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SECOND GENERATION
A6. John COLCHESTER was born before 1469 and died in 1528 in Barking, Suffolk. The first mention of John is from the manorial roll of 3 Feb 1504: "The Lord of the Manor granted to Cristine Smyth, daughter of Thomas Colchester, & her son John Smyth, 17a of the tenement Baldwynns & a pightle by Lybrook of 2a, that Thomas & his son John received on the surrender of Thomas Barry 1480/1".2 As the earliest age at which property could have been owned was 122, this means he was born before 1469.
We know from the manorial rolls that:2,10
- In February 1504 he inherited from his father a tenement called Brownys of 3 acres abutting on the way from Barking Tye to Willisham Tye, Fremannescrofte of 9 acres, Wodeclose of 10 acres, and Lokynnys Close of 2 acres. He then passed this land on to his brother William & William's son John in September 1504.
- 1507 He surrendered 3 acres of land called Tycroft in Barking to Christiane Browne.
- 1519 He purchased from William Colchester a customary tenement called, etc. (sic) with 23 acres.
- 1519 He bought from William Colchester a customary tenement called Brownes of 3 acres previously owned by John Bertlot abutting upon the lane leading from Barking Tye towards Willisham. Also 9 acres called Freman Croft, 10 acres called Wood Close and 2 acres called Lockinsclose, both abutting Bonny Wood.
- 1520 He was ordered to mend his tenement sufficiently before next court under penalty 3s.4d.
- 1521 He received from Alice Ferr and Thomas Damet land called Windisch (now called Winditches, on Barking Tye) and Ashe. Two weeks later he received from the same two persons 7 acres called Winds, a 2 acre close called Old Feld and another 2½ acre close called Ashe, and all with appurtenances. This looks like it was all one underlying transaction.
- 1522 He bought from William Colchester a parcel of customary land in Barking. Six months later he receives from William Colchester 2 acres of customary land called Ballond and 8 acres at Bonny Wood with appurtenances.
- 1524 He was ordered to scour his ditch against Ballond under penalty of 40d.
- 1525 He bought from Thomas Damet 2½ acres called Long Emys, 3½ acres Scutts croft, ½ acres called Symdoys and 2 acres of pasture at Longe Emys with appurtenances
- 1528, when presumably starting to get his affairs in order prior to his death, he surrendered 2½ acres called Longe Emys 3½ acres called Scutts Croft, ½ acre called Sym Doyes, 2 acres called Longe Emys with appurtenances.
- 1529 "John Colchester customary tenant died after the last court and held on the day he died certain land and customary tenement, because none came order to seize."
- 1529 On his deathbed he surrendered a customary tenement and 3 acres called Brownes, 9 acres Fremans Croft, 10 acres called Wood Close, and 2 acres called Lokens Close with appurtenances to his daughter Agnes. And to Isabel, another daughter, 2 acres called Ballond, 8 acres of land at Bonny Wood, 7 acres called Windish, a 2 acres close called Old Feld, a 2½ acre close called Ashe with appurtenances.
His will exists in the Ipswich archives, both the original signed version and the probate copy of 5 December 1528.5 It was as follows:
In dei noie Amen. In the yere of our lorde god a thousand five hundred and twenty eight I John Colchester of Barking hoole in mynde and seke in bodie make my testament and last Will after this maner and fourme
First I bequeth my soule un to all myghti god to our Ladie Saynt Marie and to all the Sayntes in Hevyn. And my bodie to be buried in the parish cherch yerde of Barkyng a foresaid.
Item I bequeth on to the highe Aulter of the said cherch in Barkyng for my Tythes negligentlie forgotten 3s4d (half noble)
Item I bequeth un to the said cherch of Barkyng Xs (10 shillings)
Item I bequeth to Syr Thomas Leeff (parish priest) halff a yere syince [?seance] to syng for my soule and for my frendes soulys in the parish cherch of Barkyng And he to have for the said halff yere synyce [?seance] 111 li (£3) yf he will syne it when myn executor require hym therto
Item I bequeth to Elizabeth my oldest daughter XLs (40/-) and that to be paide a yere after my decease in maner and fourme folowyng that is to say XXs (£1) thereof to be paide by the handes of myn executors and Xs by the handes of Isabell my daughter the sengill woman and the other Xs to be paid by the handes of Agnes Colchester my daughter
I bequeth to Johan my daughter to hir heyres and assigneres forever a peace of londe enclosed called the tare close to enter att the fest of Saynt Michaell next folowyng after my decease.
Item I bequeth to Isabell my daughter hir heyers and assigneres for evyr a close called Wyndyche a close called Asshis and a close called olde ffelde my londes lyeing by Boyney Syde [Bonny Wood] by estimamacon VIII acres and two peaces of londe called Ballond to entre att the said feste of Saynt Michaell next after my decease.
Item I bequeth to Anne my daughter hir heyers & assigneres for evyr my house in Karsey to entre all the feste as is a foresaid
Item I bequeth to Agnes my yongest daughter hir heyers and assigneres for evyrmore my house that I do dwell in with the londes therto be longyng to enter at the feste of Saynt Mychaell as is before rehersed
Item I bequeth to Elizabeth my oldest daughter a cowe she to have hir choyce
Item I bequeth to Johan my daughter the next cowe
Item I bequeth to Anne my daughter a cowe
Item I bequeth un to Elizabeth my daughter two Neat [cow, bull or ox]
Item I bequeth to Agnes my yongest daughter two mylchenette [presumably milk cows]
Item I bequeth un to evry son of my Childers Childeron being my godchildren eyther of them to have an Ewe & a lambe
Item I bequeth un to John Bugge [a nephew] an Ewe & a lambe
Item I bequeth un to John Smyth [a nephew] an Ewe & a lambe
Item I bequeth un to William Colchester the younger [a nephew] an Ewe and a Lambe
Item I bequeth unto John Colchester my god childe [and also a nephew] a Ewe and a lambe
Item I bequeth un to Nicholas Cunstabill [a nephew] a Ewe and a lambe
Item I Will that all my householde stuffe shallbe indifferentlie devyded amonge my daughters by myn executorys
The residue of my gooddes and catalles moveable & unmoveable not willed or bequethed I will and bequeth it on to the disposition of myn executors Whom I ordeyn and constitute William Colchester of Nedeham and William Smyth the elder of Barkyng and they to dispose them for the welthe of my soule and all my frendes soules
These witnesses Syr Thomas Leef priest, John Brewes, John Bugge, Thomas Harlewyn, Thomas Payne with other
He married Agnes.4,8 No mention was made of Agnes in her husbands will of 1528, from which we can deduce that she had died by that time.5
Children of John COLCHESTER and Agnes were: