MRP: Squire Bence will
Contents
Squire Bence will
Editorial history
11/12/11, CSG: Created page & pasted completed transcription
Abstract & context
Squire Bence (b. 1597, d. 1648)
Family background
Squire Bence was the son of Alexander Bence [of Aldburghe] and Mary Squier, the daughter of Thomas Squier.
Commercial activities
Kenneth R. Andrewes suggests that Squire and Alexander Bence were unusual, in that they were, as he characterises them, merchants who chose to invest heavily in shipping.[1] However, this characterisation does not accurately represent the Bence family in the second half of the sixteenth and the first part of the seventeenth century, and the families with which Bence family members, male and female, married and pursued commercial partnerships.
Ships (commander): Friendship (1629);
Ships (part owner): Squire/Squyer of Aldborough (1634); Samuel of Aldborough (1635)
Suggested links
See Alexander Bence of Aldeburghe will (father of Squire Bence)
See Alexander Bence the elder will (brother of Squire Bence)
See Sir Alexander Bence will (nephew of Squire Bence)
See Bence Johnson the elder will
See Bence Johnson the younger will
To do
Transcription
This transcription has been completed, but requires checking
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN: the last day of march Anno dmi One thousand six hundred forty eight And in the ffower and twentieth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the greace of God King of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland defender of the faith x:r I Squire Bence of Aldburgh in the County of Suff Esquire (being in good health of body and of sound and perfecte minde and memory praise be therefore given to Almighty god But considering the fraylty and uncertenty of this mortall life doe therefore make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and forme following That is to say.
FFIRST and principally I comend my sould into the hands of Almighty god my most mercifull ffather assuredly trusting and beleeving that through his mercey and the death and meritts of Jesus Christ my onely Saviour and Redeemer I shall have free remission and forgiveness of all my sinns and after this life ended be made partaker of those heavenly ioyes which are prepraed for the blessed Saints And my body I comitt to the earth whereof it was framed
And touching such temporall goods and substance as god of his mercey hath blessed me withall I dispose thereof as followeth
FFIRST my will and meaneing is That all and every such debts and summes of money whatsoever as at the time of my decease I shall trewly owe to any person or persons shalbe satisfied and parid within as short time after my death as conveniently may bee
ITEM in case at the time of my decease i shall not have any child liveing and that Mary my wife shall not then be with child Then I give and bequeath all and every the said legacies of moneyes goods Lands and other things here after particulalry mentioned That is to say
FFIRST I give and bequeath unto my Couzens Thomas Johnsons two children tenn poundes betwixt them That is to say To his sonne five poundes to be payd him at his age of one and twenty yeares And to his daughter five poundes to be payd to her at her like age of one and twenty yeares or day of marriage first happening. And in case either of them shall depart this life before such age or marriage as aforesaid That then the Legacie of him or her soe dyeing shall remaine unto the survivo:r of them
ITEM I give unto John ?Base
[NEW PDF PAGE]
Sonn of my sister Mary Base forty pounds and to Thomas Base another of the sonnes of my said suster Mary sixty poundes, And to bee payd them at their severall ages of one and twenty yeares And in case either of them shall depart this life before he shall attaine to his said age of one and twenty yeares That then the Legacie of him soe dyeing shall remaine and bee paid ubto the Survivo:r of them
ITEM I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Base daughter of my said sister Mary Base the summe of two hundred pounds of lawfull money of England And to bee paid unto her at her age of one and twenty yeares, or day of marriage first happening But if the said Elizabeth shall fortune to depart this life before such age or Marriage as aforesaid that then the said Legacie of two hundred poundes shall remaine to my Executor hereafter named
ITEM I bequeath unto my Cozen Rose ?Day wife of Clement Day tenn poundes
ITEM I give into John Bence Elizabeth Bence and Anne Bence sonne and daughters of my Brother Alexander Bence the severall legacies hereafter expressed (vizt) To the said John Bence tenn poundes To the said Elizabeth Bence tenn poundes And to the said Anne Bence five poundes To be payd to the said John Bence within one yeare after my decease And to the said Elizabeth and Ann att the severall ages of one and twentie yeares or dayes of marriage first happening And in case either of them the said Elizabeth and Anne shall departe this life before such age or marriage as aforesaid That then the Legacy or Legacyes of her or them soe dyeing shall remaine and bee paid unto the Survivo:r or Survivo:rs of the said children
ITEM I give and bequeath to my cozen Mary Bartlett wife of William Bartlett ten poundes and to her three children five poundes a peece
ITEM I give to Mary Parker Wife of Robert Parker[2] ten poundes and to all her children five poundes a peece
ITEM I bequeath to my cozen Thomas Hollis and to Elizabeth his wife forty shillings a peece to buy them Rings to weare in remembrance of me
ITEM I give to the two children of Susan the daughter of my brother Robert Bence by her former husband M:r ?Dent (vizt) Bridgett Dent and Mary Dent five pounds a peece To be paid unto them at their severalll ages of one and twentie yeares or dayes of marriage first happening And in case either of them shall depart this life before such age or marriage as aforesaid That then the legacy of her soe dyeing shall remaine and be payd unto the Survivo:r of them
ITEM I give to my cozens Richard Hayman and Rose his wife forty shillings a peece to buy them Rings
ITEM I give and bequeath to my Mother in Law M:rs fflorence Osborne All my howses tenements orchards gardens and ??voyd groundes with their appurtenances scituate lyeing and being in Ratcliff in the County of Midd which I now hold by lease from the Company of Coopers London for and dureing the naturall life of her the said fflorence Osborne if the tereme so long continue And from and after her decease I give the same to the foresaid Elizabeth Base dureing her naturall life if the said terme shall soe long continue Neverethelesse my expresse will and meaneing is that Joane Rogeres sister of my said Mother in Law M;rs fflorence Osborne shall have dureing her naturall life that howse wherein she now dwelleth without paying any rent for the same, but keeping it in good Reparaccons And afterwards the said houses Tenements and premisses I leave to my Executor hereafter named
ITEM my will and desire is and I doe hereby give and bequeath to my said Mother in Law M:rs fflorence Osborne All such householdstuffe plate and other things As by a deede of Guift under her hande she heretofore hath given unto me And I also give and bequeath more to here the summe of fifty poundes in money to give and dispose thereof to whom she shall thinke goode
ITEM I give and bequeath into my nephew Robert Bence one hundred & fifty pounds in mony to bee paid unto him within one yeare next after my decease
ITEM I give and bequeath to the Bayliffe and Burgesses of Alburge aforesaid fify poundes in money to be paid within one yeare after my decease, To this intent and purpose, That they shalbe engaged under the towne seale to my executors to distribute yearly for ever forty
[NEW PDF PAGE]
shillings to the poore there and twentie shillings a yeare for the Lecturer there for the time being and to be paid in December yearly for ever
ITEM I give to Dorothy Moyes (Or, Moyer) my wives kinswoman tenn poundes To bee paid at her age of one and twenty yeares or marriage first happening
ITEM I doe hereby desire and appointe that my Exercutor hereafter named shall satisfy and pay all such moneyes and other things into mary my wife as uppon or before our marriage I have contracted for to give or leave unto her And I also give into her my messuage or tenement newly built where I now dwell with the old buildings Orchards and Gardens thereunto belonging Scituate and being in Aldburgh aforsaid in the said County of Suff with the tables stooles chaires couchbeds and bedsteds within the same house for the terme of her naturall life if she live so long there and keepeing the house and the said other things in good order and reparaccons And after her decease or departure from the said house first happening I give and bequeath the said messuage buildings tables stooles and other the premisses unto my Nephew Alexander Bence sonne of my Brother Alexander bence and to his heires for ever
ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said Nephew Alexander Bence and his heires for ever All other my messuages Landes Tenements Barnes groundes and hereditaments with their appurtenances whatsoever lying and being in Aldburgh aforesaid in the said County of Suff
And touching such freehold and coppyhold Landes and tenements as I have or shall be seized of at the time of my decease which are or shalbe scituate lying and being in ??Sibton and ??Pesenall in the said county of Suff: or either of them which coppihold Lands I have already surrendred to such uses as in my last will and testament shall be expressed) I dispose thereof as followeth
That is to say I give and bequeath all and every my said ffreehold and coppihold Lands and tenements with their appurtenances whatsoever scituate lyeing and being in Sibton and ?Posenall or either of them as aforesaid in the said County of Suff unto Mary my wife for and dureing the terme of her naturall life And after her decease unto my said Brother Alexander Bence and to my said Cozen Richard Hayman and to their heires for ever Nevertheless uppon speciall trust and confidence in them by me reposed and had And to and for such uses intents and purposes and under such provisoes and conditions as hereafter in and by this my last will and testament is tehrefore lymitted appointed or declared That is to say That they the said Alexander Bence and Richard hayman and their heires after the decease of the said mary my wife shall dureing the soace of fower yeares then next ensueing take all the rents issues and proffitts of the said Lands and tenements scituate and being in Sibton and Posenall aforesaid and there satisfie and pay the severall sumes of money to the severall persons hereafter named or to such of them as shall be then liveing That is to say to the said John Base twenty poundes To the said Thomas Base fforty pounds and to the said Elizabeth Base one hundred poundes They the sais John Thomas and Elizabeth being the children of my said sister Mary which severall summes I will shalbe payd unto them over and above theire other Legacies aforementioned And if any of them bee under the age of twenty and one yeares when his her or their said summe of money ought to be payd as afore is mentionned Then the same to be payd to the parentes or such kinsmen or others for the use of those in minority As the said Alexander Bence and Richard Hayman or their heires shall thinke fitt And to Squire Guppy fifty poundes And that after such sverall sumes of money shalbe levied out of the rents yssues and proffitts of the said ffreehold and coppihold Landes after the decease of my said wife That they the said Alexander Bence and Richard Hayman or their heires shall conveye assure and surrender all my said freehold and coppyhold Lands and Tenements unto my Nephew Robert bence sonne of my brother Robert Bence And to the heires of the body of my said
[NEW PDF PAGE]
Nephew Robert lawfully begotten and to be begotten And for want of such issue to my said Nephew Alexander Bence and his heires forever provided allwayes and my will and meaneing is That if the foresaid Robert Bence my Nephew or the heires of his body shall at his or their owne charges satisfie and pay the severall summes of money aforemenconned That then uppon such payment made the said Lands and tenements shall be convayed and surrendred to him or them according to the intente and true meaneing of this my last will and testament And that if my said Nephew Robert Bence shall be departed this life without any issue of his body liveing at his decease That then the said Lands and tenements shalbe conveyed and surrendred unto my said Nephew Alexander Nence and his heires for ever he and they paying at his or their like costs and charges the said severall summes of money aforemenconned within the said fower yeares
The residue of all and singular my goods chattells debts and estate whatsoever I give ad bequeath unto my said Brother Alexander Bence whom I doe hereby nominate and appoint sole Executor of this my last will and testament provided alwayes and it is my expresse will and meaneing That if at the time of my decease I shall have any issue of my body liveing Or that my said wife shall bee then with child which shall bee borne alive And if it bee a sonne shall live untill he shall attaine the age of one and twentie yeares or a daughter and shee shall live untill the like age or her marriage first happening That then all and every the said Legacies guiftes and bequeathes of moneyes goods lands and other things afore in and by this my last will and testament given or bequeathed shalbe utterly voyd and of none effect to all intents and purposes whatsoever Except the howses and other goods given to my Mother fflorence Osborne as is aforemenconned And then in such case I give and dispose of all and every my goods chattells Lands tenementes and Estate in this manner vizt
I give and bequeath unto my cozen Elizabeth Basse on hundred poundes to be payd her at her said Age or marriage first happening And if she decease in the interim then the same to remaine to the said two brothers John basse and Thomas Basse equally to be devided betweene them And if either of them dye before the attaineing of his age of one and twentie yeares Then the part and share of him soe dyeing to remaine to the Survivo:r of them$
ITEM I give to my said Brother Allexander Bence for his care in performance of this my will one hundred poundes in money I herby againe nameing him Executor therof
The residue of all and singular my goods chattells money debts and Estate whatsoever I give and leave to such child of children as I have or shall have by my said Wife Mary And all my said Messuages lands and tenements shall descend and come unto such heire as I have or shall have by my said wife Mary Nevertheless my further exresse will and meaneing is That if the issue I have or shall have by my said wife shall depart this life in minority that then all and every the severall Legacies guifts and bequeathes as well of moneyes goods and chattells as of the foresaid Landes and tenementes shall stand and remaine in full forece & vertue in every respecte as if at the time of my decease I had neither child liveing and that my wife were not then with child Any thing aforesaid to the contrary notwithstanding
ITEM whereas I have contracted and agreed with Jonas Perryman of Thorpe in the County of Suff. for the sale to him and his heires for ever of all my lands and tenements in Thorpe aforesaid holden of the Manno:r of Leiston being those Landes which I had by the last will and testament of Henry Clark late of Thorpe aforesaid both ffreehold and coppyhold for which the said Jonas agreed to pay me One hundred & threescore poundes whereof already I have received one hundred
[NEW PDF AND NEW PDF PAGE]
And twenty poundes Now it shall please god to take me out of this world before the said Landes shalbe assured to the said Jonas Perryman and his heires Then I doe appointe and hereby authorize my said Executor uppon receipte of the forty poundes residue of the one hundred three score poundes hee shall accordingly surrender convey and assure the same Landes to the said Jonas and his heires according to the said Agreement
IN WITTNES whereof I the said Squire Bence have here upon put my hand and seale the day and yeare first above written
Squire Bence
These pntes being written in fourteene sheetes of paper were by the said Squire Bence signed sealed published and declared as and for his last will and testament this last day of March 1648. In the presents of Ralph Hartley No:ry JoX Hartley his sonne Leonard Bates ser:t to the said No:ry
PROBATUM fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram Venoli et Egredia viro Xno Nathaniel Brent Milite Legum XXXX Curia Praerogative Magro sive custode XXX constituto Viresimo tertio die mensis ffebruary Anno Dmo Millimo sexcentesimo quadragesimo octavo Juramente Alexandri Bence ?fris dict defunct et Executoris in eadem testamento noXXXt diu comissa fuit adXXX omnium et singularum bonorum iurium et creditorum dict defunct eteris testamentum quaXXXX concer nente de bene et fideliter administrand eadem Ad sancta dei Evangelia in debita inXX forma inXXX Ex:r
Commentary
Notes
Ireland
"1653. 13 Aug. Assignment by Alexander Bence
He is survivor to Squire Bence, with whom he invested £600 and £125 in the Irish adventure. He assigns £125, part of these shares, XXXXX"[3]
Shipping
"1629: May 17.Senato, Secreta. Dispacci, Ceffalonia. Venetian Archives.
87. FRANCESCO MARIA MALIPIERO, Venetian Proveditore of Cephalonia, to the DOGE and SENATE.
From information taken by the Councillor Lippomano by my order about the case of the French saettia, master Francesco Rimondo, it appears that it was taken in the port of Argostoli by Captain Kenelm Digby, a corsair, and that twelve barques of the fifteen merchant vessels then in the port had a share of the goods. I now have your Serenity's orders of the 17th February last, with the exposition of the French ambassador. I have forthwith made fresh enquiries and I find as follows: While Digby was in the port of Argostoli and had the saettia in his power, he himself admitted to the master, Raimondo that he had in his ship the three chests of money taken from the saettia as well as three bales of caps (berette), which had been divided among his sailors. According to what Raimondo says the money amounted to 5,500 ryals. He meant to keep this, as he did as well as the three bales of caps, but he would hand over the saettia with its tackle to the representatives, as he also did, when it was handed over to its French master. This is all I have been able to discover.
A part of the remainder of the cargo was removed from the saettia by twelve boats of the fifteen English ships. I enclose the names of nine of them, which laded currants. There are no goods or effects of any kind here as the ships were hired from other places for here. I have not been able to find out the names of the other ships of the fifteen, as they laded in other countries and came here to join the others and form a fleet, and they all left immediately after the capture, for this voyage to England. If any one of these ships comes to these ports I will execute the orders of your Serenity.
The three merchants, John Opson, John Ugolet and John Mon, whom I sent for to come to the fortress at that time, merely to use them as a lever for negotiating with the pirate for the restitution of the saettia, were not merchants of the fifteen ships in question, but ordinary inhabitants of Argostoli, who trade in these parts. As they had not the slightest concern in the matter they were immediately dismissed, entirely satisfied, after the saettia had been restored.
Names of the ships and Captains. [See footnote 4 below]
William Ralph, Captain Thomas Transfel.
John Bonaventura, Captain John Bendech.
Friendship, Captain Sequiribens
Siguitta, Captain Ben Jonson.
William Francis, Captain Richard Jonson.
Flemish ship called Nightingale, Captain John Gransenaer.
John Bonaventura, Captain William Reiven.
Parangon, Captain Brian Anson.
Flemish ship called Black Eagle, Captain Girardi di Nicolo.
Cephalonia, the 17th May, 1629.
[Italian.]
FN 4. The correct names of the majority of these would appear to be:—William Ralph, Capt Thomas Trenchfield; John Bonaventure, Capt. William Bundocke; Friendship, Capt. Squire Bence; Assurance, Capt. Bence Johnson; William and Francis, Capt. Edward Johnson; John Bonaventure, Capt. William Driver Cal. S.P. Dom., 1628–9, pages 293, 302, 303, 305."[4]
"1634: July 29. Whitehall. Lords of the Admiralty to Horace Lord Vere. Robert Wheatly and Richard Davis, of London, merchants, and John Bence, Sqyer [Squire] Bence and Henry Lambe, of Aldborough, mariners, owners of the Sqyer [Squire] of Aldborough, are to be allowed to furnish their ship with eight minions of cast iron out of the founder's store. [Copy. See Vol. cclxiv., fol. 34. ½ p.]"[5]
"1635: Sept. 18. 1635. Lords of the Admiralty to [Montjoy Earl of Newport]. To give order that Bence Johnson, Alexander Bence, and Squire Bence, owners of the Samuel of Aldborough, of the burthen of 90 tons, may furnish the same with iron ordnance out of the founder's store in East Smithfield. [Copy. Vol. cclxiv., fol. 165 a. ½ p.]"[6]
"1640. At the Court at White-Hall, the first of April 1640.
The Names of the Knights, Citizens and Burgesses of the Counties Cities and Borough-Towns of England and Wales, and the Barons of the Ports now summoned to sit in Parliament holden at Westminster the 13th day of April 1640, in the 16th Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles.
Names of Members returned to serve in Parliament April 1640.
Suffolk
Nathaniel Barnardiston Knight.
Anthony Bedingfield Esq; Borough of Ortford.
Squire Bence Merchant. Borough of Sudbury"[7]
"...few merchants became interested mainly in shipping. The brothers Alexander and Squire Bence, born in the 1590s, provide a rare, yet significantly qualified example. They were members of the leading merchant family in Aldeburgh, which was probably the fastest-growing shipping centre in the country in the first half of the century, serving with substantial vessels both the booming coal trade and London's overseas trades. In the previous generation Alexander, William and Robert Bence were shipowners, as was John, merchant, and elder brother of Alexander and Squire. While John founded the county family of Bence ofThorington Hall, another elder brother, Robert, was citizen and salter of London. Alexander as a merchant and Squire as a master seem to have concentrated on shipping business, but they too had important other interests. Both represented their town in teh Short and agin in the Long Parliament, where Squire replaced William Rainborowe, another outstanding figure in shipping, in 1642. In the same year both became Naval Commissioners and so, combining political influence with natutical connections and expertise, assumed a vital role in the conduct of the civil war at sea. Alexander, as a member of the London grocers' Company, moved in City circles and is said to have married the sister of Samuel Vassall the radical City MP and Naval Commissioner, himself much interested in shipping. As a Presbyterian and City man, Alexander was secluded from the House in 1648 and about the end of that year Squire died, leaving lands in Aldeburgh and elsewhere as well as tenements and grounds in Ratcliffe. Alexander became politically active again under Cromwell and in 1655 was described as a rich man, having an income of 1,200 a year, lands with an annual value of 300 and a large estate in Ireland. He became Master of Trinity House in 1659. At some point the Bences intermarried with the Aldeburgh Johnsons, shipwrights, shipmasters and shipowners, one product of that alliance, presumably was Bence Johnson, master of the Mary and John in 1626 and of the 300-ton Assurance in 1629 and part-owner (with Alexander and Squire) of the Elizabeth of Aldeburgh (100 tons) in 1636. In the next generation Henry Johnson of the same family took over the East India Company's Blackwall yard and became perhaps the largest shipowner of his day."[8]
Grandfather: Thomas Squires
"1588, 30 Dec. - Acknowledgement by Thomas Squire and Robert Bense, bailiffs of Aldeburgh, of the receipt of £64 9s. 6d. from the Mayor and inhabitants of Orford as their share for the setting forth of a ship called The Marygold of Aldeburgh,"[9]
Possible primary sources
PROB 11/106 Hayes 55-90 Will of Thomas Squire, Merchant of Aldeburgh, Suffolk 03 July 1605
- Probable maternal grandfather of Squire Bence and Alexander Bence the elder
PROB 11/114 Dorset 57-120 Will of Hughe Base of Halesworth, Suffolk 21 June 1609 Will of Thomas Squire, Merchant of Aldeburgh, Suffolk 03 July 1605
- Probable maternal grandfather of Squire Bence
PROB 11/300 Nabbs 161-210 Will of Richard Hayman, Yeoman of Goudhurst, Kent 25 October 1660
PROB 11/249 Aylett 319-372 Will of Florence Osborne, Widow of Trinity Minories, City of London 28 April 1655
- ↑ Kenneth R. Andrews, Ships, money, and politics: seafaring and naval enterprise in the reign of Charles I (Cambridge, 1991), p. 49
- ↑ The mariner Bence Parker, son of William Parker and Rose Bence, mentions "my uncle Robert Parker" in his will. Therefore, presumably Robert Parker was the brother of William Parker. See PROB 11/292 Pell 300-349 Will of Bence Parker, Mariner and Commander of the Good Ship Three Brothers now on the Coast of Cormandell of Limehouse, Middlesex 09 June 1659
- ↑ Robert Pentland Mahaffy (ed.), Calendar of the state papers, relating to Ireland: Preserved in the Public Record Office (London, 1908), p. 231
- ↑ Allen B. Hinds (ed.), 'Venice: May 1629, 11-19', Calendar of State Papers Relating to English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, vol. 22, 1629-1632 (XXXX, 1919), pp. 50-65. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=89250 Date accessed: 11 December 2011.
- ↑ John Bruce, 'Charles I - volume 272: July 17-31, 1634', Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles I, 1634-5 (London, 1864), pp. 153-175. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=52288 Date accessed: 11 December 2011.
- ↑ John Bruce 8ed.), 'Charles I - volume 298: September 16-30, 1635', Calendar of State Papers Domestic: Charles I, 1635 (London, 1865), pp. 382-408. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=52620 Date accessed: 11 December 2011.
- ↑ 'Historical Collections: 1640, April', Historical Collections of Private Passages of State: Volume 3: 1639-40, pp. 1085-1149. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=74917 Date accessed: 11 December 2011
- ↑ Kenneth R. Andrews, Ships, money, and politics: seafaring and naval enterprise in the reign of Charles I (Cambridge, 1991), p. 49
- ↑ Report on Manuscripts in Various Collections: Bishop of Salisbury; Bishop of Exeter, dean and chapter of Exeter; Earl of Leicester; Sir William Clayton, bart.; Major Money-Kyrle; F. H. T. Jervoise, esq.; Glemham hall; corporations of Salisbury, Orford and Aldeburgh, vol. 4 (London, 1907), p. 276
