Elizabeth
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: between 14 April 1500 and 19 June 1500.
Elizabeth made her will 14 April 1500 and it was proved 19 June 1500.
Place of Burial: London, England (St Martin’s Outwich).
The Complete Peerage (1:31) gives the burial place.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
It seems possible that Elizabeth’s father was Thomas Ward. See the Chancery cases in the Evidence Section below. However, Elizabeth in her will leaves money for prayers for the souls of her husbands and of William Hussey and his wives. One wonders who William was. Blomefield (vol. 10, p. 98) gives Elizabeth’s father as William Brent of Charteham, Kent, without giving a source. Elizabeth does mention land in Chartham in her will, but on the other hand Blomefield’s account of the Brents is confused and definitely contains at least some errors.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Richard Naylor (died 1483).
The Complete Peerage (1:31;14:6-7) gives the marriage.
Spouse: Sir Robert Bassett (died between 11 May and 27 July 1484). Lord Mayor of London in 1475.
The Complete Peerage (1:31;14:6-7) gives the marriage. (The marriage was originally given as Elizabeth’s first marriage, but this was amended to her second marriage in Volume 14, page 7).
Spouse: John Stokker (died September 1485).
The Complete Peerage (1:31;14:6-7) gives the marriage and the date of death.
Spouse: George Nevill, Lord Bergavenny (about 1440 - 20 September 1492).
The Complete Peerage (1:31;14:6-7) gives the marriage.
Children (by Richard Naylor):
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. Richard’s children are mentioned in his will, except for Hugh, who is mentioned in the will of his mother.)
Thomasine Naylor married Robert Bifield.
Alice Naylor married Walter Roberth.
Joan Naylor married Richard Culpepper.
John Naylor.
Robert Naylor.
Valentine Naylor.
Richard Naylor.
Thomas Naylor.
Hugh Naylor.
Evidence
from the National Archives Catalogue:
Nayler v Code.
Plaintiffs: Elizabeth, late the wife of Richard Nayler.
Defendants: Robert Code.
Subject: Messuage and lands in Hemswell and Eneterby (i.e. Snitterby?), late of Thomas Warde, deceased father of complainant. Lincolnshire.
SFP
Date: 1386-1558.
Goldyng v Asthorpp.
Plaintiffs: John Goldyng and Agnes, his wife, previously the wife of Richard Medlay, and daughter and heir of Thomas Warde.
Defendants: Clement Asthorpp, yeoman.
Subject: Detention of deeds relating to land in Hemyswell, and forgery of other deeds. Lincolnshire.
Date: 1486-1493.
Settlement
Walter Roberth, esq, William Gought, Henry Burgeys and George Hopper to George Nevell kt, Lord Burgavenny, John Nayler, Robert Nayler, Richard Sondys, William Assheburneham, esq, Richard Culpepir the elder, esq, Richard Culpepir the younger and John Culpepir in trust
1 Various lands and tenements called Great Smowgle, Little Smowgle, Pykenden and Pykenden Bokherst, Comden, Scowperys and The Forde lying dispersed in Cranbrook and Goudhurst
2 Lands and tenements, rents and services in Ticehurst, Etchingham, Rye and Brightling
For WR, his wife Alice and their heirs in tail male, remainder to WR
Edward Strangways and John Hewet attorneys to deliver seisin
Clerk's name in turn-up: Gardyner
W to livery of seisin at Boarzell in Ticehurst: Thomas Naysshe the farmer there, Thomas Hunt, John Naysshe, farmer, Robert Naysshe, Thomas Horstede
A seal-tag formed from letters of attorney, George ... and Giles ... to Walter Colyns
Endorsed: my mother's jointure
Date: 20 February 1492.
Elizabeth’s will:
In the name of god so be it the xiiij day of Aprill in the yere of our lorde god m ccccc[?] I dame Elizabeth Nevile lady of Bergavenne[?] of the parishe of Chatham in the Countie of Kente widowe being hole of mynd and in good remembraunce thanked be i’hu ordeyne and make this my pnt testament in maner and fourme following First I comende my soule to allmyghty god my creator oure blessid lady Virgin and all her sants and my body to be buried in the parishe churche of Saint Martyn Otwyche in Busshoppisgate of london in the vaute in the chapell of our lady there where the body of Richard Nayler my husbonde restith buried Item I bequeth unto the high awter of the parishe church of Chatham aforesaide for my tithes and oblacions forgotten xs. Item I bequeth unto either of the monasterys of Saint Augustyne by side Caunterbury and Cristechurche in Caunterbury to pray for my soule iiij li Item I bequeth to euery hous of Friers in Caunterbury xxs. Item I bequeth to the prisoners in Westgate of Caunterbury xs and in like wise to the prisoners of the castell of Caunterbury other x s Also I bequeth to the hospitall of Saint Nicholas at harbaton be side Caunterbury xxs And to the hospetall of Saint John Baptist without Northage of Caunterbury xs And to maynards spitell in Caunterbury xs Item I bequeth to god and to the saide churche of Saint Martyns aforesaide a [...] of silver and over giltid which I haue provided & ordeynid there to remayne foreuer and I well that all and euery of suche costs as shalbe done and expended for the day of my dethe unto the day of my burying and on the morowe after shalbe at the wills and disposicon of myne Executors and ouerseers Also I bequeth to the house of Frires Augustyns in london to pray for my soule xl s Also to euery house of the Frires [Thomas?] whiche Frires and grey Frires in London xxs. Item I bequeth to euery of the houses of prisones that is to say Newgate Ludgate in London the kyngisbenche and marshalsie xxs And to either house of prisones of the towers in london x. s. Also I wille that my Executors with my goodes bye or cause to be bought within a competent tyme after my deseace a good bestyment with aparell therto belonging for a prest to singe a cape of the same sute and a casmatory[?] of silver for the same churche of Chatham Item I bequeth to John Nayler my sonne anie and boue suche thyngs as I haue geven and delivered with my handes all and euery part of the residue of all the implements and the Inventory of my houshold to geder with all the cornes graynes aswell sowen as unsowen and all the catell that I haue except iiij kene which kene I geve and bequeth to Robert Nayler his broder Item I bequeth to the said John Nayler my best auter clothes ij curtens of far [tenett?] my secondary vestyment a chalice of silvir and p[ar]cell[?] gilte and a masseboke nowe belonging to my chapell/ Item to Robert Nayler my sonne my best vestyment and the auter clothes now hanging in the saide chapell and I well that myne Executor with my goodes shall acquite and discharge Robert Bifelde marchaunt of and for all suche somes of money and euery p[ar]cell of themeas the same Robert Bifelde to any p[er]sonne or p[er]sonnes by Writing or other Wise for the saide John Nayler is bounde Also I geue and bequeth to the said Robert Nayler my sonne those iiij li the which John Fogge Esquier fro me retaynith and wrongfully witholdith as money for the lone to oure soueraign lorde the king lent And after that by his comandemet ordyned and willed to be paid ageyne Item I bequeth to the craft or occupacon of salters in London a tablett of golde sett with stone and perle with the Image of the trynite in the myddes of the same also I bequeth and wolle that the residues of all and singuler my goodes not bequethed ne disposed anie and [boue?] my detts diga…ces and this my pnt testament and last Will ensuying in all things fulfilled that they and euery parcell of them be distributed and done in allmes and in other charitable dedes of mercy by thaduice of myne Executors and ouerseers as they shall seme best to please god and most profitte to my soule and all xren soules And of this my present testament I ordeyne and make Richard Culpepir gentilman the said Robert Bifelde and Robert Nayler myne Executors and Walter Robert Esquier and the saide John Nayler my overseers of the same and I bequeth to euery of my Executors C s and to either of my ouerseers for there labor in the promisses to be done lv s Furthermore it is my will and also I charge my executors as they will swere to fore god that they make to troble ne vexacon for any such goodes of my Juelles and housholde as I haue late yeuen and deuided to my saide sonnes doughters and other yeuen the day and yere abouesaide.
This is the Last Will of me the said dame Elizabeth Nevile made the saide xiiij day of April in the xv yere of the Reigne of king Henry the vijth First I wolle that all those my lands and tenements Woodes and medowes lessis pastures Rents and [...es] with thappurtenances in the parishes of Chatham Chilham Petham Selling and Boughton under the Stowe or elles where in the Countie of Kente hooly shall remayne to John Nailer my sonne and to the heires of his body lawfully begoten foreuermore under forme and condicon folowing that is to say ./ that the saide John Nayler from hence forth shall not make nor cause to be made no vexacion nor troble of and for suche goodes and catalles as late were of Richard Nayler his fader or of the saide dame Elizabeth his moder ouer and a boue suche goodes as I by this my pnt testament and last will to hym haue p[ro]vided and ordeyned And also the same John and his heires shall kepe or cause to be kept an obite yerely in the saide churche of Charteham fro the day of my dethe unto thende and terme of xxti yeres thanne next ensuying and fully to be completed so that there be expended and done and euery suche obite to the trewe value of xx s and if the said condicon and obite or any part or p[ar]cell therof ouer the p[ar]ty of the saide John his heires or assignes or any of theme be not performed ne kept in maner and forme as is afore specified And also and if hit happen the saide John my sonne to die without suche heires thanne I wolle that all the foresaide Londs and tenements and other p[re]misses with thappurtenances to hym by me afore ordeyned hooly shall remayne to Hugh Nayler my sonne and to the heires of his body lawfully begoten foreuer keping the saide obite during the saide terme and for defaute of suche heires of the same hugh all the same londs and tenements and other p[re]misses with thappurtenances shall remayn to Robert my sonne and to the heires of his body lawfully begoten foreuer doying the saide obite by all the saide tyme and if hit happen the saide Robert my sonne to die hauying no suche heires thanne the same londs and tenements and other premisses with ther appurtenances shall remayne to Thomasyne my doughter and to the heires of her body lawfully begoten foreuer. doing the the same obite by all the said terme And if it fortune the said Thomasyne my doughter to die hauyng no suche issue thanne I wolle that all the saide londs and tenements and other premisses with ther appurtenances shall remayne to Alice my doughter and to the heires of her body lawfully begoten foreuer keping the saide obite by all the saide terme and if it happen the saide Alice my doughter to die hauyng no heires of her body lawfully begoten thanne I wolle that all the saide londes and tenements Woodes medowes pastures Rents and fines with there appurenances hooly shall remayne to Johane my doughter and to the heires of her body lawfully begoten foreuer doinn the saide obite by all the tyme aforesaide. And I knowloge my selfe by these pnts to haue receyved and hadde of the saide Robert Nayler my sonne all suche dueties and somes of money as he to me was indetted of and for all those lands and tenements with there appurtenances to geder with the reversion of the same sett lying and being aswell in the parisshes of Milreth[?] Shipreth and Kneysworth in Countie of Cambrigge as other lands and tenements with thappurtenances in the towne of Radcliffe in the parishe of Stepney and medowes lying in Walmershe in the same parishe of Stepney in the Countie of Middelsex which late were of the said John Stokker Citezen & Alderman of London and the whiche the saide Robert Nayler of me the saide dame Elizabeth late bought and purchasid and there remayneth in my handes of the money which I receyved of the saide Robt Nayler for the premisses C li which C li I woll that it be employed and disposed in maner and forme folowing / that is to withe to William Millon Chamberleyn of the Citie of London xx li to thentent that he distribute the same and euery parcell therof after his discretion for the soule of the said John Stokker and lxxx li residues of the saide C li I wolle that my Executors pay or cause to be paide for the helthe of the soule of the said John Stokker to the church of Milreth aforesaid And to poure people parisshons there in money xx li And to the paryshe church of Shipreth aforesaide And pore people inhabitants there xx li And to the parishe church of Kneswith aforesaide And to poure people parisshons there x li And to the churche of Stepney aforesaide and poure people dwelling there in money x li And to the parisshe churche of Saint George in Botulf lane of London and to poure people inh’iting in the same parishe x li And other x li residue of the said lxxx li I woll that it be geven and disposid to poure people most neding by the discretion of myne Executors Also I woll that all those termes of yeres which be to come of and in my tenement called the Crowne with thappurtenances sett in the paryshe of Saint Botulf without Algate in London to geder with all my Inventory of housholde and implements to the office of a Brewer belonging nowe being in the same tent shalbe sold by myne executors to the most advaile it canne or may And also I will that my Executors shall retayne and kepe in there hands all the issues and profitts to me yerely comyng of the ferme of that my principall place and tenutaes thereto belonging sett in the saide parishe of Saint Georges in Botulf lane and the money comyng aswell of the sale of the saide tenement called the [...] Inventory and Ymplements [...] of the ferme of my said place and tenataes shall remayn in the hands of my saide executors so that they therewith paide and so that I haue and honest prest to singe praye and to be at all [D… …] in the saide parishe church of Saint Martyns for my soule the soules of George Nevile knyght late lorde of Burgavenne Richard Nayler Robert Bassett and John Stokker my husbands and William Hussey Margaret and Elizabeth his wiffes and all xren fro the day of the sale of the said tenement callid the Crowne and other premisses to the same tenements belonging at longe tyme at the money comyng therof And of the ferme of the same place and tentaes therunto woll extende Also I wolle that my Executors by thaduice of my Ouersere within a competent tyme after my disseace [...] and ordeyne some lands or annuities with my gooddis to be bought wherby yerely in obite with dirige masse of Requiem by note and other masses with out note in the said church of Saint Marten for my soule and the soules aforesaide to be songe said and done fro the day of my dethe yerely there perpetually to indure And I wolle that the master Wardens and Felowshipe of the Clothyng of the crafte & occupacion of tailors within the Citie of London and ther successors of that same craft for the tyme being to be yerely at the dirige of the said obite So that there be & presented in and a boute euery suche obite to the prests offrings parassh clerk and in almes to poure people xiij s iiij d And to the master of the aforesaid Felowship ij s to the master Warden of theme xvj d And to euery of those iij Wardens of the same Felowship xij d And to the Ledill[?] of tayllors aforesaid for his labour iiij d and assone and whanne the said londes or annuities be bought and be made suer in due forme of Lawe for mayntenyng of the foresaide yerely obite I wolle that the offices and profitts therof comyng to be in thands of the saide master and Wardens of the saide Felowship and tayllors and there successors foreuer more under condicion that they and euery of theme therewith shall kepe maynteyne and cause to be done the saide yerely obite in all thugh[?] after tenor and forme as is afore specified Also I geve and bequeth unto the saide masters Wardens and Felowship and to there successours to thuse of the same crafte of tallors foreuer a standing plat[?] and a coueryng with the Image of the resurrecion of oure lorde therupon stonding to the pewe[?] belonging all of siluer and ouergilt Also I wolle that my lands and tents in Bedfordshire shalbe solde to the moost advaile it canne or may be and the money thereof comyng to be in custody and suer keping of my lord the priour of Cristchurch in Caunterbury unto tyme the said Hugh my sonne com to lawfull age or be maried And if it happen the saide Hugh to die or he come to lawfull age or be maried thanne I wolle that the same money to hym by me afore ordeyned shall remayne and equally be deuided to by saide sonnes and doughters Moreouer I wolle that my Feoffes whanne they and euery of theme by the saide John Naillor my sonne after my disseace only be required by thaduice of councell lerned by dedes indented in due and lawfull forme to be made and insealid deliuered or cause to be deliuered to the foresaid John Nayler a sufficient a suer estate in the lawe of and in all those my lands tenements and other premisses with thappurtenances in the saide parisshes of Charteham Chilham Petham Selling and Boughton or elles where in the said Countie of Kente to haue and to holde unto hym and his heires of his body lawfull begoten foreuermore after thentent condicion [t…] and effecte of this my Last Wille yeuen the day and yere abouesaide.
References
Blomefield, Francis. 'Loddon Hundred: Bergh-Apton', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 10 (London, 1809), pp. 96-100. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol10/pp96-100[accessed 4 December 2022].
Cokayne, George Edward, and Vicary Gibbs; et al. The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant [2nd ed.]. (London: St. Catherine Press, 1910-59.
Nicolas, Nicholas Harris. Testamenta vetusta: being illustrations from wills, of manners, customs, &c. as well as of the descents and possessions of many distinguished families, from the reign of Henry the Second to the accession of Queen Elizabeth. (London: Nichols, 1826).
Will of Dame Elizabeth Nevile Lady of Bergevenne or Nevill, Widow of Chatham, Kent., in Church of England. Province of Canterbury. Prerogative Court. Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Probate Records, 1384-1858, National Archives: PROB 11/12/120.
Will of Richard Nayler, Alderman and Tailor of London, in Church of England. Province of Canterbury. Prerogative Court. Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Probate Records, 1384-1858, National Archives: PROB 11/7/111.