Nicholas Semer, Dartmouth Merchant

 Nicholai Semer

In the name of god amen/. The xth daye of the monyth’ of Marche in the yere of our lord god Ml Vc xxix’[1] I Nicholas Semer of Dertmoth in the dioc’ of exetour merchaunt, being in hole mynd and parfit remembraunce, laude be to allmyghty god  make this my last will and testament in maner and fourme followying  Furst I bequeth’ my soule to allmughty god, and my body to be buryed in the chappell’ of saint saviour of Detmouth’[2] wythin the Ile of saint Anne, Allso I bequeth to the parson’ of the said chappell’, for my tythes forgotton’ xxs’, Allso I bequethe ro euery aulter in the said chappell to thuse of the said chappell xld’, Allso I Will’ that an honest prest be providid by myn’ executrix to sing masse in the said chappell’ at the aulter of saint Anne for my soule, Inmediatly after my deceas’ by the space of thre yeres then next ensuynge, and the said prest to haue for his stipend vjli’ sterling by the yere to be paid quarterly by thands of my said executrix, And Where as the said Nich’as Semer haue by my dede indentid bring date the iijd. day of the forsaid mointh’ of marche, in the yere of the reigne of our soverayn’ lord kyng Henry the viijth the xxjth[3] infeoffed s Willia’ Courtnay knyght  sir Thomas Semer knyght  Joh’n fulford  Richard Hal’s esquiers, Joh’n Hull’ and Gilbert gale gentilman’, of and in all my meses, londs, and ten’ts, rents reuercions and seruices with’ all’ their appurtenancs standing and being in the burs of Clyfton’ Dertmouth Hardnasse Southtowne, Derthmouth’ and Combe +in the parish+ of Bleakeaueton to haue to them and to their heirs & assignes in Fee to thuse of me the said Nicholas’ for terme of my lyfe, and after my deceas I will that my said feoffes, shall stond and be seased, of and in all and singuler the prmisses to thuse of Margaret my Wiff for terme of her lyff, and after her decese, I will’ that my said feoffes, shall stond and be seased of and in oon’ ten’t with a gardyne to the said ten’t belongynge pcell of the forsaid premissis standing and beinge in the said burgh’ in A strete named Smyth strete, callyd the corner house, the which’ ten’t and gardine one William James now holdith’ which’ ten’t and gardine, I will only to the use of the sayde Chappell’ of saint sauiour of Dertmouth’ to kepe on’ yerely obite in the said chappell for euer with the rents yssues and proffytts of the same ten’t’ and gardeyn’ with thappurtenancs quarterly to be leued to the same vse, by the wardens of the said Chappell’ for the tyme being to pray for the sowles of the Nicholas and Margaret my wiff, our fathers and mothers, with all other our childerne and frends for euer, And ouer that, I will’ that my said feoffes, and their heirs shall stond and be seasid of and in all the residue of my said messes londs and ten’ts, rents, reuercions, and seruics, with’ their appurtenancs to thuse of Thomas Semer my sonne, and to their of his body Laufully begotton’, and for default of such yssue of the said Thomas Semer, That than I will’ my said feoffes and their heires shall stonde and be seased of and in all the said premysses with thappurtenancs to the vse of Robert Semer my second sonne and to the heires of his body Lauffully begotton’  And for default of such yssue of the said Rob’rt Semer, That than’ I will that my said feoffes and their heirs shall stond and be seasid of and in the said premyssis withappurtenancs to thuse of Richard Marten and Anne his wiff doughters of me the said Nich’as and to the heires of hur body lawffully begotton’, and for default of such issue that then I will’ that all my said Meses londes, ten’ts rents, reuersions, and seruics with thappurtenancs shall remayn’ vnto Joh’n Hull’ and Gilbert Gale, and to theirs +heires+ and assignes for euer, And allso I gyve & bequethe to the said Thomas Semer my sonne, oon hundrith’ pounds sterlyng to remayne in thands of the said Margaret my wiff vnto such tyme as sr Thomas Semer my brodr or any other of my supuiusours shall see tyme convenient to be delyuerid to and for the behofe and prferrement of the said Thomas my sonne, And allso I gyue and bequeth to Robert Semer my second sonne and[4] hundreth’ marcs sterlinge to be delyuerid to the said sr Thomas Semer my brother, at all sich tyme, whan +yt+ he or his assignes shall require it of Margaret my said wiff, and at such tyme as the said sir Thomas Semer or any other my supuisours shall se tyme convenient to and for the behove and prferrment of the said Robert my sonne, And the the[5] said s Thomas Semer his vncle to haue thorder of the said Robert, And I gyue and bequethe to Anne my doughter my best standinge Cuppe pcell gylte with a couer of the same, And I will’ that Thomas my sonne shall Mannir and dwell’ in with’ Margaret my said Wife, his mother and to haue meate and drinke and bedding for hym and his during the lyfe of the said Margaret in her widoweod and all suche tyme as the said Thomas shall vse hym selfe gentyly and Lowlye to his said mother as a childe ought to doo, and as it shalbe thought by the discrescion’ of my supuisours, And I gyue and bequethe vnto Richard Stephyn my maide serunt xls’, And I gyue and bequethe vnto Johane Honewill’ a nother of my maide seruants xxs’ sterling, Allso I Will that if Margaret my said Wiff do marry, that then my supuisours by a true Inuentarye made of all my goods take and reteyne all my goods into ther handes and to delyuer, vnto my said wiff the thurd parte of the said goodes, of and for her hole porcion’ and pte, And then all’ the residue of all my said goodes my debts legacies and bequestes doon’ paid and pfourmed to remayne vnto thuse and behove of Thomas Semer my sonne by thaduise and discrescion’ off my said supervisours, And if the said Margaret my wyff do leue sole vnmaried, that then’ I will that she shall haue and enioye all my goods at her disposition’ and proffit during her her[6] lyfe, my legacies, debts, and bequestes truely doon’ paid and pfourmed, And after hir deceas all my said goods remayninge at the tyme of the deathe of the said Margaret my Wiff, her debts and reasonable legacyes and bequestis pfourmed, that then I will that all the residue of my said goods remayne vnto Thomas my so’nne, And I ordeyne and make Margaret my said wiff sole and hole executrix of this my last will and testament, And make supuisours of this my last will’ and testament, sir Thomas Semer my brother, Joh’n Hill’ and Gilbert Gale, And I gyve and bequeth to euery of them to see my will truly doon’ and pfourmed one ounce of fyne golde ·/. In Wittnesse Wherof I the said Nicholas Semer haue to this p’nt my Wyll and testament set my seale, and subscribid my name with my owne hand, beinge present sr Joh’n Dullyn preest and curat there, Joh’n Hull, Richard Marten, Joh’n Adam, Thomas Davy, and other, Yeven the day and yere abouesaid ·/.

Probatum fuit suprascripum test’m coram d’no apud Lamhith’ vicesimo primo die Mensis Novembris, Anno d’ni Mill’mo quingeno xxxo Juramento Margarete relicte et executric’ in h’moi testamento no’iat’, In persona magistri Joannis Wright procuratoris sui et c’ Acc approbatum et insinuatum, et comissa fuit administracio o’im et singulorum bonoru’ et debitoru’ dicti defuncti prefate executrici de bene et fid’lr admi’strand’, Ac de pleno et fid’li Inventario conficiend’ et c’  Necnon de plano et vero compoto reddendo, Ad sancta dei Euangelia Jurat’

The abovewritten testament was proved before the lord at Lambeth on the 21st day of the month of November, in the year of the Lord 1530, by the oath of Margaret the relict and executrix in this testament named, in the person of master John Wright her proctor &c., and approved and registered; and administration of all and singular the goods and dues of the said deceased was committed to the aforesaid executrix to well and truly administer, and to make a full and faithful inventory &c. and well as to rendered a plain and true account, sworn on the Holy Gospels

Notes: Gilbert Gale: His Will 1552.

Son and heir of Thomas Gale of Dartmouth, and Joane YEARDE , daughter of Gilbert Yearde, of Bradley in Devon:  m  Christian Bishop, da. of Henry Bishop.

His son John Gale, MP. Totnes 1545 and Tavistock 1547: Secretary to Sir John Russell, Baron Russell, later 1st earl of Bedford. Marriage arranged by Russell.

Sir Thomas Semer, Knight,  brother of Nicholas:

Alderman London:

December 4 1515: Thomas Semer (or Seymour) Mercer, s. 1516-1517; Nominated: alderman Fenrother, ex-Sheriff R. Smyth. J. Wylkynson)

Knighted 1522. removed to Dowgate March 5 1523.

The town of Dartmouth is called in ancient records Clifton-Dartmouth-Hardnesse ; these were in fact three separate towns, the more southern of which, Clifton, is an appendage of Stoke Fleming, the two others of the parish of Townstall.

C 3/5/60 Short title: Adams v Pomery. Plaintiffs: Nicholas Adams. Defendants: Richard Pomery and others. Subject: property in Norton in Townstall, Devon.

("others" in original documents are sisters of Richard Pomeroy of Bowden at Totnes, which speaks against this Richard Pomeroy being the son of Sir Richard Pomeroy of Berry Pomeroy, as per the dower document of his widow, Elizabeth Denzell.) 

Document type: [pleadings].1558-1579

John Fulford:

B 1503: Crediton, Devon:

Son of William Fulford and Joan Bonville.

His son was Sir John Fulford MP.

[1] Old Style: 10 March 1530

[2] sic

[3] 3 March 1530

[4] sic

[5] sic

[6] sic

C 3/5/60 Court of Chancery: Six Clerks Office: Pleadings, Series II, Elizabeth I to Interregnum. Short title: Adams v Pomery. Plaintiffs: Nicholas Adams . Defendants: Richard Pomery and others . Subject: property in Norton in Townstall, Devon . Document type: [pleadings].  Held by: The National Archives 01/01/1558 31/12/1579 -

To the righte Honorable Sr. Nicholas Baken Knighte

Lord Keaper of the greate seale of Englande.

In homble wise complayninge sheweth vnto yor good Lordship the Quenes trew and obediente subiecte Nicholas Adams of Tounstall in the countie of Deuon’ gent’  That where Nicholas Smale (Smeal) Ancestor to this complaynante and whose heyre he is was lawfullye seased in his demeane as of fee of and in one capitall messuage  one Watermyll  eyghte hondred Acres of Lande  medowe  woode and pasture with thappurtynancs in Norton and elswhere within the paryshe of Tounstall aforsayde  And so seased in considerac’ons of great so’mes of money to him beforhande payde  leased and demysed the premisses to Diuerse persons who quietlie enioyed the same . vntill the xxvijth. (1535)  yeare of the reygne of our late souerayne Lorde Kinge Henrye the eyghte[1] Aboute which tyme one Richarde Howse then tenante therof to the sayde Smale was therof expulsed and diseased by one Richarde Pomerye Esquire to the vse of one Jasper Horsey sithence which tyme one George Horsey hath not onlie with like iniurye entred vppon the premisses but also entendinge therby the soner to establysh a title to him selfe of and in the premisses hath made diuerse and sondrie conueancs of and in the premisses to diuerse and sondrie persons and amonge other to one Joh’n Wotton and Peter Lake  who aswell by color therof as by reason of other evidencs which ar com to ther hands do molest and troble the possession of yor sayde Orator and of his farmers and tenants of and in the premisses  In consideracion wherof and forasmuch as yor sayde Orator knoweth not the nomber certeyne of the sayde evidencs nor wherin they be contayned as in chest locked or bagg sealed certeyne he is therfor for them without remedie by the order and course of the co’mon lawe  Hit may therfor please yor Honor the premysses considered to graunte the Quenes Majesties wryt of Subpena to be directed to the sayde +Richard Pomery+ George Horsey  Joh’n Wotton and Peter Lake by the same co’mandinge them immediatlie vppon the sighte therof personallie to appere before yorHonor in this High courte of Chauncerie ther to Answere the premisses and further to abide such ordre and direction therin as to yor Honor may stande with equitie and conscience.

All I have right now is

1.  A coat of arms suggesting by inference…that the “earl of Hartford” means .Seymour: 

2. A SEMER of the Merchant Class in Norton Downey (must have had the LEASE of it….from Courtney, who was mentioned in the 1530 will of Nicholas Semer.)   

3. Strong family Connectionsbetween Nicholas Semer Merchant of Dartmouth to the Merchant Thomas Seymer in Calais and Mayor of London; 

4. a record of Richard Pomeroy as a young man in Calais; 

5. A Richard Pomeroy being Called Merchant of Totnes;

6. In 1535  A Richard Pomeroy, esquire   has kicked out long term tenants at property in Norton Downey and re-leased  to Jasper Horrsey. (As per 1558  suit brought by Adams.) 

7.  In 1538 a record in which the widow of Jasper Horrsey says Sir Thomas Pomeroy was  witholding lease of the “manor of Norton Downey in Townstal.”     

8.  Over 20 years later, George Horrsey  in 1558-78 is called to task  in the suit by Nicholas ADAMS  as keeping revenues from  property in  Norton Downey for himself, Lake and Wotton,  and denying Adams access to those properties  and  revenues, as by right of inheritance of Nicholas Smale. 

9. Here is a Chancery record: Statue Merchant and Statute Staple:  (Sir) Thomas Pomeroy, son of Edward, KNT. and Philip Carewe involved in staple trade of some sort...they must have been over extended. Sir Edward Pomeroy died in 1438; this is dated 1529. Assumption could be made that Sir Edward was also involved in the export of cloth or wool. The leases at Norton Downey in Townstal must have been held by Sir Edward, and passed on to Thomas.