GENUKI/Devon: Devon Names Commissary Court London Wills 1374-1649 & 1661-1700

DEVON NAMES - COMMISSARY COURT OF LONDON 1374-1649 & 1661-1700

Extracted by Jean E. Harris from:

The Index Library, British Record Society, has many volumes of wills proved in various church courts and we must acknowledge and thank them for this long and tedious work of indexing these wills from their original sources. These Devon references recorded here have been extracted from the following Index Library volumes:

Vol 82	1374-1488
Vol 86	1489-1570
Vol 97	1571-1625
Vol 102	(1626-1649 )	A -G
	(1661-1700)
Vol 108	(1626-1649)	H - S
	(1661-1700)
Vol 111	(1626-1649)	T - Z
	(1661-1700)
(Vol 111 has an Index of Places)

These wills were proved in the Commissary Court which should not be confused with another church court viz: the Consistory Court. To better understand these church courts named Consistory and Commissary I turned to Mark Heber's book Ancestral Trials and here is what he says (page 183):

"If a deceased's property was in more than one archdeaconry (but all in the same diocese) his will was proved in the Bishop's court (a Diocesan or Consistory Court). During some periods, an archdeacon might decide not to exercise his jurisdiction, so that all the wills would have to be proved in the bishop's court. There were also periods of inhibition, when a bishop was undertaking a visitation to an archdeaconry. During a visitation the arcdeacon's court would be closed and all legal busines was conducted in the bishop's court. A bishop's court was called a Commissary Court when it was exercising the jurisdiction that had not been exercised by an archdeacon."

VOL 82 (1374 - 1488)

BEAUFRERE	Jn	cit(izen) & brewer
	b. Malborough, Devon		1464	5	359
	(All Hallows the Less)
BURGYN	Geoffrey	cit(izen) & vestment maker
	b. Doddiscombleigh, Devon		1463	5	341
	(All Hallows, Barking by the Tower of London)
HOUGHTON (HOWTON)	Emma		1380	1	72
	Exeter, Devon
	(St John Zachary)
KELCOM	Margt.	wid. rel. of J. CORVYN	1434	3	395v
	Ashburton, Devon
	(St Mary Aldermanbury)
KNAPP	Robt	citizen & cordw(ainer)	1445	4	163v
	legacy to Buckland, Devon - to be buried St Paul
	(St Paul's Cathedral)
POLTON	Jn	prob only	1405	2	60v
	Plymouth
	(St Andrew)

VOL 86 (1489 - 1570)

BYSSHOPE	Rd	Queen's Yeo(manry); cook	1556	13	89v
	"Holbyton" "Bowdysthorne" in Buckland Brewer, Devon
	Manor of Blisland, Cornw [Kensington, Mdx)			[11	85v 94v]
DENHAM	Jn	cit(izen) & draper	1532	10	193v
	b.Lyston (sic Lyfton), Devon
	(St Dunstan in the West)
HILL or HYLL	Jane als Jhone	dau of Giles H.	1564	15	217
	Stepney, Mdx; Exeter, Devon		<O.W.>	[12	126]
LITTLE [LYTTYLL]	Jn		1533	10	218v
	N'hants; Lincs; legacy to Tynmouth (Teignmouth} Devon
	(St James Garlickhithe)
LOVLEY Tho.	clothman		1539	10	327
	Kerton (Crediton), Devon			[9	29v]
	(St Lawrence Jewry)
STANDYNGFORD	Rd	prob.	1512	3	81v
	Exeter dioc(ese) d. St Bot. Aldes.
	(St Botolph, Aldersgate)

VOL 97 (1571-1625)

BURGES	Rd	boatswain [Stepney, Mdx]	1614	22	344v
	Tavistock, Devon.		<O.W.>	[16	203]
	ship "Trades Increase " E(ast) I(indies) bound
	(signed @ Poolperian?)
COUMES	Ellis	mar(iner) [Stephney, Mdx]	1613	22	221
	ship "Hector"		<O.W.>	[16	182v]
	bro's at Plymouth & Budleigh, Devon)
DIER (?DYER)	Hugh	[Leyton, Essex]	1613	22	184
	b. Huntshaw nr Torrington, Devon		<O.W.>	[16	173]
GUILLINGHAM	Jn	[Stepney, Mdx]	1614	22	368
	ship "Trades Increase" at Poolenian		<O.W.>	[16	212v]
	(late of Plymouth in attestation of attorney)
HAYMAN	Robt	mar.[Stepney, Mdx]	1614	22	278v
	ship "Hector"		<O.W.>	[16	191v]
	bequests to person at "Penton: (?Paignton Devon)
LAINE	Tho.	mar.[Stepney, Mdx]	1613	22	219
	ship "Hector"		<O.W.>	[16	181v]
	(wf & family in Plymouth)
PETT	Arthur	[Stepney, Mdx]	1610	21	235v
	master of ship "Unitie" of London		<O.W.>	[16	207]
	lying sick in ship "Blessing" of Plymouth in
	St James Town, Virginia
	admon. to rel; other exors renouncing
ROWE	Jn	mar. [Stepney, Mdx]	1613	22	232
	(ship probably "Thomas")		<O.W.>	[16	180v]
	d. at sea
	(bequest to poor of Sidmouth, Devon)
SQ(U)OBLE	Pasquell	mar. [London]	1614	22	377v
	ship "Trades Increase"		<O.W.>	[16	215v]
	(bequest to Plymouth, Devon)
SIMONS	Robt.		1614	22	316
	ship "Dragon" d. overseas		<O.W.>	[16	198v]
	(bro.a schoolm(aster) in Exbridge, Mdx
	f. in Barstable (Barnstable) Devon) (no exor named)
TAILOR	Roger	mar. [Stephney, Mdx]	1615	22	494v
	Broadnedge (Bradninch) Devon		<O.W.>	[16	237]

TOUCKER	Jn [Jun]	mar(iner) [Stepney, Mdx]	1614	22	349v
	ship "Trades Increase"		<O.W.>	[16	205v]
	(f. living in Brayton or Bastable, Devon
	Braunton nr Barnstaple, Devon)
WICKS	Robt	[Stepney, Mdx]	1606	20	193
	ship "Teager" of Pamouth		<O.W.>	[16	31]
	(Plymouth) Devon
	bound for South Seas	(power res(erved))
YES	Nich.	mar. [Stepney, Mdx]	1623	24	257
	Barnstaple, Devon			[17	144v]

VOLs 102, 108 & 111 (1626-1649 & 1661-1700)

ATKINS als WHITBEARD	Margt	Admon	1642
	d. Cullompton, Devon			[19	75v]
BARTLETT	Jonathan	mar bach.	1690	42	160v
	Plymouth, Devon		<O.W.>	[26	44v]
	H.M.S. "Hampton Court"
	sick at St Bart(holmew) Hosp(ital)
	(Admon./W	dur(ing) abs(ence) of rel.)
BATTEN	Sampson, gent	Stepney, Mdx.	1683	38	326
	Plympton St Mary, Devon		<O.W.>	[24	107v]
BEARE	Tho.	carp.(enter) Stepney, Mdx	1633	26	486
	Townstal by Dartmouth (Devon);		<O.W.>	[18	195]
	ship "Charitie" (has 160 lbs tobacco due to him from
	a planter & other goods "for myne owne adventure"
BLACKBO(U)RNE	Thomazine, wid.		1683	38	224
	Dawes la., North East Fulham, Middx		<O.W.& cod.>	[24	77]
	(h.bo(rn) St Mary Savoy, Strand
	she bo(rn) Barnstaple, Devon)
BURDE	Tho.	mar.(iner)	1626	25	25v
	Plymouth, Devon d. overseas		<O.W. dat 1619>	[17	262v]
	ship "Heart" bound for E(ast) I(ndies)
	d. overseas	admon/W
	[wrongly entered in Act Book as Walford]
CLARKE	Wm	mar. [Stepney, Mdx]	1677	36	130
	Sidmouth, Devon		<O.W.>	[23	12]
	d. in Wapping

COTTLE	Agnes	wid. W. Smithfield	1640	28	96v
	St Sep(ter), Exeter		<O.W.>	[19	25v]
DENN(E)Y	Jn	cooper	1644	29	311
	Dartmouth, Devon		<O.W.>	[19	147v]
	shop "Royal Mary:; d. overseas
	in Bantam; (admon/W; exor decd.)
EATON	Rd	mar. Ratcliff [Stepney] Mdx	1696	48	246
	d. at Dartmouth (Devon)		<O.W.>	[28	47v]
EDWARD	Jn	Westbury, Wilts	1644	29	340v
	d. in Plympton, Devon		<O.W. nun. cup.>	[19	152v]
FORD	Rd.	mar. [ St Mary Mal.}	1643	29	172v
	Ilsington, Devon
	d. overseas	(admon/W; exor ren.)	<O.W.>	[19	125]
	(St Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel)
FOKE	Eliz.	spin. [St Bot. Bpg.]	1666	33	115v
	Boothwood		<O.W.>	[21	69v]
	Plympton, Devon
	(St Botolph, Bishopsgate)
FUBESTER	Jas	mar. bach, Stepney, Mdx	1697	28	75v
	d. at Plymouth in ship "Endeavour"admon
GUV	Hy	bach, Wapping, Mdx	1646	19	189
	d. in Plymouth, Devon	admon
HEALE	And.	mar. Stepney, Mdx	1630	26	84v
	Plymouth, Devon d. overseas		<O.W.>	[18	113]
HOGG	Jn	mar.	1696	48	228
	Plymouth, Devon d. overseas		<O.W.>	[28	42v]
	H.M.S. "Northumberland"
HUNNEYVILL	Edm.	mar. bach, Shadwell, Mdx	1661	31	42
[HONEYWILL]	Barnstaple, Devon
	ship "Agreement" of L(on)d(o)n, bound for Barbados, power reserved		<O.W.>	[20	44]
HUNT	Eliz. spin.	Whitechapel, Mdx	1693	45	188
	Manor of Dunton, Essex; Dorking, Sufrr;
	Sampford Courtney, Devon		<O.W.>	[27	61]
JOHNS	And.	mar. Shadwell, Mdx.	1638	27	439v
	late of Revelstoke, Devon		<O.W.>	[18	349v]
LUKE	Jn	St Paul, Shadwell, Mdx	1690	26.	39
	d. in Torbay
	(Abigail LUKE rel. ren. admon dur. abs. of exor.
	relict renounced administration during (absence) of executor)
MARTIN	Roger	mar. Limehouse [Stepney] Mdx	1644	29	321
	(bequests to Westingmouth		<O.W.>	[19	149v]
	& Eastingmouth, Devon)
MOODY	Tho.	St Sepulchre, Newgate admon	1692	27	36v
	d. in Exeter
ROGERS	Jn	Wapping, Mdx	1690	26	397
	d. at Teignmouth Poarr (sic), Devon
	(Eliz. ROGERS rel. ren. admon)
	(relict renounced administration)
SHAPLY	Wm	Stepney, Mdx	1629	18	77
	Torrington, Devon; Stephney, Mdx
	d. overseas	admon
SPEEDE	Jn	mar. Wapping Wall, Mdx	1630	26	83
	late on voyage to E(ast) I(ndies)		<O.W.>	[18	112v]
	(m. of Dartmouth, Devon)
STEVENS	Hy., sen.	St Mary Matfellon, Whitechapel	1689	41	495v
	St Mary the Moore, Exeter (?St Mary Major)			[26	23v]
STRETCHLY	Hardinge	St D.W.	1662	31	163
	formerly of Culliton in Devon; Manors of Marlinge Pike Ash <Mortock>, Som;			[20	67]
	Gabrells in Whitchurch, Dorset; Luscombe
	Bowrings Leigh, Pyksmarsh, Dawin in Dartmouth;
	Larkbeare [Exeter], Devon; Penzance, Cornw.
TARRE	Nich.	gunner Whitechapel, Mdx	1627	25	146v
	Penton (Paignton), Devon; ship "Antony"		<O.W.>	[18	5]
	d. overseas
TREVEHAN	Hugh	mar. Limehouse [Stepney] Mdx	1644	29	282v
	Nazeing, Essex; interest in ships "Charles",		<O.W.>	[19	141v]
	"Sun" & "Unity" all of L(on)d(o)n,
	(bequest to Ratchliff, Mdx & Plymouth, Devon)
YOWE [?YEO]	Edw	mar. Stepney, Mdx	1631	26	142v
	ship "Jonah"		<O.W.>	[18	128]
	d. overseas
	(m. of Kingskerswell, Devon)

NOTE:
1.	First number after the year is the register; second is the folio number.
2.	The church name in brackets is the London parish.
3.	Square brackets [ ] info is derived from the Probate and
	Administration Act Books
4.	Angle brackets < > is derived from Original wills.
5.	h - husband; w - wife; wid. - widow; bro - brother; f - father;
	m. - mother; spin - spinster; mar. - mariner; rel - relative
	b - born; d - died; decd - deceased
	exor - executor; nun. cup. - nuncupative.

Last updated: 25 Apr 2012 - Brian Randell

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