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From: "Brad Verity" <>
Subject: Sir Walter Griffith (d. 1531) & Jane Ferrers of Tamworth
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 21:25:51 -0800
In-Reply-To: <000a01c6193e$a5d4eee0$4de45057@Clive>


Many sources have Jane Ferrers, wife of Sir Walter Griffith, of Burton
Agnes, as the daughter of Sir John Ferrers II of Tamworth (abt. 1463 - 1512)
and his wife Dorothy Harpur. Yet it seems she was instead the daughter of
John Ferrers I of Tamworth (abt. 1438 - 1484).

Sir John Ferrers I was granted the custody and marriage of 8-year-old Walter
Griffith in 1482. From CPR 1476-1485, p. 297: "10 April 1482, Westminster.
Grant to John Ferrers, knight, of the custody of all lordships, manors,
lands, rents, reversions, services, knights' fees, advowsons, views of
frankpledge, courts, leets, liberties and hereditaments in the counties of
Stafford, Warwick and Nottingham late of Walter Griffith, knight, from his
death during the minority of Walter his son and heir and the custody and
marriage of the latter without disparagement, and also the reversions of all
manors, lands, rents, services, knights' fees, advowsons and hereditaments
in the counties of York and Lincoln which Agnes late the wife of the said
Walter holds for life, and all lands parcel of the manor of Orby, co.
Lincoln, which Rhys Griffith holds for life, to hold as above, rendering to
the king from this day 100 marks yearly at the receipt of the Exchequer. By
p.s."

Walter Griffith proved his age in June, 9 Hen. VII [1494]. From CIPM Henry
VII, Vol. 1, p. 407: "Walter Griffith, son and heir of Walter Griffith,
knt., deceased. York. He was born at Burton Annays, and baptized in the
parish church there, 7 June, 13 Edw. IV [1473], Robert then Prior of
Bridlington, Robert Constable knt., and Marjory then wife of William Euere,
knt., being gossips [godparents]. His lands of inheritance were in the
custody of Maud, widow and executrix of John Ferrers, knt., who had the same
of the grant of the said King Edward IV."

One noteworthy aspect about the above is the mention that Sir John Ferrers
I's widow was named Maud. Alex Stewart has research which indicates that
John Ferrers I was married twice, first to Maud Stanley of Elford, and
second to Margaret Hungerford of Down Ampney, by whom he had a daughter
Catherine Ferrers (d. 1537), who married 1st, Thomas Cotton, and 2nd, Sir
Anthony Babington, of Dethick, Derbyshire. But if the above Proof of Age is
correct, John only had the one wife Maud.

Finally, the Testamenta Eboracensia series has the will of Sir Walter
Griffith (d. 1531). Interestingly enough, a footnote to it states that the
will of his father Sir Walter Griffith (d. 1481) has also been printed in
the series (Test. Ebor. iii. 269). Sadly, I did not have time to follow up
on that one, but given the recent extensive discussion on the newsgroup
concerning the Griffiths of Burton Agnes, I will do so next time I'm at the
library. Meanwhile, here is the younger Walter's will:

"June 24, 1530. Walter Griffith, late of Annas Burton, in the diocess of
Yorke, Knyght, beyng of hoole mynde and salve memorie. My bodie to be
beried in the new chapell, annexed to the churche of Sancte Martyne at Annas
Burton, where my ladie, my moder, lieth. I will yt all suche landes ..
within the countie of Yorke and Lincoln as I have put in feoffament .. do
stand .. and my broder, Esachie Clifton, one of my said feoffes, .. shall
take .. the rentes .. of Annas Burton personadge, with Litle Kelke and
Swaithorpe, to performe this my last will. ... To Jane Griffith, my wif, an
hundreth markes, & to my yonger son, John Griffithe, cc li., over and
besides his annuitie of xxiij li. vj s. viij d. To my doughtour Agnes, late
wif of John Egerton Esquyer, fortie markes. To my doughtour Margarite
Griffith, for hir mariadge, fyve hunddreth marces, if she be orderid after
hir moder; and, in reward to my sone and heire, Griffith & Elisabeth his
wif, fiftye poundes, with my tent hool, ye harnes, and as moche of my
houshold goodes as he haith nede of, after the discretion of my wif, in
recompense of fynes and garsomes that I toke of his tenementes at Annas
Burton. .. To my broder, Ezache Clifton, tenne markes. To Sir William
Webber, vicar of Annas Burton, c s. Also to every one of my godsones,
Walter Cawod, Gervasie Cawod, and Walter Nicholson, xl s. Also to my
godsone, Walter Wright, yerely xx s. to he come to the age of xxiiij. To
Thomas Goldsmyth, balif of Alrewas, xl s. I will that every one of my
houshold servauntes .. have in reward over their wadges for a half yere
after my decesse after the valour of ther hoole yere wadges. Also I will
that a prest be wadgyd to pray for the helth of my saull, my fader's and
moders .. in the churche and chapell of Annas Burton, where my said moder is
beried, for the space of fortie yeres after my decesse, & to have yerely for
his wadges eight marces, supposing that by suche space as thies yeres shal
be ended, myne heires, of there charitable mynd, will devise for the helth
of theire saulles and ours in likewise; and so frome heire to heire for
ever, so to be continued, whiche I pray God grante to them grace for to do,
accordding to the good example of my moder that this did begyn. Also I will
that my chapleyn, Sir Robert Alsope, have yerely xl s., to pray, as by my
executors he shal be appoyntid and assignyd, unto suche tyme as he shal be
promotid to a chauntre or benefice, duryng his lif. Also I will that if Sir
Roberte Barlowe will lerne and studie in aither of the Universities of
Oxford or Cambridge, that my said feoffes and executours do gif unto hym
yerely his honest exhibicion, unto suche tyme as he be graduate or promotid
to some beneficie, as prebende, parsonadge. .. I will that my broder,
Ezachie Clifton, .. make a .. graunte .. of one annuitie of xx marces, goyng
out of my maner of Oreby, to John Griffith, my yonger son. I will that my
said feoffes and executors over the convenient chardges of my beriall and
yere's mynd, do cause yerely that for xxj yeres foloing too obites to be
done in the churche of Annas Burton, for me, my fader, moder, and suche as
we be boundon to pray fore; the one obite to be alwayes as it shall fortone
my aniversarie to be; and th'oder opon the morowe next after Al Saules daye;
and when Al Saulles daye is differrid to Mondaye, then it to be opon the
morowe next after that, and that naither obite shall excede the costes of
thwentie shelynges; and towardes the same obittes to have and perceyve the
ishues and profittes of my landes purchased in Scardeburgh, and after the
said xxj yeres be past, then myn heires to have the same landes, and to be
charged therefore to bestowe the yerely valour of the same for the said too
obites yerely, to continue for ever, and to be done in the churche of Annas
Burton, in maner and forme as is aforsaid, for themselffes, me, my wif, my
fader, my moder, etc. Also I will that my feoffes and executors do purchase
landes and tenements, to the yerely valour of xxiiij li., or els as moche
landes as foure hundreth and fiftye marces will purchasse, and the same
surely to intaile to my heires generall for ever, in satisfaccion for suche
landes as I did cell in Wales to Sir Ryse as Thomas knyght. . I will that
fyve marces be disposid and waryd of too latyne candilstickes, to be set
byfore the hie altar in the chauncell at Annas Burton, in t'honor and
wirshipe of God and Sancte Martyne. I will that my feoffes & executors,
within xx dayes after my decesse, do delyver the castell of Scardeburghe to
the kynge's grace, or his heires, for so I am boundon in a thousand markes
for to doo. Also I will that al suche offerynges as er in a litle redde
purce, whiche er inclosid in paupors, be offeryd to our Ladie of Walsingham,
and to al other suche Sanctes as the intitilyng of every one of the said
paupours will appere. Also I will that their be bestowid opon Whichenour
briggs, and the chapell their, and in the waye at Lopyn chapell, iiij li. ..
The residue .. to Jane Griffith, my wif, Antone Babyngton Esquyer, my
broder, Ezache Clifton, Sir William Webster, vicar at Annas Burton, Roberte
Tovie, balif theire, and Thomas Wright of Whichenour, whome I make my
executours: if non of them this refuse, to have c.s. .. every one of them as
for their reward. [Proven 17 Dec. 1531.]"

What's interesting about the will, other than Sir Walter's seemingly
obsessive attention to detail (also evident in his tablet of obits of his
Griffith ancestors posted previously to the newsgroup), is the genealogy
that emerges: Jane Ferrers Griffith survived her husband; their four
children were the two sons George (not referred by name in the will, but Sir
Walter's heir), who was married to Elizabeth Skeffington by 1530, and John,
and the two daughters Agnes, widow of John Egerton, and unmarried Margaret.
Also Sir Walter's half-brother Eustace Clifton, and his "broder" Antone
Babyngton Esquire, who was in actuality his brother-in-law Anthony Babington
(HOP says he was knighted after 3 Nov. 1529 - we now know he was knighted
after 24 June 1530), married to Catherine Ferrers, the sister of his wife.

Though it turns out Sir Walter was not descended from Edward III, his wife
Jane was descended from Edward I through the Ferrers of Tamworth, and from
the chronology and evidence, was daughter of John Ferrers I, not John
Ferrers II.

Hope this is of use to those researching the Griffith and Ferrers of
Tamworth families.

Cheers, --------Brad

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