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SECOND GENERATION
A3. William COLCHESTER died in about 1538.2 We know William from his father Thomas's will1 and entries in the manorial rolls. We first hear of him apologising to the Barking Manorial court in 5/2/1503 because his father was ill - on his death bed - and couldn't attend.2 In his father's will, money was left for a trental to be sung for a William. From this we deduce that he had an elder brother who had died before he was born, and after whom he was named.
He may not have gone to school as per William Redstone in 'Ipswich through the Ages': "Neither the canons nor the friars appear to have provided schooling for the children of Ipswich".6 He inherited land from his father as these were mentioned in the manorial rolls of 1503 when he took possession of Popynolds, Bryons, & Smofens. He also served on the manorial jury several times between 1504 and 7.2 In the 1524 Subsidy return William paid 12/- on goods of £4, so presumably he had a high income, as others were paying as much on £12 of goods, making him the 13th highest paying person in Barking - the whole of Barking together paid £20 of this tax.7 He was executor to his brother John's will of 1528 with his brother in law William Smith.5 In 1533 he had moveables of £8 on which he was taxed 2/-.8 That year he also witnessed the will of Robert Martyn of Needham Market on 2/7/1533 and that of William Salmon of Needham Market on 11/8/1533. The year before a William Colchester of Needham Market witnessed the will of Sir John Pentney, parson of Creeting St Olave.9
William attended the manorial court, regularly serving on the leet (the manorial criminal court) juries, almost every year from 1503 onwards. He was fined in both 1512 and 1514 for not keeping the ditch clean beside the lane leading from Needham to Barking Tye. In 1516 he was appointed constable of Barking.10 The records for the manorial court at Barking exist from about 1500 onwards. Originally the court would have met at Barking Hall, presided over the by the Steward of Ely until Sir Francis Needham acquired the manor in the reign of James I (1603-1625). There were two courts - a court Baron and a Leet one for graver business. Fines were also paid when land was transferred and recorded in the manorial rolls from which the tenant obtained a copy. The Court met every three weeks. The business was conducted in front of a jury who reached the decisions. Persons who were absent from the jury three times incurred a fine. In some places the jury were given a meal for their pains. In fact Sir Francis Needham decided that the leet court should be moved from the hall to Needham, as a very good set meal could be obtained from the Crown for a shilling - seems like a good reason.20
William had numerous property transactions, although it is possible that some of these were in fact mortgages for land rather than purchases:10
- 27/4/1509 Buys 2a (acres) called Ballond from John Tailor.
- 13/10/1510 Buys 8a of Bonny Wood and 2a Ballond from Robert Lisse.
- 16/5/1511 Buys 4 pieces of land in Barking from John Tailour, buys 2a from Christine Brown, and sells ½r (rod) land to her.
- 6/5/1512 Sells 3r meadow called Blomyshak to Margaret Purser buys 2a customary land from Cristina Brown and sells ½r customary land to her.
- 5/3/1513 Sells 2a of called Ballond to Henry Lucas.
- 18/10/1513 Buys 2a of Ballond.
- 18/3/1514 Sells a tenement in Needham St of 14p and a parcel of tenement Thornis sometime Ballys, next to Barretts Lane to Robert Mertyn.
- 28/4/1515 Buys 12a arable land & pasture from Thomas Bug.
- 23/8/1515 Buys a lifetime lease of Le Gyldhall in Barking & ½r with John Bug senior. This was probably the Guildhall which was later moved to Needham Market and became Theobalds school. He also bought 7a of customary land & wood from Thomas Bug; buys 4a of land parcel of tenement called Briens from Thomas Bug.
- 29/8/1516 Sells 2 cottages called Clyntons & Burbytts in Needham ½a to Thomas Ravyn.
- 16/3/1519 Sells a tenement & 23a to John Colchester.
- 8/8/1519 Buys a piece of pasture from Thomas Damet; sells a tenement Browns (still called Browns Farm) and 3a land abutting the lane leading from Barking Tye to Willisham; sells Freeman Croft & 9a to John Colchester; sells Wood Close & 10a abutting onto Bonny Wood to John Colchester; sells Lockinclose & 2a abutting Bonny Wood with appurtenances to John Colchester.
- 7/2/1520 Buys 5a1r called Smerts from Thomas Damet & William Smyth.
- 13/8/1520 Buys Pesier Close 1a1r, pightle pasture called Twydich 1½a with John Bugg.
- 5/3/1521 Leases farm 1a Twidiche for 12 years with John Bugg.
24/2/1522 Sells customary land to John Colchester. - 18/8/1522 Surrenders 2a Ballond & 8a Boyne Wood to John Colchester.
- 12/3/1528 Seems to have been an executor of Richard Studd10, although this may be his son.
- 22/8/1528 Buys 8½a Long Emmes 2½a, Scutts Croft 3½a Sym Doyes ½a Long Emmes 2a; surrenders cottage Schawes, Meredown & a barn to Thomas Grenleve.
- 10/3/1530 Buys a cottage & 1a in Needham.
The above transactions all related to copyhold land. This was land that was held by the manor over which feudal rights had anciently been exerted. It was called copyhold, as the transaction would be recorded in a book with an attached document on which the details were written twice. When the deal was completed, one half of the document would be torn off to be kept by the purchaser. If there was any doubt as to ownership, the document could be matched with the page kept at the manor court.
We know little about his wife Joan4,8. Her maiden name may have been Bugge, as the 1607 rental10 says: 'Roger Colchester holds by copy of 29 Sept 1596 lands & pasture late Thomas Colchester & before of Joan Bugg, widow, 1a1r value 4s.'
In the manorial rolls of 1530 she was up before the leet court "wife of William Colchester..... ale wife and sold unscaled measures, there in mercy 3d" and again in 1531 "brewers in mercy .... wife of William Colchester .... common brewers of ale and broke assize therefor in mercy 3d".10
Children of William COLCHESTER and Joan were:
- +A10. William COLCHESTER of Needham Market, Yeoman.
- +A11. Robert COLCHESTER
- +A12. John COLCHESTER
- +A13. Emma COLCHESTER