Various sources describe John as being of Camberwell, Surrey (Nichols, p. 222; the 1574 Visiation of Kent, p. 52, the 1619 Visitation of Kent, p. 116, the 1619 Visitation of Leicestershire, p. 52, the 1623 Visitation of Gloucestershire, p. 60); of Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire (his will and court cases from 1528 and 1539/40); or Essex (the Visitation of Norfolk p. 42). In his will of 1508, describing himself as "John Fyfehide otherwise called John Lowe of Waltham crosse in the parisshe of Chesthunt in the Countie of Hertford gentilman," he leaves property in Waltham Cross, Southwark, and Magdalene Laver, Essex. He expresses his wish that his son, Gervais, become a goldsmith, and leaves his daughters in the custody of Sir John Hussey, whom he makes sole executor of his will. He makes Hugh Oldham, bishop of Exeter, the overseer.
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: between 2 December 1508 and 1 July 1510.
John made his will 2 December 1508 and it was proved 1 July 1510.
(probable) Place of Burial: Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, England (St Mary’s).
In his will, John asks to be buried in this church.
Relationships
Father: Richard Fyfield alias Lowe (died about 1503).
Mother: Isabella Bowland (died 1505).
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Mary Bulstrode.
The will of John’s father, Richard, mentions John’s wife, Mary.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Lettice Fyfield
Anne Fyfield married John Pykerell between 1528 and 1540.
Elizabeth Fyfield married Robert Draper.
Margaret Fyfield married Robert Tybbott; married someone with the surname of Flete.
Elizabeth Fyfield married John Bacon between 1528 and 1540.
Gervais Fyfield.
Evidence
A description of the case Audeley v Draper [c. 1528]
Short title: Audeley v Draper.
Plaintiffs: John Audeley of London, tailor, and Alice, his wife, sister and heir of William, son and heir of John Richardson.
Defendants: Robert Draper and Elizabeth, his wife, John Bacon (Bakyn) and Elizabeth, his wife, Robert Tybbott and Margaret, his wife, Anne Lowe, alias Fyfehed (Fyfelde), and John Scutton.
Subject: Detention of deeds relating to a messuage and garden called `the Horn' in St Mary Magdalene, Southwark, claimed by the female defendants as daughters of John Lowe, alias Fyfehyde.
Surrey.
3 documents
Another case from 1539/40
Robert Draper and his wife Elizabeth, John Pykerell and his wife Anne, Elizabeth Bacon, widow, John Flete, son and heir of Margaret Flete, widow, sisters of said Elizabeth, Anne and Elizabeth, daughters and heirs of John Fyfeld, late of Waltham Cross, [in Cheshunt], Hertfordshire, v Francis Lovell, knight: messuages or inns with gardens and land in Waltham Cross called 'The Swan' and 'The Greyhound'. 6 mm.
[Standard surname: Pickerell, Fleet, Fifield]
JXP
A transcription of the will of John Fyfehide otherwise called John Lowe
In the name of god amen The secunde day of the moneth of Decemb[e]r In the yere of our lorde god m vr and vii and in the xxiijth yere of the Reigne of King Henry the vijth I John Fyfehide otherwise called John Lowe of Waltham crosse in the p[ar]isshe of Chesthunt in the Countie of Hertford gentilman beying hole of mynde and in my goode memory thanked be almighty god make ordayne and dispose that my present testament and last will in the man[ner] and forme folowing that is to say First and principally above all erthely things I bequeth and Recommende my soule unto almighty god my creator maker and savior and Redemer of all the world to his glorious moder oure blissed lady Seynt Mary the Virgin and to all the holy company of heven and my body to be buried in the p[ar]isshe churche of Chesthunt aforesaid beside the burying place of my fader moder and wif there And I bequeth to the highe aulter of the same p[ar]isshe churche for my tithes and offerings by me necligently forgoten or otherwise witholden in discharge of my soule xl s. Item I bequeth to the same p[ar]isshe churche of Chesthunt my best chaleis of silver with the patent. Item I will that myn executor underwritten Immediatly after my decesse deliver to the said p[ar]isshe churche my best vestment with the allbe(?) which my moder to the said churche bequethed. Item I bequeth to the gilding of the Roode in the same churche xiij s iiij d . Item I bequeth toward the rep[ar]acion of a pathewey under the hedge beyond Wyllowe borne to the churchwareds xx s. Item I will that myn executor in as convenyent tyme after my decesse as can be bestowed and paid toward the amending off the highe waye called the crokid myle beside Waltham Holy Crosse in the Countie of Essex in p[er]formance of the testaments of my lady Rose and of my fader / xl li / Item I bequeth to the p[er]formance of the testaments forsaid to the rep[ar]acions of the high waye bifore my mesuage in Mawdeleyn laver v li / Item I bequeth in p[er]formance of the testament of my said fader toward the amending of the highe waye called Batteselaye and Woodgrewe v li / Item I will that myn executor in as convenyent tyme after my decesse as can be p[er]forme fulfill and paye all suche legacies bequests and entents as ben unp[er]formed of the testaments of my fader and moder / Item I will that all my lands and ten[emen]ts woods rents reversions and premisses with all and singuler their appertenances aswell freehold as copyhold sett lying and beyng in Waltham crosse aforsaid and att Wood grene in the p[ar]isshe of Chesthunt and all my lands and ten[emen]ts lying in the p[ar]isshe of Chesthunt , that I lately bought of Robert Feurothir, and also all those my lands and ten[enmen]ts called Whits Sette in the p[ar]isshe of Mawdeleyn Laver in the Countie of Essex which I bought, Immediatly after my decesse be solde by myn executor to the most advantage that can be and also that all my plate hustilments sutff of household and other necessaries Whatsoever they be in likewise shalbe sold by my saide executor. And the money comyng of the same sale and of other my moevabill goodes I will shalbe disposed in the man[ner] and forme folowing that is to sey / First I bequeth to my Broder Rauff xl li / that is to sey xx li / therof for the payment of those xx lii whiche I promysed hym to his mariage/ And other / xx li / under this condicion that the saide Rauff shalnot clayme any title or Interest in any my lands late of my fader lying at Woodgrene by custome or otherwise / And that the same Rauff shall surrendre and release all his right title and interest / of and in the same whan he shalbe requyred to myn executor and suche as he will name / And if the saide Rauf refuse to make suche surrendre or relesse / or will make any clayme to the said lands I will that then my bequest of xx li, of the saide xl li, shalbe voide / Item I bequeth of the money comyng of the said sale and of the other my moevable goods to Gervais my son. cc marks sterlinge to be delivered unto hym whan he cometh to thage of xxv yeres / Item I will and exhorte the said Gervais my son to putt hymself apprentice to Robert Feurothir or William Revill goldsmythes of London if they can aggre / Orellys to Som other worshipfull man suche as myn executor shall seme convenyent /. And I will that the maister to whom my said sonne shalbe apprentice , shalhave the custocy of the said cc marks during the tyme of his apprenticehode, fynding sufficent surety to deliver the same cc marks to my said sonne at thende of the terme of his apprenticehode if he so long lyve orells to deliver the same cc marks if he dye as hereafter I shall declare / And if my saide sonne dispose hymself otherwise discretely for his profitt than to be apprentice. I will that then the said / cc marks meantyment after the sale of the said lands and ten[emen]ts shalbe putt and leid into the chamber of London / to thuse of my saide sonne / to be delivered to hym at the saide age of xxv yeres /. Item I bequeth of the sale of the said lands and ten[emen]ts and of other my moevable goods to Letice, Anne, Elizabeth, Margaret & Elizabeth my daughters v c marks sterlinge that is to sey / to eny of theym / C marks / to be delivered to theym / as they shall come to their lawfull age or mariage. And if my said sonne bifore he come to the saide age of xxv yeres/ and my saide daughters before theire said age or mariage or any of theym fortune to decesse as gode defende / I will that then , that that p[ar]t or thos p[ar]ts of my said sone and daughters soo decessing shall remayne to the other of my said childern surviving betwene and amongs them to be evenly devided. Item I bequeth of the said sale and of other my moevable goodes toward thexhibicion and fynding of my said . v . daughters tyll they be maried / C marks/ . And I will that Sir John Husse Knyght shalhave the Custody Rule and ordre of my saide daughters with their said porcions by me to theym bequethed tyll they come to theire saide age or mariage. Item I will that I have a preest of goode name and conversacion(?) to syng for my soule / and the soules of my wif my fader and moder my lady Roses soule and all xren soules at the aulter of Seynt Nicholas in the said p[ar]isshe churche of Chesthunt by the space of oon whole yere next after my decesse and I bequeth to the same preest for his salary x marks /. Item I bequeth of the sale of the premisses unto Jane Maycheroth . xl li /. Item I bequeth unto the archbisshop of Caunterbury in discharge of my conscience xl s. Item I bequeth to William my servant / xx s in money and my gray gelding /. Item I bequeth to Nicholas my servant(?) / xiij s iiij d. Item I bequeth to George my baker / siij s iij d. Item I forgeve and release Walter Bercroke the bargeyn of xl quarters of pesyn I bought of hym / and also that xl s. that I paid hym of the saide bargayn wherof I receyved / iij. quarters of pesyn Item Where as Curteys my ten[an]t off Mawdlyn saith that he hath paid xld. more then he oweth to doo / I will that he shalbe allowed and restored therof / yf he will depose that he soo hath paid it /. Item I bequeth to our lady of Walsingham my wiffs wedding ryng /. Item I beqeuth to eny of my saide . v. daughters a gollowe oon ryng of golde and ij. girdills that were of my wifs. Item I bequeth to Letice my daughter my best payre of beds of corall which were my wifs and my wifs best bonett / Item I bequeth to Agnes Bowland daughter of John Bowland my mothers brother if she be of goode disposicon my lands and ten[emen]ts with thappertenances called litell asshehous lying in the p[ar]isshe of Mawdleyn Laver aforsaid with all my stuff and Implements belonging to the same / and also all my lands and ten[emen]ts with thappertenances lying in Suthwarke in the Countie of Surrey /. To have and to holde to the said Agnes Bowland and to the heyres of hir body lawfully begoten / And for lacke of suche yssue I will that then the saide lands and ten[emen]ts with thappurtenances shalbe solde to the most advantage, and the money therof comyng to the distributed to & amongst thos of my saide childern that they shalbe on lyve / or to and amongs their childern if my said childern then be dede. Item I bequeth to Agnes Goderiche at the Grehound a fetherbed a bolster a peyre of blanketts of a yelow coverlite /. Item I bequeth to Bacon the glover / xxs. Item I bequeth to Sharp my servant(?) / xiij s iiij d. Item I bequeth to William of the Kechyn my servant vi s viij d. Item I bequeth to a litell childe my servant / iij s iiij d. Item I bequeth to Robert Cressy Scryvaner of London for the making herof and his labour and for olde love bitwene us xls. The Residew of all & singler my goods detts and catalls after my detts paid, my burying and funerall expences made and doon and this my present testament fulfilled (xx li. oonly except / I geven and bequeth freely and holly unto the forsaid Sir John Husse Knyght, therwith to doo his free will and pleasur, whiche xx li , soo excepte of the said Residue of my goods I will shalbe disposed and geven in deeds of almes and charitie for my soule moost to the pleasur of god /. And of this my present testament I make and ordeyne the forsaid Sir John Husse Knyght my soule executor. And overseer of the same testament I make and ordeyne the Right Reverend fader in god Hugh by godds sufferance bysshop off Excestre / to whom I bequeth for his labor in the promisses to be had / x marks / Beseching aswelll his lordshipp as the saide Sir John Husse to be goode lords and maister unto my said childern. Wittnesses at the Reding and declarying herof Sir John Paynell clerke Robert Cressy Robert Grenewiche Scryvaners Thomas Bond Citizen and merchant taillour of London and WiIliam Petygrewe /. Per me Robertum ressy notarii: publi: namm: ppa.
Commentary
John’s parentage
In the 1568 Visitation of London (p. 76), John’s father is given as “Richard Fifeild alias Lowe.” The informant appears to have been Thomas Lowe, alderman of London, who is shown as a grandson of John’s brother Ralfe.
In the 1574 Visitation of Kent (v. 1, p. 52), John’s father is given as “Richard Fyfeld ałs Loo”. The informant appears to have been Symon Fyfelde, who is shown as the son of John’s brother Raulfe.
In the 1623 Visitation of Gloucestershire (p. 60), John’s father is given as “Richard ffifeld al’s Low”. The informant appears to have been Sir Gabriel Lowe of Newark, who is shown as a great-grandson of John’s brother Robert.
In his 1503 will, “Richard Fifeld otherwise called Richard Lawe of Waltham Crosee” named his son John and his son’s wife Mary. He also named his own wife, Isabell.
In her 1505 will, Isabella Fyfield alias Low of Waltham Cross named her son Johannis Low. She asked to be buried at St Mary’s, Cheshunt.
The John Fyfield alias Lowe of this page asked to be buried in the parish church of Cheshunt near his father, mother, and wife. He also mentioned “Agnes Bowland daughter of John Bowland my mothers brother.”
Taken together, it is clear that John’s parents were Richard Fyfield alias Lowe and Isabel Bowland.
References
Audeley v Draper., in National Archives, C 1/462/22, c.1528.
Camden, William, and John (ed.) Fetherston. The visitation of the county of Leicester in the year 1619, taken by William Camden. (London: Taylor and Co., 1870).
Chitty, Henry; John Phillipot; John (ed.) Maclean; and W.C. (ed.) Heane. The Visitation of the County of Gloucester, taken in the year 1623: taken in the year 1623, with pedigrees from the herald's visitations of 1569 and 1582-3, and sundry miscellaneous pedigrees. (London: Harleian Society, 1885).
Harvey, William. The Visitation of Norfolk in the year 1563. (Norwich: [s.n.], 1878-1895).
Hovenden, Robert, and John Philipot. The visitation of Kent, taken in the years 1619-1621 by John Philipot, Rouge Dragon, marshall and deputy to William Camden, Clarenceux. (London: [Harleian Society], 1898).
Howard, Joseph Jackson and George John Armytage (eds.). The Visitation of London in the Year 1568, taken by Robert Cooke, Clarenceux King of Arms, and since augmented both with descents and arms. (London: [Harleian Society], 1869.
National Archives reference REQ/2/10/173
Nichols, John Gough. “Bowyer of Camberwell” in Surrey Archaeological Collections, Volume 3, pages 220 - 226,(London: Lovell Reeve & Co., 1865).
The Visitations of Kent, taken in the years 1530-1 by Thomas Benolte, Clarenceux and 1574 by Robert Cooke, Clarenceux. (Robert Bannerman, ed.) (London, Part 1, 1923; Part II 1924).
Will of Isabella Fyfield alias Low of Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, in Church of England. Province of Canterbury. Prerogative Court.Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Probate Records, 1384-1858, PROB 11/14/649.
Will of John Fyfehide otherwise called John Lowe, Gentleman of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, in Church of England. Province of Canterbury. Prerogative Court. Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Probate Records, 1384-1858, PROB 11/17/3.
Will of Richard Fifeld, Gentleman of Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, in Church of England. Province of Canterbury. Prerogative Court. Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Probate Records, 1384-1858, PROB 11/14/426.