Elizabeth Weever

Events

Date of Birth: by 1446 (most likely about 1439).

Place of Birth: unknown.

Elizabeth was in ward to Sir Thomas Stanley in 24 Henry VI (Ormerod 2:209, 3:577; Earwaker 2:597). Elizabeth was said in a writ of livery from the recognizance rolls to have been 36 in 1485 (Ormerod 2:210), which is impossible given her wardship in 1446. Helsby (Ormerod 2:210 fn b) suggests that “36” may be an error for “46”.

Date of Death: 4 March 1511/12.

Place of Death: unknown.

Elizabeth’s inquisition post mortem (given by Ormerod 2:209) states that she died on Thursday in the first week of Lent in the “aforesaid” year (4 Henry 8). But, since Henry’s reign began on April 21, Lent in the “aforesaid” year would still be in the future at the time of the inquisition (September, according to Earwaker). Presumably the Lent previous to the inquisition was intended. The Appendix to the Twenty-Ninth Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of Public Records (p. 98) mentions that Elizabeth left a will dated 30 April, 20 Henry 7.

Relationships

Father: Thomas de Weever.

This relationship is given by Ormerod (2:210, 2:248, 3:577) and by Earwaker (2:597). He is identified as Elizabeth's father in a 1487 grant given below.

Mother: Elizabeth Fitton.

Thomas’s wife is identified by Richards (p. 42). She is identified as the mother of Elizabeth Weever in her inquisition post mortem (Earwaker 2:597).

Spouse: John Stanley.

This relationship is given by Ormerod (2:210, 2:248, 3:577) and by Earwaker (2:597).

Spouse: Sir John Done.

This relationship is given by Ormerod (2:210, 2:248, 3:577) and by Earwaker (2:597).

Children (by John Stanley):

(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)

Cecily Stanley married Thomas Venables.

Margery Stanley married Sir William Torbok, Knight (marriage settlement January 1489/90).

Anne Stanley married Ralph Ravenscroft.

Jane Stanley married Thomas Hawarden.

John Stanley possibly married Elizabeth Harrington. (It is uncertain whether this identification is correct.)

Thomas Stanley (died 10 April 1526) married (1) Douce Leversedge; married (2) an Elizabeth. Ancestor of the Stanleys of Alderley.

George Stanley.

(supposed) Children (by Sir John Done):

(These children are given by Ormerod (2:248), but I suspect that most of them are children of a previous marriage of Sir John's to Cecily Troutbeck. Cicely below is definitely Elizabeth's daughter, as she was named in Elizabeth's inquisition post mortem (Earwaker 2:598), but she may have been a daughter of Elizabeth's first marriage.)

Robert Done married Joan Stanley.

Richard Done (died about 1511) of Utkynton married Joan Gerard.

Elena Done married (1) David Middleton of Denbigh; married (2) Piers Holland of Conway; married (3) Urian Brereton of Homford.

Mary Done married Richard Bruen of Stapleford.

Joan Done married Tochet Beeston of Beeston.

Cicely Done married Hugh Davenport of Calveley.

Evidence

From The Thirty-Seventh Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records Appendix II (p. 217):

1485, Nov. 12 Elizabeth, wife of John, writ of livery, setting forth the finding of an inquisition, viz., that Elizabeth, late wife of Hugh Eulowe, armiger, held in dower a 3rd part of the manor of Wevere, held of the Earl of Chester, by a 3rd part of grand serjeantry, yearly value 4l.; eight messuages, three hundred acres of land, four acres of meadow, sixty acres of pasture, and five acres of wood in Overalderley, held of the Earl of Chester, as of the honour of Halton, by a rent of 8s., yearly value 10l.; five messuages, two hundred acres of land, twenty acres of meadow, and six acres of wood called “Wodlegh” in Bredbury, held of Joan, Dame le Straunge, service unknown, yearly value 6l. 13s. 4d., and certain lands in Manley, unknown of whom held, yearly value 6s. 8d.; that the said Elizabeth died on the Saturday next before the Feast of All Saints “last” past, and that Elizabeth wife of John Donne, Kt., was daughter and heir of the said Elizabeth, and of the age of 36 years. [1 & 2 Hen. 7. m. 2 d. (8).]

From A Middlewich Chartulary p. 93:

p. 19i. Grant by Sir John Done and his wife Elizabeth to William Weaver of a messuage in Middlewich. 1487, June 28.

John Done knighte and dame Elizabeth his wyfe, daughter and here to Thomas Weeuer lord of Weeuer, gaue unto William Weeuer, sonne to Edward Weeuer knight, a mease place in Middlewich in leng(t)h betweene the land of Hugh Welleson upon the east and Lewen streete upon the weste, and in breadth betweene the land of Robert Warihull upon the south and the lande late of Robert Page on the north: habendum sibi et heredibus; reddendo 5^s annuatim at Martinmas and midomer by euen porc[i]ons. A clause of reentrie and rehaueing the mesuage foreuer for non paymente of the rente by a yeare and a daye if no sufficient distres can be found upon the said mesuage with thappurtenances. Testibus: Carolo Manwaring, Thoma Spenser, Henerico Vernon. Datum 28 Junii anno 2 H. 7.

Left margin: John Harrysons house late Richard Venables. Hugh Warton this 5^s rente purchased and hath the counter part of this deed.

Right margin: infra 19d, 20a et 114c f.

Property according to her inquisition post mortem as given by Earwaker (2:597))

-the manor of Weever

-messuages and lands in Weever, Woodley near Stockport, Romeley, Middlewich, Upton near Macclesfield, etc.

-the manor of Over Alderley

-messuages and lands in Over Alderley, Nether Alderley, and Bradbury

References

Brownbill, John. "The Troutbeck Family" in the Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society New Series, vol. 28/2, (pp. 149-178).

Earwaker, J. P. (John Parsons). East Cheshire, past and present, or, A history of the hundred of Macclesfield in the county Palatine of Chester - from original records. (London: Printed for the Author, 1878-1880).

A Middlewich Chartulary. Joan Varley, ed. (Chetham Society v. 105 and 108: 1941 and 1944).

Ormerod, George; Peter Leycester; William Smith; William Webb; and Thomas Helsby. The history of the county palatine and city of Chester: compiled from original evidences in public offices, the Harleian and Cottonian mss., parochial registers, private muniments, unpublished ms. collections of successive Cheshire antiquaries, and a personal survey of every township in the county, incorporated with a republication of King's Vale royal and Leycester's Cheshire antiquities. (London: G. Routledge, 1882).

Richards, Raymond. The Manor of Gawsworth (Manchester: E.J.Morten, 1974; first published 1957).

The Twenty-Ninth Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records. (London: 1868).

The Thirty-Seventh Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records. (London: 1876).