Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Robert is described as “aged” in his burial record.
Date of Death: 15 March 1552/3.
The date is given in Robert’s inquisition post mortem.
Date of Burial: 17 March 1552/3.
Place of Burial: St Leonard Eastcheap, London.
The burial is recorded in the parish register.
Relationships
Father: unknown.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Margaret (presumably the widow of someone named Prynne/Prenod/Prince). Married 12 July 1546 in St Clement Eastcheap, London.
The marriage is recorded in the parish register. Robert in his will makes bequests to “Agnes Prynne my late wiefs doughter”. Margaret was buried 11 November 1551 in St Leonard Eastcheap.
Spouse: Elizabeth [Jennyns]. Married 9 May 1552 in St Leonard Eastcheap, London.
The marriage is recorded in the parish register.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Ellen Southwick (baptized 27 March 1547 in St Leonard Eastcheap, London) married John Catcher 10 April 1564 in St Andrew Undershaft, London.
A child (buried 11 November 1551)
Joan Southwick (born 1553 - buried 24 April 1553)
Evidence
from the parish registers of St Clement Eastcheap:
Robart Southweeke and Margarett Prenod were maried the xijth of July anno ut supra [1546] Annoq’ Regis Edwardi sexti primo
from the parish registers of St Leonard Eastcheap:
Baptisms
27 Marche 1547 Ellen Southwick daughter of Robert Southwick – S
Marriages
Maye 1552
9 - Robert Sowthick and Elizabeth Jennyns Widdow both of this p[ar]ish
Burials
[1551]
Nouember. 11- Margaret Southwick and her child
[1552]
Marche. 17 - Robert Sowthwick an aged man – S
24 Aprill 1553 - Joane Sowthwick daughter of Elizabeth Southwick S
Robert’s will:
In the name of god amen The tenth daie of the moneth of Marche in the yere of our lord god after the course and reconyng of the Churche of England. a Thousand fyve hundreth fiftie and two in the vij yere of the Reign of our soveraigne Lorde Edward the Sixt by the grace of god kinge of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the faithe and of the churche of England being hole of mynde and of good and p[er]fyct remembrance god be thanked make ordeyne and dispose this my p[rese]nte testament conteynyng herein my last will in maner and forme folowing /that is to say/ First and principally I comytt my soule unto almightie god my maker savyor and redemer in whome and by the onlye merits of whose most blessid passion is my full trust and Confidence of clere remission and forgivenes of my synnes /. And I will my body to be buried in the churche of synt Edwarde nighe Estcheape of London in suche place as myn Executrix shall thinke convenient/ And I will that all suche debts and dueties as I do owe of right or in conscience to any p[er]sonne or p[er]sonnes within covenient tyme after my decease shall be well and truely paide or els ordeyned for so to be paide withoute any delay or contradiction/ Also I will that all and singuler my goodes Cattalls syluer Plate redye moneye and debts shalbe deuyded into three equall p[ar]tes, whereof one equall parrte I give and bequeathe unto Eliz’ my wief in the name of her parte and porcion of all my said goodes Cattalls and debts that to her by the usage and custome of his honorable Citie belongyth and apperteyneth/. And the seconde equall p[ar]te of all my said goodes Cattells and debts. I give and bequeath unto Helen Southwyke my doughter & unto the childe or children that my said wief noew goith with /yf it please the eternall god to send hym her or them across into this world/ And the thirde equall p[ar]te of all my said goodes Cattells and debts I reserve unto my self and to myn Executrix therwith to do and p[er]forme my legacies and bequests hereafter folowing That is to saye/. I give and bequeathe unto the said Elizabeth my wief the some of one hundreth pounds of lawfull money of Englande over and above her said p[ar]te of my said goodes/ oute of the same third parte to be taken and paide/. Item I bequeath unto Robert Lucas my godsone Twentye shillings./ Item I bequeathe to Agnes Stokwell my mayde s’runte Eight pounds /. Item I bequeathe to Richard Copsell my servent twentie shillings/. Item I bequeathe unto Jane Grey my servant xls / Item I give and bequeath to Richard Goorde myne apprentice twentie shillings./ Item I bequeathe unto Nicholas Sponer myn apprentice twentie shillings/. Item I give and bequeath to Agnes Prynne my late wiefs doughter the some of Twentie poundes / to her to be paide and delyuered at her lawfull age or daye of mariage/. And as for and touching the disposic’on of the thirde equall parte of all my said goodes Cattalls and debts by me given as aforesaid by this my p[rese]nte testament unto the said Elene my doughter and the Child or childern which my said wief now goith with/. I will that yf the said Elene my dougther and the said Childe or childern whiche my said wief goith with and euery of them happen to decease before she he or they or eny of them shall accomplishe her his or their Lawfull age of xxj yeres or ells mariage of the said Elene or suche woman childe or woman Children as my said wief now goith wyth (yf she goo with the female kynde as god knowith only) That then as nowe and nowe as then/ I will that her his or their said third parte of all my said goodes Cattells and debts by me as is aforesaid to her hym or them bequeathed shall remayne and come unto the said Elizabeth my wief and to the said Agnes Prynne yf they shalbe then lyvinge equally betwene theym to be deuyded and partyd/ or to the survivor of the same Elizabeth my wief and Agnes Prynne then lyving the case so happenyng/ And also yf it shall happen the said Agnes Prynne to decease beofre her lawfull age or mariage/ that then as nowe and nowe as then lykwyse I will that the saide Twentie pounds by me given to her as is aforesaide shall Remayne and come unto the said Elizabeth my wief Eleyn my said doughter and the childe or chldren that my said wief nowe goith with equally porcion and portion lyke betwene the same my wief and the said Elyne and other my said childe or children that my said wief nowe goith with to be deuyded and p[ar]ted to her my said doughter Elene and my other said child or children which my wief nowe travaleth with to be delyuered at their lawfull age or mariage/. And if it shall fortune all my said doughter Eleyn and the saide childe or children that my said wief nowe goith with and the said Agnes Prynne to departe out of this p[rese]nte lyef before their lawfull age or maiage withoute any Issue of any of their bodyes begotten/ That then as nowe and nowe as then. I will that aswell the said thirde parte of my said goods Cattalls and debtes given as is aforesaid by me unto the said Elene my doughter and suche Childe or Children as the said Elizabeth my wief goith with as also the said Twentie pounds by me as is aforesaid given and bequeathed unto the said Agnes Prinne shall remayn and come unto the said Elizabeth my wif being then naturally lyving her Executours and assignes forever/. Also I will that the said xxli by me gyven as is aforesaid unto the said Agnes Prynne shalbe in the soule handes and custodye to thuse of the said Agnes of the said Elizabeth my wief and of Benedutt Jackson and Richard Adams Bochers ouerseers hereunder namyd during the minorite and nonnage of the said Agnes Prynne or unto the tyme of the mariage of the same Agnes/ And as touching thorder and disposicon of all and singuler my lands mesuages tenements and heredytaments whatsoever they be with all and singuler their appurtenances hereafter declared whiche I am seasyd of my estate of Inheritance at this p[rese]nte daye within the said Citie of London my will and very mynde ys and I give and bequeath unto the said Elizabeth my wief all that my tenement with all and singuler thappurtenances wherin I nowe dwell set lying and being in litle Estchepe in the p[ar]ishe of Seynt Leonarde aforesaid/ To haue and to holde all the said tenement with the appurtenances unto the said Elizabeth my wief and to her assignes during her naturall lief/ She the said Elizabeth my wief or her assignes during her lyf keping susteynynng and maynteynyng the said tenemt with thappurtenances in all maner of op[er]acons sufficiently from tyme to tyme/ And from and after the decease of the same Elizabeth my wief I give and bequeathe all the said tenement with all thappurtenances wherein I nowe dwell unto the said Elene Southwyke my doughter and to the heires of the bodye of the same Elene Lawfully to be begotten / And for lacke of suche Issue of the bodye of the same Elen That the said tenement with thappurtenances shall come and remayne unto the child or children which my said wief nowe goith with and to theyres of his her or their body or bodies Lawfully to be begotten/ And for default of suche Issue of any of the bodye of the said Childe or Children that the said Elizabeth my wief nowe goieth with I will that the same tenement with thappurtenances wherin I nowe dwell shall revert and come unto the right heires of me the said Robert Southwike foreuer/ And further I give & bequeathe all that my corner tenement with thappurtenances wherin Thomas Dane bocher late dwellyd set and being at the corner of the lane callyd Recherheth Lane alias poding lane and in the said p[ar]ishe of Seynt Leonard unto the childe or children that my said wief noew goith with yf it shall please god to send hym her or them or any of them lyfe into this worlde/ To haue and to hold the same Corner tenement with thappurtenances to the said Child or Children and to the heyres of his her or their body or bodies lawfully to be begotten/. And for lacke of suche Lawfull Issue of any of the bodye or bodies of the same Childe or Children the said Corner tenement with thappurtenances shall remayne and come unto the said Elleyn my doughter and to theyres of the bodye of the same Elene Lawfully to be begotten/ And for lacke of such Issue of the bodye of the same Elene/ That the same Corner tenement with thappurtenances shall Remayne and come unto the said Agnes Prynne and to theyres of the bodye of the same Agnes lawfully to be begotten./ And for default of suche Issue of the bodye of the same Agnes Prynne all the said Corner Tenement with thappurtenances shall revert and come unto the right heires of me the said Robert Southwyke forever/ To holde of the chief lordes of the fees thereof by the rents and [...] thereof and & of right accustomyd/. Also my very will and mynde ys that during the nonnage of suche childe or children as my said wief nowe goith with the said Elizabeth my wief shall haue the rule and ordering of the said Corner tenement to thuse of the same Childe or children / and shall receyve and take to the lyke use the yerely rents and profytts therof comyng and lykwise supporte suche charges oute of the same Rents and profytts as ought to be supported for the same tenement/ And therof shall make unto the same Childe or Children or suche other as shall possede[?] the same as their lawfull age or mariage a true Just and parfytt accompte shall appere to be remayning in her handes of the said rents and profyts The residue of all and singuler my goodes Cattells siluer plate redye money Juells and debtes whatsoever they be not bequeathed after my debts paide my funerall Charges p[er]formed and this my present Testament in all things fulfilled I will shalbe distributed and given by the discrec’on of the saide Elizabeth my wief where and in suche sorte and places as she shall thyke most best for the comforte of my soule and as she will make her annswere for the same at the daye of Judgement before the Trone of Amightie god where and when all suets shalbe reveled Which said Elizabeth my wief of this my present testament and last will I make and ordeyne my sole Executrix/ And of The [...] of the same I make and name the said Benedict Jackeson and Richard Adams Citizens and bochers of London my trusty frendes myn Oversers/ And I bequeathe to either of the same Benedict and Richard Adams for his paynes in this behalf to be taken fourtye shillings of lawfull moeny of Englande And I utterly revoke and adnull all and every former willes testamnts legacies bequests Executours and overseers by me in any wise before this tyme made namyd willed & ordeyned givin and bequeathed/ And I will that this my p[rese]nte testament together withall the legacies bequestes Executrix and Overseers by me in any wise Therein made ordeyned namyd given willyd & bequeathed shall stande remayne and abyde for my very Last will and testament and none other or otherwise/ In witnes wherof. I the said Robert Southwike to this my p[rese]nte testament and last will haue put my seale Datyd the daye and yere first aboue wrytten Witnis at the sealing and reding hereof John Turnor p[ar]sone of Seynt leonards aforesaid p[er] me Robert Lucas John Wolscon Thomas Bagshawe John Torney Edward Bright/
[Proved 1 June 1553]
An abstract of Robert’s inquisition post mortem:
Robert Southwicke, butcher.
Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 6 March, 1565, and in the 8th year of Queen Eliz., before Richard Champian, knight, mayor and escheator, after the death of Robert Southwicke, butcher, by the oath of Thomas Lytton, John Haddon, William Gibbons, Richard Henman, Henry Sutton, Stephen Walden, Henry Callys, Henry Shaw, Thomas Dewxell , Robert Langwith, Richard Smith, John Witton, John Noble, Michael Smith, Robert Dickenson, Robert Cripps, Richard Cowper, John Wilson , Walter Browne, John Harrison and Anthony Barret, who say that
Robert Southwicke was seised of 1 messuage and 1 shop sometime in the tenure of Thomas Dane, situate in the parish of St. Leonard in little Easchepp; and 2 other messuages and tenements in the said parish, with all the shops, cellars, sollars, etc., thereto belonging, in the tenure of the said Robert Southwicke: which said premises King Edward VI by Letters Patent dated 9 September in the 2nd year of his reign [1548] granted inter alia to William Gunter and William Hobson and their heirs.
So seised, the said Robert Southwicke made his will the 10th day of March, 1552, and thereby bequeathed as follows : —
I give to Elizabeth my wife the tenement wherein I now dwell lying in litle Eashepp in the said parish of St. Leonards: to hold for her natural life, she keeping the same in good repair; after her decease, I give the same to my daughter Ellen Southwicke and her heirs; for default, to my child or children unborn and the heirs of such child or children ; and for default, to my right heirs for ever.
I give my corner tenement wherein Thomas Dane, butcher, lately dwelt, “selt and being” at the corner of the lane called Retherhethe Lane alias Podding Lane in the said parish of St. Leonard to my child or children unborn, and to the heirs of such child or children; for default, the same shall come to the said Ellen my daughter and her heirs.; for default, to the said [sic] Agnes Prince [the whole will is not given and this Agnes has not been mentioned before], and to her heirs: for default, to my right heirs for ever.
The said 3 messuages are held of the Queen in free burgage and not in chief, and are worth per annum, clear, £14 10s.
Robert Southwicke died 15 March, 7 Edw. VI [1553]; Helen Ketcher now the wife of John Ketcher of London, pewterer, is his daughter and next heir, and is now aged 20 years and more.
Chan. Inq. p. m., 8 Eliz.,part 1, No. 93.
References
Abstracts of Inquisitiones Post Mortem for the City of London returned into the Court of Chancery during the Tudor Period. Part II. 4-19 Elizabeth. 1561-1577 (Sidney J. Madge ed.) (1901).
Parish registers of St Clement Eastcheap. Digital images on Ancestry.com.
Parish registers of St Leonard Eastcheap. Digital images on Ancestry.com.