On Monday, October 3, 2022 at 11:04:35 AM UTC-4, Colin Piper wrote:
> In Search of Thomas St John, of Charing Kent. Related names Cotton, Savage, Langham, Arundell
> I am trying to find the ancestry of Thomas St John of Charing in Kent, and think that I have made a breakthrough.
Hi, Colin
I was looking at that family today. Katharine (Barsham) Rippelingham's will of Feb. 8, 1473 got me started. She was widow of (1) William Southcote [of Southwark and Rotherhithe?] the latter was buried at the Monastery of Westminster, and (2) Thomas Rippelingham + 1469. She names her granddaughter Alice St. John, as well as Thomas St. John, esq. (from other sources he appears to be her husband, the will does not make the relationship quite clear. However, we find that the testator's daughter by her first husband (Southcote) was Elizabeth who married (1) Richard Langham and (2) Richard Welden. Richard Langham left an only daughter named Alice who married (1) Thomas St. John and (2) John, son of John Cotton of Ridward Hamstall in Staffordshire. lmk if you have trouble locating this information, I did not take good notes, as they are not related to me, but can likely easily find the various links again.
As to Edward St. John and his wife Alice, I now suspect them to be the Edward who married Alice Rokesley, daughter of Sir John Rokesley of Shelve + ca 1439 and named in the ipm of their son William St. John, 1439.
959.
WILLIAM SEYNT JOHN.
Inquisition, virtute officii, 13 July, 15 Henry VII.
John de Rokesle, knight, was seised in fee of the under-mentioned manor, and granted it by charter to Robert de Rokesle, his son, to hold to him and the heirs of his body. Robert died seised of the manor in fee tail, and after his death the manor descended to Richard, his son and heir. Richard died seised of the manor in fee tail, and after his death the manor descended to Alice, his daughter and heir, who married a certain Edward Seynt John. Edward and Alice were seised of the manor in fee tail, in right of the said Alice, and had issue William Seynt John. Alice survived her husband, and died sole seised of the manor in form aforesaid. After her death the manor descended to the said William as her son and heir, and he entered and was seised thereof in fee tail.
He died 4 November, 18 Henry VI. Elizabeth Massy, widow, aged 71 years and more, is his daughter and heir. Edward Mille and Edmund Mille, late of the parish of Lenham, co. Kent, intruded into the manor and took the issues and profits thereof from the time of the death of the said William until the taking of this inquisition.
KENT.
Manor of Shelve, worth 100s., held of the king in chief by service of a third part of a knight’s fee.
Endorsed:—Execucio fit sicut continetur in Memorandis de anno xvj. regis nunc, videlicet, inter Recorda de termino Sancti Michaelis rotulo —, exparte rememoratoris thesaurarii.
William's daughter Elizabeth Massy married (1) Roger [in some accounts Henry] Dyke (2) Nicholas Hussey (with three daughters who married (depending on the account) Lovell, Lewkner, and Bray), and lastly Ralph Massy/Massey. Her ipm was 1506 at which time she was 78, so born ca 1428. No idea where Thomas fits in, but I'll keep my eyes open.
Inquisition: Post mortem, 28 Mar 1506. 3 31. ELIZABETH MASSY.
Writ 28 March, inquisition 3 May, 21 Henry VII.
She was seised in fee of the under-mentioned manors &c., and suffered a recovery thereof to John Warnet and John Nicholl in Trinity term, 19 Henry VII, [to the use of] herself and her heirs and the performance of her last will.
Afterwards on 11 November, 21 Henry VII, upon espousals to be celebrated between Elizabeth Dyke and John Shirley, the said Elizabeth Massy covenanted and granted to the same John Shirley and Elizabeth Dyke all the under-mentioned lands &c. in Petworth, Byworth and Eggden, to hold for life in survivorship; and on 10 June, 21 Henry VII, the said John Warnett and John Nicholl, at her instance and in fulfilment of [the said covenant], by their charter gave all the said lands &c. to John and Elizabeth for life, by virtue whereof they were seised in their demesne as of free tenement and still survive so seised.
Further [the said John Warnett and John Nicholl], by their charter dated 7 July, 19 Henry VII, gave all the said manors &c., except the lands &c. in [Petworth, Byworth and] Eggden, to the said Elizabeth Massy, to hold to her and her heirs for ever.
Afterwards, on 2 August, 19 Henry VII, the said Elizabeth [by charter gave the said manors] &c., except as before excepted, to John Fyneux, knight, and Thomas Frowyk, knight, chief justices of the king, William Tysted, John Ernley and others, and they were seised thereof accordingly in fee.
By her last will the said Elizabeth willed and declared, inter alia, [that her executors] should have and take the issues and profits of all the said manors &c. for 15 years after her death for the discharge of divers payments and legacies &c., and should take the residue of the issues and profits thereof to their own use during the said term.
Further she willed that the said John Fyneux and Thomas Frowyk, knights, William Tysted, John Ernley, John Warnet and John Nicholl, and other her feoffees, should stand seised of the premises to the uses and intentions in her last will specified. They are still so seised.
She died on Friday before the Annunciation last. John Dyke, aged 6 years and more, is her kinsman and heir, to wit, son of Thomas, son of Henry, her son.
SUSSEX. Manors of Bewgenet, Barlavington and Lurgatsale and 40 messuages, 3000a. land, 1000a. meadow, 5000a. pasture, 500a. wood and 1000a. furze and heath in Barlavington, Bewgenet, Lurgatsale, Byworth, Cotes, Warnycampe, Eggden, Northmerden, Fitelworth and Petworth, worth 40l., held of …… .
C. Series II. Vol. 19. (7.)
best, Monica