FAMIILY
William is the son of William and Jane Packe, and was presumably born around 1512.
He married Johan around 1537. They had seven children, five of which appear to have survived into their adult years.
One of the first christenings in Barming's parish register is William's son John (#3, below) in 1542. This came about because Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to King Henry VIII, decreed that every parish must keep a record of baptisms, marriages and burials.
William appears to have been an active member of the congregation and was one of the two churchwardens in 1549.
REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
He was also involved in some local real estate purchases:
THE REBELLION OF 1554
Aside from a four year gap in the christening record, from 1552 to 1556, and the fact he named his son born immediately after the rebellion "Thomas," there is no evidence suggesting that our William Packe was involved in Thomas Wyatt's rebellion.
The surrounding area was in an uproar. The plotters met in Allington castle, only four miles from East Barming. Wyatt and a handful of followers rode into Maidstone. It was market day, and the town was already bursting with excitement. The conspirators rode down High Street, accompanied by the cheers of their countrymen. Wyatt boldly read a proclamation calling upon the commons of Kent to secure the advancement of “liberty and commonwealth.” The Royalists won the first battle, only 5 miles from East Barming, when Sir Robert Southwell ambushed a rebel continent coming from Seven Oaks. Then the Royalists went over to Wyatt at Rochester, he captured
Cooling castle and the rebels marched on London. It may have been a closer thing than many realize, if Queen Mary had not refused to flee. Instead she met with the city's principal citizens in the guildhall. As a result of her speech, as many as 20,000 citizens may have enlisted. Thomas Wyatt managed to gain entrance to London, but was defeated. The vast majority of rebels escaped, but 350 of the 480 subsequently convicted of treason were from Kent. (John Guy, TUTOR ENGLAND, Oxford University press, 1990, p 232)
Regardless of their sympathies, William and Johan's lives would have been impacted by the rebellion.
WILL
According to William Packe III's will dated and proved 1567, East Barming, Kent (DRb/PWr/13.295)
A "Probatu" or subsequent probate in latin, dated 21 April 1567, names administrator Johane Calnerley did William's wife remarried.
CHILDREN