William Cosyn
William Cosyn was priest, a JP for Somerset from 1506–1516, and Dean of Wells Cathedral from 1498–1525. Biography William Cosyn was born between 1470 and 1475 in London to Robert Cosyn and his wife Elizabeth (née King). Robert Cosyn was a man of some standing in London. King Edward IV granted Robert the office of Controller of the Scrutiny of good passing through the port of London in 1461, a potentially lucrative position. By 1465, Robert was enough of a gentleman that he styled himself "Esquire", and also served as clerk of the King's Wardrobe. William's mother Elizabeth was the sister of Oliver King, eventual Secretary to Edward IV and Henry VII, and Bishop of Exeter. William had three surviving siblings, Lewis, Robert, and Elizabeth. Lewis attempted to follow his father in the service of the king, with some success, while his brother Robert (b. c. 1474) became a landowner in Somerset. William's sister Elizabeth married Sir John Philpot (d. 1502) in 1488, with a dowry of 400 marks and land in Middlesex from her uncle, Oliver King. Elizabeth had two sons with Philpot, named Piers and William, and managed several land holdings after her husband's death in 1502. While