Robert Pigott

Events

Date of Birth: before 1462.

Place of Birth: unknown.

Ormerod states that the inquisition post mortem of John’s father gives Robert’s age as upwards of 50 at his father’s death in 1512/3, but the Deputy Keeper of Public Records doesn’t mention this in his transcription.

Date of Death: 15 or 19 December 1535.

Place of Death: probably Chetwynd, Shropshire.

Robert made his will 26 May 1534 and it was proved 19 May 1536. Robert’s inquisition post mortem gives the date 15 December and his probate inventory the date 19 December.

Relationships

Father: John Pigott.

Mother: Ellen de Legh.

These relationships are given by Fletcher (p. 71). John’s inquisition post mortem names his son Robert.

Spouse: Mary Blount.

This relationship is given in the The Journal of the British Archaeological Association (24:p. 203 fn). Robert refers to his first wife, Mary, in his will. Robert’s IPM states that his wife was Mary Blount.

Spouse: Jane Pontesbury.

Jane was the widow of John Onley. The relationship is made clear by the 1538 will of Jane’s son John Onley and the 1623 Visitation of Shropshire (p. 404). The same Visitation (p. 401) erroneously has her as the wife of Robert’s grandson Robert. The 1546 will of Robert’s son Thomas refers to the burial place of his “mother in law” Jane Pygot in the chancel of the parish church of Chetwynd.

Children (by Mary):

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

Humphrey Pigot (probably died 1508, buried at Longford, Shropshire)

Thomas Pigott (about 1485 - 20 February 1548/9) married Elizabeth Onley.

Richard Pigott

Francis Pigott

Edward Pigott

Evidence

from the National Archives catalogue:

C 1/436/31

1515-1518

Pygott v Dukkenfeld.

Plaintiffs: Robert Pygott of Chetwynd.

Defendants: John Dukkenfeld.

Subject: A messuge and land in Dukinfield and Raffbaton [Offerton?]. Cheshire.

C 1/555/18

1518-1529

Pygott v Smethwyk.

Plaintiffs: Robert Pygott of Chetwynd (Salop).

Defendants: Robert Smethwyk.

Subject: Messuage and land in Smethwick. Cheshire.

Robert’s will:

Testm’ Robert Pygott p[ar]och’ de Chetwyn

Registrat’ xix^no die mensis may anno dni 1536

In dei noie amen The xxvj day of May In the yere of our lord j m ccccc xxxiiij^to.I Robert Pygot of Chetwin Esquyer beyng sicke in bodye and hole of mynd thanked bee my lord god make my will and testament in this man[er] folowyng first I gyff and bequeth my soule unto all myghty god & to our blessed ladye saynt marye the virgyn & unto all the holy companye of heven & my body to be buryed within the high chancell of Saynt Michaell tharchangell of chetwyn uppon the south syde of the saide chauncell also I gyf and bequeth unto the Repracons of the cathedrall church of saynct chaddis of lich’ iij s iiij d Also I do not only gyff and bequeth unto my son Ric pigott frances pigot Edward pigott & thomas pigott my first son unto Rich pigot all such landis and tenamts that I haue purchased in dede of purchease if my said son frances pigot Edward pygot & thomas the son of Richard beyng Joynt purcheasars with me I do gyff unto them the said landis where so the do lye within Salop countye or els where But also I gyff and bequeth unto them and every on of them all such landis and tenements with all the appurtenance which I Bought of antony kenisey and Richard haywed of Duddulwyeke ande the said landis to be devydet unto them by even porcyons as nye as it can be devydedyde also I will and do charge myne executors that an honest prest do syng iij yeres im[m]ediatly aftur my departing hense for my soul my father & mother soulis my granfather & my granmother soule maister Adam grafton prestis soule for the soule of my son homfray pygott soule and all crysten soulis and the said prest to be paid v li yerly. duryng the said iij yeres which comes unto the som[m]e of xv li shalbe gadret and paid owt my landis which landis is in a ded of feoffment off and marye my first wiff wich landis doth ly within the cowntye of cheshyre and Salop called lee hall suale smethweke Rase Bowthom browne Ryddyng many thorns and aggemond with a more now in the tenure of Robert Bayeer of Newport and yf ther be any p[er]son or persons that will Interrupe or let this my will to be p[er]formed then I wyll that myne Executors and there ares laufully Begotten shall haue the said landes & tenements & pastures for euer Also I do gyff and bequeth unto my p[ar]ish church of Chetwyn my best damaske gown to make a cantyele cope and the sum theroff to be sold and the money thereoff to by a vestment to the same church also I giff & bequeth unto the bylding of the steple of Chetwyne xls to be paid in good money of England also I giff land unto the bylding of the stesale[?] off kynlet xx s also I gyue and Bequeth to my iij sonis aboue named my takyng of chetwin Mill which myll I haue be leace of John Kyysston[?] and Margerye his wiff in as large and ampull man[er] as hit was grantyd unto me by Indentur also I gyff unto my said sonnes all Indentures obligations detts grantis or takyngs that is or ever way grantyd unto me or to myne assinges lyeng or Beyng within the countye of Salop or elswhere also I gyff unto my son & here thomas pygot my best veluet dublet also I do gyff unto my sone Edward pygott my gowne lyned with sarsuct and I do gyff to my sone Richard pigott and fraunces pygot my gowne [...] furred with fox to be devyded Betwext them also unto my pore servant henry mesersbury[?] my Russet winter Jakett & vjs viijd in good money or els money worth also I do gyff uto my servant will willaston of my Payment unto the valure of xiijs iiijd also I do gyff and bequeth unto my servant Thomas pygott son unto Richard Pigot duryng his naturall lyff my ferme at Edmond with a more in the handies of Robert Sower[?] of newport and I do make to be myne Exeuctors my aboue named sonis Richard pigot Frances pigot Edward pygot and Thoams Pygot my servant son unto Ric Pigot that they shall Receue and take all my dettis & goodis movabull to the p[er]formance of my will and legacys and I do make and putt in trust to be sup[er]visor and oversear that this my testament & last wyll be p[er]formed my faythfull & true kynswoman dame Kathern blount widdoe and george bount esquyer son & heyre unto Sir Thomas Blount knyght lat decessed and heyre unto the said katherine so that I may be browght to church homward towards god worshipfully at the tyme of my beryeng as the said dame Katherine Blount here heyre george blount and my Executors doth most best thinke the most health & p[ro]ffet of my soule & ther honesty and dyscharge be fore god and I worshipfully burydd with my monethes mynd & yeris mynd kept with placabo & dyiyge and solemne masses & my dettis and legasi paid & p[er]formed The Resydue of all my goods not bequethed to be ordered and gyuen to the most p[ro]ffit of my soule as my Executors and ouerseers thinkis most best Wittnes unto the same & Willm bradocke vicare of elsabury mortyn & thomas Twyse my gest & father Reynald horne gentylman Roger taylor nicolas smart Thomas Sawydare & John ward with other moe dated the day and ye a boue wrytten

Robert’s inquisition post mortem

Transcription from DKPR (p. 214-215):

1536, April 27

Thomas [Pyggot], writ of livery, setting forth the finding of an inquisition, viz., that Robert Pyggot, armiger, died seized of the manor of Boteley, and of five messuages, two hundred acres of land, fifty acres of meadow, a hundred acres of pasture, two hundred acres of wood, and four hundred acres of heath and marsh in Oldfoxwixt, Netherfoxwixt, Newton, and Lyehall within the fee of Boteley; of an annual rent of 10s., issuing out of a field called “Hewebirche,” in Prestbury; of one messuage, two hundred acres of land in Smethweke, and of one messuage, two hundred acres of hand, thirty acres of meadow, a hundred acres of pasture, and twenty acres of wood in Sale; in his demesne, as of fee-tail-male, of the reversion of the fee-simple pertaining to the said Robert Pygot and his heirs; that the said Robert married Mary Blont and had issue Humfry and Thomas; that Humfrey died in the lifetime of his father, without issue male; that afterwards the said Robert died, when the said manors, &c. descended to the said Thomas; that the manor of Boteley, and the messuages, &c. in Oldfoxwixt, Netherfoxwixt, Newton, and Lyehuall, were held of the Earl of Chester by the 20th part of a kinght’s fee, yearly value 24l. 4s. 4d.; that the lands in Smethwik were held of the heirs of Thomas Smethwik, in socage, yearly value 4s.; those in Sale of the heirs of William de Hondford by fealty only, yearly value 36s. 6d. and those in Prestbury of the abbey of Chester, in socage, yearly value 10s.; that the said Rober died on the 15th Dec., 27 Hen. 8.; that Margery and Dorothy Tracy, Alice Bagshagh, and Eleanor wife of John Sharpe, were kinswomen and heirs of the said Robert, viz., the said Margery, Maria, and Dorothea daughters of Joan one of the daughters of Humfry son of the said Robert and Robert Bagshawe son and heir of Alice another of the daughters of the said Humfry, and the said Eleanor third daughter of the said Humphry, and of the respective ages of sixteen, fourteen, twelve, five [Robert], and twenty-three; that Thomas Pigott was son and heir of the body of the aforesaid Robert, and of the age of 50. [27 & 28 Hen. 8. m. (1).]

Commentary

There has been a lot confusion surrounding this family, which I hope I am not adding to (Please keep in mind that I am no expert in the property law of this period.) I will try to lay out my thinking here.

This IPM is often stated to be of a different Robert than the Robert of the will. Here are the reasons for identifying the Roberts:

(1) The will and inquisition both mention:

• A deceased son Humphrey

• An eldest surviving son Thomas

• Land in Lee Hall

• Land in Sale

• Land in Smethwick

• A wife named Mary

• A Blount relationship

(2) The date given for Robert’s death (15 December 1535) perfectly fits the death of the Robert of the will, which must have come between 26 May 1534, when he made his will, and 19 May 1536, when it was proved. The probate inventory gives the date as 19 December. The slight discrepancy is to be expected as both dates were likely given from memory some months later. Surely they refer to the same death.

(3) The son of the Robert of the will, Thomas, left a will dated 15 September 1546, proved 16 May 1549. He mentions in his will his sons Robert, Richard, and John and his daughters Mary, Katherine, and Dorothy, and land in Cheshire. The son of the Robert of the ipm, Thomas, according to his 1552 ipm, died 20 February 1549. Earwaker (2:255) states that the ipm gives his sons as Robert, Richard, and John, and his daughters as Mary, Katherine, and Dorothy.

(4) A moiety of the manor of Butley is known to have been in the possession of Thomas’s son Robert Pigott of Chetwynd in 1573.

This is overwhelming. It would seem that the only way the Roberts are not identical is if errors have been made in transcribing the records above.

The reasons for assuming that they refer to different people are these:

(1) The manor of Butley is not mentioned in Robert’s will. But I am not sure that it would need to be, since it was held as of fee-tail-male.

(2) The heiresses of Robert’s son Humphrey in the IPM are also called heirs of Robert, although Robert’s son Thomas was alive. This seems odd, but Helsby explains that it is a result of an entail recited in the inquisition of Robert’s father.

(3) It is said to be difficult to explain what eventually happened to the manor of Butley if the Roberts are identical. It is known to have mostly ended up in the hands of Thomas Legh of Adlington, (as shown in his 1602 IPM).

• Renaud (p. 69) states that in about 1577 Robert Pigott of Chetwynd (the son of the Thomas who left the 1549 will) and his son Thomas sold the manor of Butley to Sir Thomas Gerard, who then sold it (or a moiety of it) to Sir Edward Warren and Dame Susan his wife, who then sold the moiety in about 1581 to Thomas Legh. Thomas Legh acquired another fourth of the manor in the same year from Nicholas Moseley, lord mayor of London, and Rowland his son, who had previously bought it from Francis or Ivo Clinton of Hereford. Renaud states that Ivo Clinton had married a sister and coheiress of Thomas Pigot.

• Ormerod (1882 ed, 3:666) gives a somewhat different account: “Butley was divided between the daughter of this Robert [citing Williamson, Vill.Cest.]. One portion (a moiety) was purchased in or about the time of queen Elizabeth, by the Leghs of Adlington, from Gilbert Gerard, who had bought the share of the eldest daughter Elizabeth. “Mary, another daughter and coheiress, with her husband William Rede, esq. sold a quarter of this place to Jasper Worth and others [There is a 1562 recovery documenting this]; and the other daughter and coheiress married to one Clinton, who with her husband sold it to Nicholas Moseley, who sold it to ______ Legh of Adlington [citing Williamson, Vill. Cest.]; so Legh of Adlington was lord of three quarters of this village.” [The quote is from Williamson.] The remainder of the manerial interest probably fell into disuse, or was purchased by the Adlington family.

• A 1573 marriage settlement (Shropshire Archives 665/513) between Thomas Eyton of Eyton, esquire, and Robert Pigott of Chetwynde, esquire, concerning the marriage of Robert’s son Thomas Pigott to Dorothy Eyton specifies what may happen to, among other property, a moiety of the manor of “Bukley”, Cheshire.

This last piece of evidence appears to have been unnoticed by Earwaker or Ormerod. In any case, a moiety of the manor of Butley was clearly in the hands of Robert Pigott of Chetwynd in 1573. Helsby (Ormerod 1886 3:666, fn) wonders if it had passed to him through marriage with the “coheir” Elizabeth. But Robert’s wife is known to be Elizabeth Gatacre. The actual explanation seems clear: the manor had been in his family all along.

Here is the abstract of the marriage settlement given by the Shropshire Archives:

1. Thomas Eyton of Eyton, Esq.

2. Robert Pigott of Chetwynde, Esq.

A marriage has already been had between Thomas Pygott, son and heir of Robert, and Dorothe, daughter of Thomas Eyton "to the good Contentacon of all the said parties". Consideration: the marriage and 400 marks which Thomas Eyton has paid to Robert Pygott and 100 marks to Thomas Pygott. Robert covenants before Easter next to make a good estate and conveyance to Thomas Bromley, the Queen's Solicitor General, George Bromley, the Queen's Attorney General of her Duchy of Lancaster and Frauncis Gatacre, Esquires, Richard Ketylsby, Richard Dey and William Eyton, gentlemen, and to their heirs or to the survivors of them, and their heirs, of manors and lands, etc. now or lately of the inheritance of Robert Pigott in the Counties of Salop, Chester and Staffs. or elsewhere in the Realme of Englande, to uses as Thomas Eyton or his learned Counsell shall advise. It is agreed that the conveyance shall stand to these uses; property in Stocketon, Newport and Chetwynd, co. Salop (Robert Byrd, Houmfrey Symons, Richard Warde, John Poler, Richard Bafforde, Houmfrey Poler, Jone Talbott, Richard Frenche, Thomas Coyntrey, John Shermon, Robert Ore, John Aspley, Thomas Pygyon, Thomas Pryddeu, William Symons, John Bromley. Robert Bromley, Houmfrey Aspley, Roger Freman and Hugh Chestoes) and 3 parts of one leasow to be divided into 4 near Sanforde bridge in the parish of Chetwynde (Thomas Hanley) and land the inheritance of Robert Pigott in Drayton in Hales, to use of Thomas Pigott and Dorothe, his wife, for their lives and the longer lived of them, after their decease to use of their heirs male, for lack of issue to the use of Richarde Pigott 2nd son of Robert and his heirs male, George Pigott 3rd son and heirs male, William Pigott, 4th son and heirs male, Frauncis 5th son and heirs male, Edward 6th son and heirs male, in succession, and in default to use of Thomas' right heirs; the moiety of the manor of Bukley co. Chester and the inheritance of Robert Pygott in cos. Chester and Staffs. and all his hereditaments in the parish of Chetwyne (William Smarte, Thomas Crowther, John Stocke), 1 parcel ground called the Rough Leasowe in Chetwyne (Robert Pygott), to use of Robert Pygott for life, after to use of Thomas Pygott and his heirs male, in default of issue to executors of Thomas until they have taken of the rents or may lawfully take of the rents of this and of other property hereafter limited for use of Elizabeth, wife of Robert Pygott for the preferment of any daughter or daughters of Thomas Pigott which shall be alive and unmarried or otherwise unadvanced at the time of his death, as appointed by Thomas in his will, the total sums not to amount above these proportions - if he has at the time of his death, up to 6 daughters, then he may appoint each daughter 300 marks apiece, if more than 6, to every daughter then unmarried or unadvanced 200 marks, to be paid when and as the will appoints - until this money is paid, to use of the executors of Thomas Pigott, after payment, for lack of heirs, to use of Richard Pygott and heirs male, or George and heirs male, Frauncis and heirs male, Edwarde and heirs male, or right heirs of Thomas; residue of property to use of Robert Pigott and Elizabeth his wife for their lives and the longer liver of them; and if the survivor die within 8 years of the date of these presents, Elianor, Anne, and Margarett, daughters of Robert Pigott or any of them being alive, and unmarried, then after the death of the survivor, to use of the executor of Robert Pigott and their executors, etc. until they have taken or may take of the issues 100 apiece for each daughter, to be paid as set down in will of Robert Pigott; if the survivor of Robert and Elizabeth live longer than 8 years, then immediately after the decease of the survivor, to use of Thomas Pigott and heirs male and in default to use of Thomas' executors until they have or may take of the rents from lands limited to use of Robert and Elizabeth, such sums for the preferment of daughters of Thomas which shall be alive and unmarried at the time of his death as shall be appointed in his will and until such sums are satisfied, after for lack of heirs male of Thomas to his brothers in succession. Robert Pigott covenants with Thomas Eyton that the property to be conveyed to Thomas Bromley, George Bromley, Frauncis Gatacre, Richard Ketylsby and Richard Dey and William Eyton shall be discharged from all incumbrances except leases for up to 21 years or up to 3 lives, rents to be payable to the persons entitled according to the intent of this deed, and except the title of dower of Elizabeth, wife of Robert Pigott. Covenant for further assurance within 4 years, Thomas to join with Robert in any assurance to the end that he commit no forfeiture of his estate now limited to him. Robert Pygott by recognizance acknowledged before Sir Robert Catlyn, knt., Lord Chief Justice, under statute of 28 H. VIII of same date as these presents, is bound to Thomas Eyton in 1,000; this is conditional on performance of this agreement. Signature of Thomas Eyton. Witnesses: G. Bromley, John Blakwey, Wylliam Grey, Thomas Staunton, Edward Lacon, Lancelot Rydley.

20 February 15 Elizabeth (1572/3)

References

Earwaker, J.P. East Cheshire Past and Present. (1880).

Fletcher, Rev. W.G.D. “The Sequestration Papers of Thomas Pigott, of Chetwynd” in Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol. VI (1906).

The Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol. XXIV (1867).

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).

Renaud, Frank. Contributions towards a History of the Ancient Parish of Prestbury. (1876).

The Thirty-ninth Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records (1878).

The Visitation of Shropshire, 1623. Paul Grazebrook and John Paul Rylands, eds. (London, 1889).

Will of Robert Pygot of Chetwynd. Proved 1536 in the Consistory Court of Lichfield and Coventry.

Will of Thomas Pygot of Chetwynd. Proved 1549 in the Consistory Court of Lichfield and Coventry.