1347 & 1348 JOHN HAYWARD,
(The Lord Earl's Receiver of Leicester).
(39)
A prominent townsman and representative of the resident earl, who occupied the position of Receiver of the Honour of Leic. for some years. His parentage has not been clearly established, neither has the entry of his admission as a gildsman been found. His name, however, occurs in the tallage roll of 1336 as "John Hayword clericus" and he with his predecessor, Waynhouse, and John Cook, mayor in 1360, are separately named in a deed of 1343.
John Hayward was one of the original founders, in 1343, of the religious gild of Corpus Christi, a brother-hood as previously stated, closely associated with the civic body, which formerly had its altar in St. Martin's church. He was mayor two years in succession and as John "Receyveour" he represented the borough in Parliament in 1348. He resided for several years in the "Swines Market," now High Street, was living according to the tallage roll in 1354, and appears to have died about 1357, being followed in the office as receiver by John Cook, of whom mention will be found later (No. 44). His widow Alice, was living in 1361. John Hayward, presumably a son of this mayor, was admitted into the gild merchant in 1343-4.
(parliament met by adjournment at Leic., 31 March 1349, the king, Edward III, attending).
