Hext of Launceston

Launceston NOTES 2019

The ancient town of Launceston  guarded the gateway to Cornwall in medieval times, being on the main northern route into the county.

The South Gate of Robert of Mortain's eleventh century Norman castle still survives, restricting the modern vehicular traffic to one lane.

In the centre of the town the imposing church of St Mary Magdalene has many interesting carvings on its granite exterior.

The priest Cuthbert Mayne was hung, drawn and quartered at Launceston in 1574 for his allegiance to the Catholic faith.

Thomas Hext Mayor of Launceston was  brother to  John Hicks/Hext a canon under Prior Shere of Launceston Priory.

Thomas Hext 1st wife  was dau of William Mill or Mylle a former Mayor of Launceston. His 2nd wife Jane Callard widow STONE mother of Mary Stone who in about 1580 married her step brother Digory .
Thomas was clearly a merchant, most probably dealing in wool & wool cloth with a shop in the market place of Launceston. When he died in 1595 he left his widow well provided for with goods chattels and …

His dwelling house during her life, with the parlor, the Chamber over, the highest Roome over that, together with the chamber over the shop and the shop below and what appears to be a share of use of the kitchen. ..’thone moyetie of the kitchen to dresse her meate in.’ 

Plus stabling for 4 horses 4 milch cows ; a bell salt - sault, a dozen silver spoons, a gilt goblet half a garnish of pewter Vessel  and assorted other pots & pans and riches indeed  6 horses at her disposal plus income from various properties and £20 a year

His children were Digory, George & Thomas  found in the Will of 1595 

Son Digory has children by his wife Anne Stone ;  Thomas who died 1558 & Jane born about 1556  married Andrew Pomeroy at her grandmothers home is St Kew in September 1601  

Florence Mundy was his daughter &  2 other daughters Grace wife Frauncis Hoblin and Ephue wife of Thomas Isack (my sonnes by lawe, )

His grand-daughter, Jane who, 6 years later, married Andrew Pomeroy,  came with a substantial dowry of properties including lands of her Mylle grandmother and £100.

The Will of Thomas Heckes of Launceston, 1595 In the name of God amen I Thomas Heckes of Danheved Borough alias Launceston in the County of Cornewall, being in perfect health and meamory, God be thanked, Doe make and ordaine my last will and testament, in manner and forme hereafter following. First I geve and yeelde up in the handes of almighty god, my soule of whome first I receyved the same, my bodie to be buried within the parish Church of StMary Magdalen in Launceston aforesayd.  To every of the Almes people in the saide Towne I geve twelve pence a peece, and to the rest of the poore people within the same Towne, Twenty shillinges to be distributed amongest them by my executors or Overseers.  To the poore Lazer people of St Leonardes I geve twelve pence a peece, and to the poore prysoners of the Gaile, six shillinges and eight pence to be delyvered equally amonngst them.  To the poore people of St Thomas I geve ten shillinges.  To the poore of St Stephens I geve tenn shillinges. 

To every of my god children I geve Twelve pence a peece.  Moreover my Will and devyse is, that Jane ( Stone nee Callard) my wife, shall have this Roomes of my dwelling howse during her life, which I have in the same, to witt, The parlor, the Chamber over, the highest Roome over that againe, togither with the chamber over the shopp wherein I used to lie my self, togeather with the shopp under, and thone moyetie of the kitchen to dresse her meate in. 

More my Will and devyse is, that shee shall have Six miltch kyne, to be pastured in and upon Landryne, with two Acres of grasse to make haie of in the Priory meadow, and stable roome for fower 4 Geldinges in the priorie stable, togeither with sufficient fewell yeerely of furz and other in Landryne.

Also my Will is, that shee shall have her bed perfourmed with her best Coverlid for her owne bed.

And my Will is farther, that shee shall have twoo other bedds perfourmed with meanner Coverlettes to lay her freendes on when they come to see her.

 Moreover my Will is, that shee shall have sufficient Napery of every sort some. 

Also my Bell sault, and one dozenn of sylver spoones with my best gilt Goblett, Foure paire of sheetes, half a garnish of peauter Vessell, twoo pottle potts, twoo quartes, twoo brasse Crockes, six small panns, a Caulderne, The Chest which shee brought with her. 

Moreover I geve unto her twenty poundes, to be paide her in monny Within twoo Yeeres after my decease, if shee so long lyve.

Item I geve unto her one Gelding, one mare, to be pastured upon Culver Cleive, and parcke Launceston Without paying anything for the same,  and the fowerth part of the Fruite of the Orchard before the Barnes doore, When the same shall happen to beare Without paying any thing for the same.

Item My Will and devyse is, that there shall be payd unto her yeerely during her naturall lief the summe of twenty poundes of lawfull English mony, to be levied and takenn out of such landes as is appointed by a Feoffment which I made unto her, at the tyme of my Marriage with her in ioynture whereof Richard Penfounde and ..... Stone .... to her use .... geve ... Mathew ... within one Yeere ... her marriage... shillinges... [the marginal insertion which should fit here is too obscured by folded page in original to transcribe fully] and foure pence.

 Also I will and graunt unto Florence Monday my daughter, one Annuytie or Yeerely rent of three poundes during her naturall life, the same I will to be levyed out of all my landes and tennementes within the County of Cornewall,

And further I will, That if the same be not quarterly paide by Fifteene shillinges in every quarter of every Yeere, That then it shalbe lawfull for her to enter into all my landes and tennementes within the sayd County of Cornewall, and to distrane for the same, and the distresse to detaine untill the same be paide

Item I give to Jane Hickes the maiden and daughter of Digory Hickes, one Tennemente with the appurtenaunces in the High Markett Streete in the Borrough of Donevett now in the tenure of Ann Seymour widowe, together with one close of land lying at windmyll hed nowe in the tenure of Sir William Churton Clarke,

Likewise I geve unto her the one Moytie or halfendeale of all such landes lying in St Stephens by Launceston as I bought of Sir William Symon Clarke, and some other lieth in Boightley which was the landes of William Mille, the other Moyety is to descend to Digorie Hickes as his mothers landes being the daughter and heire of the sayd William Mille.  All which moiety of the sayd landes which I had of the sayd William Symon with the other tennement in the High Streete and meadowe of Windmyll head with the Appurtenaunces

I geve and bequeath to the sayd Jane Hickes and to the heires of her bodie lawfully begotten and for default of such issue, I will that the same landes shall come and remayne to Thomas Hickes my sonne and his heires for ever.

More I geve unto the sayd Jane Hickes my lease of one tennement in Newport Borrough next Launceston wherein one Symon Coradge dwelt togeither with all the landes, meadowes, gardens and Orchardes to the same belonging, the Yeerely rent whereof is Seaven poundes ninteene shillinges six pence to the Queene, and the terme is eleaven Yeeres  to be expired next after the feast of St Michaell, one thowsand fyve hundreth nyntie twoo, as appeereth by the lettres patentes of the demise of the saide Mannor, by Vertue of which lettres patentes I houlde all the rest of the landes and tennementes which I have of the Queenes Maiestie. 

Item I geve unto the sayd Jane one hundred poundes of lawfull mony of England. 

Also I will, geve and graunt unto Digorey, George and Thomas Hickes, my sonnes and to theire heires for ever all other my messuages, landes, tennementes and hereditamentes whatsoever as well Customary as otherwise within the County of Cornewall, before not geven nor appointed. 

And also I will and geve unto the sayd Digorey, George and Thomas my sonnes and to theire assignes all my estate, lease and lease tymes and termes to come Whatsoever of and in the mannor of Launceston lande, and of and in the Barton of Newhowse, and of and in all howses, edifices, graunges, landes and tennementes myne Whatsoever belonging to the sayd mannor and Barton or parcell of the same, or reputed, called or knowen as part or parcell thereof or any of them, togeither also and with all my estate, tyme and terme to come of and in the Demeanes landes of the sayd mannor or Barton of Newhowse by what name or names soever I have the same, set lying and being also within the sayd County of Cornewall, in as ample manner as I have the same.  Lastly I ordaine and appoint Frauncis Hoblin and Thomas Isack my sonnes by lawe, executors of this my last will and testament in trust, Touching all other my  goodes and Chattells, before not geven, for and to the use of the sayd Digorey, George and Thomas my sonnes, and to no other use, Willing them to see the same emonngest them equally to be devyded, accoring [sic] to the true meaning of this my last will,

Whereof I make Ollyver Clowberry and Olyver Collyns gentlemen, my overseers and Assistantes with my sayd executors in the same. 

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my seale and signe.  Yeoven the fourteenth day of October in the Seaven and thirtieth Yeere of the raigne of our soveraigne lady Elizabeth, by the grace of god of England, Fraunce and Ireland, Queene Defender of the faith etc one thowsand fyve hundreth fourescore and fifteene. 

Sealed and delyvered in the presence of William Grills, Arthure Piper and others, The day and Yeere above written.

Boightlyseems to be a mis-transcription of Boiton or Boyton where there is Bradridge the dwelling of John Hoblyn, Esq. barrister at law, son of Mr. Hoblyn, attorney at law of Bodmin ;