Difference between revisions of "MRP: Sir Ralph Whitfield will"

Latest revision as of 18:37, January 11, 2012

Sir Ralph Whitfield

b.?, d.1645
Father: Herbert Whitfeld of Tenterden, Kent
Wife: Dorothy Spelman, daughter of Sir Henry Spelman

PROB 11/194 Rivers 111-157 Will of Sir Ralph (Raph) Whitfeld 27 December 1645

Editorial history

05/10/11, CSG: Created page

Abstract & context

Suggested links

See biographical profile of Robert Raworth (probable pupil or servant of Sir Ralph Whitfield)

To do

• Search A2A for "Ralph Whitfield" & variants
• Search BL for "Ralph Whitfield" & variants
• Search TNA for "Ralph Whitfield" & variants ("Whitfield, Whitfeild, Whitfeld, 1600-1650" DONE)
• What link of Ralph Whitfield to John Gage of Sussex?
• Was he a member of parliament for Clitheroe in 1623/24, or was this a member of the Northumberland Whitfield famils? (Lancashire Record Office: DDX 19/167 23 Jan. 1623/4:Indenture of return of William Fanshaw, Esq., auditor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Ralph Whitfeild, Esq., as members of Parliament for Clitheroe)

Transcription

[TRANSCRIPTION COMPLETED 05/10/11]

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I S:r RAPH WHITFELD KNIGHT on of his Maiesties Serieantes att Lawe knowinge that all the sonnes of men have but their tymes on Earth and must some sooner & some later, leave their transitorie life att the tyme appoynted by their Creato:r: beinge sicke and weake of body, but of perfect memorie and understandinge, and desireous soe to settlle my estate which God of his mercie, bounty, and great goodnes, hath bestowed on me and make provision for my wife and Children therewith, and although by reason of the present great troubles and distraccons in this Kingdome my estate is soe much shortned as I cannot doe for my wife and Children as otherwise I might have done (as they partly knowe) yet I have scanted my selfe in the disposicon thereof soe as I doe leave all to them beseechinge God to blesse them with itt, and that they may bee comfortable and helpfull one to the other which they have need to doe, and the more for that itt hath pleased God to take to his mercie my very good and worthy Brother in Lawe S:r John Spelman Knight^[1], whoe I assure my selfe would have beene a great stey unto them if hee had overlived mee;

I the said S:r Raphe Whitfeld doe this twelveth day of September one Thousand six hundred fforty five and in the one and twentieth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland Kinge Defender of the faith xr make this my last will and Testament, and humblie and heartily repentinge me of my sinns begginge pardon of the Almightie God for his sonne Christ Jesus sake the one Saviour and Redeemer of all mankind, nothinge valueinge my owne workes but onely trustinge to bee saved by the death and passion of his sonne JESUS CHRIST, I doe bequeath my soule to God almightie, my body to be buried att the discrecon of my Executo:rs

ITEM I give to the poore of Tenterden five poundes, To the poore of Bletchingley forty shillings to bee distributed att the discrecon of my Executo:rs

ITEM I give to Dame Dorothy Whitfeld^[2] my loveinge wife all the gold I formerly gave her (except forty olf Angells which I give to my sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld Knight) and her rings Jewells plate for her Chamber and wearinge apparell And I give unto her the arreares due from his Majestie for the ?Pencon:rs place my sonne Henry hath, in the tyme S:r John Evelyn had the same place

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said wife the summe of fifteene hundred poundes of lawfull money of England to bee paid unto her with in the space of five yeares next cominge after my death by S:r Herbert Whitfeld Knight my eldest sonne And I doe will and appoynt that my said sonne shall untill the payment of the said fifteene hundred poundes pay unto my said wife threescore poundes per Anm

ITEM I will and appoynt that my said wife soe longe as shee shall live unmarried shall have the use of soe much and such parte of my plate hangeings householdstuffe, goods and Chattells as she and the said S:r Herbert Whitfeld our eldest sonne and Robert Raworth Esquire my brother in Lawe or any two of them shall thinke fitt and sett downe in writeinge under theire hands within one yeare after my death And imediatly from and after her death or marriage which shall first happen the same shall goe and remayne to him of my sonnes that shall then bee heire of my Lands hereafter mencconed

ITEM I give to my said sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld the bearinge Cloth which hee was Christened in

ITEM I give to my good daughter Dorothy Whitfeld twoe Thousand poundes to bee paid her within the space of one whole yeare next cominge after my death And that untill payment thereof my said sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld shall pay unto her the summe of one hundred and forty poundes of lawfull money of England for her maintenance halfe yearely

ITEM I give to my said daughter Dorothy Whitfeld the summe of five hundred poundes of lawfull money of England more to bee paid unto her by my said sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld out of the summe of twoe Thousand poundes oweinge to mee by Nicholas Leeke Esquire and other bounde with him when the same shalbe paid in

ITEM I give to my said

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Daughter Dorothy my silve pott and Cover called the ?sullybubb pott

ITEM I doe appoynt that all my Books shalbe disposed of to such of my sonnes as will apply themselves to the Studdy of the lawe as the said Robert Raworth and my wife shall thinke fitt

ITEM I give to my sonne ROGER WHITFEILD (sic) one Thousand pounds to bee paid him att his age of twoe and twenty yeares

ITEM I give to my sonne CHARLES WHITFELD one Thousand pounds to bee paid him att his age of twoe and Twenty yeares

ITEM my meaning is and I doe will and appoynt that if any of my said younger children shall dye without issue before the foresaid respective tymes of payment of his her of their legacies by mee given to them as aforesaide that then his her or their legacie shall goe and bee equally devided between all my other children then livinge And if it shall please God that all my Children shall dye without issue before the said respective tymes of payment, that then the same shalbe equally devided betweene my wife and the children of my brother Robert Whitfeld deceased

ITEM I doe make and ordaine my said wife and my sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld Executors of this my last Will and Testament And I doe appoynt that all my debts and legacies shalbe payd by my said sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld And that hee for the true payment of my said Legacies shall give such XXXXXie as my said Brother Robert Raworth and my wife or the Survivours of them shall from time to time thinke fitt and appoynt And I doe give to my said sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld for and towards payment of my said debts and legacies All my Leases plate Bonds Statuts and mortgages taken in my name and in the names of any others in trust for mee ready money householdstuffe goods Chattells and personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever (not formerly hereby disposed of upon this speciall trust and confidence reposed in my said sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld and with this speciall charge that hee doth iustly and truly pay all my debts and legacies and performe this my last will and Testament in all parts thereof and bee a dutifull sonne to his mother and a lovinge Brother to his Brothers and Sister And to this end my younger Children may bee well educated which I heartily desire may bee in the feare and true service of God Allmightie I doe further give to my sonne Roger for his maintenance and educacon untill his age of twoe and twentye yeares five and forty pounds per Anm And to sonne Charles for his maintenance and educacon untill his age of sixteene yeares Thirty pounds per Anm and from then till his age of twoe and twentye yeares five and forty per Anm the said severall yearely payments for mayntenance & eduacon to bee paid by my said sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld or his Assignes att the fower most usuall quarterly ffeasts of the yeare by even and equall porccons And I appoynt my daughter to be brought upp with my wife and all my sonnes where and in such manner as my Executo:rs and the Survivo:rs of them shall thinke fitt provided allwayes and my meaninge is, that if either of my younger sonnes shall dye that then and from thence forth the yearely summe before appoynted for his or their maintenance and eduacon as aforesaid, which shall since dye, shall cease & determine

ITEM my meaninge is thatsuch legacies as are given to any of them either by the last will of Herbert Whitfeld Esquire my deceased father or Herbert Whitfeld Doctor in Physicke my deceased Brother

THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of mee the said S:r Raph Whitfeld touchinge the disposicon of my Manno:rs howses Lands Tenements and hereditaments made and declared the day and yeare first above written

ITEM I will that dame Dorothy my wife shall have and enioy for the terme of her life all such howses Lands Tenements and hereditaments as were assured to her by my said ffather for her Joynture And whereas I did purchase of S:r Roger Townsend Baronett my dwellinge howse in Barbican and other

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Tenements thereunto adioyninge to mee and my said wife and my heires I doe now declare that it was my intent nad meaninge And I doe will that my wife for augmentaion of her Joynture shall enioy the same dureinge her life And I likewise give untoher for terme of her life in further augmentacon of her Joynture soe much and such Part of my house and Garden called Kent howse heretofore purchased of S:r Thomas ?Penistance Knight and Baronett and Richard ?Xxer Esq:r or either of them as I the said S:r Ralp Whitfeld doe now hold in my owne occupacon or have laid to my dwellinge howse in Barbican aforesaid And I doe alsoe give to my said wife for the terme of her life if she live soe longe unmarryed for her bettermaytenance dureinge her widdowhood my house and Marsh Lands with thappuretances in the Parish of Hope All Saints^[3] in the County of Kent wishinge my estate would permitt mee to allowe now for her

ITEM whereas I have purchased the Manno:r of Burmarsh^[4] with thappurteances in the County of Kent in the name of my selfe and my said sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld and ou:r heires I doe hereby declare and appoynt that the same shall wholly come to my said sonne and his heires and that hee and his heires shall enioy the same for ever

ITEM I doe give and devise all other my houses Lands Tenements rents reversions remainders and hereditaments whatsoever unto my said sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld and the heires Males of his Body And for default of such issue I will the same to my sonne Henry Whitfeld and the heires males of his body And for default of such issue to my sonne Raph Whitfeld and the heires males of his body And for default of such issue to my sonne Charles Whitfeld and the heires males of his body And for default of such issue to the heires males of the Body of my said Brother Robert Whitfeld deceased and for default of such issue to the heires of the Body of my said Brother Whitfeld And for default of such issue to my Cosen William Whitfeld eldest sonne of ?Clement Whitfeld Esquire my deceased uncle and the heires male of the body of the said William Whitfeld, And for default of such issue to the heires male of the body of the said Clement Whitfeld And for default of such issue to my cosen Thomas Whitfeld of ?Bowsent in the County of Sussex Esq:r and to the heires male of his body and for default of such issue to the heires Males of the body of John Whitfeld Esq:r deceased late father of the said Thomas Whitfeld and for default of such issue to my cosen Henry Whitfeld Batchelo:r in divinity and the heires males of his body And for default of such issue to my cosen Robert Whitfeld Clerke and the heires males of his body And for default of such issue to my cosen Mathew Whitfeld of Whitfeld Hall in the County of Northumberland Esq:r and the heires males of his body And for default of such issue to the right heires of me the said S:r Raph Whitfeld for ever And although I doe noe wayes doubt but that my sonne S:r Herbert Whitfeld will iustly and truly pay to my wife and all my younger children theire legacies and bequests given them by and appoynted to bee paid to them by him as aforesaid yet because it may please God to take him out of this world before they be all paid, it beinge many yeares before the tyme of payment of some of them will come, or other things not now thought of may happen Be it therefore Provided allwayes, and my intent and meaninge is, That if any part of the Bequests of legacies given to my wife, all or any of my younger Children shall not be paid accordinge to this my will That then it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Dame Dorothy Whitfeld my wife and my said Brother Robert Raworth and ffrancis Boyton of London gent or any one or more of them or the Survivo:rs of them to sell such Part and soe much of my howses Lands Tenements & hereditaments as will raise soe much money as will satisfy and pay such legacies or legacie & bequests

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or bequests given as afoesaid to my wife and younger Children or any of them and w:ch shall be unpaid as aforesaid and therew:th pay and satisfie the same (anythinge in this my will conteyned to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstandinge

IN WITNES whereof I the said S:r Raph Whitfeld to this my last Will and Testament written in five sheets of paper have to every sheete subscribed my name and put my seale to the last sheete thereof the day and yeare first abovewritten

RAPHE WHITFELD

Sealed subscribed and published by the abovenamed S:r Raph Whitfeld as his last will and Testament the day and yeare first abovewritten in the presence of

WILLIAM SANDERS NEVILL CRADOCK THOMAS CRATCHLEY JOHN WELDEN

PROBATUM fuit Testamentum suprascriptum Apud London coram ventivvo Willm Sames legum doctore Surrogato ventisvivi Quid Nathanalie Brent Militis legum etiam Doctoris Civiae Prerogative Magisime Custodis XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Domina Dorothie Whitfeld relicta et Dominij Herbert Whitfeld filij dexx defuncti et Executorum XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Notes

Burke states that the Whitfield family of Tenterden was descended from John Whitfield of Tenterden, who was living in 1548, and who was the second son of Robert Whitfield of Wadhurst (CHECK) in Essex.^[5]

Sir Ralph Whitfield was a son of Herbert Whitfield (als. Whitfeld) of Tenterden in Kent. He erected a memorial to his father, Herbert (b.?,d.1623), and his mother, Martha (b.?,d.1614), at St. Mildred's church, Tenterden, which is now known as the Whitfield memorial.

By the 1640s Sir Ralph had purchased a house in Bletchingly, which John Evelyn reported visiting in 1643:

"6th November. [1643] Lying by the way from Wotton at Sir Ralph Whitfield's, at Bletchingley (whither both my brothers had conducted me), I arrived at London on the 7th, and two days after took boat at the Tower-wharf, which carried me as far as Sittingbourne, though not without danger, I being only in a pair of oars, exposed to a hideous storm; but it pleased God that we got in before the peril was considerable. From thence, I went by post to Dover, accompanied by one Mr. Thicknesse, a very dear friend of mine."^[6]

His London home was in the Barbican, rather than in Clerkenwell or St Andrew's Holborn, which were popular with lawyers as suburban residential addresses during term in the early seventeenth century. Hatton Garden, which later emerged as a popular address for senior lawyers, was only developed in the late 1650s and early 1660s. In the 1640s the Barbican had a number of aristocratic and diplomatic residents. The Earl of Bridgewater's large mansion lay to the north of the Barbican, and the Spanish ambassador had his residence there. CHECK THE 1662/1666 HEARTH TAX DATA TO SEE IF THIS HAD CHANGED

Sir Ralph Whitfield's father-in-law, Sir Henry Spelman (bca. 1562, d.1641), died at Sir Ralph's London home in the Barbican in 1641.^[7] Sir Henry had sold or otherwise disposed of his Norfolk estates at around the age of fifty, and had moved to London to concentrate on his historical and antiquarian interests. He appears to have spent a good portion of his time following his move to London residing at the Barbican house of his son-in-law, possibly from as early as 1628.^[8]

Possible sources

Primary

TNA

C 142/408/137 Whitfield, Herbert: Kent 21 James I.
C 22/579/31 Penyston v. Whitfield. Between 1558 and 1714

PROB 11/68 Brudenell Will of John Whitfeilde or Whitfeld, Yeoman of Tenterden, Kent 15 June 1585
PROB 11/141 Swann 1-66 Will of Herbert Whitfeld or Whitfeild of Tenterden, Kent 15 February 1623 PROB 11/194 Rivers 111-157 Will of Sir Ralph (Raph) Whitfield 27 December 1645

SP 39/37/1 Creation of office of receiver of revenue of Londonderry, and grant to Robert Whitfield. Bill cancelled 1639 Jan 18

WARD 7/70/161 Whitfield, Herbert: Kent 21 Jas I.

Lincolnshire Archives

Lincolnshire Archives: Monson [MON 1 - MON 9: Monson small deed boxes. 1 - 38. MON 3 [n.d.]: Small deed box. MON 3/33 1581-1899: Exemplification of Common Recovery. MON 3/33/5 28 November 1627]
- Contents: Ralph Whitfield, esq., and Clement Spelman[?], pet., and William Page, gent., quer.; Property: manor of Broxholme and premises there.

West Sussex Record Office

WSRO: Additional manuscripts, catalogue 12: Deeds of various parishes Add Mss 8728 - 8780 1556 - 1767: Covenant to levy a Fine Add Mss 8736 24 May 1634:
- Contents extract: (a) Lionel, Earl of Middlesex and Anne his wife, Sir Randyll Cranfield of London, kt., Richard Venne, alderman of London, Thomas Sherley of London (son and heir of Sir Thomas Sherley, kt., dec'd.), and Nicholas Harman of London, esq.; (b) John, Earl of Thanet; (c) Ralph Whitfield of Gray's Inn, co. Middx., esq., and Peter Courthopp of Cranbrook, co. Kent, esq

Secondary

Burke, Bernard, The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and wales: comprising a registry of armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time (London, 1864)
Dobson, Austin (ed.), The diary of John Evelyn, vol. 1 (London, 1906)
Whitfield, Theodore Marshall, Whitfield, Bryan, Smith, and related families, vol. 1 (XXXX, 1948)
Williams, W.R., The parliamentary history of the county of Worcester (Hereford, 1897)

1. ↑ Son and heir of Sir Henry Spelman, Sir Ralph Whitfield's father-in-law. Sir John Spelman attended Cambridge and also Brasenose College, Oxford. He was admitted to Gray's Inn, 16 Feb. 1608. Married Anne, daughter of Sir John Townsend of Raynham, Norfolk. Knighted 18th December 1641. Joined the King's forces at Oxford and died in Oxford of disease in July 1643. He was MP for Worcester in 1626. Source for all above, W.R. Williams, The parliamentary history of the county of Worcester (Hereford, 1897), p. 95
2. ↑ Dorothy Spelman, daughter of Sir Henry Spelman
3. ↑ Near St. Mary-in-the-Marsh, Romney Marsh, Kent, seven or eight miles south-west of Burmarsh, where Sir Ralph Whitfield had purchased a manor
4. ↑ Burmarsh, Romney marsh, lies seven or eight miles north-east of Hope All saints, near St. Mary-in-the-Marsh, Romney Marsh, Kent, where Sir Ralph Whitfield also had land
5. ↑ Bernard Burke, The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and wales: comprising a registry of armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time (London, 1864), p. 1104
6. ↑ Austin Dobson, The diary of John Evelyn, vol. 1 (London, 1906), p. 63
7. ↑ W.R.Williams, The parliamentary history of the county of Worcester (Hereford, 1897), p. 95
8. ↑ XXXX, Biographia Britannica: or the lives of the most eminent persons who have flourished in Great Britain from the earliest ages down to the present times, vol. 6, pt. 1 (London, 1763), p. 3788