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Ancestry Solutions'
Ancestral Collectives
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 - 1552
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| Name |
Robert BOWYER |
| Born |
Of Chichester, Sussex, England  |
| Gender |
Male |
| _UID |
3A99A650D7F4324382652690CFAD6444CA70 |
| Died |
22 Jun 1552 |
| Person ID |
I270 |
YoungFamily |
| Last Modified |
20 Oct 2021 |
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| Notes |
- Robert Bowyer was the son of William Bowyer and Eliza Tredcroft.2 He married Margaret (?)1 He died between 1 July 1547 and 22 June 1552.1
He held the office of Mayor of Chichester in 1532.1 He held the office of Mayor of Chichester in 1546.2
Child of Robert Bowyer and Margaret (?)
Francis Bowyer+2 d. 24 Jun 1581
Citations
[S37] BP2003 volume 1, page 1090. See link for full details for this source. Hereinafter cited as. [S37]
[S37] BP2003. [S37]
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BOWYER, Robert Q. 1552), of Chichester, Suss.
CHICHESTER' 1529,1547
2nd s. of William Bowyer of Petworth, Suss. by Elizabeth, da. of
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65
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Robert Tredcroft of Billingshurst. m. Margaret, 6s. 5da. 1
Reeve of St. George's Gild, Chichester 1523-4, mayor 1527,1532,1541,
1546,71551; commr. for musters, Chichester 1539.2
This Member came of a family not long settled in Sussex. His great
grandfather, Robert Bowyer of Knipersley, Staffs., had moved to Sussex
about 1410 and founded a new branch of his ancient family at Petworth, a
property owned by the Percies, Earls of Northumberland, whom the Bowyers
served at various times. William Bowyer of Petworth, who died in 1528, was
bailiff to Henry Percy, 6th Earl, but it is unlikely that Robert owed anything
to his father's connexion.
3
Well known both in the city of London, and at the Inns of court, the
Bowyers in the sixteenth century found more than their measure of fortune.
Robert Bowyer's third son Francis was to become a freeman of the Grocers'
Company, an alderman of London, and sheriff of that city in 1577. Another
son, William, became master of the records in the Tower, and his son Robert
was to be clerk of the Parliaments, author of the famous diary of the
sessions between 1606 and 1607, and, himself a keeper of the Tower records,
a key figure as the hunt for precedents grew more urgent.
4
Robert Bowyer of Chichester had a far less distinguished career than
most of his sons, although he cut a figure in his own city as a merchant
and a prominent member of the gild which continued to govern Chichester in
the Tudor period. When returned to the Parliament of 1529 he had already
been mayor and was well established as a merchant, though probably surpassed
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66
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in wealth by the Cressweller family: in the subsidy return of 1524 Bowyer
and John Cressweller the elder had been assessed at £40 and £200 in goods
respectively. 5
Bowyer and Cressweller were both engaged in the export of kerseys
and, together with John Yong, and an alien Cornelius Derryck, they had the
largest share of this trade out of Chichester as'revealed by the customs
accounts. Some of Bowyer's kerseys were exported from Arundel. He imported
a miscellaneous selection of goods and materials, in particular, nails,
hemp, sugar, soap, pitch, tar, feathers and even on one occasion one hundred
frying pans. One such cargo was valued at over £30. Bowyer clearly took
advantage of what trade passed through this small provincial port. The
value and extent of his participation in the internal trade of Sussex or
Hampshire is impossible to assess.
6
On two occasions early in Edward VI's reign John Cressweller the
Younger brought Bowyer to court for failing to comply with two contracts.
These show that Bowyer was purchasing houses in Chichester and other property
in the Isle of Thorney and paying for these partly in cash and partly in
white and coloured kerseys, later exported by Cressweller 'to Flanders,
France and Brabant'. Some personal antagonism existed between them; Bowyer
had arranged for Cressweller to be arrested by Edmond Forde (q. v. ), a. local
justice, for failure to pay a small rent. This, at least, was Cressweller's
story.(7)
Bowyer seems, however, to have been respected in the city. He
served more terms as mayor than any other citizen throughout the sixteenth
century. A dispute arose over the mayoral election of 1541, when some in
the city objected either to the custom of electing the mayor from the gild
body, or - and this is more likely - to the overbearing action of John
Castleman, the outgoing mayor. A small group of citizens, led by Richard
Litleworth, 'communed together who should be next mayor of Chichester, and of
the election of him: and would be glad to have Bowyer of Chichester to be
elected mayor because they think he would be favourable to the poor commoners
of Chichester. ' Though temporarily confined to ward they achieved their
object: Bowyer was elected for the ensuing year.
8
Robert Bowyer's return to Parliament in 1529 and 1547, and perhaps
to intervening Parliaments for which no returns survive, clearly reflected
his influential position in the city. It is impossible to say whether he
was the Member elected by the gild, or by the commoners; but, since the
gild more often than not nominated the commoner's Member, the distinction
is of little interest without evidence of electoral disputes, which is
lacking before 1557. If, as seems likely, his fellow Member in 1529, Robert
Trigges (q. v. ), was recorder of the city at this date, Bowyer may have been
returned by the commoners. By 1547 Bowyer had served three terms as mayor,
and was more likely to have been returned by the gild than his fellow
Member, Richard Sackville (q. v. ), who, though well known in Chichester, was
not a member of the governing body. There is no record of Bowyer's activity
in the Commons. The bill for preventing the establishment of further mills
in Sussex was committed to 'Master Bowes' on 26 Feb. 1552, but this Member
was presumably Sir Martin Bowes, to whom a number of bills concerning
economic affairs were committed during this Parliaments
9
Bowyer probably sympathised with'the religious changes made in the
Parliaments which he attended. While there is no evidence of his own
religious views, his brother, Thomas Bowyer of London, married into a
vigorous Protestant circle, his nephew was in exile at Frankfurt during
Mary's reign, and two of his sons, Francis and Robert (q. v. ), are known
to have opposed the Marian regime.
When Bowyer made his will on 13 July 1551 he confined his bequests
almost entirely to the immediate members of his family. He made no mention
of the mayors and aldermen with whom he had served. The will suggests he
was in comfortable financial circumstances: he bequeathed a total of £170
in ready money to his wife and children, giving his plate and silver to his
wife, Margaret. Thomas Bowyer, his brother, a leading grocer of London,
was appointed overseer, and the family connexions with the city were
henceforward increasingly powerful.
10
1. PCC 8 Dyngeley, 18 Powell, 24 Babington; Vis. Suss. (Hari. Soc.
liii), p. 62; S. A. C. x1ii. p. 19 et. seq.; Chichester R. O. Comber
Pprs. vii, pp. 48-55; xiv. p. l; Portsmouth City Lib., Everitt
Peds., f. 158, ex.. inf. S. Thorpe. All known pedigrees of this
family are unreliable, confusing this Member with his son Robert
Bowyer (q. v. ). All are wrong in suggesting that Bowyer's wife was
the daughter of Miles Grover of Kingston, Surrey.
2. Chichester Town Clerk's Dept. A. E. 1, f. 41 v; L. P. Hen VIII, iv(ii).
g 3540(24), xiv(i); 652, p. 295;. Hay, Hist. of Chichester, p. 569.
3. S. A. C. xlii. P. 19.
4. Comber Pprs. op. cit.; Parity. Diary of Robert Bowyer 1606-7, ed.
D. H. Willson, p. xi.
- 69 -
5. S. R. S. lvi. p. 2.
6. E122/200/5, ff. lly - 12,200/9, ff. 1-2v.
7. C1/1205/85; 1209/62.
8. St. Ch. 2/9/85-87; Hay, op. cit.
9. Neale, Commons, p. 261 et. seq.; CJ, obi. 16-19, see sub. Bowyer,
Robert (q. v. ); Sackville, Richard (q. v. ).
10. PCC 18 Powell.
{Source: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/29029355.pdf]
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| Sources |
- [S66] Will, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Lambeth Palace, London, England, (England, Kew: The National Archives (formerly the Public Record Office)), PROB 11/35, 22 Jun 1552.
PCC PROB 11/35
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, the 13th day of July in the fifth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord Edward the Sixth by the grace of God of England, France and Ireland Kinge, defendor of the faith and in earth Supreme head of the Church of England and also of Ireland, I, ROBERT BOWER of Chichester within the County of Sussex, Merchant, whole of body and of good remembrance considering that all men are born to die and the day of their death unknown to them do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following,
First, I bequeath my soul unto the hands of Almighty God (trusting to be saved through the only merits and passion of our saviour Jesus Christ and do ask forgiveness of my many sins) and I will my body to be buried in the parish church of the Sub Deaurn within the Cathedral Church of Chichester aforesaid.
Item, I give to the subdeane of the same church 6 shillings 8 pence and to the poor people of the said City 40 shillings to be divided and distributed by mine Executors immediately after my death.
Item, I give unto my daughter ELIZABETH twenty pounds in ready money which I will that mine Executors shall pay unto her at the day of her marriage.
Item, I give unto my son WILLIAM twenty pounds which I will that mine Executors shall pay unto him at his full age of 21 years.
Item, I give unto HENRY my son twenty pounds in ready money which I will that mine Executors shall deliver unto him at his full age of 24 years so that he be ruled by his mother and mine Executors.
Item I give unto my daughter JOHAN twenty pounds which I will that my Executors shall deliver and pay unto her at the day of her marriage.
Item, I give unto AGNES my daughter twenty pounds which I will that mine Executors shall deliver and pay unto her at the day of her marriage.
Item, I give and bequeath unto PETER my son twenty pounds which I will that mine Executors shall deliver and pay unto him at his full age of 24 years so that he be ruled by his brother FRANCIS to whom I give the charge and the oversight of him next under God.
Item, I give unto EMME my daughter twenty pounds which I will that mine Executors shall pay unto her at the day of her marriage.
Item, I give unto my son JOHN BOWER 6 pounds 14 shillings 4 pence and one of my gowns furred with foynes and my jacket of tawny damask.
Item, I give unto FRANCIS my son my best gown faced with foynes, my best jacket of black damask and my best dublet slevid with velvet.
Item, I give to ROBERT my son my gown that I was married in furred with black lamb and faced with black buggee and also my gowne faced before with black damask.
Item I give unto my daughter BARBARA YONGE three pounds in money to make her a ring for a token of remembrance of me.
Item, I give unto WILLIAM SHAFE my fox furred gown and one of my paire of hoose and one of my shirts. More I will that if any of said children happen to die and to depart out of this world before the legacy to them bequeathed be paid that then the said bequest and legacy shall be equally divided amongst the rest of my children then living.
Item, I do give unto AGNES MADHAM my servant 3 pounds 6 shillings 8 pence to be delivered unto her at the day of her marriage so that she be ruled by my wife and mine Executors.
Item, I give and beqeuath to MARGARET my wife in ready money one hundred marks. Also I will that MARGARET my said wife shall have the occupying of all my household stuff, plate and other implements whatsoever they be now being in my dwelling house as appeareth by an Inventory written with mine own hand during her natural life without any waste and after her decease I will that the same household stuff and plate be indifferently and equally divided amongst my children at the discretion of the said MARGARET my wife and mine Executors. Also I will that MARGARET my said wife have by the delivery of mine Executors all the legacies and bequests before given and bequeathed which at the time of my death are to be paid to the use of my said children so that my said wife do keep herself sole and unmarried and be also bound unto mine Executors to pay the said legacies unto my said children at the days and times limited in this my Will and according to my true meaning, purport and effect of this my last Will and Testament.
Item, I will that mine Executors shall divide? to my poor kinfolk whereof I will that my sisters daughter KATHRYN WINSTON of Portsmouth to be one and to have her part of 6 pounds 8 shillings 4 pence to be divided at the discretion of mine Executors to my said poor kinfolks.
Item I give unto my cousin BISHOP a little gold ring with a ruby therein praying him to wear the same in remembrance of me and unto my cousin STAPLETON a little ring of gold with a pearl therein for a simple remembrance of me and to my friend MR. RICHARD DUCKET of London a little ringe of gold with a ruby therein which my daughter ANNE BOWIER sent me for a token.
Item, I give to my sister STILMAN 20 shillings and to my brother JOHN of Petworth my gown faced with chamlet and to my brother EDMOND a piece of gold of ten shillings which is in my silk purse.
Item, I give to my daughter ANNE my son ROBERT'S wife 40 shillings in gold to make her a ringe with a deadman's head therein graven and these letters R and B on everyside thereof and unto my brother THOMAS BOWIER a ring of gold of the value of 20 shillings or thereabouts with death's head graven thereon for a simple remembrance of me, desiring him for God's sake and for the brotherly love which hath been between him and me to continue in his friendship to my wife and chilrend and I ordain him overseer of this my last Will and Executors I ordain my sonns ROBERT, JOHN and FRANCIS requiring them of my blessing to see this my Will performed in all points and to the uttermost and thus the Holy and blessed Trinity have mercy on me.
These being witnesses
Richard Clere
John Dudscall
William Shafe and other men
PRROBATUM fuit testm coram dmo Cant Archiepo apud London 22 die mensis Junii Anno dm millimo quingentesimo quinquasesimo secundo Iuramento ROBT BOWIER ex in hmod testamento noiat. Ac approbatum et insinuat et comissa fuit admistraco omn bonorum etc debene et fidelir admistrand eadem ac de pleno ..... exhebend ad sancta dei evangelia iurat beshuata partate JOHANN et FRANCISOCO BOWIER x, etm
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