William Dudley
Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: about 1598.
Place of Death: probably West Bromwich, Staffordshire.
William made his will 8 May 1596 and it was proved 23 August 1598.
Relationships
Father: uncertain.
Mother: uncertain.
I give my reasons on this page for thinking that William’s parents were Thomas Dudley of Tipton and Agnes Swancote.
Spouse: Anne Salter. Married 30 August 1584 in Albrighton (Shifnal), Shropshire.
William names his wife Anne in his will, and his brother in law Robert Salter. The parish register records the marriage.
Cousin: Edward Dudley.
William makes his cousin Edward Dudley an overseer of his will.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Thomas Dudley (baptized 17 October 1585 in Tipton, Staffordshire - died about 1652) married Ellen Grove.
William Dudley probably married Mary Wilye married 21 April 1616 in West Bromwich, Staffordshire.
Elizabeth Dudley (buried 4 May 1654 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire) married Richard Willets.
Mary Dudley married Francis Penn 16 February 1613/14 in West Bromwich, Staffordshire.
Evidence
from the parish register of Albrighton (Shifnal), Shopshire:
Wyllyam Dudley and Agne Salter were maryed the xxxth daye of August 1584.
from the Tipton parish register:
Thomas the sonne of William Dudley was baptized 17 Day of october [1585]
From the Staffordshire Privy Sessions at Wednesbury 29 Ap. 36 Eliz. 1594.
No. 3. Indictment:---
Ric. Salter late of Rocardyne co. Salop. gent., for assault and battery upon Katherine Hardwicke wife of Thos. Hardwicke at Tipton, 12 April 36 Eliz. [1594]
No. 4. Presentment: —
Robt. Salter of Litell Hales, co Salop. gent. John Swane of the same gent. , Ric. Salter of Rockedine co. Salop. gent., Wm. Dudley of West Bromwiche gent., Robt. Salter jun. of Littel Hales co. Salop gent., Wm. Alcocke of the same husbandman, Robt. Kea of the same husbandman John Masone of Wolverhampton shoemaker, Thos. Kinge of the same shoemaker, Edward Nightingale of Tipton otherwise Tibbington yeom., Thos. Smarte of the same ‘Nailor,’ Nicholas Wa[a]lton late of the same ‘Nailor,’ Jas. Nailor of the same husbandman and Mary Rascall of Westbromich spinster, with many other malefactors to the number of forty persons; for unlawful assembly, armed inter alia with muskets and staves strengthened with iron, at Tipton, 11 April 36 Eliz. [1594] and for entry into a messuage of Elizabeth Cokayn wid. and for breaking down its walls and for assault upon the said Elizabeth.
1594.
No. 56.
Writ of venire facias, tested by Robt. Earl of Essex at Wednesbury 29 Ap. 36 Eliz. [1594] for appearance at Stafford, Tues. after the feast of St. Michael following;
Robt. Salter of Lyttle Hales co. Salop, gent., Ric. Salter of Rockdyne co. Salop gent., Wm. Dudley of Westbromwich gent., Robt. Salter jun. of Litle Hales co. Salop gent., Wm. Acocke of the same husbandman, Robt. Lea of the same husbandman, Robt. Baker of Rockdine co. Salop husbandman, Mary Rascall of Westbromwiche spinster, Ric. Salter of Rockdyne co. Salop, gent. and Ric. Wilkes late of Westcrofte in the par. of Byssheburye husbandman;
to answer touching certain riots, trespasses and other misdeeds.
Mem:-- (on the) roll of the Privy Sessions at Wednesbury 36 Eliz. [1593/4]
In another hand:--’cap.’.’
Ret. by Edward Lyttleton knt. sheriff: – Robt. Salter and the rest have nothing in my bailiwick by which they can be attached.
The will of William Dudley:
In nomine dei Amen I William Dudley of Wesbromwiche in the dioces of Coven’ and Lich’ yeoman being sicke in bodie but whole and perfect in mynde praised be god: doe make this my last will and testament in manner and forme followeinge Item in memorie which I desyr and assuredlie hope for I hartelie beseech god my Creator of his infinite mercie and accordinge to his mercie and promise (that in what hower soever the synner repenteth he will heare him) to pardon all my offens and make me one of the ioyfull partakers of his kingdome And my soule therefore I doe commende unto the blessed handes of my Sauvior and Redeemer Jesus Christe through whose death and passion I trust to be saved And my bodie I desyr maye be buried in the churchyarde of westbromwiche Item I giue and bequeath unto Thomas Dudley my sonne and heire apparant my best cupborde my best coffer the longe table boarde and frame and all benches and formes in the hall the best charger or voider the best candlesticke and all the seelinge and paynted clothes in the hall. Item I giue and bequeath unto William Dudley my sonne one weather sheepe. Item I giue and bequeath unto Elizabeth Dudley my daughter one ewe and a lambe. Item I giue and bequeath unto Marie Dudley my daughter one ewe and a lambe. Item I giue unto Elizabeth Sharrott one ewe lambe. Item I will that Anne my wiefe shall haue my lande called gritts grounde to bring upp my saide children untill my heire doe accomplishe the full age of twentie and one yeares. Item all the residue of my goodes moueable and unmoueable my debts paide my funerall expencs discharged I giue and bequeath unto Anne my wiefe. Item I will that my saide wiefe shall haue the bringing up and custodie of my saide heire untill such tyme as he shall come to the full age of one and twentie yeares. Item I make ordaine & constitute my saide wiefe and Thomas my sonne and heire my whole Executors of this my last will and testament And for the executinge of the same I will and desier my cozen Edwarde Dudley and Robert Salter my brother in lawe to be Overseers And all other wills I utterlie revoke and disannull. In witnes whereof I haue setto my hande in the presence of these whose names are under written, the eighte daie of Maye, in the yeare of our Lord god One thowsande five hundred ninetie and six Richard Dudley Edward Dudley Symon Rider and John Nocke.
[Proved 23 August 1598]
The will of William's son Thomas:
In the name of God Amen the sixe and twentieth day of October in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred and fifty I Thomas Dudley thelder of West Bromewiche in the County of Stafford yeoman being in good health and of good and perfect memory (thankes be given to god therefore Doe make publish and declare this my last will and testament in manner and forme following that is to say. First and principally I commend and bequeath my soule unto the mercy of Almighty God. Trusting and faithfully beleiving to be saved amongst the number of the elect by the only pretious bloud shedding passion death and resurrection of our only Saviour Jesus Christ And my body to the earth to be buried in the parish Church of West Bromewiche aforsaid in such place there as shalbe thought convenient by my executors hereafter named Item I give and bequeath unto Edward Dudley my eldest sonne my Cupbord in the Parlour the kitchen board and a save being in the Sollar Item I give and bequeath unto Thomas Dudley my second sonne and to his heires and assignes for ever one cottage or tenement with a garden a barne and all that my upper part of a close or parcell of Land called or knowne by the name of Collins Land with their and every of their appurtenances which said upper part of the said Close conteyneth by estimac[i]on six acres be it more or lesse and are scituate and being in Rowley Regis inthe said County of Stafford and now in the tenure of John Ashley or his assignes, and lye betweene the lane there leadeing from Dudley towards Oldbury onthe Southside or upper end, and the other or nether part of the said Collins Land at the nether end, or Northside thereof as by hedges and ditches the same is enclosed devided and knowne: Item I give and bequeath unto Richard Dudley my third sonne and to his heires and assignes for ever All that my other or nether part of the said Close or pasture called Collins Land aforesaid with thappurtenances thereunto belonging conteyning by estimacon eight acres be it more or lesse lying and being in Rowley Regis aforesaid and in the occupacion of the said John Ashley or his undertenants betweene the upper part or upper Close of the said Collins land on the South side, and the land of William Hunt called Panells on the North side Item I give and bequeath unto John Dudley my fourth and youngest sonne the sume of six pounds thirteene shillings and foure pence of good and lawfull mony of England to be paid unto him within three monthes next after myne and Ellen my wives deceases Item I give and bequeath unto Thomas Chambers al’s Ireland. John Chambers William Chambers Richard Chambers and Ellen Chambers the sonnes and daughter of Mary Chambers my daughter deceased the sumes of twenty shillings a peece of good and lawfull mony of England to be put forth by my executors hereafter named within three monthes next after my decease for their best advantages and to be paid unto every of them his her or their part or proportion with the benefitt and advantage thereof made as they shall severally and respectively accomplish the full age of one and twentie yeares And if any of them shall happen to depart this life before the said age of one and twentie yeares, then my will is that his her or their parts soe deceaseing shall goe and remaine to the rest surviveing to be equally devided amongst them at such time and times as the said legatees soe deceaseing should have accomplished their severall ages of one and twentie yeares, if they had soe longe lived Item these my Legacies being paid and discharged accordingly. and my body decently brought to the earth and the funerall expences thereof being deducted I give and bequeath the one moitie or halfe part of all my goods cattell and debts not hereby disposed of unto the said Thomas Dudley and Richard Dudley my sonnes, And the other moitie or halfe part of all my goods Cattell and debts I give and bequeath unto Ellen Dudley my wife for her life saveing the quantity of tenn pounds worth thereof which I freely[?] give unto her to dispose of at her will and pleasure And after her decease the said moitie or halfe of all my goods cattells and debts soe to her bequeathed for her life I give and bequeath unto the said Thomas Dudley and Richard Dudley my sonnes, And I doe hereby constitute make and ordaine the said Ellen my welbeloved wife and the said Thomas Dudley my sonne my lawfull executors of this my last will and testament to execute and performe the same, as my confidence is in them soe to doe And I desire my beloved brother in law Mr Thomas Grove of West Bromwich aforesaid and my brother William Dudley of Rushall in the said County of Stafford to be Overseers of the same desireing and intreateing each of them to see the same performed in every particular, and my will is that each of them shall have two shillings and six pence for their paines takeing therein And soe renounceing and disanulling all former will by me made I doe publish and declare this present writing conteyning two sheetes of paper to be my last will and testament And in testamony thereof I have to each sheete sett my hand and to both my seale the day and yeare first above written Thomas Dudley. Signed sealed and published to be the last will and testament of the said Thomas Dudley the elder in the presence and heareing of us whose names are subscribed the day and yeare as abovesaid Wm Fenton William Chambers Robert Rider
This will was proved at London before Sir Nathaniel Brent knight doctor of laws Master or Keeper of the Prerogative Court the thirtieth day of June in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fifty two by the oathes of Ellen Dudley the Relict and Thomas Dudley the sonne of the said decease Executors named inthe said will to whom was comitted Administration of all and singular the goods chattells and debts of the said deceased they being first legally sworne well and truly to administer the same; by Commision
Commentary
The "Collins Land" in Rowley Regis mentioned in the will of Thomas Dudley is mentioned in 1657 in the will of Richard Willets, the husband of Thomas's sister Elizabeth.
References
The parish register of Albrighton (Shifnal) Shropshire. Digital images on Findmypast.co.uk accessed 2 February 2021.
Parish registers of Tipton, Staffordshire. Digital images on Findmypast.co.uk.
“The Staffordshire Quarter Session Rolls” v. 1-5 (S.A.H. Burne ed.) in Collections for a History of Staffordshire (Staffordshire Record Society (William Salt Archaeological Society), 3rd series, 1929-1940.
Will of Thomas Dudley of West Bromwich. Proved 1652 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
Will of William Dudley of West Bromwich. Proved 1598 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.