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William Scudamore (III) |
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William Scudamore (II) & Mary Burghill |
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Margery Lechmere |
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No parents conclusively identified |
William Scudamore (III) (William, Mary) was born circa 1540 and lived in Ballingham, Herefordshire, England before he relocated sometime before March 1561/2 SK5 to Upton Bishop BE6, SK5 in the same county, and purchased two properties BE6. One, a farm of fifty acres, has been known as Tedgewood, Tedswood, and Testwood, and the other property was called Thornes BE6. In 1883, Reverend Francis Havergal described Tedgewood or Tedswood as a “compact estate of 50 acres” which had house with “a good example of Mediæval timber frame work” HA45. Upton Bishop is approximately eight miles north of the northern edge of the Forest of Dean, but Upton Bishop and Ballingham are on opposite sides of the very curvy, salmon-filled River Wye.
On two separate occasions, March 3, 1561/2 and December 6, 1566, William transferred the ownership of his shares of Wormelow Hundred to his brother, John SK5. William Scudamore was called a gentleman “late of Ballingham” and the son of the deceased William Scudamore, who also was a gentleman of Ballingham, in a deed dated March 3, 1562 PA24. The abstract of this deed indicated that William Scudamore, the grantor, conveyed to his brother, John Scudamore, “part of all the messuages, lands, etc.” in Cary, Haltebough, Tressecke, and Potheder “or elsewhere in the hundred of Wormelo… which descended to the last named William Scudamore by hereditary right after the death of his father” PA24. Other parties named in this deed were Francis Wenman and James Roberts; the abstract implied they were the grantees but does not provide details on what they were granted PA24. Wormelow Hundred was located in Herefordshire.
He married Margery circa 1581 SK1; the 1682-3 Visitation of Gloucester stated that William Scudamore of Herefordshire married a “dau. of … Lechemere of Fownhope, Hereford” MA36. William died in Upton Bishop in Herefordshire, England and was buried on December 2, 1598 SK1, SK3. His brother-in-law, Thomas Lechmere of Fownhope Court, and his half-brother, Thomas Guillim of Fawley, were the administrators of his estate BE6, SK1.
A Chancery Court suit between Edward Hall of Hollowe (the plaintiff or complainant) and William Scudamore Jr., a draper of Gloucester, which was dated February 1621, mentioned names, relationships, and details which are of interest CO44. According to the bill of complaint by Edward Hall and the responses by the defendants, William Scudamore, Jr. and Anne and Roger Lechmore or Leachmore, William Scudamore, the elder, died intestate when his son, William Scudamore, Jr., was about seven years old CO44. Edward Hall said this occurred about twenty-five years previously, which would indicate his death occurred about 1597 CO44.
William Scudamore, the elder, and his wife had five children, including William Scudamore, Jr., who later became an apprentice in the city of Gloucester CO44. Edward Hall stated that William Scudamore, Jr. became a draper in Gloucester, while the responses indicate he was a tradesman CO44. After the death of William Scudamore, the elder, his widow (and the mother of William Scudamore, Jr.) married Anthonie or Anthony Caple CO44. Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Gwillim (or Guillin or Guillium) were uncles of William Scudamore, Jr. CO44. Anthony Caple and Thomas Lechmore were alive in 1600 (in the 42nd year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, but Anthonie Caple, Thomas Leachmore, and Thomas Guillim were deceased when the bill of complaint was written (about 1622) CO44. The wife and son of Thomas Lechmore or Leachmore were Anne and Roger, who were also the executors of his last will and testament CO44. Anne Lechmore, a widow, and her son, Roger Lechmore, resided in Fownhope in Herefordshire, and it seems that William Scudamore, Jr. may have relocated to Fownhope in about 1618 or 1619 (about three or four years prior to the bill of complaint) CO44. Edward Hall claimed that Anthony Caple sold lands at or near Todgwood in Herefordshire for the sum of fifty-five pounds, but the response to the bill of complaint by Anne and Anne and Roger Leachmore stated that Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Guillium sold the farm and land called Todgwood CO44.
The Court of Chancery suit dated February 1621 has been transcribed below; this document had some creasing, particularly within the upper half, which caused some words or portions of words to be unreadable. In these cases, the word [crease] will appear CO44:
Febr
1621 Saunders To the right rever [crease; probably “reverend”] father in god
qo: lo: bp [probably “lord bishop”] of lincolne lo: [lord] keep of the great
seale of England, [the document is torn and is missing a word or words]… most
humble manner complayning sheweth unto yor. l’op [probably
“lordship”] yor ora: Edward Hall of Hollowe, in the coun[ty] of W… [this word
was unclear, but “Hallow” is in Worcestershire] gent yt Whereas one
Will’m Scudamore gent about 25tie yeares last past haveing then V
c…l’dren [crease; probably “children”] whereof one, Wm Scudamore of
the cittie of Gloc [probably “Gloucester”] drap[er] was one, being poss[ess]ed
of some p[er]sonall estate died intestate, by & after Whose deceas one
Anthony Caple gent deceased maried & tooke to wife the late wife of the sd.
Wm Scudamore thelder [the elder] After whose entermariage the
administracon [the previous word is uncertain due to a crease] of the goods
& chattells whereof the sd. Willm Scudamore dyed poss[ess]ed of was by the
compotent ordinarilie of the dioces of Hereff [probably “Hereford”] to Whome…
[crease] a p[er] [the previous word is illegible] comitted unto the sd. Antho
Caple & his sd. wife or unto one of them the c…tentie [probably
“certentie”] Whereof your ora[tor] cannot p[re]ciselie declare by reason…
[crease] remaineth in the hands of the defts [defendants] hereafter
named or in the hands of one of them after wch sd. intermariage &
administracon soe; [small crease; the previous word is uncertain] granted
[crease] agreemt was had & made betweene the sd. Anthonie Caple
& one Tho: lechmore, gent deceased & others of the frends of the sd.
Wm. Scudam… [crease] deceased that the sd. Antho: Caple should out of thestate
[the estate] of the sd. Wm Scudamore, wch came to the sd. Antho: by reason of
the sd. enterm…age [crease, but this word would have stated “entermarriage”]
& administrac[i]on paie unto the 5 children of the sd. Wm Scudamore, the
some [sum] of 20li a peece or thereabouts for theire porc[i]ons out
of theire… [crease] fathers estate for the paiemt of 10li
of wch sd. porc[i]ons the sd. Antho Caple togeather wth your sd. ora[tor]
abouts qune [it would make more sense if this word was “June”, but the first
letter was formed exactly as the letter “q” in the word “queen” later in the
same line; there were no instances of a letter “J” within this document for
comparison’s sake] in the 42th yeare of our lat… [crease]
[so]veraigne ladie Eliza: late queene of Engl[and] became bound by bond of 20li
unto the sd. Tho: lechmore for paiemt of the some of 10li
at a daye… [crease] to come & nowe above 16 yeares past And then the sd.
Antho: Caple being poss[ess]ed by reason of his sd. intermarriage, & by
vertue of the sd. admin… strac[i]on [a crease was in the middle of the previous
word] of & in · 4 · oxen worth 20li xi Kyne worth 35li
· 7 · 3 yeare ould beasts worth 16li · 4 · yeareling calves worth 3li
one heyfer wort [sic] 3li & 30tie swine worth
13li vjs 8d & of & in divers other
goods chattells & ymplemts of howshould to the value of Cli
[one hundred pounds] & the sd. Antho: Caple being thereof soe poss[ess]ed
& being indebted unto dyvers p[er]sons in severall somes of money for wch
some suits were comenced & depending And feareing lest the cattell &
goods would have beene seised upon by the then Sheriffe of the coun[ty] of
Hereff for paiemt of his sd. debts by reason whereof the porc[i]ons…
[crease] children of the sd. Will’m Scudamore would have beene utterlie [the
previous word is uncertain due to a crease] loste hee the sd. Antho: Caple was
much labored & ymportuned by the sd. Tho: lechmore & one [blank space]
Gw… [a crease has obscured several words here] to the sd. children yt
hee the sd. [crease, but it is still possible to make out “Antho:”] Caple would
give waye, & suffer the l[ette]res of administrac[i]on granted unto him of
the goods & chattells of the sd. Will’m Scudamore to bee revoked & to
suffer newe l[ette]res of administrac[i]on of the goods & chattells of the
sd. Wm Scudamore to bee granted unto the sd. Tho: lechmore &
unto ye sd Gwillim or unto… [crease] of them or unto some other
trusted by ye sd. Tho: lechmore whereunto ye sd. Antho:
Caple in considera… [crease] yt the sd. Tho: lechmore p[ro]mised to
free ye sd. Antho: of… [crease] legacies & to yeld unto him the
sd. suerplus of ye estate of the sd. Willm Scudamore yeld… [a crease
has obscured a few words] And thereupon the sd. Tho: lechmore p[ro]cured newe
l[ette]res of administrac[i]on of the goods & chattels of the sd. Wm
Scudamore to bee by the sd. ordinarie granted unto them ye sd. Tho:
lechmore & Gwillim or unto one of them whoe haveing by the meanes aforesd
gotten the sd. l[ette]res of administrac[i]on did by vertue thereof take into
theire hande & poss[essi]on ye aforesd goods & cattells
& further receaved a debt of Xli due by one Tomes & another
debt of Xli due by one Silvester unto ye sd. testator or
unto ye sd. Antho: Caple & also by vertue of the sd
l[ett]ers of administrac[i]on or by ye consent of ye sd.
Antho: Caple did make sale of an estate of lands wch laye at or nere a place
called Todgwood in ye sd. coun[ty] wch ye sd. Antho: had
in his owne right or in ye right of his sd. wife for ye
some of lvli & receaved ye money for ye
same att wch somes of money soe receaved by ye sd. Tho: lechmore
& Gwillim & the sd. goods & cattell amounted unto the some of
abouts 300li wth wch the sd. Thomas lechmore & Gwillim were to dischardge
the sd. porcons to ye sd. children & certen deeds & to yeld
an accompt of the overplus thereof unto ye sd. Antho: Caple by wch
meanes ye sd. Antho: Caple did fullie satisfie & dischardg the
sd. lands of 20li entred into unto ye sd. Tho: for
p[ar]te of ye porc[i]ons of ye sd. children & sd.
Tho: lechmore did alwaye in his life time acknowledge & confesse yt
ye same was dischargd & did p[ro]mise unto ye sd.
Antho: Caple dyvers & severall tymes to deliver up ye same to
bee cancelled And ye sd. Antho: Caple dyvers times p[ro]tested unto
yor ora[tor] yt ye sd. bond was dischardged
but before ye sd. bond was delivered up or cancelled ye
sd. Tho: lechmore made & declared his last will & testamt in
writing & thereof did make constitute & appoint Amie lechmore [the
document states “Amie” here, but the name “Anne” or “Ann” was written three
other times, so the name “Amie” was likely a mistake] his wife & Roger
lechmore gen his sonne his executors & shortlie after dyed By & after
whose decease ye sd. Anne lechmore & Roger lechmore, dyed
[this word was crossed out] p[ro]ved ye sd. will according to the
due course o [this was probably meant to be the word “of”] the ecclesiaticall
lawes of this kindome [sic] by reason whereof ye sd. bond of
xxli came unto the hands & custodie of ye sd. Ann
lechmore & Rog: lechmore who well knowing yt ye same
was satisfied & dischardged by the meanes aforesd kept ye same
in theire hands for dyvers yeares & never demanded anie thing by reason
thereof untill nowe of late yt ye sd. Antho: Caple who
was p[ar]tie & privie to all ye sd. agreemt died And
nowe [the previous word is uncertain] righ ho: b: [the three previous
abbreviations probably meant “right honorable bishop”] soe it is yt
ye sd. Anne lechmore & Rog: lechmore knowing yt ye
sd. Antho: Caple is deceased, & yt yor ora[tor] was a
mere stranger to ye sd. agremts & ye
manner howe ye sd. debt was dischardged by reason yt your
ora[tor] dwelled farre remote from them in another countye & conceiving yt
your ora[tor] cannot make, p[ro]fe, howe ye sd. bond was discharged,
have now of late by ye p[ro]curemt & practice of ye
sd. one [it appeared as though the letters “y sd.” was crossed
out and the word “one” was written above] Wm Scudamore of ye
cittie of Glouc drap[er] one of ye children of ye sd. Wm
Scudamore deceased Who: is by combinacon betweene them to have ye
benifitt of such money as shalbee recovered against your sd ora[tor] & whoe
defrayeth all ye charges of ye p[ro]secuc[i]on of ye
sd. suite against your ora[tor] but ye sd. bond of 20li
in sute agt yor ora[tor] in his mats [probably
“Majesty’s”] courte of coen [probably “common”] peas at Westm [perhaps
“Westminster”] & therein p[ro]ceedeth wth all extremities & will
recover ye same agt your ora: being but a suertie unless
yor lop [probably “lordship”] ayde [aid] bee not here in extended
although ye same in all equitie & conscience bee fullie
dischardged as maie evidentlie ap[e]re in yt ye same
during ye time of 16 yeares nor untill after ye decease
of ye sd. Antho: Caple ye same was ever demanded nor your
ora[tor] in all yt time ever heard but yt ye
same was fullie dischardged Wherefore ye p[re]misses considered
& for yt it ap[er]eth yt ye sd. bond was
sealed 22tie yeares past & the money thereby condiconed to bee
pd [paid] 16 yeares past or thereabouts before the decease of ye sd.
Antho: Caple & for yt your ora[tor] was never demaunded ye
sd. money in all yt time nor ever made acquainted yt ye
same was unsatisfied whereby hee migh [sic] have been taken his remedie
over against the sd. Antho: Caple & to thend [the end] the sd. Anne
lechmore Rog lechmore & Wm Scudamor maie be forced upon theire
oaths to discover the truth herein & bee ordered & inioyned to staie
& p[ro]ceed noe further in the sd. suite at ye comon lawe agt
your sd. ora[tor] upon ye sd. bond untill the said matter bee exaied
[the previous word was probably “examined”] in this ho: [probably “honored”]
court & to thend the sd. bond maie bee delivered up to your ora[tor] to bee
cancelled, maie it please yor ho: lop [probably “honored lordship”] to award
his mats writts of supa to be directed to ye sd.
Anne lechmore widd. Rog lechmore & Wm Scudamore comaning them etc.
The answer of William Scudamore, Jr. and the separate answer of Anne Leachmore and her son, Roger Leachmore, to this bill of complaint each had a date on the bottom of the document which indicated it was written or received in court on April 25 CO44. These responses were likely written in 1622. Within this document, the scribe used a version of a thorn (the symbol that means “th” and in other documents often resembled the letter “y”) that most resembled “ þ”. I have used the thorn in the instances it appeared in the document, and then I have used square brackets after the word to include the intended meaning of the word CO44:
The several Aunswears [Answers] of William Scudamore gent one of the defts. To the Bill of Complaint of Edward Hall gent Compl[ainan]t.
The said deft. saveinge unto himsealf now and att all times hearefter the advantage and benefitt of excepcon to the incertentie and insufficiencie of the said Bill of Complaynte for a full and sufficient aunsweare unto soe much thereof as anywaie concerne him this deft. to answeare unto this deft. saieth and confesseth that true it is that hee this deft. was one of the sonnes of the said William Scudamore deceased named in þe [the] said Bill and that this defts. father died about the time in the said Bill supposed and that hee this deft. thinketh it to bee true that this defts. father was in his lief time possessed of some personall estate and that hee died intestate. And this deft. further affirmeth and saith that the said Anthonie Caple named in the said Bill maried and tooke to wief the mother of þis [“this”] deft. after the decease of this defts. father, but whether the said Anthonie Caple bee nowe deade, as in the said Bill is alleadged, this deft. knoweth not, But concerneinge the administracon of the goods and Chattells of this defts. father com[m]itted unto the said Anthonie Caple and this defts. moþer [mother], after the entermariage and the retocacon [the previous word’s meaning is uncertain] thereof, and nowe lerts [probably “letters”] of Administracon graunted unto Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Guillium nowe both deceased, wth the Circumstances thereof, and the agreemts. thereuppon made, all menc[i]oned in the said Bill, this deft. saieth that hee was then [a short symbol or word has been obscured here with an inkblot] ignorant thereof, for that hee was then an infante aboute the age of seven yeares at the decease of his father, and noe waie privie to the said agreemt menc[i]oned in the said Bill, nor any parte thereof, and scithence [the scribe may have meant “since”] hath beene an appentiz [the word may have meant “apprentice”] and dwelled for þe [the] most parte wthin the Cittie of Gloucester, And concerneinge the Bond of twentie pounds entered into by the Complainant unto the said Thomas Leachmore nowe deceased and latly put in suite against the Compl[ainan]t by him this deft, And for manifestacon and discovery of the truth therein unto this Honor.bl Courte this deft aunsweares and saieth, That hee beinge of tender age at the death of his father, as aforesaid, and haveinge scithence accomplished his full age, and beinge informed by some of his friends that after the entermariage of this defts. mother wth the said Caple, some provicon [probably “provision”] was made by this defts. uncles Thomas Leachmoore and Thomas Guillin, both named in the said Bill for the sellinge [the previous word might instead read “setlinge” or settling] of some certen porcon for this deft, to bee paid when as hee should attaine unto his full age as hee suppost And thereuppon this deft about three or foure yeares scithence, repayringe unto the house of the other defts. at Fownehope wthin the Countie of Heref, and this deft. haveinge then conference wþ [wth, an abbreviated form of “with”] them concerneinge some supposed porcon for þis [this] deft to remaine in þeire [probably “their”, but the first letter was smudged] hands as executors. unto the said Thomas Leachmore this defts. late unckle, and this deft. pressinge them to knowe the certentie thereof, the oþer [other] defts did confesse and acknowledge that the bond of twentie pounds menc[i]oned in þe [the] said Bill was then in theire custodie and possession and furþer [further] declared unto this deft that they did verylie beelive that þe [the] same bond was taken in theire testators. name for þe [the] use and benefitt of some of the Children of þe [the] said William Scudamore this defts. late father, and thereuppon the other defts knowinge that þis [this] deft. had litle porcon from his fatheres p[er]sonall estate, deliv[er]ed over þe [the] said bond of twentie pounds unto this deft. wth warrant and aucloritie [the previous word was probably “authority”, but the third and fourth letters were “cl”] graunted unto him by the other defts. to demaunde þe [the] said debte, and uppon the said bond from þe [the] said Compl[ainan]t to this defts. only and p[ro]p[er] use, and for none paiemt thereof to com[m]ence and prosequute [probably “prosecute”] a suite in lawe against the said Compl[ainan]t for the lawfull recov[er]ry thereof to this defts. use as aforesaid And þis [this] deft. furþer [further] saieth and confesseth that hee this deft. hath caused a suite in lawe uppon the said bond of twentie pounds to bee prosequuted against þe [the] Compl[ainan]t., as lawfull this deft. hopeþ [hopeth] it was and is for him to doe, And further saieth that the same suite hath depended about twoo yeares att the coste and chardge of this deft. and to his great trouble and damage hee beinge much preiudiced [prejudiced] thereby. And this deft. hopeth under the favour of þis [this] Honorbl. Courte that hee shalbee permitted to proceed in þe [the] said suite upon the said bond against the Compl[ainan]t. to a legall triall att the Com[m]on lawe, the said debt haveinge beene longe due to poore infants and this deft. haveinge had litle meanes as aforesaid from his faþeres [father’s] p[er]sonall estate to pferr [the previous word had a superscript abbreviation that was unclear, but this word may have been “prefer”] himsealf, and shalbee much hindred if hee shalbee defeated of þe [the] said debt, and saith that hee this deft is veryly perswaded that þe [the] Compl[ainan]t ought to dischardge and paie the said debts the same beinge due in all equitie and good conscience unto this deft. as aforesaid as this defft verely beleveth [the last word of this superscript phrase is unclear] all wch this deft. leaveth to the consideracon of þis [this] most Honorbl. Courte. wthout that that [sic] this deft. did use any such unlawfull practize or combinacon wþ [wth or with] the other defts to have the benifitt of þe [the] said bond as in the said Bill is pretended. And wthout that that there was any such extremitie used in the proceedinge uppon the said bond against the Compl[ainan]t as in the said bill is alsoe most untruely informed, to þis [this] deffts knowledge And wþout [without] that any other matter or thinge materiall or effectuall in the lawe to bee answeared unto by him þis [this] deft. and hearein not sufficiently answeared unto confessed or avoyded traversed and denied is true all wch matteres hee þis [this] deft is reddie to averr and prove as this Honorbl. Courte shall award and praie to bee from hence dismised wþ [wth or with] his reasonable Coste and Chardge in þis [this] behalfe most wrongfully sustengned [perhaps “sustained”]…Wmo Scudamor Jur[at] fuit ad huc respunsus apud Fownehope in Com[itatu] Heref[ordshire] xxv° die April A° [Anno] Regis Jacobi nunc Angl &c Vicesimo et Scoc…
The Joynte and severall answeares of Ann Leachmore widowe and Roger Leachmore gent her sonne defts: to the Bill of Complaint of Edward Hall gent Compl[ainan]t
The advauntage and benefitt of excepcon to the manifest imperfeccons incertentie and insufficiencie of the said Bill of Complaint to them theise defts: & unto either of them nowe and at all times heareafter saved for a full and perfect answeare unto soe much thereof as anywaie concearne them these defts. to answeare unto they said, and either of them saith, That they believe it to bee true þat [that] William Scudamoore thelder [the elder] in the said bill named died intestate aboute the time in the said bill menc[i]oned and that hee was possessed of some personall estate and that hee had five Children whereof the said William Scudamoore named in the said bill, was one, And theise defts. further said that they alsoe belive it to bee true that after the death of the said William Scudamoore thelder Anthonie Caple gent nowe deceased maried the wief of the said william Scudamoore as in the said bill is setfourth, And that after the said entermariage the administracon of all the goods and Chattells of the said william Scudamoores was lawfully graunted and Comitted unto the said Anthonie Caple and his said wief as in the said Bill is alleadged But concerneinge the agreemt menc[i]oned in the said Bill and supposed to bee had and made between the said Anthonie Caple and one Thomas Leachmoore gent deceased and otheres of the freinds of the said william Scudamoores deceased and for manifestacon and declarecon of the truth unto this Honorbl. Courte concerneinge the same and the Chardge of the said Bill these defts: said that the said Anthonie Caple haveinge gotten l[ette]res of administracon of all the goods and Chattells of the said William Scudamoores and beinge intituled [entitled] thereunto by the entermariage wth the widowe of the said Scudamores and thereby the said Caple haveinge interest and title unto all the decedents goods and Chattells and thereby they beinge subiect [subject] to the debts of the said Caple the said Thomas Leachmore and one Thomas Guillium both named in the said bill well understandinge that the said Anthonie Caple was indebted unto diveres persones and haveinge noe estate but by the entermariage aforesaid, and diveres suite beinge com[m]enced against him, as in the said Bill is alleadged, and they the said Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Guillium beinge uncles unto the Children of the said William Scudamoor and feareinge least the goods and Chattelles of the said William Scudamores deceased might bee seised and soulde for paiemt and satisfacon of the debts of the said Caple and thereby the five Children of the said William Scudamores should be hazarded to be defeated of theire seaverall porcons and to bee undonne in regard whereof and for preservacon of the said Scudamoores estate for the good and benefitt of his said five Children, the said Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Guillium about the time in the said Bill specified, repaired unto the ordinary of þe [the] diocesse of Heref (and wthout the consent of the said Caple) procured the said Ordinary (to whome the grauntinge of the lerts [letters] of administracon of Right and apperteigne [appertain]) to revoke the former l[ette]res of administracon graunted unto the said Caple and his wief and to graunte newe l[ette]res of administracon unto the said Thomas Leachmores and Thomas Guillium for and one [on] the behalfe of the said five Children. by vertue whereof the said Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Guillium well knoweinge the daunger wch might ensue unto the Children of the decedents Scudamoore if present remedie weere not had ymediatly uppon the comittinge of the administracon unto the said Thomas Leachmore and Guillium they did take and receave into theire hands and possession all the goods and Chattells of þe [the] said William Scudamores wch said goods and Chattells did not amounte neare unto the value in the said Bill specified, And thereuppon the said Anthonie Caple well perceiveing that his authoritie to meddle any furþere [further] wth ye decedents goods was determined, about the time in the said Bill menc[i]oned, hee the said Anthonie Caple and his then wief made suite and earnestly sollicited the said Thomas Leachmoore and Thomas Guillium to condesend to some agreemt and bargaine wth them for the most parte of the said goods and Chattells then newly come unto the disposinge of the said Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Guillium to the use of þe [the] decedent Scudamoores Children as aforesaid, whereuppon it was agreed and concluded betweene the said Anthonie Caple Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Guillium that the decedents Scudamoors goods or the greater parte thereof should bee redeliv[er]ed unto the said Anthonie Caple, wch was effected accordingly, in consideracon whereof the said Anthonie Caple did assume and promise to become bounde wþ [wth or with] sufficient suerties to the said Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Guillium or to one of them for the paiemt of the true value of all such goods and Chattells as should bee delivered backe unto him by th[e] said Administrators, whereuppon the said Anthonie Caple and the said Compl[ain]ant about the time in the said bill menc[i]oned in p[ar]te of performance of the said agreemt entered in to the bond of Twentie pounds condic[i]oned for the paiemt of tenne pounds unto the said Thomas Leachmore or to his executors. or assignes in manner as in the said Bill is alleadged as theise defts: taketh it, And theise defts. further affirme that they thinke it to bee true that the said bond of twentie pounds did remaine in the Custodie of the said Thomas Leachmore dureinge his Lief and that hee the said Thomas Lachmore did not require the said money to bee paid by the said Complaynant dureinge his lief, and the cause and reason was in regard that the same bond was reserved and keept saef for the use and benefitte of one of the Children of the said William Scudamore, the said Thomas Leachmore not intendinge to co[n]vert any parte of the goods of the decedent William Scudamore to his owne use, but to ymploy the same for the preferment of the decedents poore Children, And theise defts. further said and affirme that the said last menc[i]oned bond was intended and soe agreed uppon to bee reserved for the raiseinge of some competent porcon for the said William Scudamore named in the said Bill one of the sonnes of the said William deceased then an apprentize and wthin age wthin the Cittie of Gloucester and in regard of his nonage the money was not demaunded, of the said Complainant, albeit in truth the same was not nor yet is paid or dischardged as in the Bill is untruly surmised, And further these defts. affirme that true it is that the said Thomas Lechmore died and made these defts. his Executors of his last will and testamt whoe toke uppon them the lawfull execucon thereof as in the said Bill is supposed and theise defts alsoe acknowledgeth that the said bond was in the Custodie and possession of the said Thomas Leachmore at the time of his death and that the same came (amongst other deeds and speciallties of the said Thomas Leachmores) unto the possession of theise defts. as his executors as of right it ought to doe, And theise defts further answeare and said that the said William Scudamore the sonne haveinge nowe attained unto his full age and beinge a tradesman wthin the Cittie of Gloucester and theise defts. p[er]swadinge themsealves in their Conscience that the money due uppon the said bond of twentie pounds is yett unsatisfied and unpaid, doe confesse that they have delivered over the said bond unto the said William Scudamore the sonne wth lawfull authoritie from these defts. to put the same in suite against the Complainant for due recovery of the said Bond for the benefitt of the said William Scudamore as lawfull (these defts. hope) under the favoure of this Honorbl. Courte it was and is for them to doe., And these defts. further said that it may bee true that the administrators Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Guillium did make sale of and alien the fearme and land called Todgwood for the some of money menc[i]oned in the said Bill and alsoe that the said defts. did receave the some of tenne pounds of Tomunes [the previous word is uncertain but may refer to a debt of ten pounds owed by someone whose name might have been “Tomes”, which was referred to in the bill of complaint] in the Bill menc[i]oned, but these defts. said that the said administrators fully administerd dureinge theire lives and disposed all the goods and Chattelles of the said William Scudamores deceased to his use and for the benefitte of his five Children and thereof made a just accompt dureinge þeire [their] lives the particulars whereof theise defts. cannot depose they beinge strangeres thereunto. Without that that here was any such precedent agreemt had and made betweene the said Anthonie Caple and the said Thomas Leachmore and others the freinds of the said william Scudamore deceased for paiemt of twentie pounds apeace unto the Children of the said william Scudamore as in the said Bill [the next one or two short words are faded and unclear] untruely alleadged, And wthout that that the said Anthonie Caple was much laboured and ymportuned by the said Leachmore and Guillium to give way to the grauntinge of the administracon of þe [the] goods and Chattelles of the said william Scudamore unto the said Thomas Leachmore and to the said Guillium as in the said Bill is declared, And wthout that that in Consideracon thereof that the said Thomas Leachmore promised to free the said Caple of the legacies and to yeald the overplus of the estate to the said Caple as in the Bill is falsly surmised, And wthout that that the said Thomas L… [the document is very faded in the bottom right corner and this name is not visible] did in his lief time confesse that the bond was dischardged or did ever promise (to theise defts. knowledge), to deliv[er] upp) the same to bee Cancelled, And wthout that that there was any procuremt or practiz [the previous word is faded and unclear] by the said william Scudamoore or any Combinacon unlawfully to have the benefitt of the money due uppon the said bond of twentie pounds as in the said bill is untruly suggested, And wthout that that there is any extremitie used but that the same is due in all equitie and good conscience and prosecuted in due forme of lawe and in such manner and forme as before is answeared, And wthout that that any other matter or thinge materiall or effectuall in the lawe to bee xxxxx [the previous group of “x”s appeared to be written over a rubbed-out word] answeared unto and not herein sufficiently answeared unto confessed or avoyded trav[er]sed and denied is true all wch matteres they theise defts are reddy to averr and prove as this Honorbl. Courte shall award and praie to be from hence dismissed wþ [wth or with] theire reasonable costs and chardgs in this behalf most wrongfully susteigned… Anna Lechemor & Roger Lechemor Jur[at] fuer ad hoc responsus xxv° die April A° [Anno] Regis Jacobi nunc Angl &c Vicesimo et Scoc lv° apud Fownehope in Com[itatu] Heref[ordshire]…
Margery Lechmere was the mother of Walter, Gilbert, Robert, William, Thomas, and Mary SK5, but the 1682-3 Visitation of Gloucester noted only three children: Walter, William, and Mary MA36. The 1622 chancery suit Edward Hall vs. William Scudamore, Jr. and Anne and Roger Leachmore stated that William Scudamore and his wife had five children, including William Scudamore, Jr. CO44. It is unclear if or why one child was not counted. She was likely the sister of Thomas Leachmore or Lechmore, because Thomas Leachmore and Thomas Gwillim (or Guillin or Guillium) were called the uncles of William Scudamore, Jr. CO44. Thomas Leachmore married Anne and had a son named Roger Leachmore or Lechmore; they resided in Fownhope in Herefordshire CO44.
Walter Scudamore was called the eldest son of William Scudamore in May’s Visitation of the County of Gloucester, which stated that he died as a bachelor (“ob. cœl.”) MA36.
Gylberte Scudamor, the son of William Scudamor, was christened on February 12, 1588 at Upton Bishop, Herefordshire, England EN4. After the death of his father, Gilbert Scudamore inherited a messuage or tenement called “Newmans”, along with some other lands, for which he (at the age of about ten) performed homage for these lands at Upton Bishop on April 20, 1599 BE6. In about 1609 when he was approximately twenty, he died during a journey abroad BE6.
Roberte Scudamor, the son of William Scudamor, was christened on July 26, 1590 at Upton Bishop, Herefordshire, England EN4.
William Scudamore (IV) was approximately seven years old when his father died about 1597 or in 1598 and was then sent to Gloucester to become an apprentice to a woolen draper CO44, SK1, SK3, BE6. This indicates that he was about 1591. Brian Berry provided an abstract of a chancery suit between Christopher Gatcombe, a yeoman of Bishops Upton, Herefordshire (the plaintiff) and William Scudamore, a gentleman (the defendant), which was dated January 28, 1624 BE6. This complaint concerned a messuage or tenement called “Newmans” and some other lands which Gatcombe believed were his as he was the heir of his deceased “cousin” who also happened to be named Christopher Gatcombe (these were lands that the elder Gatcombe died seized of) BE6. The answer to this complaint, dated May 13, 1625 at Gloucester, provided details about the Scudamore family BE6. William Scudamore (IV) stated that the elder Christopher Gatcombe sold those parcels of land to Walter Farrington, who then on August 1, 1575 sold them to John Gwatkin and his son, John Gwatkin BE6. The lands were transferred or granted to William Gwatkin, who then sold them to William Scudamore, gentleman (and the father of the defendant) on May 10, 1597 BE6. William Scudamore went on to state in his answer to this complaint that after the death of his father, those lands descended to Gilbert Scudamore, who was the son and heir, and that Gilbert performed homage for these lands before Toby (Tobias) Payne (a steward of Upton Bishop) during a court which was held at Upton Bishop on April 20, 1599 (during the 41st year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth) BE6. This homage consisted of Gilbert presenting “a heriot of a best beast” to the lord of the manor BE6. A heriot is a tribute given to a lord from the belongings of a tenant and was often a live animal, armor, or a weapon. William further stated in the answer to this complaint that at that time, Gilbert was about ten years old and that after this, he took possession of the lands and then “about sixteen years last past” (or about 1609), he “did travel beyond the seas where he died” BE6. Because William (the plaintiff) was Gilbert’s brother and next heir, the lands descended to him, and he subsequently leased them to an individual named Richard Fisher “about eleven years ago” (or 1614) BE6. Within this answer to the complaint, William also mentioned that his mother’s name was Margery and that she was a widow BE6.
William Scudamore, a woolen draper of Gloucester, wrote his will on November 4, 1636, which stated that his mother was Margery Caple, his wife was Elizabeth, and his children were William, Sarah, and Anne Scudamore, who were all younger than twenty-one WI45. He specifically called Elizabeth his wife and the mother of their children WI45. Thomas May’s Visitation of the County of Gloucester stated that Elizabeth was the daughter of a man with the surname “Clarvo” of “the Ligh” in Gloucestershire MA36. The Ligh was also called “the Lye” and was the parish of Leigh, six miles north of Gloucester EL6. She may have been Elizabeth, the daughter of Thomas Clarvo, who was christened on December 16, 1593 in Leigh, Gloucestershire, England EN4.
William (V), the son of William and Elizabeth (Clarvo) Scudamore, was born about 1616 (he was sixty-seven in 1683) and married Joan, the daughter of William Capell, an alderman of Gloucester MA36. William and Joan Scudamore were the parents of Elizabeth Scudamore, who was unmarried as of 1683, and William Scudamore (VI), who was born about 1647 (this William also became a woolen draper of Gloucester; he married Elizabeth, the daughter and heir of William Rolles of Cockshutt in Newnham Parish, Gloucestershire, and died at about age forty-eight in 1695) MA36. Sarah, the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Clarvo) Scudamore, first married William Clively of Gloucester and second married Nicholas Hayns, an ironmonger of Gloucester MA36. Anne, the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Clarvo) Scudamore, died as an unmarried person MA36.
In his will, William Scudamore (IV) stated that Mary French was his sister who had children WI45. It mentioned a parish called Saint Mary Gracelane in the city of Gloucester. The chapel or church of St. Mary de Grace was built by the year 1176 and was located by the entrance to Grace Lane, which later was called St. John’s Lane HE17. By 1498 it was called the church or chapel of Graceland, but the building suffered damage during the siege of 1643 and it was demolished by 1655 HE17. William died at about age forty MA37. A transcription of his will follows WI45:
In the name of god Amen, the Fowerth day of November one thousand six hundred thirtie and six, And in the twelveth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne lord Charles by the grace of god Kinge of England Scotland Fraunce and Ireland defender of the faith &tc, I William Scudamore of the Citty of Gloucester Wollen drap[er] though Sick in body yet blessed be god of Sound memory doe make and declare my last will and testament in manner and forme followinge that is to say, First I comend my Soule into the hands of god allmighty my faithfull creator trustinge that he will accepte me as fully iustified [perhaps “justified”] from all my Synns through Christ Jesus. my redeemer and for his sake will receave me to glory in his heavenly knigdome [kingdom], And my body I bequeath to the earth whereof it was framed, and for my wordly estate lent unto me by gods free mercie and goodnes through his blessinge upon me I doe devise and dispose thereof in sorte followinge Imprimis I give devise and bequeath unto Margery Caple my loving mother one yearly some of tenn poundes of lawfull mony of England duringe her naturall life to be paied unto her by my executrix hereafter named att fower Feasts in the yeare vizt the birth of Christe [December 25th] Thanunciat[i]on [the annunciation] of Saint Marie the Virgin Saint [this is Lady Day, or March 25th] John the Baptiste [the Nativity of John the Baptist is June 24th] and Saint Michaell tharchangell [the archangel] [Michelmas is September 29th] by even por[t]ions And the first payment thereof to be made att that feaste of the said feaste which shall next happen after my decease, Item I give to my said mother Margery Caple soe much very good black cloth as will make her amourning gowne, Item I give to William Smith and William Bannaster my god sonns to each of them tenn shillings a peece, Item I doe give to the poore people of the parrishe of Saint Mary) Gracelane in the Cittie of Gloucester forty shillings to be disposed of by the churchwardens and overseers of the poore people of the said parishe to whome my will is that the said Forty shillings shalbe paied Item I doe give and devise unto William Scudamore my sonne in mony one hundred and threescore poundes to be paied att his age of one and twenty yeares, Item I doe give devise and bequeath unto Sarah and Anne my daughters. in mony one hundred and threescore poundes apeece to be paied att theire several ages. of one and twentie yeares or day of marriage which shall first happen, And my will is And soe I doe devise and dispose that if any or either of my said children sonne and daughters shall happen to dye before hee or shee shall come to and accomplishe his her or theire sev[er]all and respective age or ages or time or times aforesaid lymitted for the payment thereof, That then the por[t]ion or port[t]ions legacy or legacies of such childe or children soe dyinge as aforesaid shalbe paied to such children or children Survivinge to each an equall por[t]ion thereof And att such time or times to be paied as the some should have beene paied to such childe or children soe dyinge as aforesaid if hee or shee had lived, Item all the rest of my goodes Cattells Chattells rights and creditts whatsoever not before or hereafter devised and disposed of by this my Will, My debts legacies and funerall expences beinge paied and discharged I doe give devise and bequeath unto Elizabeth my loving Wife, Item I doe make ordaine and appointe the said Elizabeth my said wife the sole exeuctrix of this my last Will and testament not doubtinge but shee wilbe a carefull and lovinge mother to her and my children above named, Item I doe give unto all the nowe children of Mary French my Sister, to each of them five pounds apeece to bee paied att theire several ages of one and twenty yeares, Item I doe give unto Mr. Foulke Wallwyn the some of eight pounds in way of restitu[t]ion to be allowed unto him in way of abatement out of the debt which hee nowe oweth me, Item I give to the poore of the parishe of Saint Katherines in mony Twenty shillings, Item unto the poore of all other the p[ar]ishes of the Citty of Gloucester, exceptinge the p[ar]ishe of Saint Mary gracelane) I doe give the some of fower poundes by such a some to each p[ar]ishe to be delivered to the Overseers of the poore thereof as to my Executrix shall seeme best, In Witnes whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above Written, Item I doe entreate William Scudamore esquier and James Powell gentleman to be Overseers of this my Will to eache of whom I doe give twenty shillings apeece to buy each of them a Ringe, William Scudamore, Published and declared in the presence of Thomas Smith Stephus Clutterbooke, Stephen Halford,/
His will was proved before Henry Marten at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on the oath of his widow, Elizabeth Scudamore, on December 22, 1636 (“Probatum fuit testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram veneti viro domino Henrico Marten milite legam Curie Prerogative Cant[erbury]…Vicesimo Secundo die mentis decembris Anno domini Mill[es]imo sexcentesimo tricesimo sexto Juramente Elizabethe Scudamore Relicte dicte defuncte et executrix”) WI45.
Thomas Scudamor, the son of William Scudamor, was christened on August 1, 1593 at Upton Bishop, Herefordshire, England EN4.
Mary Scudamore was called the “wife of … French of Boston in New England” and the daughter of William Scudamore of Herefordshire and a “dau.[ghter] of … Lechmere of Fownhope, Hereford” in Thomas May’s Visitation of the County of Gloucester MA36.
After the death of William, and by the year 1600, Margery remarried to Anthony or Anthonie Caple of How Caple in Herefordshire, but her second husband died by the year 1622 CO44, SK5, BE6, SK3. Anthony Caple was the second son of Richard and Milborough Caple DU17. Richard Caple, the son of Edward and Alice (Goodere) Caple, married Milborough Washbourne, the daughter and co-heiress of Anthony Washbourne, Esquire, in 1568 in Bosbury, Herefordshire DU17. The children of Richard and Milbourough Caple were Richard, Anthony, Joyce, Alice, Edward, Roger, Mary, and Ann DU17. Anthony Caple, the son of Richard and “Milburga”, was christened on November 9, 1574 at Bosbury, Herefordshire EN4. The parish of How Caple lies within a bend of the River Wye and is about four miles south of Fownhope and five miles northwest of Upton Bishop.
Margery was once called the daughter of Richard Lechmere SK5 and his wife, Margery Rocke BE6. At one point, Warren Skidmore stated that Margery (Lechmere) Scudamore’s father was Richard, of Lechmere Place, Hanley Castle, in Worcestershire SK5, but he wrote this before he wrote an article about Mary (Scudamore) French, in which he stated that Margery Scudamore’s father was Roger Lechmere SK1. While a (probably incomplete) list of the children of Richard and Margery (Rocke) Lechmere did not include a daughter named Margery, it did include Richardus, Francisces, Maria, Elizabethe, Edmundus, Thomas, Alicia, and Winifreda SH7. Inscribed on “a stone inlayd with brasse” on the south side of the church at Hanley Castle was another list of the children of Richard and Margery: Richard, Edmund, Frauncis, Jone, Eleanor, Mary, Frauncis, Mary, and Winifred HA1.
It is possible that the name Margery was a variation of Mary or Maria, and perhaps she was the daughter of Richard and Margery (Rocke) Lechmere, as speculated by Brian Berry and Paul M. Hokanson BE6, but it is more probable that Margery (Lechmere) Scudamore was a daughter of Richard’s brother, Roger Lechmere SK1. Richard was of Hanley Castle, west of the River Severn, and he was buried there SH7; his younger brother Roger was of “fanhope” (Fownhope) in Herefordshire SH7, SK1 on the east side of the River Wye. Placing Margery with Roger Lechmere is a logical choice, as both were of Fownhope MA36.
The parents of Richard and Roger Lechmere were Thomas Lechmere of Hanley and Elianor (Frere) Leth SH7. Thomas Lechmere of Hanley was probably born to Richard Lechmere of Hanley and his wife, Joan, who was the co-heir of John Whitmore of Hanley SH7. The father of Richard Lechmere of Hanley was John Lechmere of Lechmere’s Place, and his father was Robert Lechmere, and his father was William, who lived in the reign of Edward III SH7. Backing up to the mother of Richard and Roger Lechmere and the wife of Thomas Lechmere of Hanley, Elianor Frere, was the daughter of Humfrey and Anne (Walsh) Frere of “Blankets” in Claines, Worcestershire, and she was born at “Blanketts” on April 22, 1474; her godparents were Elianor Hampton, Johanna Habingdon, and Sir Walter Frances SH7. Elianor had previously married a man with the surname “Leth” before she married Thomas SH7. Elianor’s mother, Anne Frere, was the daughter of Richard Walsh, Esquire, of “Sheldisley Walsh” (probably Shelsley Walsh) in Worcestershire SH7.
A footnote about Roger Lechmere appeared in Hanley and the House of Lechmere: “Rogerus Lechmere in uxorem duxit Annam Cottrell, vicessimo die Julii 1548. Rogerus Lechmere in uxorem duxit Annam Savage decimo die Julii 1557”, which means, “Roger Lechmere married Anne Cottrell, the twenty day of July 1548. Roger Lechmere married Anne Savage, on the tenth day of July 1557” SH7. Transcripts of these marriages (presumably from parish records) corroborate Evelyn Philip Shirley’s account of his family history; Rogerus Lechmere married Annani Cottrell on July 20, 1548 and Rogerus Leachmere married Annam Savege on July 10, 1657, both events were said to have occurred at Hanley Castle, Worcestershire EN6. If Margery Lechmere was the daughter of Roger, either of these women could have been her mother, but it does seem more likely that Anne Savage may have been her mother, because Margery was married about the year 1581. Had Margery been born to Anne Cottrell in the years 1549 through perhaps 1556, she would have been twenty-five to thirty-two at her wedding, which, assuming her first marriage was to William Scudamore, was much older than the custom. Additionally, she was still alive in 1636, so had she been born to Anne Cottrell, she would have been in her eighties at that time.