 | | Skrine of Warleigh | | | CHAPTER 3-A | | The Skrines of Warleigh Manor | | s has already been stated, the consecutive history of the Skrines of Forde and Warley begins with certainty in the sixteenth century with Thomas Skrine of Bathford, from whom are twelve generations in direct descent. Before his date the name is met with in the Court Rolls of Forde for about a hundred years, beginning with 1446. It is not found at all in these Rolls between the dates 24th April 1309 and 3rd September 1422 (Bath Antiquarian Field Club, vol. 8, p. 242), thus the family seems to have made its appearance in Bathford between 1422 and 1446.
The first of the name is one John Skryn, who is mentioned as a tenant by copyholdin the Rolls of 1446, 1450, 1451, and 1470. In 1470 there appears the name ofWalter Skryn, who pays a fine at Halimote to succeed to John Skryn's tenancyafter his death, surrender or forfeiture.
In March 1499 Agnes Skrene, widow, appears as a tenant; and William Skryne in1501.
In 1515 a Thomas Screene witnessed the Will of Nicholas Dounkan, clerk, rectorof Hilperton, co. Wilts; and in 1539, in the first account of the manor renderedto the King, are found among the copyhold tenants Thomas Scryne, Walter Scryne,John Scryne, William Scryne.
At the Survey of the manor in 1605/6 the Skrine names were, John (senior), John(junior), another John, William and Roger. As will appear later, the third JohnSkrine named above and William Skrine were probably the two elder sons of thatThomas Skrine with whom the family pedigree begins. Of John senior and junior,and of Roger we learn something from depositions taken in the case of WilliamEllis v. Roger Scrine, 1594-5 (Wells Diocesan Registry, Depositions, vol. 25),and in the later case of Lee v. Bigg, 1637 (Wells Diocesan Registry, Depositions,vol. 84).
The former gives us John Skrine of Bathford, carpenter, aged 67 in 1595, "cousingerman removed of the second degree" to Roger Skrine.
His father was Thomas Skrine, who "died twenty years ago, and was 90 yearsof age by account when he died". It also names Richard Skrine, who was "ofnear the like age when he died about six years ago".
The latter gives us another John Skrine of Bathford, carpenter, (probably JohnSkrine "junior", and son of the preceding John), aged 72 in 1637. Hisfather "died twenty years ago, aged by estimation 90 years"; also "RogerSkrine of Bathford, who died of late years by estimation near 100 years old".
THOMAS SKRINE (from whom descend the Skrines of Warleigh Manor), of Bathford, yeoman, husbandman and maltster, was a copyholder in the manor under the Abbey of Bath, and subsequently under the lessee of the Crown. His name was second on the list of tenants of the manor in the account rendered 30 and 31 Henry VIII (1539 and 1540), and he was apparently well to do and of good position in the parish. He had been a churchwarden, and the vicar was one of the witnesses of his Will.
He was connected by marriage with the Bradleys, the farmers of the manor, sincehe refers in his Will to his sister, Elizabeth Bradley, and her children, andmakes gifts to John Bradley and his children.
He is referred to as "the malteman" in the subjoined extract from theVisitation of the Deanery of Bath in July 1554 (Wells Diocesan Registry: ActBook 22); and in his Will he gives a bushel of malt towards the repair of theparish church of Bathford.
"Bathford. By yt knowen that the churche of Batheford have no wardens nornone wylbe For a lacke of a cownte gevynge for the churche goodes where uponwe wyllythe that he be comanded to appere at the next chapter to give a cownteof such thynge as Thomas Skryne the malteman and Thomas Collys had that the p'ishewyll testifie the same. Also we have no Lyght upon or Aulter culpa Rectoris."
The Will, which is dated 9th December 1573, was proved by his widow and executrix,Agnes, at Wells in 1574. The witnesses were the Rev. Humfry Chrawley, Clarke,vicar of Bathford, John Tucker, Robarte Collis, "with other moe". H.D.S.has a note that his name is wrongly spelled in the index of Wills; and in thecopy of it which has been looked at for the present purpose, he calls himselfand some of his children Skriner and Skryner, but the others Skryne and Skrine.He leaves his land to his eldest son, John Skrine of Warley. The other childrennamed are William, Robert, Thomas the elder, Thomas the younger of that name,Richard, Alice, Joan and Elizabeth. The bequests are in some cases in money,but many are in sheep (ten sheep, one sheep, etc.). The second son, William,may probably be identified with the William Scryne or Skreene who is mentionedin the Survey of 12th March 1605-6, and he may have been the father of Maria(daughter of William Skrine) buried at Bathford 13th June 1611 (Bishop's Transcripts).There is a Will of William Skrine of Bathford, husbandman, 1613, which will bereferred to later (under Skrine collaterals, and other references). A RobertSkrine was buried at Bathford 16th August 1613 (Will proved at Wells 1614); butthere was also a Robert Skryne whose widow, Joane, was granted administration2nd July 1590 (Diocesan Registry, Wells: Administration Bonds, No. S, 181).
Of the sons Thomas, something will be said later; one Thomas was churchwardenin 1609, and Richard has already been referred to in connection with the Spanishtradition. A Joan Skrine was buried at Bathford 2nd March 1607. The widow, Agnes,survived her husband for twenty-seven years, and died in the year following thedeath of her eldest son, if she may correctly be identified with the Agnes Skrineburied at Bathford 31st May 1611; but her Will has not yet been discovered, andthis Agnes may well belong to the succeeding generation. Since the widow's maidenname is unknown, it may be mentioned that besides the Bradleys the only othernon-Skrine beneficiaries in Thomas Skrine's Will are Margaret Bowis, WilliamBowse her son, Robert Bowse and John Bowse.
JOHN SKRINE, of the Court House and Warley, in the parish of Bathford, eldest son and heir, is named as senior tenant in subsequent Court Rolls (Manor Rolls 1575-1605). He held his land on three lives; these were renewed about 1588, and were then his wife, Elizabeth, and his two sons, Thomas and Henry. In the Court Rolls of 1605 and onwards he is referred to as Mr. Skrine of Court House.
He had a daughter Marie, married 7th May 1606 to Richard Deverell and a daughterSusan, afterwards married to Richard Singer. There were probably other daughters,since his widow's Will names a daughter Marye (Coates), and his own Will namesa son-in-law John Scryne. His Will is dated 29th April 1610, and was proved 19thJune of the same year (P.C.C. 61 Wingfield) by his widow and executrix Elizabeth,as the Will of John Scrine of Warley in the parish of Bathford, yeoman. In ithe makes gifts to the Cathedral Church of Wells, to his parish church of Bathfordin which he wishes to be buried, and to the poor of Bathford. There are bequeststo his sons Thomas (Thombis) and Henry; his daughter Susan; his brothers Richardand Thomas; to every one of his children's children; to Thomas (Thombis) Coates "thatis in the house with me"; otherwise everything is left to his wife. JohnScryne and Richard Deverell "being my sons-in-law" are appointed overseersof the Will; and one of the witnesses is a Roger Scryne - possibly the RogerScryne who appears as churchwarden of Bathford in 1605, 1606 and 1611, and theRoger who was one of the copyholders at the Survey.
The Will of the widow, Elizabeth Skryne, of the parish of Bathford, co. Somerset,is dated 14th August 1620, and was proved 16th September 1620 (P.C.C. 85 Soame)by Thomas Skryne son and executor. She is to be buried where convenient in Bathfordchurch. She makes a donation for the poor of Bathford. To her daughters MarieDeverell (who was married 7th May 1606), and Susana Singer she leaves money andhousehold goods; her son Henry is forgiven a debt, and also receives some furniture.There is a gift to her daughter Marye; and to each of her children's children;as well as separate gifts to her daughter's son and daughter, Thomas and SusanaCoates. At this distance of time it is not altogether clear from the two Willshow many daughters there were. The sons-in-law Richard Deverell and Richard Singerwere appointed overseers of the Will; and the witnesses were Robert and SebillaBrowne, Joane Deverell, and Joane Beafer. If John Skryne, overseer of the formerWill, was really a son-in-law in the modern sense, there must have been anotherdaughter; but there were at least two nephews named John, sons of William Skrine,(14), and Thomas Skrine (17) respectively.
Of the elder son Thomas more will be found in the chapter on his descendants,whom for convenience we shall call Skrines of Lower House, Bathford; and we proceedto the second son Henry, who was the ancestor of the Skrines of Warleigh. Itmay, however, be mentioned incidentally that the name Coates occurs again inthe Will of Thomas Skrine (proved 1658) where he makes a bequest to Richard Coates,who is not further described. In each of the Wills in which the name occurs itmight quite possibly be read Coales instead of Coates; and in one of the Willsit is spelled Coatts (or Coalls). And it may be mentioned in passing that theBathford Register records the marriage of a Mary Skrine to Thomas Collett, orCollet (? Colles), on 15th February 1609.
HENRY SKRINE, of Warley, second son of John Skrine of the Court House, was one of the co-purchasers of the Manor of Forde in 1635. In 1618 he had taken from Susan Ducke the "farmer" of the manor a copyhold at Warley (Clotmead 41) for a term of ninety-nine years on three lives, his own, his wife Edith's and his daughter Elizabeth's. In 1626 he attended the Manor Court with his brother Thomas to pay a heriot, and was re-granted his land on his own life, his son John's and his daughter Agnes's. He was described as a yeoman.
His wife, Edith, predeceased him, she died before June 1657. His sons were Johnand Henry; and his daughters Elizabeth, Agnes, Susan, Marie, Edeth. An EdethScrine was baptised at Bathford 29th April 1629, and a Henry Scrine (son or father)was churchwarden at Bathford in 1634.
In his Will, which is dated 5th October 1657, he describes himself as Henry Skrynethe elder of Warley in the parish of Bathford, co. Somerset, yeoman. The Willwas proved 4th August 1659 (P.C.C. 454 Pell), by his son, residuary legatee andexecutor, John Skryne. In it he makes considerable gifts of money to his daughters,to one of them as much as £220; household stuff to his daughter Marie householdgoods to Henry; to Henry and Marie some cattle (cattell) to two of his grandchildren,Martha Skryne and Mary Nicholls sums of £10 each; and to the rest of hisgrandchildren smaller sums; a gift to Susan Parker; the same to the poor of Bathford.
His brass, pewter and linen are to be divided equally between his five daughtersand his younger son, Henry. All his landed property in Warley, Bathford or elsewhereis left to his elder son, John, and the heirs of his body; in default of whom,it is left successively to Henry, Elizabeth, Agnes Susan, Marie, Edeth and theheirs of their body; and in default to the right heirs of himself, Henry Skrine,the elder, for ever. His son, John, is named as residuary legatee and sole executor.The overseers are John ? ffrap, and Joseph Skryne (a cousin, probably the grandsonof (17) Thomas "the younger of that name"); and one of the witnessesis John Bigg (c.p. Bigg's-leaze referred to in the account of the Manor).
A number of his children must have been married before the date of the Will,since grandchildren generally are referred to besides the two named individually.Mary Nicholls was evidently a daughter's child; and Susan Parker may have beenanother, though there was an earlier connection with the Parker family - Maria,daughter of (10) John Skrine and his wife Dennis having married Robert Parkerand had a son Thomas Parker (Court Roll, 6th and 7th October, 39 Elizabeth).Martha Skryne must have been daughter of the younger son, Henry; since the elderson, John, was only married (to Mary Mountjoy) in June 1657, and the Will isdated in October of the same year.
Little more is known as yet of Henry, the younger son, except that he was probablythe Henry Skrine, churchwarden in 1662; and that he received the appointmentof Deputy Keeper of His Majesty's Hawks. The Deed of Appointment signed and sealedby Thomas Felton and William Chiffinch, Keepers, is still in the possession ofthe family. It reads as follows:
"Thomas Felton and William Chiffinch Esqs, Masters and Surveyors of hisMajesties - Hawkes. To all Gamekeepers and others whom this may Concerne. Whereashis Majesty hath given us full Power and Authority for the Preservation of Hawkingeither by our Selves or Deputies To take away all Guns, Netts, Tramills, Tunnills,Setting Doggs, and all such Engines as Destroy the Game of Hare, Pheasant, Heron,Partridge, and all other wild fowle Contrary to the Laws and Statutes of thisRealme, and wee doe hereby Constitute and Appointe Henry Skrine, Gentleman, OurTrue and Lawfull Deputy Authorising him hereby To take away all Guns, Netts,Trammills, Tunnills, Setting Doggs and all other such Engines as Destroy theGame of Hare, Pheasant, Heron, Partridge, and all other wild fowle Contrary tothe Laws and Statutes of this Realme until wee shall Declare to the Contrary,and wee doe hereby Will and Require all Gamekeepers and others to be ayding andAssisting to the sayd Henry Skrine In the premisses afore sayd. Given under ourhands and Seales, Thomas Felton, William Chiffinch."
There are two seals still attached to the parchment, which appear to bear thedevice of a hawk.
Chiffinch was Page of the Backstairs to Charles II. His character, and that ofMistress Chiffinch are portrayed in Sir Walter Scott's novel "Peveril ofthe Peak". His portrait is in the National Portrait Gallery.
This William Chiffinch was afterwards Page of the Backstairs to King James ll;and it is said that it was in his house that the King had an interview with Monmouthshortly before his execution.
On the back of the Deed just quoted is a note (in the writing of the late H.M.S.)extracted from the Patent Rolls, as follows:
"Patent Rolls, 27 Charles ll, part 6, no. 20. Grant of the Office of Masterand Surveyor and Keeper of the Hawks of the King to Thomas Felton, Esq., andWilliam Chiffinch, Esq., and the survivor of them during their lives and thelife of the longer of them, the same having been surrendered by Sir Allen Apsleyand Sir Peter Apsley. Westminster, 22 June (1675). By Writ of Privy Seal."
Henry Skrine may probably be identified with the Henry Skrine who was churchwardenof Bathford in 1662; since he is known to have resided in the neighbourhood (atWarleigh?), and managed the Warleigh estate for his nephew John Skrine of theMiddle Temple, who lived chiefly in London.
JOHN SKRINE of Warley, gentleman, elder son and heir, was executor of his father's Will in 1659. The date of his birth has not been ascertained; but so far as can be judged from the names used in the leases "on three lives" granted to his father in 1618 and 1626 respectively, he and his sister Agnes had both been born between those dates, Elizabeth being older.
He married in June 1657 Mary, daughter of William Mountjoy, Esqr., of BiddestonManor, Biddeston St. Peter's, co. Wilts, deceased, of whom more will be foundin Chapter VI, "The Marriages of the Skrines of Warleigh".
According to the entry in the Register of Bath Abbey Church "the banns ofJohn Skrine of Warley in ye parish of Bathford, and Mary Mountjoy of ye Parishof Bitson in the county of Wilts [were] published in ye Market-Place 20th and27th May, and 3rd June 1657". But a note written by the late Rev. F. J.Poynton of Kelston (to H.D.S.) still among the papers at Warleigh, suggests thatthough the marriage contract of John Skrine and Mary Mountjoy was published atBath, a "Marchfield entry", which he saw, indicates that the youngpeople had to attend before a Justice of the Peace there for the marriage. Suchwas the custom during the Commonwealth.
In connection with Mary's marriage settlement there is an Indenture of 17th June1657, between "Henry Skrine of Warliyhe Manor, Bathford, gentleman, andJohn Skrine of Bathford, gentleman, and Peter Coates of Katherine in the saidco. of Somerset, yeoman, on the one part, And Alice Mountioye of Bidson St. Peter's,Wilts, widow, and Joseph Skrine of Warliyhe aforesaid, clothier, of the otherpart". The Deed mentions that Edith, wife of Henry Skrine, is already dead.It is witnessed by Edward Willis, Charles Christopher, Thomas Coates, RichardCoates.
Another Deed of the same date, also concerned with Mrs. Marye Skrine's jointure,is witnessed by Edward Willis, Charles Christopher and Joseph Skrine. Henry Skrineseems usually to sign his name Henrie. Joseph Skrine, clothier, who appears asa party to the former Deed and a witness of the latter, was a cousin. His fatherwas John Skrine of Sheephouse, son of Thomas Skrine, the younger of that name.
The eldest son and heir of John and Mary was another John Skrine. There may alsohave been a younger son, Gane, since the Bathford Register had an entry 22ndDecember 1667, Gane Skrine of Warley buried. Mrs. Mary of Warly (presumably Mrs.Mary Skrine) was buried at Bathford 26th September 1668.
John Skrine himself is known to have been dead before July 1691 but it seemsalmost certain that he must have died before 1682, when his son received a Grantof Arms; but at what date he died between, say, 1660 and 1682 has not been ascertained,nor has his Will been found in spite of searches. He may have died unexpectedlyand intestate. If he may be identified with the John Skrine who was churchwardenof Bathford in 1663, the date of his death must lie between 1663 and 1682, orrather betwen 1979 and 1682, as in May 1679 his son was soken of as "hearesapparens".
JOHN SKRINE of Warley, and of the Middle Temple, Esqr., son and heir, was born in the spring or early summer of 1658. He matriculated at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, 7th July 1676, aged 18 years. He was admitted to the Middle Temple 27th May 1679,"Magister Johannes Skrine filius et haeres apparens Johannis Skrine de Worley in parochia de Bathford in comitatu Somerset generosi admissus est in Societatem Medii Templi." He was called to the Bar in May 1687.
Three years later, 26th June 1690 he was married at St James's Church, Clerkenwellto Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Dickson (armiger), citizen and haberdasherof London, an important member of the Haberdashers' Company. Her settlement beforemarriage, to which her father gave £3,000, is dated 24th June 1690; andthe licence for the marriage, dated 25th June 1690, describes her as ElizabethDickson. spinster. of St. Paul's. Covent Garden. Middlesex (see Dickson, ChapterVI).
In 1682 John Skrine obtained from the College of Arms the Grant of Arms (Grants3, 165) which has already been discussed; and he appears to have been both activeand successful in completing the consolidation of the Warleigh property, begunby his grandfather, Henry Skrine, the elder. Between 1691 and 1693 by variousDeeds all the manorial rights of Forde were conveyed to him by the representativesof Thomas Skrine and William Fisher, the co-beneficiaries with Henry Skrine,the elder. To this end the heir male of Thomas Skrine, John Skrine of Bath, gent.,son and heir of John Skrine then late of Bathford, gent., deceased, who was sonand heir of John Skrine of the same place, who was son and heir of Thomas Skrineof the same place executed an Indenture 1st July, 3 William and Mary, in whichin consideration of the payment therein mentioned "to him paid by the saidJohn Skrine of the Middle Temple did grant release quit claim & confirm untosaid John Skrine &c. &c. all singular the said manor or lordship &c. &c.".
In the same year another Deed was executed between John Skrine and Thomas Fisherof Shotterwicke (Shockerwick) in Bathford, gent., son and heir of the late ThomasFisher of Shotterwick, son and heir of William Fisher of Bathampton (who was,presumably, the original co-purchaser with Thomas and Henry Skrine, or his son;(see Fisher, Chapter V). In 1693 he purchased the property at Lower House, Bathford,from Mary (neé Eyre), widow of John Skrine of Lower House. She was thenliving at Aycombe, Box, co. Wilts. He also bought other "mixt lands",as his Will calls them, from William Fisher of Bathampton who was probably anothergrandson of the original William Fisher.
John Skrine's Will is dated 10th January 1697, and it was proved on 8th March1697 (P.C.C. 85 Lort) by his widow; thus he was not yet 40 years old when hedied. The Will was afterwards again proved on 9th April 1712, under a power reserved,by his son, Richard, on his attaining the age of 21.
In the Will he states that his father-in-law, Mr. Dickson, has promised to givehis daughter, Sarah Maria, a very good fortune "when she shall be capable";he, therefore, out of fatherly kindness gives her in addition £1,000 outof the trust money of his marriage articles. The remainder of this trust moneyhe gives to his son Richard. He gives money for handsome mourning rings to hiswife's father and mother; to his wife £50 to buy mourning, and all hishousehold stuff, plate, etc., so long as she remains widow, also his charriottand horses in London and his coach in the country. He makes provision for anyposthumous child that may be born to him; and gives his books in the Temple andin the country to his son. The "mixt lands" which he lately purchasedfrom Mr. William Fisher of Hampton (Bathampton) are to remain to his wife duringwidowhood, afterwards to his son Richard and his heirs. Should his widow re-marry,his plate, jewels and household stuff are to be shared equally by his son anddaughter. He orders that the walk is to be made up to his house from the MillLane. He makes gifts of money to his wife, to Mr. Josiah Woodward, to all hisservants and to the poor of Bathford and Warley. His father-in-law, his wife,and Mr. Josiah Woodward are appointed executors in trust for his son, Richard,who is made sole executor.
Elizabeth, his widow, did in fact marry again before very long. Her second husbandwas Richard Downing, Esqr., who is, thereafter, described as Mr. Downing of Warley,co. Somerset. He predeceased his wife, who was granted administration of hisestate 22nd October 1701 (P.C.C.), and he was buried in Bathford Church nearthe grave of her former husband. She lived until 1713, being then described asElizabeth Downing, widow, of St. Giles' in the Fields, London.
Her Will is dated 9th August 1713, and it was proved on 29th January 1713-14by her son, Richard Skrine, then aged 22 years. Three days later, 1st February1713-14 administration was granted to her father, Richard Dickson, as guardianof her infant son Dickson Downing, the child of her second marriage. She desiresto be buried in Bathford Church by her two husbands; but if she die in London,in St. Giles' Church by her mother's grave. She died 25th January 1714, aged40, and was buried at St. Giles'. She makes her father guardian of her son DicksonDowning, whom she makes whole and sole executor of all that she has, and leaveshim all her plate, jewels and household stuff at Warley and in London. She recommendsall her children to her dear father's care; and makes a number of small bequeststo the poor of Bathford, to her father, to her son Dickson, to her daughter SarahMaria, and to her son Skrine. She also speaks of a granddaughter, who is mentionedimmediately after her son Skrine. This was Anne, his daughter by his first wife,Anne Delmas.
Reference must be introduced here to the family of Liveing, which traces descentfrom this lady, Elizabeth Dickson. The facts were apparently well known to thelate H.D.S., who was a personal friend of the late Edward Liveing, Esqr., M.D.,F.R.C.P.; and the connection was referred to by the late Professor George DowningLiveing, F.R.S., President of St. John's College, Cambridge, then 96 years old,in conversation with the late Rev. Dr. John Huntley Skrine (third son of H.D.S.)when the latter was at Cambridge to preach before the University in May, 1923,only a few days before his sudden death. Professor G. D. Liveing, Dr. EdwardLiveing, Registrar of the Royal College of Physicians, and Dr. Robert Liveingwere the three sons of Edward Liveing, Esqr., a surgeon practising in Suffolk,and were the great-great-great-grandsons of Elizabeth and Richard Downing. Butthe writer had been unable to discover the intermediate steps of their descentfrom Dickson Downing.
| |
