Wawn Family Records - Part 4

CHAPTER IV. 1451—1550.

ACCORDING to Barfield's History of Thatcham, co. Berks., John Pury, the son of "Thomas Purye servant to Kinge Henery the 4th," and Mawde daughter of William Atmore, had married as his first wife Elizabeth, sister to Sir John Lysle, kt., prior to 1439 in which year a granta was made to him of the office of keeper of the park and of the warren of Crookham. His wife, Elizabeth, was associated with him in this grant. On the death of Elizabeth, John Pury married as his second wife, Isabell, daughter b of ......... Wawne, of Beverley, esquire, before

1445, and it appears that a fine dated at Westminster fifteen days from Trinity 23 Henry VI [1445] was levied between John Pury, esquire, and Isabella, his wife, plaintiffs, and John Lysle, knight, and Ann, his wife, deforciants, of the manorc of " Chambrehous" and of eight messuages, one mill, 500 acres of land, 50 acres of meadow, 140 acres of pasture, 50 acres of wood and 100 acres of marsh in "Thachamd and Crokeham," whereby John and Ann conveyed the same to John Pury with warranty against Edmund, abbot of Westminster, and his successors for ever, for the sum of 300 marks of silver. The lands comprised in this fine no doubt included the manor house of Chamberhouse where John Pury afterwards was settled, for by license dated at Westminster the 16th November 1447 he was permitted to fortify and embattle his manor house and the moat was made at the same time, the place then being

(a) Subsequently confirmed by the Duke of Clarence by deed dated 1475. In 1460, Richard Neville, earl of Warwick, "the Kingmaker," was seised of the manor of Crookham. His daughter, Anne Neville, became the wife of Richard III, whose sister Elizabeth, cousin to Richard Neville, was wife to John de la Pole, duke of Suffolk.

(b) Neither the Harleian MSS. (No. 1412, p. 29) in the British Museum nor Barfield states she was heiress of her father.

(c) The manor of Chamberhouse was part of Crookham manor till the fifteenth century when it received the rights and privileges of a separate manor by royal grant.

(d) Thatcham, near Newbury, Berks.

known as Chamberhouse Castle. According to Barfield this license "shows the favour with which John Pury was regarded by the King."

Another fine dated at Westminster in Michaelmas Term, 26 Henry VI [1448] was levied between John Pury and Isabella, his wife, plaintiffs, and William, Marquis and Earl of Suffolk, a and Alice, his wife, deforciants, of 10 messuages, 100 acres of land, 20 acres of pasture, 10 acres of meadow, 6 acres of wood, and 4 solidates of rent in "Thatcham, Coldthorp and Henwyke." The Marquis and Alice conveyed the premises to John and Isabella for the sum of 200 marks of silver.

The death of John Pury occurred after 1475—probably in the year 1484; he was buried in Thatcham Church. He had by his first wife one child only, a daughter, Margery, who died without issue. By his second wife Isabell (or Isabella) he left an only daughter Anne Pury, who married between 1470 and 1475 Sir William Danvers, knt, who on the 5th February, 1488/9, became one of the Justices of Common Pleas, and died in I504.b A great-grandson of Sir William Danvers and his wife Dame Anne (Pury) was Sir Henry Docwra, 1st Lord Docwra of Culmore.

In the Public Record Office is the following Bill of Complaint in Chancery, the date being apparently between 1436 and 1467:— To the Reurent ffader in god and our right goode and gracious lord the Bisshop of wynchestr Chaunceller of Englond.——Lowly besechen your pore Orator Robrt Landesdale and Agnes his Wife Doughter to Simond Waughen that Where oon William yarom

(a) William de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, commander of the English army in France ; became marquis and later duke of Suffolk; was accused of various crimes, exiled and murdered at sea on the 31st (sic) April, 1450. His son, John de la Pole, duke of Suffolk, married Elizabeth Plantagenet, sister to Richard III, and died in 1491.

(b) He was born about the year 1430 and in 1467 sat in Parliament as member for Taunton and again for the same borough in the Parliament of 1472. He became one of the King's Justices de banco on the 17th December, 1487; buried in the church at Thatcham. Dame Anne Danvers died in the year 1531, when she must have been of a great age, and was buried in Thatcham church where the tomb of herself and her husband, now greatly defaced, may be seen. One of the escutcheons formerly upon the tomb but which had been torn off before Dr. Rawlinson's visit in 1717 bore the arms of Waghen, a fess wavy between three swans, quartered with those of Pury. (See MacNamara's Memorials of the Danvers Family).

Citezine and Mercer of the Cite of yorkea made his testament and ordeyned and made katrine his Wyfe executrix and Richard Gonneby and oon Thomas hertford coexecutoures with the said katrine of his said testament the whiche William yarom............

and by his said testament gafe and graunted to the said Agnes your said nowe pore suppliaunt in helpyng to her manage xx mark of money to have be paied to hur of his goodes After his deth by the hands of the said executoures of his said testament as in his said testament pleynly it apperith And after that the said William yarom Deied After whose Decese ther come Divrs goodes and catellis of the said William to the possession of the said katrine Richard and Thomas as executours of the said testament of the said William to value of the somme of ijm mark And your said nowe suppliaunte after the Deeth of the said William hath Diurs tymes come to the said executours they thenne so beyng possessed of the said goodes of her said testator And them hauen Required for to paie and deliuer to the said Agneis the said xx mark According to thentent and will of her said testator And that for to doo they vtterly haue denyed And yet don to the grete hurte of your said pore suppliaunte and ayenst the said entente and wille of her said testator and to grete perell of her owne soules Wherfor plese it your goode and gracious lordiship to consider these premisses and the grete pourte of your said nowe pore suppliaunte And to graunte Diurse Writtes of sub pena to be seurally Directed to the said executours comaunding them to Appere Afore the king in his Chauncerie at a certayne Day vppon a certeyne peyne by your gracious lordiship lymmyte and sette the said executours ther thanneb of these prmisses be examined And theruppon ther to be charged for to doo as goode faith and consciens requyren And your said Oratours shall eur pray to god for you.—Pleg. de prs, Robtus ffaukener, Thomas Bekenell, de villa de Sti. Albans.c

(a) The will of William Yarom, of York, mercer, is dated the 31st August, 1436, and proved at York the 18th September, 1436 (Vol. 3, fol. 466). Adminstration of Thomas Hertford, of York, bower, was granted at York the 8th October, 1467 (Vol. 4, fol. 245). A reproduction of this Bill of Complaint forms one of our illustrations.

(b) i.e., then.

(c) Early Chan. Proc., Bundle 26, No. 156. It is difficult to understand how two men of St. Albans came to be sworn to prosecute the action.

On the 25th July, 1455, by the patronage of the Prioress and Convent of Swyne, Sir Thomas Waghen, priest, was instituted as incumbent of the church of Swine, which incumbency he resigned on or shortly before the 25th November, 1466.a

In the Acts of the Chapter of the Collegiate Church of Saints Peter and Wilfred, Ripon, the following entry appears:— 11th June 1455. Johannes Leche, Barbour, de Westgatt, dicitur fornicasse cum Christiana Waune de Alhalowhyll. Citatus non comparuit, ideo suspensus; postea comparuit et optinuit statum, et fustigatus ter circa ecclesiam pro contumacia, et articulum fatetur, et habuit vj fustigaciones circa ecclesiam.b

In the reign of Henry VI, and probably between 1456 and 1460, certain proceedings in chancery were brought by William Midylton against John de Cottyngham, alleging that the defendant assaulted and attempted to murder the plaintiff in the church of Waghen in Holderness and still laid in wait for him so that he dared not abide in the neighbourhood. The Bill of Complaint runs "To my graciouse Lorde of Wynchestre, the chauncellor of England compleines Willm midylton of Waugh'n in Holdernesse in als mykill alsc John de Cotyngh'm gentylman of Waugh'n forsayde with certeigne men of his wapynd and armed that es to say John of Wagh'n husbandman Thomas Warde husbandman Robert de Bate wryght and John West wryght with thair force of ye same Toune forsayde maliciously agayns ye kingis pece and rebelliously agayne ye gournours of ye devyne servyce of ye kyrk of Waugh'n forsayde in servyce time opon Seint Stevyn day ye last in ye same kyrke woulde haf slayne me wt ane polle axe and all ye pepyll and ye preste so affrayde at ye levation tyme clappyd saume ye buke for ferid And I for drede of my

(a) Poulson's Holderness, Vol. II, p. 208.

(b) Surtees Society,Vol.LXIV,p.62. The account of Leland in his Itinerary, "geven of him as a Newe Yeares Gyfte to King Henry the VIII in the xxxvii Yeare of his Raygne" states, "There apperith by the Est North Est at the Toune End of Ripon a great Hill cast up in a playn Close, bering now the Name of Ilshowe Hille, wher be al likelihod hath beene sum great Forteres in the Britons tyme. And at the very North Ende of the Toun in a side of a Close behind the Bisshops Palace is another Hille lyke a Kepe of a Castel, bering the Name of Alhalowis Hilles. So that one of the Hilles standith directely set agayn the Conspect of the other." (Yorksh. Arch. Soc. Jour., Vol. X, p. 332).

dedea habade still in ye same kyrke of Seint Petr Fraunchiss' x hourez lange and ye foresayde John de Cotyngh'm John Thom's Robert and John wt thair force en armed and wapened ligand styll in ane awayte in ye kyngis way and aboute ye same kyrke to haf slayne me if I had comyn out of ye kyrke and no man durst him arest to ye pece and that same John de Cotyngh'm proferd oponly to ye gwhylk of tham forsayde that might haf killed me soulde haf had xx noblis for my dede Als it is opynley knawen to all ye toune and ye contreth for ane word I spak in ye kyrke that it wer better bell unrogne at ye saunt tyme than the messe unsogne and I nevr sen that day hidirward durst ther habyde in ye contree for drede of my dede for that John de Cotyngh'm and his force forsayde in harmyng and in costs of me and mine xxli & wharfore lyke it to yhour graciouse lordeschip in saveyng of my lyfe and ye Kynges pece and ye state of yat kyrke of Seint Petr Fraunchesse and my harmes Graunte a writ sub pena for this forsayde John de Cotyngh'm and his iiij felaughes in propir personez to com' by for yhour self for ye luf of God and by way of charite.—Pleg'. de prs, Joh'es Waghen de Siggeston in com' Ebor', Joh'es Hakyns de London."b

Dated at York, 3rd March, 1467/8, is a grant by William Wright, citizen and weaver of York, and Marion his wife, to John Cawood, vicar choral in the cathedral church of S. Peter of York, and chaplain at the altar of S. Stephen, and his successours, chaplains at the said chantry, of a yearly rent of 13s. 4d., which he and the chaplains his predecessors have received, time out of mind, at Martinmas and Whitsuntide, from a tenement in Colyergate, which William and Marion now inhabit, lying in breadth between a tenement late of Simon de Waghen and a tenement belonging to a chantry in the church of S. Saviour of York; to pray for the souls of William and

(a) Drede of my dede, i.e., dread of my death.

(b) This Bill of Complaint is printed in Cal. Chan. Proc., Vol. I, Record Commission, p. xx, but it had been badly copied before being printed, the mistakes being repeated in Poulson's Holderness, Vol. II, p. 288, where "Siggeston" is given as "Suggestan." The original has been referred to, however (Early Chan. Proc., Bundle I, No. 27), at the Public Record Office, where the word is clearly "Siggeston," i.e., Sigglesthorne, 8 miles north-east of Beverley.

Marion, and of Adam Helmesley and Sir George Helmesley, chaplain, brother of Marion. a

In 1477 the cutlers of York prayed the Corporation of the city to make or sanction certain bye-laws or ordinances for the regulation of their craft. The petition is in mediaeval French as follows: A lours treshonurables et tresreverentz seignours les meir et aldremans de la citée Deverwyk supplient lours poveres concitiens les cottellers de mesme la citee; cestassavoir, John Waghen, Robert Wylton, Henry Flett, Johan Beleby, Johan Cryspyn, Thomas Davison, William Birstall Albryght, William Arnald, Peter Passard et William Pertt, que les ordeignances souz escript pourrount estre gardez pur loneste et amendement de lour dite artifice et commune profeit du poeple; cestassavoir ............(Then follow a number of ordinances). b

On the 24th November, 1480, a dispensation was issued by Julian, cardinal-bishop of St. Sabina, for Richard Wawan and Margaret Sourbuts to marry, although related in the fourth degree. The dispensation appears to have been confirmed the 26th November, 9th Sixtus IV.c

By a codicil to the will of William Copeley, dated the I5th March, 1489/90, the testator gave "To Mores Waghan my tables

(a) Surtees Society, Vol. CXXV, York Memorandum Book, II, p. 233.

(b) Surtees Society, Vol. CXX, York Memorandum Book, p. 133.

(c) Surtees Society, Vol. XLV, Wills and Inventories III, p. 345. It seems a pity the dispensation was ever granted, for it appears to have been acted upon and trouble arose in after years as a result. The entries following are given exactly as recorded in the records of the Duchy of Lancaster (Calendarium Inquis. post Mortem, Ducatus Lancastriae published by the Record Commissioners, 1823) and they tell their own story :

27 Eliz. (1585) T. 5. Nicholas Wawne, plaintiff, and Thomas Sowrebutts, defendant, concerning lands called Farrehouse Feilde and the Byrkes lying near Stowdley Broke, Longridge, and other lands. Places, Chippin, Wheatley, Thorneley, Comberall, Whittingham, Stowdley River, all in co. Lanc.

32 Eliz. (1590) R. I. John Roodes, for himself and Robert Wawne, plaintiffs, and John Seed, as mortgagee, defendant, concerning a messuage and lands called the Stidd and Towne, Cleyton Halghe, and other specified lands, as mortgaged to defendant. Place, Ribchester, co. Lanc.

34 Eliz. (1592) A. 21. Attorney General, by Edmund Wawne, plaintiff, and Thomas Heaton, Robert Sharpies and Robert Parker, in right of Christopher Anderton, defendants, concerning felons goods and chattels, upon attainder for the murder of Thomas Beesley. Places, Lancaster, Chippin, in the county of Lancaster.

34 Eliz. (1592) Vol. XV, No. 6. Inquisition post mortem of the lands etc. of Edmund Wawne; messuag' terr' bosc' &c., Astley in Whyttinghame, Wheatley, Chippin, co. Lancastr'.

35 Eliz. (1593) A. 19. Attorney General, on attainder Of Edmund Wawne, convicted of murder of Thomas Besley, and in right of Christopher Anderton, plaintiff, and Thomas Robinson and Thomas Heaton, defendants, concerning the goods and chattels of felons in the county Palatine of Lancaster.

and my rounde table." The will and codicil were proved at York the 21st December, 1490. a

A Bill of Complaint b filed in the Star Chamber circa 1497 "To the kyng our soueraign lord, Humbly shewyth and complenyth unto your hyghnes your daly bedeman Myles Willesthorp'c in your Countie of the Citie of york esquier, that where Marmaduke, Abbot of Fountance, William Gascoigne, knyght, William Thwates, Thomas Dauell, Sethe Snawsell, William Norton, William Middelton' of Popilton', Gentilmen, and William Nelson of your said Citie of York, marchand, with diuers other inhabitantez within your said Citie iij yeres past haue unlaufully confederyd thame selus to geder that yche of thame shuld aide mayntene and assist oder in all causez that thei or any of thame had or shuld haue to doo, or wold take ouer hand agayn your said subget" and complains that " in the brech of your lawez and peas" (inter alia) "Item in Aprell in the xijthe yere of your moste noble reigne [1497] William and Nicholas Gascoigne, William Norton, gentilman, Richard Bynkys, Raufe Kirkeby, John Lupton, Richard Langton, Richard Ketilwell, James Bebe, James Wawen,d Thomas Graunge, John Notyngham, William Wryght, Thomas Gaton, Miles Coke, William Thomlynson, James Leke, Perys Dewes, with oder to the nombre of cc persons, unlaufullie stirred by the procurement and assistaunce of the said confedratours and by there seuerall commandmentez, riotoselie assembled, defensable araid in maner of warre, uppon Marston Moree within your said Countie of your said Citie to thentent to poule doon the pale of the parke of the said Milez at Willesthorp' aforesaid, and to the same unlaufull entent

(a) Surtees Society, Vol. LIII, Testamenta Eboracensia, IV, p. 50. Mores, i.e., Maurice. There is a church of St. Maurice in Monkgate, York, which in 1585 was united to Holy Trinity, Goodramgate. (Drake's Eboracum, Vol. II, p. 166). The testator, William Copley, was the son and heir of Sir Richard Copley, of Batley. He was a lawyer and made a large fortune. He married for his second wife Margaret, dau. of Sir William Ryther of Ryther but left no issue by either wife.

(b) This Bill of Complaint it must be remembered would be drawn up by counsel for the complainant and would paint the incidents referred to in their worst colours.

(c) Of Wilstrop, in the parish of Kirk Hammerton, between York and Knaresborough. He married Agnes, who was the daughter of Sir Ralph Bigod and Margaret, his wife, daughter of Sir Robert Constable.

(d) Variously spelt Wawen, Wawyn' and Walwen in this document.

(e) Marston Moor is close to Wilstrop Park and was afterwards the site of the battle of Marston Moor in 1644.

opynly and riotoslie there abode as men redy to fyght, unto such tyme as Sir Cristofer Warde, Sir Richard Cholmeley, knyghtez, and dyuers oder persons by the commandment of Thomas, erle of Surrey, and of the reverent fader in God, the bisshop' of Karlile, come theder, and in your name soueraigne lord commaunded the said riotes persons to departe thens, which commaundment notwithstandyng, they wold not depart unto such tyme as they presumptuouslie with force and armes riotously pulled downe a parcell of the said pale; Item, uppon Sonday next after xijth day last past [Jan. 12th, 1498/9] in the mornyng John Kighley, Herry Gascoign, Robert Preston, John Rad, George Pykerd, Bryan Pullan', John Pullan', John Tapolyng, Thomas Rousley, Xpofer Gilliot,a William Cledhows, Richard Dyconson, William Thomlynson, Robert Askham, John Abbey, William Taillor, John Oxton, Richard Ivys, James Wawen, Richard Fyssher, Raufe Kirkby, John Lupton and Richard Bynkys, seruantez and tennantez to ye seid Sir William Gascoign, William Thwate, Thomas Davell, and Seth Snawsell, with other to ye nombre of c persons and aboue, araid in forme of warre, come to ye place of your said subget at Willesthorp' aforesaid and there riotously and cruelly cast doon in dyuers placez of the said park xl rode of pale and hege of your said beshechere, and there riotusly entred and hunted in the said parke and killed dyuers dere; and after the grete nombre of the said rioters the same Sonday in masse tyme, litell regardyng the gode tyme, haueyng no drede of God nor fere of punysshyng of your lawys, gracious lord, in the same riotous assemble from thence rode to Tokwithb in ye said Countie, and there abode all the same day to nyght in ye same assemble, and dyuers and many of thame, havyng unfittyng langgage agayn the said Miles, conspiryng his utter distruccion, oppynly sayng that they wold repare agayn to the said parke and dwellyng place of ye said Miles, and make serch for hym, and if thei myght fynde hym to sle hym." c

(a) Christopher Gilliot. The Greek letters XP (Chr), joined in a monogram, to signify the name of Christ, were borne on the Labarum, a Roman military standard adopted as the imperial standard after Constantine's conversion

(b) Tockwith is nine miles west of York and about three miles south of Kirk Hammerton.

On the last day of November, 1500, probate of the will of John Vergan, of Sutton in Holderness, was granted at York to Robert Vergan, his son, and Margaret, his wife, the executors named in his will.a

In 1505 died Richard Wawne, chaplain, who between 1490 and the date of his death had, by the patronage of the Lord of Sutton, been instituted the incumbent or chaplain of the Fourth Chantry of the Collegiate Church of Sutton in Holderness. The actual date of his institution is not given.b

The will of Robert Vargan, of Sutton in Holderness, is proved at York and is extracted as follows:—

In the name of God Amen the xiiijto day of the month of July 1505 I Robert vargan of good and sane mind publish my will in this manner In the first place I leave my soul to God Almighty to the Blessed Mary and all the saints and my body to be buried in the church of St. James at Sutton Likewise I leave for my mortuary my best animal Likewise I leave for forgotten tithes iiijd. Likewise to the Abbat of swyn iijd. Likewise to the Mother Churches iiijd.c Likewise to Sir John Ward ijd.d Likewise to the fabric of the church of Sutton xld. Likewise to William Clerk and his wife one cow Likewise to William Shakles one sheep To the son of Robert Shakles one sheep To Wm. Gudell...... To Robert Sprott......To Henry Casson one bushell of barley...... To Robert Clerk...... To William Shakles...... To William Clerk...... Residue to Margaret my wife whom I ordain my executrix and William Clerk and William Shakles supervisors Witnesses Sir John Ward chaplain William Shakles Robert Shakles Edward Colman William Smyth and others.

(Probate of the said Will granted at York the 4th October 1505)e

The will of Stephen Wanhe, of Stoneferry, is dated the 10th April, 1509, and is as follows:—

(a) Vol. 3, fol. 326, Probate Act. The will is not registered.

(b) Poulson's Holderness, Vol. II, p. 335. It appears John Ward, priest, was instituted as chaplain of the Fourth Chantry in 1490.

(d) Apparently the same John Ward, chaplain of Sutton, where he must have remained after the institution of Richard Wawne, and the same John Ward is mentioned in the will of Stephen Wanhe dated 10th April, 1509.

(e) From the original probate entry in abbreviated Latin in the York Probate Registry, Vol. 6, fol. 151.

In the name of God Amen the tenth day of the month of april in the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and nine I Stephan Wanhe of stoneferre of sound mind and perfect memory publish my will in this manner In the first place I leave my soul to God Almighty to the Blessed Mary and all the saints and my body to be buried in the cemetery of the church of St. James at Sutton in holderness Likewise I leave for my mortuary my best animal Likewise I leave to William Whane one counter Likewise I leave to him a piece of cloth to make a cloak and one entire horse and three breeding rams also half a quarter of barley Likewise I leave to Agnes whane one large brass pot one cupboard and one cow Likewise to John Wan one bay fole and one russet cloak Likewise I leave to Elene wane one russet cloak one brass pot and one young horse and three breeding ewes with lambs Likewise to Sir John Warde two breeding ewes with lambs Likewise I leave to stephan Syluer one brown stagge Likewise I leave to the altar for forgotten tithes one ram Likewise I leave to the fabric of the said church two rams Likewise I leave to the four Mother Churches viijd. Likewise I leave to William Wane one dun fole The residue of all my goods not bequeathed I give and leave to my wife and my children whom I ordain and constitute my executors to dispose of the same for the salvation of my soul. These being witnesses, Sir John Ward chaplain Robert down and Stephan Syluer.

(Proved at York the 11th May, 1509, by the executors.)a

Circa 1524, are proceedings in the Court of Star Chamber in the action Tothe v. Wayne wherein is the following:—To the Kyng our sovereigne lord. In the moste humbill wyse sheweth unto your grace your humbill subget and daily bedeman John Totheb of Edeston in the countie of Yorke, yoman, that where, abought the xxj day of Aprill in the xvj yere of your mooste nobill reigne, one Thomas Wayne and Robert Wayne, by the commaundement of one Robert Parotc beyng accompanyed with dyverse other evyll disposed persones to the noumbir of viij, to your seid oratour unknowen, at Holthorp Wode in a

(a) From the original probate entry in abbreviated Latin in the York Probate Registry, Vol. 8, fol. 10. Stoneferry is a hamlet included in the parish of Sutton in Holderness.

(b) In 1525 (Michaelmas Term) a bill was filed in the Star Chamber by John Tothe, of Malton in Rydall, against Sir William Tothe, son of Robert Tothe, relative to a messuage, four oxgangs of land and twenty acres of meadow, in which proceedings William Lotheryngton, of Salton, husbandman, of the age "of lxxxi yeres saith upon his othe that one John Tothe and Elyn his wif were seised of the said iiij oxgang of land and xxx acres of medow in Edston. The said John Tothe by mysforton fell of a wayn, by reason of which fall he died, after whose dethe the forsaid Elyn hadd and occupied the premises all the tym of her lyf." The will of John Toithe, of par. Grete Edston, is dated the 8th October, 1543, and proved at York the 20th October, 1543 (Vol. II, fol. 702). See also the will of Sir William Constable, dated 4th June, 1551,post.

(c) The Probate Act of Robert Perrot, of Edeston, is at York dated 1531. See will of Robert Wawne, of Boynton, "my cosine Jane parrott to praie for my soule."

riotous maner assembled, that is to sey, with swerdes and bokelers, billis, staves and knyves, contrarie to your peace made assaute upon your Orator and hym sore bete, and cutte the tonge ought of hys hedde, to hys utter undoyng. In tender consideracion wherof, it may pleas your seid grace to graunte unto your seid orator writtes sub pena to be directed to the seid Robert Parot, Thomas Wayne and Robert Wayne, commaundyng them [etc.], to answere to the premisses and ferthermore to be ordered as shall be thought mooste convenient by your counseill for the relef and comfort of your seid orator. And this at the reverence of God and in the weye of petie. And your seid orator shall daily pray to God for the prosperous contynuance of your most roiall astate. (Hen. VIII, Bundle xxxi, No. 154.) a

The will of Ranalde Wagham, whose proper name was undoubtedly Ranalde Waghen, is:—

In the name of God Amen the xxj day of August in the yere of oure Lord God MDxxxviij I Ranalde Wagham of Anlabieb and of the prish of Elley within the countie and Sher of Kingston upon Hull withe holl mynd and good memorie make and sett forth my last Will and mynd in forme as followeth ffirst I bequeathe my saull to god and to the Holy company of Heven and my body to be buried in the church of Saint Andrew at Elley Item to the endowment of the Blessed Sacrament xijd. Item to the pritorc for all tythes forgotten xijd. Itm to evrie Grisse Howsed in Anlabie ijd. Itm to Thomas Wagham my best blacke horse with Sadill and Bridell a Jackee and a sallet a swerde and a buckler f with a pair of splents g a fresheh jacket and a marbill i jacket and vjs. viijd. Itm to my faither ffewlle a blake Jacket and a velvet doblet j Itm to Jane Wagham a cupborde and

(a) See Yorkshire Arch. Soc. (Rec. Ser.) Vol. LXX, Yorkshire Star Chamber Proceedings, p. 99.

(b) Anlaby, near Kirk Ella, four miles west of Hull.

(d) Jamieson gives "Gerssman, Grassman, one who possesses a house in the country without any land." Probably therefore a grass house was a country cottage with no land attached, i.e., a labourer's cottage.

(e) A jack was a mediaeval coat of defence, especially one made of leather. The sallet, or salade, was a light kind of helmet, with or without a visor, introduced during the fifteenth century.

(f) Buckler, a shield worn on one of the arms (usually the left) for protecting the body.

(g) Splints were a kind of armour formed of thin plates of metal usually overlapping each other and allowing the limbs to move freely, generally for the protection of the legs and feet.

(h) A frieze jacket, i.e, one made of frieze, a kind of coarse woollen cloth or stuff with a shaggy or tufted (friezed) nap on one side.

(i) A jacket which was woven in different colours to represent marble.

(j) A doublet was the inner garment of a man ; a waistcoat or vest.

a Arkea a long bordeb and a pressure c The residue of my goods not wit I give to Alic my wif and Eliz my daughter and they to be my Executors to use as they think most necessarie in the yere and day above written Thes Witnesses Thomas North Thomas Butler and Richard Wagan.

(Proved at York, Vol. 11, fol. 335, the 27th November 1538 by Alice the relict, power being reserved to Elizabeth the daughter).

The following proceedings in Chancery show that subsequent to the death of Ranalde Wagham the wardship of his daughter Jane was in question:—To the Ryghte honorable Sr Thomas Awdeley knyghte and lorde Chauncellor of Englande.— In such most humble wise shewyth vnto yr good lordshipp yor dayly Orator Rychard Garthom of london gentilmand That where tyme oute of mynde is and hath ben vsyd yn the lordshipp of Cottyngham wthin the Countie of yorke That all the Tenents or copie holders of the same lordshippe dyeing seased of eny lands & Tennements holden of the lorde there and leving behynde theym any childern or other to theym allied that shulde enherytt or enjoye the same next after theyr decease and the same Chyldern or next heyres, beyng wtin age That the warde custodie or kepyng of all suche chyldern or other heyres shulde by the dystresses of the lorde or hys Stewarde there be comitted to such Indyfferent prson or kynseman far allyed to the said Chyldern or a part togethr wt the prfytte of all suche lands or tenements as they holde of the sayd lordshipp dureying theyr nonage So it ys yn this honorable lordshippe that of late one Reynolde Vaughan beyng possessed of certyn lands and Tenements sitt and beyng wtin the said lordshipp of Cottyngham e about a halfe yere past or there aboute at Cottyngham foresaid of the sayd londs dyed seased After whose dethe the prmisses desendyd to Jane vaughan his doughter

(a) A chest or coffer.

(b) The term board answers to the modern table, but it was often moveable and placed on trestles.

(d) There was a numerous family of the name of Garthom in the East Riding at this period as appears by the York wills.

(e) Apparently Ranald was of Cottingham before he went to Anlaby, for in 1526 in the action of Philip v. Vaughan Ralph phelyp by his attorney sued Reginald vaughan late of Cotyngham in the county of York yoman for 40s. which he owed and detained, etc. (De Banco Rolls (Trin.), 17 Hen. VIII, Roll No. 1048, m. 519).

Ruins of St. Mary’s Abbey York

and heyre to the sayd Reynolde Vaughan then beyng but of thage of x yeres The garden and custodie of which Jane ............... the sayd Stewarde comittyd to yor sayd Orator as kynsman to her allyes wt the prfytte of all suche lands and tenements as.....................the sayd Reynolde her ffather wtin the same

lordshipp The gardeyn and custodie of whych Jane yor sayd Orator could in no wyse opteyne............... by reason one John ffewell of South Cave wtin the saide countie yoman ymmediately after the deceasse of the sayd Reynold...............conveyd awey owt of the sayd lordshipp the sayd Jane Vaughan and her hath euer sythens wyth holden and kepte from yor sayd Orator hauing no maner of ryght nor tytle to her contrary to the customes of the saide lordshippe tyll nowe of late the sayd John.....................ndyng craft and ffalced and vtterly to defrawde yor saide Orator From the Garden or custodie of the sayd Jane and so ..................... and maryage of her at his pleasure hath of late conveyd the sayd Jane to the custodie of one Willyam knolles ..................A man of great power wtin the sayd countiea and of whome yor sayd Orator hath as well requyred delyurie of the sayd.....................the sayd ffewell which to delyuer then and eury of theym At all tymes hath denyed and yet doyth agayne all ryght.................. And for asmoche as the sayd Jane ys so conveyd owt of the sayd lordshipp that the sayd Stewarde can not make delyury .................. Jane to yor sayd Orator accordyng to the sayd custome And also for because yor sayd Orator ys a poore gentilman And yn sruice vnder .................. Cromwellb and dayly attendyng vpon hym he ys therfore wtout remedy Onley yor good lordshipp ayde and socour.................. And yn this behalf In tender conseideracon wherof the prmysses conseideryd That yt wolde please yor good lordshipp to............... brynge most gracious wrytt of Iniunction to be dyrectyd to the sayd Sr Wyllyam knolles knyght [etc.]c

(a) Sir William Knolles, alderman of Hull, who with John Eland, another alderman of Hull, took an important part against the insurgents in Hallam's rebellion in January, 1537. Together they took Hallam prisoner within the gates of the town of Hull and both were knighted in 1537 for their services. Sir William Knowles purchased, circa 30 Hen. VIII, the manor of Bilton, par. Swine.

(b) In a letter by Lord Leonard Grey to Cromwell dated 19th September, 1537, he states that Cromwell's " letter in favour of Edw. Wagham, the queen's servant, has accomplished his desire as Wagham will relate." (Letters & Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Vol. 12, Pt. II, p. 258.)

(c) From the original at the Public Record Office, Early Chan. Proc., File 808, No. 25. Where spaces occur above the original document is perished. No record of the result of the proceedings is available.

According to the Valor Ecclesiasticus made pursuant to the statute 26 Hen. VIII (1535) it appears that in that year John Wawne had a salary of vjli. xiijs. iiijd. per annum as vicar choral of the Collegiate Church of Howden. He had also a salary of xvli. iiijs. viijd. as chantry priest of the chantry of Lynton, the last mentioned sum being from rents and farms in the townships of Lynton lxvjs. viijd. Stitilthorp xls. Greneake xxs. Saltm'sh iijs. Estryngton vijs. vjd. Howeden xvjd. Grendake Lynton Bernby & Howden viijli. vjs. ijd. ob., but outgoings reduced this to xli. xvjd.a

In 1536 the lesser religious houses, i.e., monasteries, nunneries, abbeys, etc., were suppressed by Henry VIII and their lands and possessions confiscated, and the same fate befell the remaining religious houses in 1539 and I540.b All questions relating to the disposal of the lands were referred to the Court of Augmentations and Revenues of the King's Crown, whilst the monasteries and abbeys were dismantled and the material sold and the libraries and written records were sold or destroyed. There can be little doubt that, in addition to the troublous years of the greater part of the fifteenth century causing a lack of written records, the destruction ensuing from the suppression of the religious houses was the cause of the loss of many of such records as may have been made during that period. Canon Dixon in his " History of the Church of England," chap, x., writes of this destruction, "Vast libraries, the priceless records of antiquity, the illuminated treasures of the Middle Ages, were ravished with a waste so sordid as to have wrung a cry of anguish even from Bale (the bitter foe of the monks), who thus writes: ' Of the books in the monastic libraries, some were sold to the grocers and soap-sellers, and some were sent over the sea to the bookbinders, not in small numbers but at times whole ships full.........I know a merchantman

(a) Valor Ecclesiasticus, Hen. VIII, pub. by the Record Commissioners, 1825. In relation to Howden. East and West Linton are three miles and Greenoak four miles East, Staddlethorpe six miles South East, Saltmarsh four miles South East, Eastrington three miles East, and Barmby on the Marsh four miles West.

(b) St. Mary's Abbey, York, was surrendered by the then abbot, William Thornton (or William de Dent) on the 29th November, 1540. Amongst its possessions also surrendered were the manor of Normanby and lands in the townships of Coxwold, Edston, Hutton-in-the-Hole, Spawnton, Kirkbymoorside, Keldam (Keldholme), Lestingham and the " moor between Normandby and Spawnton called Sinynton-Moor."

that bought the contents of two noble libraries for forty shillings apiece — a shame it is to be spoken. This stuff hath he occupied, instead of gray paper, by the space of more than these ten years, and yet he hath store enough for as many years to come.' We cannot tell what we have lost." a

But whatever loss may have been sustained as a result of the suppression of the monasteries, we have as a consequence been given certain few records through the Court of Augmentations and a complete return in the Minister's Accounts of 1540 for Meaux Abbey of the annual value of the temporalities and spiritualities of the recently dissolved monastery and their disposal is given. The farm of the site of the abbey, together with some of the adjacent lands and granges, was granted to Launcelot Alford. Amongst others, these lands comprise

southouse cote. £4 9s. 10d. from one farm Le Shepecoote ; one close of pasture containing by estimation......... acres ; and twenty one and a half acres of meadow and pasture for 300 sheep upon the common there paying by the year for the said term in equal portions and in the occupations of Peter Snayth, Thomas Waghen and Agnes Walles, widow, by Indenture as it is said.b

On the 18th June, 1542, occurs the will of Stephen Waghen c of Normanby,d as follows : —

In the name of God Amen I Stephen Waghen of Normanby in the county of York Husbandman of good memorie doth make my Testament the xviijth day of June in the year of our Lord God 1542 ffirst I give my soule to God Almightie to oure Ladie Sancte Mary and to all the company in Heven and my body to be

(a) Quoted in " The Church of England," by the Very Rev. H. D. M. Spence-Jones, D.D., Dean of Gloucester, at Vol. III, p. 134.

(b) Exchequer Augmentation Office, Minister's Accounts, 31 & 32 Hen. VIII. Also vide East Riding Antiquarian Society's Transactions, Vol. I, p. 43. The Alford family resided at Meaux Grange for many years after the grant. This Thomas Waghen was probably of Sutton-in-Holderness, whose will is infra dated the 17th August, 1542.

(c) This testator appears to have died a comparatively young man and during the lifetime of his father, Robert Wawne, of Normanby, whose will is given later. The testator's father-in-law, Thomas Genres, is also mentioned later in the Licenses to aliene and was lessee of the manor of Normanby.

(d) The parish of Normanby, four miles South West of Pickering, in the wapentake of Ryedale, includes the townships of Normanby and Thornton Riseborough, and lies between the streams of Dove and Seven, near their confluence with the Rye. Both the Conqueror and Hugh, son of Baldric, granted 3 carucates to St. Mary's Abbey, York, the manor remaining in the possession of the abbey until the Dissolution ; in 1546 it was granted by Henry VIII, with the advowson, to William Romesden of Longley and Richard Vavasour of Ripon and the heirs and assigns of William. In the following January William and Richard were licensed to alienate them to Robert Meynell, serjeant-at-law, of Hilton, later of Hawnby, who died seised in 1563.

buried in the church or churchyard of Normanby dedicate in the honour of God and Saint Andrew Item I give to the Highe Altare of the same Church iiijd. Item to the Church warke xijd. Item I give to be spended at the day of my burial in Breade and Aill iiijs. Item I give to Thomas Jerves my father in law a a Stageb Item to my mother his wife a ewe and a lamb Item I give to Robert Waghen my father a ewe and a lambe Item to my mother his wife a ewe and a lamb Item I give to William Waghen my sone besides his parte a dunde c mare Item to Alice Waghen my doughter besides her parte a quyed Item I give to William Walker a yewe and a lambe Item if my Wife be with childe I give it besides the parte vjs. viijd. Item I give to Alice Harland my sister a lamb Item to Elizabeth ffoster my sister a lambe Item I give to Thomas Walker my godsone a lambe Item I give to Thomas ffoster my godsone a lamb The residue of my goods my debts paid I give to Elizabeth my wife and to my childer to devide amongst them by equal portions and my wife to be my executrix and for her paynes takyne my childer beinge at under age shall have vjs. viijd. more than they of my parte In witness whereupon I have caused my will to be written the day and year afor expressed Thes witnes Thomas Capleman prest Thomas Jerves gentleman Robert Waune Thomas Smithson and William Hope.

(Probate of the said will granted at York the 5th October 1542 to Elizabeth the relict the sole executrix named in the said will) e

The will of Thomas Wawne, of Sutton in Holderness, is as follows:—

In the name of God Amen I Thomas wawne of Sutton in holdernes the xvijth day of Auguste in the yere of oure lorde god a m vc xlij beinge of goode remembrance make this my laste will in manner and forme followinge ffirste I give and bequeth my soull to god almightie to oure ladie sancte marie and to all the sanctes in heaven and my bodie to be buried within the churche yerde in Sutton aforsaide Item I give to the highe altare ther for forgotten tithes one wedderf Item to John my sone ij oxen Item to willm my sone one bowsandeg mere The Residue of all (cont Part V)

(a) On the 8th November, 1529, administration of the estate of Stephan Gerves of Normanby, gentleman, deceased, was granted at York to Elisabeth Gerves, the relict, and Thomas Gerves, the son of the deceased (Ridale). Administration also of the estate of Alice de Gerves of Normanby, widow, was granted at York on the 20th January, 1569, to Robert Richerdson and Isabella Richerdson, the natural and lawful daughter of the said deceased and the wife of the said Robert, Stephen Gervas, the son of the deceased, being also sworn to administer. Her effects were iijs. vjd. (Vacancy.)

(b) Stagg, a male horse of over a year old (Yorkshire Arch. Soc., Rec. Ser., Vol. I, p. 55).

(d) i.e., a whie, a heifer of any age up to three years.

(e) From the original probate entry in the York Probate Registry, Vol. II, fol. 619.

(f) Wedder or wether, a castrated ram.

(g) Bowsande, a draught mare. Cf. the nautical term, bowse, to haul.

Wawn Family Tree

Wawn Family Records - Part 4

Quick Links

Wawn Family Tree