Joyce Cresset, wife of Edward Burton of Longner
David Topping
Cresset, esq. of Upton Cresset: but the arms impaled over her head are
those of Coyney, of Weston Coyney co. Stafford, and Stepleton, of
Stepleton in Shropshire: and one ancient document in possession of the
present Robert Burton, esq. of Longner, which professes to correct the
error of the former pedigrees, says she was a Coyney: whence it seems
probable that Christina, daughter and coheir of John Stepulton, esq.,
after the death of her first husband Robert Cresset, married 2dly, a
person of the name of Coyney, and was mother by her (sic) of Mrs.
Joyce Burton. This would explain her arms on the tomb-stone, and an
expression in the will of Thomas Cresset (son of Christina Stepulton)
1521, in which he calls Mr Edward Burton his brother: for, on this
supposition, he was the husband of his half-sister. “ (1)
The above tries to explain the (incomplete) heraldry on the tomb of
Edward Burton (died 1524) and his wife Joyce which was in the church
of St Chad’s, Shrewsbury, and was recorded by Dugdale. It is also
presumably the same observation which leads Burke and others to assume
that Edward Burton’s (second) wife was a Joyce Coyney. The ancient
document referred to apart, however, I can find no other reference to
a Stapleton / Coyney marriage.
Christiana Stapleton was the daughter of John Stapleton of Stapleton
by Margaret Stapleton, herself the daughter of a previous John
Stapleton. She was married by 1455 to Robert Cresset of Upton Cresset
(2). She is supposed to have had a second marriage to an Eyton, and
then married for a third time to Robert Burton of Longner.
However, by her first husband she was mother of Thomas Cresset, the
father (according to the Burton pedigree) (3) of Joyce, wife of Edward
Burton. According to the same pedigrees (and Burke), Christiana was
also the mother of this same Edward Burton by her third husband,
Robert Burton. Hence, Edward Burton married his own mother’s
granddaughter by a previous marriage. Still with me? At least this
would explain Thomas Cresset’s reference to Edward Burton as his
(uterine) brother.
This all seems highly unlikely, as well as incestuous. It is even more
unlikely if you try to calculate a time-line. Robert Cresset died in
1490 which means that, even if her second husband keeled over on the
way back from church, Christiana could not have married Robert Burton
until after that date. To be Edward Burton’s mother (and there were
possibly other children) would imply at least 35 years of child-
bearing. Yet Thomas Cresset and Edward Burton appear to be near
contemporaries. Something is wrong here.
The answer seems to emerge across the county border in Staffordshire,
where around 1472, Ralph Lane of Hide and Bentley married Joyce
Cresset, daughter of Robert Cresset of Upton Cresset (4) (5) (6).
Robert is referred to as Ralph in one source, but the rest call him
Robert. This is supported by Dugdale’s Pedigrees (7) and some
Shropshire Pedigrees (e.g. Gardiner) (3). Ralph Lane died in 1477
leaving a young son, Richard Lane. Evidence in IPMs, wills and court
cases (5) (6) show that by at least 1481, Joyce Lane, nee Cresset, had
remarried, to Edward Burton of Longner.
This means that Thomas Cresset probably was Edward Burton’s brother
(in-law), but also means that his mother was not Christiana Stapleton,
who didn’t marry her third husband until 1490 at least. It leaves,
however, a question mark over the identity of Edward Burton’s mother,
and still leaves unexplained the Coyney heraldry in St Chad’s.
(1) “A History of Shrewsbury” London 1825 Vol II, P 230 (footnote).
(2) Douglas Richardson s.g.m. post re: descendents of King John’s
alleged illegitimate daughter, Isabel Fitz Roy, 12 Aug 2007
(3) “Visitation of Shropshire” Harl. Soc. London 1889 (Burton of
Longner, Cresset of Upton Cresset, Gardiner of Shrewsbury)
(4) “Collections for a History of Staffordshire” Ed. by The William
Salt Archaeological Society, London 1910
(5) Coll. Hist. Staffs. 1930 P270
(6) Coll. Hist. Staffs. Vol 1 P326
(7) “Staffordshire Pedigrees” William Dugdale/Gregory King, Harl.
Soc. London 1912
Douglas Richardson
Great post. A couple of observations.
In your post, you indicate that Joyce Cressett married Ralph Lane, by
whom she had a son, Richard Lane. You state that Ralph Lane died in
1477, and that his son, Richard, was then "young."
But Coll. Hist. Staffs. Vol 1 P326 which you have cited as one of your
sources indicates that Ralph Lane died in 1474, and that his son,
Richard Lane, proved his age the same year. This means that Richard
Lane was born c.1456, and turned 21 years of age shortly after his
father died. If so, this would in turn mean that Joyce Cressett and
Ralph Lane were married before 1456.
However, the National Archives catalog indicates that the proof of age
of Richard Lane, son and heir of Ralph Lane, is actually dated 12
Henry VII [i.e., 1496-7]. If so, the statement made in Coll. Hist.
Staffs. regarding the date of the proof of age of Richard Lane is
wildly erroneous. If the proof of age is truly dated 1496-7, it would
mean that Richard Lane was born c.1475/6.
If we follow your assumption that Joyce Cressett was daughter of
Robert Cressett and Christian (or Christine) Stapleton, the chronology
is fine provided that Richard Lane was born c.1475/6. We know for a
fact that Christine Stapleton's mother, Margaret Stapleton, was
unmarried in 1414. I assume Margaret Stapleton was married by 1420,
and that she had her daughter, Christian (or Christine) Stapleton
(alleged mother of Joyce Cressett), born say 1425. If so, this would
make Christine (Stapleton) Cressett about 50 years old at the birth of
her grandson, Richard Lane. That's perfectly acceptable chronology.
I haven't seen the proof of age of Richard Lane. But a snippet view
of Richard Lane's proof of age on Google Books includes the statement
that "Christine Cressett baptized the said Richard Lane." If so, this
is good evidence that Christine Cressett was Richard Lane's
grandmother, as she would have been present at his baptism.
I recommend you examine the proof of age for Richard Lane which is in
print in the Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem for the period of
King Henry VII. There also appears to be a Chancery lawsuit which
involves the wardship and marriage of Richard Lane:
C 1/59/28 John Harecourt, Esquire v. Robert Gyffard, Esquire: The
wardship and marriage of Richard Lane, son and heir of Ralph Lane.
Date: 1475-1480, or 1483-1485
When you have a moment, can you post the evidence that Joyce Cressett
married (2nd) Edward Burton. Thanks!
Sincerely, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
David Topping
Dear Douglas
Many thanks for your reply and suggestions, which I shall try to
follow up. In the meantime……….
Collections for a History of Staffordshire 1910 (available for
download at the Internet Archive here: http://www.archive.org/details/collectionsfor1910stafuoft)
is the only source which refers to Joyce Cresset’s father as Ralph.
Where it is particularly useful, however, is that it gives (P.157) an
abstract of the IPM of Ralph Lane who is reported as having died 27
March 1477. It also states that his son, Richard Lane is aged ‘four
years and more’ giving him a birth year of around 1473.
He did have an uncle named Richard (P.159) which might have caused
some confusion with dates.
On the same page, Edward Burton is specifically mentioned in the IPM
as the present husband of Joyce Cresset (Michaelmas Term 20 Ed IV –
1481, not 1450 as in the book).
Richard Lane died 28 Jan 1516/17 and his IPM (P.160) again
specifically mentions Edward Burton and Joyce, his wife, and mentions
her dower.