John Michell

John is described as of Stamerham, Sussex, by the Victoria History of the County of Sussex (Volume 6, sub Horsham: Manors and Other Estates) and in fines given by Salzman (no. 3225, no. 3248).

Events

Date of Birth: unknown.

Place of Birth: unknown.

Date of Death: between 1 July 1520 and 10 July 1522.

John made his will 1 July 1520 and it was proved 10 July 1522.

Relationships

Father: John Michell (died 1474).

This relationship is given by the Victoria History of the County of Sussex (Volume 6, sub Horsham: Manors and Other Estates) and by Comber (1:230).

Mother: Alice.

This relationship is given by Comber (1:230).

Spouse: Margaret.

This relationship is given by Comber (1:231).

Children:

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

Richard Michell (died about 1525) married Mary.

John Michell married (1) unknown; married (2) Margery Sherwin.

Henry Michell married Elizabeth.

Katherine Michell married Henry Heath.

Evidence

A grant (CCR p. 565 f):

John Bole, one of the heirs of William Bartelote, viz. son of Joan sister of the said William, grants and sells to John Caryll, John Michell of Stamerham, Richard Michell, and Richard Foys, all those lands and tenements in Slynfold called ‘Feldlonds’, which were Will Bertelote’s.

Dated 3 July, 16 Hen. VII. Ch. 232. [1501]

John Caryll, John Michell of Stamerham, Richard Michell, and Richard Foys demise and confirm to Thomas Fenys, esq., Edward Lewkenore, esq., Edward Lewkenore his son, John Bradbrigg and Ann his wife, John Lee of Adyngton, Nicholas Lee his son, John Ernley, John Goryng, and Richard Broke, lands and tenements in Slynford called Feldlond, which formerly were William Bertelote’s.

Dated 21 October, 17 Hen. VII. [With seals and signatures of the grantors] Ch. 242. [1501]

John Bole, one of the heirs of William Bertelote, namely the son of Joan sister to the aforesaid William, and John Weller remit and quit-claim to John Caryll, John Michel of Stamerham, Richard Michell, and Richard Foys, all right in lands &c. in Slynford called Feldlond.

Dated 18 Oct., 17 Hen. VII. [With two seals.] Ch. 243. [1501]

A fine dated 22 Edw. IV [1482-3]:

John Michell of Stamerham and Margaret his wife v. Richard Hayne and Isabel his wife and William Brown and Isolde his wife; 60 acres of land, 6 acres of meadow in Warnham; to John and Margaret.

A fine dated 21 Henry VII [1505-6]:

John Michell and Richard Mascall v. John Veyrall and Agnes his wife; 40 acres of land, 10 acres of meadow, 10 acres of pasture, 6d. rent in Wyuesfeld and Pepoundeshurst; to John Michell, etc.

from the West Sussex Record Office catalogue:

Final concord; with counterpart. John Caryll, John Sherley, esq., Richard Covert, esq., Edward Palmer, gent., William Shelley, gent., John Michell of Stamerham, John Garton, John Segrave, Richard West and Richard Hunt v. Thomas Stydolf, esq., and Joan his wife.

1515

Trinity Term 1515

Messuage 24a. land, 30a. meadow, 30a. pasture, and 20a. wood in Pulborough, Wisborough Green and Billingshurst.

Grant

19 Apr 1519

By John Ernley, knt., Chief Justice of Common Bench, Richard Brooke, serjeant-at-law, and Thomas Nye, feoffees to the use of John Carill one of the king's serjeants-at-law, of and in a toft, garden and 3 crofts of land called la Lake in Warnham, co. Sussex, at the requisition of the said John Carill, to John Michell of Stammerham, Richard Michell his son, John Michell, son of the said Richard, Ralph Farnfold, gent., John Ede, son of Thos. Ede, John Clouser, John Clouser his son, Richard Thorndene, John his son, Robert Thorndene, John Thorndene his son, Thomas Bechet Richard Bechet his son, Thomas Polyng, John Polyng his son, Richard Chatfold, Humphrey Chatfold his son, John Mose of Rouspar, and Thomas Mose his son, of All the said lands called the Lake which the grantors, with others deceased had by the name of one messuage, one garden and 3 crofts sometime of Philip Rumbene, by the gift of (blank) Gardyner; the premises lying between land called le Belecroft and a meadow called le Longe Mede, S. and land called Medenowe and a meadow called le New Mede, W., and the king's highway, E. and land called Blakemans, N

To hold to the use and intention of certain indentures of even date between the said John Carill of the one part and the said John Michell of Stammerham and the other feoffees above named of the other part

And appointment of John Fuller and Thomas Dunnyng as attornies to give seisin

Signatures, John Ernele, Thomas Nye, and 3 seals

Witnesses to livery of seisin:- Thos. Borne, Thos. Charman, John Ede, John Somersale, John Borne

A transcription of the will of John Michell

In dei nomine amen the First day of July in the yere of our lord god m d xx and in the xiith yere of the reigne of king Henry the VIIIth I John Michell of Stamerham in the parisshe of Horsham hole of mynde and good memorye make my testament after the Forme as here after doth ensue / First I bequeth my soule to almyghty god my maker and Redemer And to his blessed Mother Mary and to all the holy Company of hevyn and my body to be buried in the Chapell of Jhn the whiche of late I have made within the the churche yard of Horsham, Item I bequeth to the Moder churche of Chechest vi d Itm to the Church of Pagam vjd Item I bequeath to the high aulter of Horsham iijs iiij d Item to the parysshe Church of Horsham vjs viijd Item to the Churche of Hechingfeld vjs viijd Item to the parysshe Churche of Warnham vjs viij d Item to the Churche of Slynfold vjs viiid Item to the parisshe Churche of Nuthurst vjs viijd Item to the Churche of Shepley vj s viijd Item I will myn Executours cause an obell(?) to be kept and sunge for the welthe of my soule within the Churche of Horsham monythly from the tyme of my decesse tyll the xiith moneth be past / And I will that every Stypendary preste within the foresaid Churche beying present have for his labor vid kepyng in masses with note that is to saye Masse of Jhn and Masse of Regmen, And the parisshe Clark to have iiijd the Sexton ijd my Syngyng Children iiijd they to be paide at the monethes ende and xvd to be delt every monethe to poore people the some of the said charge in too xxi monethes extendith to the some of xlix s beside the offeryng, Also I will that Richard myn oldest Sonne and heier apparannt kepe within the Churche of Hechyngfeld my tapers that is to saye one taper before the ymage of our lady a nother taper before the ymage of Sanct Ursula and the iijde before the ymage of Sanct Erasmus, and a nother taper before the Sepulcre in after tyme and after that tyme to stande be fore the Image of Sanct Cristofer, And these my tapers to be soo maynteyned & kept by the space of xxxj yeres from the tyme of my decesse Item I bequeth to Dorothye Nye to her mariage xl s Item to Elisabeth Michell to her mariage xls Item to Henry Michell her Brother ij kene or xxs in money Item I bequeth to the makyng of a Cawsy bytwyxt Darnyngs and Blaks in the high waye xiij s iijd Item I bequeth to any of godchildren xijd Item I bequethe to every one of my daughters xxs in money Also I will that myn executours after my decesse fynde a welldisposed preste to Say Masse and to pray for my Soule and for my Frends Soulls in my saide chappel of Jhn in Horsham before said or else at Stamerham at the pleasure of the same myn Executours Immediatly from the said tyme of my decesse to the ende of the v yeres then next folowyng and the same preest to have yerely iiij marks in money and his Chamber Fre with mete and drynk in my mantion place at Stamerham before saide or else yf he lyke not that wey then the same prest to have vj li xiis iiij d yerely for his salary or wage duryng the said v yeres and then to be at his own fynding in everythyng Item I will that my Executours see my household kept and all my servants to have mete and drynke lyke as they have by my lyffe by the space of a moneth next after my decesse and every one of my said servants to have ther wags paide them aft the rate of the tyme of their service and every one of them at the same monethes ende to have xld over their wags to pray for my soule Item I bequethe to Rauff Farnfold gent Richard Thorndey Thomas Nye and John Weller cofeffees with John Caryll one of the kings Ageannts at the lawe of and yne all my lands and tenements rents reversions & services within the Countie of Sussex or else wher within the Realme of England too thentent thereof to performe my last will to every of the said Rauff Richard Thornden Thomas Nye and John Weller vjs viij d to thentent that they and every of them for his pte shall do and use hym selff truly in executyng my last will after the entent and true menyng of the same concernyng my said Lands and tenements and other the premisses, Also I ordeyne & make myn Executours of this my present testament Richard Michell John Michell Henry Michell my Sonnes And also John Michell son of the said Richard Mychell And I geve and bequethe to every of the same myn executours C L of lawfull money of England for there labour and to thentent that they shall truly feythfullye and diligently after their wytte and power execute this my present testament for the helth of my Soule accordyng to the true entent and meanyng of the same and of the same my said testament I ordeyn and make the said John Caryll overseer and I geve & bequeth to the same John Caryll for his labor diligens dyde and suffiscent iij li vi s viij d aswell to thexecucion of this my present testament as of my last will concernyng the disposicon of my said lands and tenements and other the premisses accordyng to the true meanyng & Intent of the same will and testament And I will desire and also require the same John Caryll on goddis behalf and at my verey trust is in hym to see that my said executors doo nat vary amonge them selff But truly to execute and performe this my present testament, And I will that yf they doo vary for any thing concernyng my moveable goods or catells that then the said John Caryll with my said other feffees take the things soo in variance or the value of the same and sell it and dispose the money comyng of the same by their discrecions for my souls helth

This is the last will of me the said John MIchell of Stamerham made the daye and yere a bove said as to the disposicion of all my said landes and tenements and other the premisses with theire appurtenances after the Forme as hereafter doth ensue First I will that John Michell my Secunde Son shall have to hym and to his heires all those lands and tenements with the appurtenances in Warnham called Thecchers late of Stephen Cooke the whiche oon John Ade nowe haith in ferme, And also all those parcells of land in the same Town called velle lande Rasshe land Denns mede Bokehurst Checont a mede in Warnham called the sweld mede the whiche Richard Roper holdeth to Ferme a croft in Horsham called Cokmannys a mesuage or tenement in the Borough of Horsham called Hasilherts in the whiche oone Andshary late dwellyd the Moyte or halfyndele of a Barne in Horsham called Langgrigs Barne with halff the grounds lyying to the same a tenement in Shepley called Partriges and viijd of quytterent the which I was wont to peey and have of the same John Michell for a parcell of land in Shepley the which the same John Michell my son late helde of me by the said Rent of viiijd and by other services. And also all those lands and tenements in Horsham called the Spare late of Henry Hill Also I will that Henry Michell my yongest sonne shall have to hym and to his heires the lands and tenements folowyng that is to saye a mesuage or tenemente with thappurtenances in the Borough of Horsham called Bolters in the whiche the same Henry now dwelleth. And also the oder Moyte or halnyndele of the said Barne called Langriggs with the oder Moyte or hanyndele of the grounde lying to the same and also a Shopp in the same towne called Cokemans and also a cotage in the same towne somtyme of Robert Brown, And also a tenement called Maynet and a Felde lying to the same called figgs feld with their appurtenances in Nustehurst and I will and requyre my said Feoffees that is to saye the said John Caryll Rauff Farnfold Thomas Nye Richard Thorneden and John Weller to make estate accordyng to this my last will unto my said sonnes John Michell & Henry Michell whensoever they shalbe therunto resonably required after my decesse by the said John Michell and Henry Michell, Also I will that the said Henry Michell my Son after my decesse shall have all my Customary or copyholde lands and tenements with thappurtenances within my lord of Caunterburies Manor or lordship of terryng to have to the saide Harry and to his heires after the Custom of the said manor and lordship. And ast to the disposicion of all my lands and tenements with thappurtenances in Horsham called Haynes the which I late purchased of Nichus Frenche whiche be of the yerely value of xxvi s viij d by the yere over and above all chargs the whiche Nicholas Hurst now holdeth a Ferme I will that xxvj s viij d yerely of the revenewes of the same lands and tenements by the discrecion of my said feoffees and myn executours or of the more part of them their heires and assignes shalbe employyd to the mayntenance and kepyng of masse of Jhn to be songe by note within the Church of Horsham every Friday from the tyme of my decesse to thende and terme of lj yeres then next folowying in lyke maner and forme as hit hath bene used and accustomed before this tyme and the Overplus of the Revenewes of the same lands and tenements to be employed to the mayntenance & Reparacons of my said Chapell of Jhn and upon the ornaments necessary and requysite for the same with other deds of charitie by the discretion of my said feoffees and myn executours or the more parte of them their heires and assignes, And furthermore I will that whensoever and as often as it shall fortune my said feoffees or every other persones the which at any tyme hereafter shall fortune to be feffees or to be seased of and in the said lands and tenements called Haynes to the use and entent beforesaid to dye to the nombr of ij that then and soo often the same ij feoffees soo ordynyng the residewe of ther cofeffees shall evermore duryng the said terme of lj yeres by them dede enfeoffed v or moo other persons by their discrecion of and in the same lands and tenements called Haynes to have to them & to their heires and assignes to the use and intent before rehersed the which use and intent I will shall evermore be expressed and mensioned in every suche dede of feoffement And also the same dede uppon any suche feoffement be oppynly & descently Redd and the said use and intent declared on the present of iij substanciall witness at the leese And I will that the same ij feoffees soo overlyvyng their said cofeffees and makyng the said newe feoffement shall evermore have for their labor diligent & for the charges of the writiyngs and for the drynkyng for them that shall happen to be present to bere witnesse of the said Feoffement xxd to be preceyrved of the Issues and profitts of the said lands and tenements and I will that after the ende of the said terme of li yere that the said lands and tenements with their appurtenances called Haynes shall reverte and come to the next heires of me the said John Michell and that all such persones as shall then be seased of & in the same lands and tenements shall from thensforth stande and be therof sesed to the use of my next heires and that they shall therof make estate to them in fee symple accordyngly when somend they shalbe therunto resonably requyred by the same myn heires / Also I will that my said feoffees Immediatly after my decesse make an astate to the said John Michell son to the said Richard Michell and to Elisabeth his wif doughter to Richard Sherley squyer of and in all those lands and tenements with ther appurtenances as late wer of Henry Michell my broder in Hechyngfeld Horsham and Shepley to have to the same John Michell and Elsabeth and to the heires of their ij bodies lawfully begotten / And for defaute of suche issue the remayndr therof to the right heires of me the said John Michell Also I will that the said Richard Michell myn oldest son shall have to hym hys heires and assignes Immediatly after my decesse the residue of all my lands & tenements Rents Reversions and services with all and singuler ther appurtenances within the said Countie of Sussex Sure and else where within the Realme of England And I will that yf the same Richard vary vex or troble with his said brethern or either of them for any of their said ptis of my said lainds & tenements to them assigned by this my last will that then the said John Carell with other my said Feoffes sell asmoche of my said lands and tenements and other the premisses assigned to the said Richard by the same my said will as shall extende to the very value of the lands whiche the same Richard shall soo brynge in troble And the money therof comyng to be disposed for the welth of my Soule by the discrecions of my said Feoffees, And the residewe of my goodes not bequethed I gyve and bequeth the oon halffe to my executors And the other halffe to be distributed amonge poor people and in works of petye by the discrecion of myn executours for the welthe of my Soule In this beryng witnes Sir William Weston p... of Horsham Fr Willm Brandon preest Sir Thomas Bysshopp parson of Hochyngefeld Henry Foys and John Nye and others.

[proved 10 July 1522]

In his 1523 PCC will, John Caryll, sergeant at law, has this to say about one of his sisters:

...Item I bequeth to my suster Elizabeth Potter xxs of my charitie and noon otherwise and where as diverse besy persones mormour and sey that I owe unto hir x m[ar]rces by reason of my faders wille I utterly deny that he wylled her or charged me with the valour of one peny but for declaracion of trouth in that behalf where she was in service w^t my moder Belknap for my sake my fader at the tyme of his dep[ar]ting spake these wordes or like in effect: as for my doughter Elizabeth I will not charge you with one peny for her she is you suster and I am sure you wilbe glad to see hir doo well wherfor I remitte that mater hooly to your self wherby I presuppose he and I both were of one mynde that is to sey that if she wold applye herself honestly and be Ruled by me that I wold be content to help her to her preferment in mariage asmoche as any of her other susters at the lest Nevertheless forasmoche as she was nev[er] good kynde nor profitable to me nor good ne kynde to any of myn and ev[er]more obstynate and most unkynde to my said late derest wife which next unto me was hir best frende and also where as by meanes of my said moder Belknap she mought have maryed with a gentilman in Som[er]setshere of xlli lande and better and also my self entended to have marid hir to John Mychell son of John Michel of Bukfeld or to Gasely whereof she had never Joye to here, but gested at them and afterward lyved lyke a brothell in my house and fynally cast herself away upon a pov[er]fond wreched body to the shame of me and of all hir frendes forasmoch as in her was wherfor I thinke not my self bounde in conscience to Releve her with one peny but only of my charitie and because of her extreem povertie nevertheles I am content that yf she survyve hir said husbonde that she have x m[ar]ces to hir mariage …

References

Calendar of Charters and Rolls Preserved in the Bodleian Library, edited by William H. Turner (Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1878).

Great Britain. Court of Common Pleas, and Louis Francis Salzman. An abstract of feet of fines relating to the county of Sussex. (Lewes, England: Sussex Record Society, 1903, 1908, 1916).

Horsham: Manors and Other Estates, in Page, William; Susan M Keeling; Louis Francis Salzman; and C. P. Lewis. The Victoria history of the county of Sussex. (London: A. Constable, 1905-). Volume 6, Part 2, pages 156 to 166.

Salzman, L.F. ed., An Abstract of Feet of Fines for the County of Sussex: Vol. 3, 1308-1509. (1916).

Will of John Caryll, sergeant at law. 1523. Proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.

Will of John Michell of Horsham, Sussex, in Church of England. Province of Canterbury. Prerogative Court. Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Probate Records, 1384-1858, PROB 11/20/355.