Cardinal Swynford's illegitimate daughter

Henry Beaufort (d.1447) was a son of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford, and was therefore a half-brother to King Henry IV. On the 14th July 1398 Henry was consecrated as Bishop of Lincoln, in November 1404 he became Bishop of Winchester and then in 1426 he was made a Cardinal by Pope Martin V. 

Henry Beaufort

In 1402 Henry fathered a daughter named Jane Beaufort. Many people gave her mother as Alice FitzAlan (1378-1415) however this is highly unlikely due to Jane's date of birth. It is possible that Jane was in fact named Joan, however due to non-standardized spelling it is unclear which it is. She may have been named Joan after Henry's sister. It does not appear that Jane was kept a secret or hidden away, as the Beaufort family themselves were an illegitimate line it appears they treated their children the same whether they were legitimate or not. 

Jane married Sir Edward Stradling (1389-1453, Acre) in about 1423. Edward was the eldest son of Sir William Stradling and Lady Isabel St Barbe. The ancient Stradling family was seated at St Donat's Castle in Glamorgan in Wales. Like his father and grandfather before him, Edward made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to receive his knighthood in 1408.
The couple had four children;
+ Henry Stradling (1423-77, Cyprus) m. Elizabeth Herbert
                                                           + Thomas Stradling (1454-80) m. Janet Matthew
                                                           + Charles Stradling (b.1457)
                                                           + Jane Stradling (b.1459) m. Myles ap Harry
                                                           + Elizabeth Stradling (b.1461) m Richard Fleming
In 1449 Henry, his family and a servant were captured by the Breton pirate Colyn Dolphyn on their journey sailing from Wales to Somerset. The pirate held the family at St Malo while demanding a ransom of 2,200 marks. Sir Edward had to sell off  four of his manors to pay it; Sutton, Bassalleg, Rogerston and Tregwillim. Dolphyn finally released the family in 1451. A year later, Colyn Dolphyn returned to St Donat's and so the Stradlings lured the pirate to Nash Point, a sandbank, using false lights on the cliffs so as to capture him. Dolphyn was given a trial - although the legality of this is in question - and he was condemned to death. Colyn Dolphyn was buried up to his neck in the sand in Tresillian Cave. As his father did, Henry Stradling went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1476. Henry was knighted at the Holy Sepulchre the following year. He died on his way back to England in 1477. He was buried in Famagusta in Cyprus.
+ Katherine Stradling m. Maurice Denys (1410-1503)
                                   + Walter Denys
                                   + John Denys
                                   + William Denys
                                  m2. Hugh Winston
+ John Stradling (b.1425). Had a daughter named Ann Danvers (b.1459)
It has been suggested by some that John joined the church and became Archdeacon of Llandaff in 1448, but later leaving Wales and obtaining the rectory of North Tawton in the diocese of Exeter in 1454.
+ David Stradling
The only mention of David was that he was the youngest child of the family and that he lived in Somerset, as he was very close to his mother.

It seems likely that Edward's appointment as Chamberlain of South Wales in December 1423 may have been a result of his new connection to the Bishop. He remained in this position until March 1437. Edward held a number of positions throughout the years; his rise furthered due to his connection to the royal family he had married into. 

November 8th 1424, Westminster
Grant, during pleasure, by advice of the council, to Edward Stradlyng, king's knight of the office of steward and receiver of the lordships of Cantreselly, Alsandreston and Penkethly, which are held of the earl of Hereford, the said office of steward and receiver of the kings lordships having been previously held as one office, with the fees of 40s. [a year].

July 31st 1432, Dogmersfield
Commission to Edward Stradelyng, knight, and William ap Thomas, knight, to enquire as to the malefactors who took at sea a ship called le George of Sluys laden with wines and honey of certain merchants of Flanders and Picardy, and brought her to the town of Dynby and sold the ship there with part of the wines and honey, giving the remainder to divers persons. The circumstances are to be ascertained and persons refusing to make restitution are to find. surety to appear in Chancery in the quinzaine of Michaelmas next.

April 28th 1434, Westminster
Commission to James Audeley, knight, Edward Stradlyng, knight, William ap Thomas, knight, Robert Grendour, knight, Thomas Arundell, knight, John Herle, knight, John Polryden and John Hunte, sarjeant at arms, to make inquisition touching a petition by Peter Preere, Richard Goulle, Francis Sarratt, William Lorget and their fellows, burgesses and merchants of the king's cities of Paris and Rouen, shewing that, whereas they recently laded two vessels of Rouen at Leseluse with goods worth 2,000 marks for the victualling of the said cities, these vessels were taken off Brumalet in Caux by certain of the king's lieges in two balingers of Wynchelse and Sandewyche and carried as if belonging to enemies to the parts of Cornwall and Wales, where they were disposed of. All goods whereof the petitioners can prove their ownership by the merchants' marks or otherwise are to be restored, or their value paid if they have been consumed, and any persons proving contumacious are to be brought before the king in chancery.

July 27th 1438, Dogmersfield
Appointment, during pleasure, of Edward Stradelyng knight, to be sheriff of Kermerdyn in South Wales, accounting at the exchequer of Kermerdyn.

When Cardinal Beaufort died in 1447, he mentioned both his daughter and son-in-law in his Will. 
In the original Will of Henry Beaufort, dated 20 January 1446;
"Item, I bequeath to Johanna, wife of Edward Stradling, Knight, two dozen dishes, four chargers, XII salt-cellars, etc and c li in gold". This bequest was the first one listed after the gift of a cup of gold to the king, Henry.
In the second codicil (2 September 1447) to Henry's Will is states;
"Item, I bequeath to Edward Stradling, Knight, a certain portion of silver vessels, according to the discretion of my executors"

Jane died in 1453, the same year as her husband. 

The Farriner family of the Great Fire

It was in the Farriner's bakery on Pudding Lane that on the morning of the 2nd September 1666 that the Great Fire of London began. Farriner was appointed Conduct of the King's Bakehouse and was the provider of bread for the Royal Navy during the Anglo-Dutch war that was being fought at the time.

Marriage record of Thomas Farriner and Hanna Matthews, 1637

The baker, Thomas Farriner, a widower, lived there with  his three children; Thomas (d.1677), Hanna (1643-71) and Mary. Thomas (1615-70) had married on the 9th July 1637 to Hanna Matthews, who had died the year before in 1665.
During the fire, although Thomas and his three children escaped from the house that was then alight, their housemaid was too afraid and perished in the flames. After the Great Fire, Thomas Farriner rebuilt his house and bakery, and returned to work as a respected baker. Thomas Farriner, his son Thomas and daughter Hanna were signatories on the Bill against Robert Hubert, the man accused of starting the Great Fire in their bakery. Hubert was hanged at Tyburn on 27th October 1666 for his crime of arson.
When Thomas Farriner died on the 20th December 1670, he left one hundred pounds to be paid over four years to each of his daughters, and with exception of a few small bequests, the remainder of his estate was left to his son and heir Thomas.

Hanna married on the 18th July 1667 to Nicholas Day (d.1695), a baker. The couple had the following children;
+ Thomas Day (1668-9)
+ Hanna Day (b.1670)
+ Thomas Day (b.1671)
Hanna died shortly after giving birth to her third child on the 13th August 1671. Nicholas Day later remarried.

Marriage record of Thomas Farriner and Martha Towse, 1671

Thomas Farriner, the younger, married Martha Towse on the 30th November 1671.
It appears that Thomas and Martha had no surviving children at the time of Thomas' death in December 1677.
Thomas had been an apprentice baker to his father, and later inherited the bakery to run himself. In his Will of 1677 Thomas left his baking and residential premises to firstly his wife Martha, and after her death they were to pass to his sister Mary Halford. As well as this, he left Mary one hundred pounds which was owed to him from the Marquis of Dorset, and also five pounds for Mary and her husband Thomas to buy mourning clothing.
It would appear that there was a disagreement over the Will of Thomas Farriner, as in 1677 Martha, now a widow, took Mary and Thomas Halford to the Chancery Court.

Mary Farriner also married a baker, Thomas Halford (d.1705) early in 1666 and was therefore not living with her father at the time of the Great Fire.
Mary and Thomas had the following children;
+ Thomas Halford (b.1672)
+ Hanna Halford (b.1673) m. John Willett (a baker)
                                           + Hanna Willett
                                           + Mary Willett m. Walter Reily
                                           + Martha Willett
+ John Halford (1676-81)
+ Martha Halford (1678-1682)
+ Thomas Halford (b&d.1681)
+ Thomas Halford (b.1683)

Mary died before 1695, and her husband Thomas remarried.

Edward Sutton's two families

Edward Sutton, Baron Dudley (1567-1643) was a man who had two families; one with the wife he was arranged to marry, and a second with the woman who became his long term mistress until his death. It may not be unusual for a nobleman to also have a mistress, however Edward Sutton left his wife and legitimate children unsupported and set up home with his mistress and their eleven children. 

On June 18th 1581 Edward Sutton married Theodosia Harington (1560-1650). The Harington family were the largest landowners in Rutland. 

Edward and Theodosia had five children together;

+ Anne Sutton (1582-1615) m. Hans Meinhard von Schonberg

+ Theodosia Sutton (b.1584)

+ Mary Sutton (1586-1645) m. Alexander Home

+ Ferdinando Sutton (1588-1621) m. Honora Seymour

+ Margaret Sutton (b.1597) m. Miles Hobart

Edward owned lands in Staffordshire and Worcestershire, as well as the manors of Dudley, Sedgley and Kingswinford, along with ironworks in that area. It was probably due to his time spent in the area of Dudley that Edward met local girl Elizabeth Tomlinson. 

Edward Sutton met Elizabeth Tomlinson (1579-1629), the daughter of collier William Tomlinson and his wife Agnes Dues of St Thomas in Dudley, and she became his mistress. 

Edward and Elizabeth had twelve children together;

+ Robert Dudley (1587-1653) m. Margaret 

+ Elizabeth Dudley (1588-1647) m. Jeffrey Dudley

+ Jane Dudley (b.1588) m. Richard Parkhouse

+ Catherine Dudley (1589-1675) m. Thomas Dudley

+ Martha Dudley (b.1590) m. Thomas Wilmer

+ Alice Dudley (b.1592) m. George Guest

+ Susan Dudley (1594-1601)

+ John Dudley (1597-1604)

+ Dud Dudley (1600-1684) m. Eleanor Heaton (1606-75)

+ Dorothy Dudley (b.1606) m. Thomas Brooke

+ Eleanor Dudley (1606-1659)

+ Edward Dudley (1608-14)

Himley Hall

Edward moved to Himley Hall near Dudley with Elizabeth Tomlinson and their children, leaving his wife Theodosia and their children in London. Edward left his wife with no financial support; the Privy Council became involved and the Star Chamber ordered Edward to pay his wife an allowance as she was left "without provision of sustenance" whilst he lived with "a lewd and infamous woman". Yet Edward continued to leave his wife without any money. In August 1597 Edward was sent to Fleet Prison for this non-payment. He was only imprisoned for a few days and was released with the condition that he give his wife the £66 that was owed to her since the Privy Council ruling. In addition to this, he was to pay £100 a year to Theodosia during her lifetime unless the couple were to reunite, as well as £10 a year for each legitimate child for their education. Less than eighteen months later Edward was again called by the Privy Council as he had failed to maintain the payments; he failed to send his wife the money ordered, sending her only a payment of £32. 

Edward's only legitimate son Ferdinando predeceased him, however he left a daughter Frances Sutton who was Edward's heiress. Frances became Baroness Dudley and inherited the estates as well as the debts. Frances' husband Humble Ward, son of a wealthy goldsmith, paid off the debts and restored the estates. 

Concerning his surviving illegitimate sons; Robert Dudley was given the Netherton Estate in Dudley, and Dud Dudley was given the lease of Chasepool Lodge in Swindon.

Dud Dudley was the child of Edward Sutton that caused the family the most problems. He had been educated at Balloil College at Oxford University, however he was called home to help his father with the ironworks business. A relative John Bagley accused Dud of "wasting his father's fortune on his coal mining schemes" and "bringing his father to such destitution". His mother Elizabeth was clearly aware of his nature and in her Will she requested that the money belonging to her which was then in the hands of Dud be given instead to the poor people of Dudley. At the time of her death Elizabeth Tomlinson was a wealthy woman with a personal wealth made up of money, plate and jewels coming to around the sum of at least L600. It was this fortune which she had given to Dud five years before her death as she had apparently said all her other children were provided for, however in her Will she wanted these items to be given to the poor rather than her son. Also relating to Dud, her Will contained the phrase "she willed that her son...should not see her writings, because, as she said, he might do somebody wrong". 'Her writings' can be taken to mean either her Will or her personal correspondence or diary. Dud did go on to contest his mother's Will. He argued that he should be the one in ownership of the lands, ironworks, stoneworks and coal pits in Tipton, Sedgley, Kingswinford, Rowley Regis and Oldbury. He also demanded Tipton Park and Parkfield which his mother had bought.

Additionally, Elizabeth wrote in her Will that all of her "wearing apparel" was to be divided between her five daughters. After some small bequests to family members and servants, Elizabeth left all else in her possession to be divided equally between her eight surviving children. 

Elizabeth's Josseline connections

Upon the birth of Princess Elizabeth in 1533, her mother Queen Anne Boleyn sent letters out to privy councilors, noblemen and family members announcing the birth of an heir to the English crown. Famously, these were the letters which had the suffix of 'ss' added to 'prince' due to the fact that Elizabeth was not the hoped for son which King Henry VIII longed for.  


By the Quene.

Right trustie and welbiloved, we grete you well. And where as it hath pleased the goodnes of Almightie God, of his infynite marcie and grace, to sende unto us, at this tyme, good spede, in the delyveraunce and bringing furthe of a Princes, to the great joye, rejoyce, and inward comforte of my Lorde, us, and all his good and loving subjectes of this his realme; for the whiche his inestymable benevolence, soo shewed unto us, we have noo litle cause to give high thankes, laude, and praising unto oure said Maker, like as we doo mooste lowly, humbly, and with all the inwarde desire of our harte. And inasmuche as we undoubtidly truste, that this oure good spede is to your great pleasure, comforte, and consolation, We, therefore, by thies our letters, advertise you thereof, desiring and hartely praying you to give, with us, unto Almightie God, high thankes, glorie, laude, and praising; and to praye for the good helth, prosperitie, and contynuall preservation of the said Princes accordingly. Yeven under our Signet, at my Lordis Manour of Grenewiche, the 7 day of September, in the 25th yere of my said Lordis reigne.

To oure right trustie and welbiloved,

the Lorde Cobham.

George Brooke, Lord Cobham was a blood relation of Anne Boleyn and her daughter Princess Elizabeth; George Brooke was the grandson of Anne's great-aunt, another Anne Boleyn.

George Brooke, Lord Cobham

This letter was sent to George Brooke, Lord Cobham on the 7th September 1533. A letter with the same content was sent to Thomas Josseline, Esquire on the 25th September 1533. The later date suggests that Thomas Josseline was not among the more important nobles or officials who were to be informed of the princess' birth right away, however he was significant enough to warrant a letter. Unknown to Queen Anne when she wrote this letter, the Josseline family was to become an important part of Elizabeth's life. Family connections were of the highest importance, and alliances were created through dynastic marriages with prominent families. It was her Boleyn family that would provide a stable family base for Elizabeth throughout her life.

Geoffrey Boleyn m. Anne Hoo;
1)William Boleyn m. Margaret Butler
    + Anne Boleyn m. John Shelton 
                                + Mary/Madge Shelton (mistress to King Henry VIII in 1535)
                                + John Shelton m. Margaret Parker (sister to Jane Boleyn nee Parker)
                                                                  + Alice Shelton m. 1549 Sir Richard Josseline (b.1529)                                                                                                 + Richard Josseline
                                    
    + Thomas Boleyn m. Elizabeth Howard
                                    + Anne Boleyn m. King Henry VIII
                                                                    + Princess Elizabeth
2)Anne Boleyn m. Henry Heydon
                                 + Dorothy Heydon m. Thomas Brooke
                                                                        + George Brooke m. Anne Braye
                                                                        + Elizabeth Brooke m. Thomas Wyatt (poet)

During Princess Elizabeth's early life, Queen Anne ensured that she was surrounded by Boleyn family members to provide protection and loyalty to her daughter. 
In 1533, the aunts of the queen, Anne Shelton (nee Boleyn) born 1475, and Alice Clere (nee Boleyn) were put in charge of Princess Elizabeth's household. The king's daughter Mary was also sent to live in this household, and Anne Shelton would taunt Mary with her bastard status and being replaced as Princess and heir to the throne by Elizabeth. Queen Anne would write to Anne Shelton criticizing Mary and ordering her to beat Mary. Anne Shelton and her husband John, who was controller of the princess' household, became very close to Elizabeth. During Queen Mary's reign, Elizabeth was in fear of her life and for her own protection she fled to the Norfolk home of Anne and John Shelton. 

Shelton Manor, Norfolk

Shelton Church

In 1549 Anne Boleyn's cousin Alice Shelton married Sir Richard Josseline. Despite the Protestantism of many members of his family, Richard was a Catholic, and perhaps as a result of this, he was not in public life unlike his relatives. On the 16-17th September 1578, Queen Elizabeth stayed at Hyde Hall as part of her progress, Alice and Richard had both passed away by this time, it was inhabited by Richard's second wife. 
The Josseline family were fierce supporters of the Protestant faith which Elizabeth reinstated in England. John Josseline became secretary to Archbishop Matthew Parker, previously chaplain to Anne Boleyn, and helped him to write his De Antiquitato Britannica (published 1572).
Correspondance from Matthew Parker circa 1575;

To Sir Thomas Josseline's brother, an antiquary in his house, 


who wrote this history, Dc Antiquitato Britannica) ecclesicc, a

prebend worth 30/. per annum, and procured for him 300/. 

He expended upon repairing of his palace at Canterbury, his chief lodging, 


being burnt in Archbishop Cranmer's time,


 and upon his other houses, chancels, &c., to about 2G00/.

The Josseline's were cousins to the Protestant Wentworth family. Peter Wentworth, a Puritan, was a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons where he was highly critical of Queen Elizabeth. This peaked in 1576 when he gave a speech at the opening of Parliament concerning the right of freedom of speech, concerning the question of the queen's marriage and succession. He was stopped by other MP's before the end of his speech and was sent to the Tower. 

John Josseline (d.1524) m1. Cecilia FitzHerbert  

                  m2. Phillipa Bradbury

              + Anne Josseline m. John Bagshott

              + Jane Josseline m. Nicholas Wentworth (d.1557)

                                         + Peter Wentworth m1. Letitia Lane  m2. Elizabeth Walsingham

                                         + Paul Wentworth m. Helen Agmondesham

                                         + Henry Wentworth

                                         + Francis Wentworth

                                         + Clara Wentworth m. Edward Boys

                                         + Joan Wentworth m. Geoffrey Gates

              + Thomas Josseline (b.1500) m. Dorothy Gates (1512-82)

                                                             + Thomas Josseline

                                                             + John Josseline m. Elizabeth Dore

                                                             + Henry Josseline m. Ann Torrell

                                                             + Edward Josseline m. Mary Lamb

                                                             + Jane Josseline m. Richard Kelton

                                                             + Richard Josseline m1. Alice Shelton 

                                                                                           m2. Anne Lucas (1541-1604)

Anthony Denny

Dorothy Gates had a brother Sir John Gates, who married Mary Denny. Dorothy was very close to her brother, his wife and her family; she often wrote letters to her brother asking him for favours at court. Historian Barbara J Harris asserts that Dorothy "managed her brother's affairs in Essex, while he acted as her advocate at court" as she was "more assertive and shrewder about business than her spouse". Harris suggests that Dorothy had a keen interest in acquiring land and wardships, which brought with them a lot of money.
Sir John's wife Mary Denny was the sister of Anthony Denny, who married Joan Champernowne - a cousin of Kat Ashley, Elizabeth's beloved governess. It was this couple, Anthony and Joan Denny, with whom Elizabeth stayed in 1548 at Cheshunt, from May until October, during Katherine Parr's pregnancy, delivery and death. Anthony Denny was good friends with Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Roger Asham, Elizabeth's tutor, as well as with Nicholas Wentworth.