weymouth on 14 April. At the battle of Tewkesbury he, with Lord Wenlock, had charge of the young prince, and after the battle took sanctuary in the abbey church with the Duke of Somerset and others. Edward promised them on 4 May a free pardon, but two days afterwards they were all tried and beheaded.

[Dugdale’s Monasticon, vi. 799; Paston Letters, ed. Gairdner, iii. 9; Rymer’s Fœdera, vol. xi. passim; Polydore Vergil’s Hist. of Engl., ed. Ellis (Camd. Soc.), p. 148, Warkworth’s Chron. (Camd. Soc.); Chron. of Rebellion in Lincolnshire (Camd. Misc.), i. 8, 23; Oman’s Warwick (Engl. Men of Action); Gairdner’s Richard III, pp. 16, 17.]

Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 34
Longstrother, John by William Arthur Jobson Archbold