General Notes

Merchant

Mayor of Sandwich, a warden of the Cinque Ports, and a member of Parliament (NEHGR, Vol. 71, p. 175).

Died between 24 AUG 1558 and 14 JUN 1559

According to Burke's Landed Gentry of Great Britain, tenth edition, p. 1078, John Master is first mentioned in 1520, was mayor of Sandwich in 1528, 1543, 1552, and 1556; was a warden of the Cinque Ports and as such was one of the bearers of the canopy of Queen Anne Boleyn at her coronation, and was a baron of Parliament for Sandwich in 1544 and 1554. King Henry VIII granted to him the manor of East Langdon, co. Kent. Apparently his sons Thomas and Peter and his daughter Agnes were children by his first wife, and James and John were sons by his second wife. For this family see Burke's Landed Gentry and Philipott's Visitation of the County of Kent, taken in the year 1619, London, 1863, p. 44-48


The Will of John Maister of the Towne porte of Sandwiche [co. Kent], 24 August 1558. To be buried in the Chapel of Our Lady Saint Mary within the church of Sandwiche. To said church towards the reparation 20s. To the high altar of said church, for tithes and oblations negligently forgotten, 6s. 8d. To the poor people of said parish at my burial 40s., at my month's tide 40s., and at my twelve month's da 40s. I will there be said at my burial ten masses, at my month's day ten masses, and at my twelve month's day ten masses. My executors shall buy cancas and other necessary things for the renewing of the bedding at St. John's Youse, withint ht Twon of Sandwiches, to the value of 20s. To Elizaeth, my wife, 1000 pouns, to be paid within three months of my death. My household stuff shall be divided into five prts, whereof [I bequeath] to Elizabeth, my wife, one part, to Peter Maister, my son, one part, to James, my son, and John, my son, till full age or day of marriage, , she finding surety to my overseers for the same. If said Jams, John, or the child unborn die, or any one of them, then I will that such portion remain to Elizzbeth, my wife. To my brother-in-law, Richard Marten of Rye, my russet goen furred with fox. To Elziabeth, my wife, my scarlet gown. To THomas Maister, my son, my coat faced with foynes beofre and fox behind. to Peter ayster, my son, the residue of my apparel. To my sister Marten of Rye a gold ring with a red stone, which lieth in pawn for 40s. Whereas John Worme of London do owe me 30 pounds and upwards, if said John Worme do pay his sister Agnes Worme 20 marks, I forgive him th rest of the money he oweth me. I forgive John Benjamall all such money as he oweth me. I forgive all those that be not well able to pay me all such debts as be under 14s. 4d. Symond Lynche of Sandwiche shall have my best gelding. To Agnes Gifford, my daughter, 20 pounds, to be paid within twelve months of my death. To every cvhild that my said duaghter may now have alive 20 pounds, to be paid in like manner. T every godchild that I now have alive 12d. To my goddaughter Agnes Menys 13s. 4d. To my cozen Agnes Gryffyn 20s. To the child she now hath alive 6s. 8d. To John Sperte, sometime my servant, 20s. To Walter Woodcocke, my boy, 40s. To Jerome Jones 40s., my old cloak, my cote jerkyn, and my hoose clothe of marble, a gown of sheepes colour furred with foynes. Whereas I have given to Elizabeth, my wife, 100 pounds and the one fifth part of my household stuff and also a certain house and lands at Worthe, for the term of her life, if my said wife be not content to give unto my sons Thomas Maister and Peter Maister and my other sons a clear acquittance for any dower that she may claim on and above 10 pounds a year given her out of my manor of Stodmershe, then all such bequests unto said Elizabeth shall not stand as gifts until she hath given them a lawful discharge for her dowry as aforesaid. Residuary legatees: Elizaberth, my wife, James Maister, my son, John Maister, and the child yet unborn. Executors: Elizabeth, my wife, and Thomas Colwell. Overssers: My brother William Payne of Canterbury and Thomas Maister, my son, to either of whom I give 40s. and to Thomas Colwell 4 pounds.

Concerning my lands, tenements, and hereditaments: I will that my eldest son Thomas Maister shall have all the manor of Stodmershe, in the County of Kent, with all appurtenances, etc., except such lands, marshes, and hereditaments hereafter mentioned willed to Peter Maister, my son, to belong to said Thomas Mayster, his heirs and assigns, for ever; so that neither said Thomas Maister nor his heirs nor assigns claim any part of the manor of Estlangdon, hereafter mentioned, nor any lands, etc., assigned unto James Maister, my son, and so that said Thomas Maister do release to said Peter all such lands, etc., hereafter mentioned willed to said Peter. And if said Thomas do claim any of said lands, etc., willed to said James Maister, my son, and any of the mershes, etc., willed to said Peter, then said James shall have two parts of the manor of Stodmershe, to said James and his heirs of his body; and for lack of such heirs [remainder] to my son John Maister and the heirs of his body; and for lack of such heirs [remainder] to the heirs of me, the said John Maister, and Elizabeth, now my wife; and for lack of such heirs [remainder] to Agnes Gifford and the heirs of her body lawfully begotten. To said Thomas Maister, my son, and to his heirs and assigns for ever all the houses and lands which I purchased of John Russell to the parish of Stodmersh, and also my garden at Matsle in the parish of St. Peter in the town of Sandwiche. To said Peter, my son, and the heirs of his body my house at Norwood, wherein Robert Williams now liveth, with the five acres of land thereto assigned, also mershes called Normeade, Guttermershe, Stowes Marshe, Newe Marhses, Harper Mershe, Poll Mershe, Coulde Mershe, Rifte Mershe, the Great Common Mershe, and the Little Common Mershe, and one piece of arable land containing fourteen acres, in the field called Northfield near the barne called Stod-mersh barnes, said Peter paying yearly to my said wife Elizabeth 10 pounds, given to her by me for marriage jointure, and paying to my son Thomas and his heirs the yearly rent of 10 pounds. If said Peter die without heirs, said premises assigned to my son Peter shall remain to John Maister, my godson, son of said Thomas Maister (my son), and to the heirs of said John. To said Peter 40 pounds, which John Parker hath of mine. To my son James Maister and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten all that manor of Est Langdon in the County of Kent, with all the lands, etc., thereto belonging. If James, my son, die without heirs, said manor of Est Langdon, with all lands, etc., shall remain to John Maister, my son, and his heirs, and for lack of such issue to the heirs of me, John Maister, and Elizabeth, my wife. To James Maister, my son, my mershe called Bexley Lees and the mersh called the Harp thereto adjoining. My friends tHomas Colwell, William Payne, Robert THomnopson, and Thomas Severne, by an indenture made by me, shall receive the rents, profits, etc., during the minority of James, my son, until he reach the age of twenty-one years, and shall pay to my wife Elizabeth 10 pounds for her own use, and also for every of the children of me and said Elizabeth 10 pounds during her widowhood for the bringing up of said children, the residue of such issues to be accounted for by said four trustees when said children or the survivors of them attain the age of twenty-one years or day of marriage. If Elizabeth, my wife, marry again, she shall have no part of said usses, but said Thomas Colwell, my executor, shall have 4 pounds yearly for his pains and 10 pounds yearly for the finding of schooling, meat and drink, and apparell for each child. concerning my little piece of ground at the Mayden Towre, my executors shall receive the yearly rents thereof until my son James come to the age of twenty-one years, employing the same yearly in buying wood to be distributed among the poor in the town of Sandwich; and when said James shall attain teh age of twenty-one years, I will the said land to him and his heirs for ever, providing yearly for ever four loads of wood for distribution to the poor of Sandwiche.

Touching the disposition of my plate: To Thomas Maister, my son, a goblett with a cover, partly gilt, a pott of silver with a cover, partly gilt, and four silver spoons. To Peter Maister, my son, a goblet of silver, partly gilte, a pot of silver, partly gilt, and four silver spoons. To Agnes Gifforde, my daughter, a goblet of silver, partly gilt, a pot of silver, partly gilt, and four silver spoons. The residue of my plate shall be divided between my wife and the children of me and her.

Witnesses: John Stewarde, Clerk, Vicar of the parish of Our Lady aforesaid, Thomas Severne of Sandwich, yeoman, Robert Redwoode of Wickhamborough, yeoman, and George Owen, of Little Borne [?]. Proved 14 June 1559 by Thomas Colwell and Elizabeth Maister, in the person of said Thomas Colwell, the executor named in the will. (P.C.C., Chaynay, 27).

[Thomas Gifford, of Twyford, co. Bucks, the testator of 1511, and Roger Gyfforde, of Middle Claydon, co. Bucks, the testator of 1538, were brothers, being sons of John Gifford of Twyford, as appears from a comparison of the pedigree printed in Vol. 5, p. 176-181, of the Publications of the Harleian Society (The Visitations of the County of Oxford) with the pedigree printed on p. 93-94 of Metcalfe's edition of the Visitations of Northamptonshire, 1564 and 1618-19, and from a careful study of the two Gifford wills given above. The Giffard or Gifford family was a well-known family of Norman descent, which came into England in the days of the Conqueror. From an early date a branch of the family was settled at Twyford, co. Bucks, and for the earlier generations of this branch the Visitations of the County of Oxford, referred to above, may be consulted.)