1483/84 Ralphe Penne wrote his will on March 11. [1] [2]
1485 Ralph Penne died on October 3. "Ralph Penne, esq. Writ 2 Nov 1 Hen. VII (1485), inq. Saturday after All Hallows, 2 Hen. VII. ... He died 3 Oct,1 Hen. VII, John Robarth, aged 16 and more, is his cousin and heir." [3]
Ralph Penne, esq.
Writ 2 Nov., 1 Hen. VII; inq. Saturday after All Hallows, 2 Hen. VII.He enfeoffed Humphrey Conyngesby, Richard Grotmore, William Skipwith, and Thomas Coke, of the under-mentioned manor of Pygottes, 'Pennez Place,' 70a. in Adenham, and a messuage and 20a. in Illestre, with the intention of saving harmless the said Humphrey, William, and Thomas, as also his executors, against John Penbury and Alice his wife, in respect of two bonds, the one of 400l. and the other of 100 marks; and further to the use of his will.
He enfeoffed John Verney, then esquire, now knight, and Humphrey Conyngesby, of the other under-mentioned manor or messuage, called 'Charyngys,' the messuages called 'Eydons,' 'Wodes,' and 'Rolves,' and of 40a. land and 12a. wood in the parish of Aldenham, and in the parishes of Illestre, Rugge, and Shelney, to the use of his will.
By his will, written with his own hand, he directed that the feoffees of his lands in the counties of Herts, Middlesex, and Surrey, should make a secure and legal estate thereof, immediately after his decease, to his executors, to the use of his will, viz. to pay his debts without delay; to build a chapel on Copthorn Hill; to purchase easements for the said chapel from the Roman Curia; to order a chantry of 12 marks yearly for the entertainment of a priest to pray for him for ever, 13s. 4d. to be for keeping his obit in Aldenham Church for ever; to provide lands and tenements, to the yearly value of 20s., for the repair of the church way between Illestre and Rylondgate, and when that should be in repair, for mending such ways in Aldenham as had most need of it; Richard Howell to have 'le grete Whitys,' to him and his heirs for ever; his land in London and Lambyth Merrshe to be sold, and 10l. to be given to each of his kinsmen Ferbyez; John Peke and Richard Grotmore to have annuities of 5 marks each for life; and 10s. to be given to each of his god-children. He appointed the said John Verney, knt., John Peke, Humphrey Conyngesby, and Richard Grotmore, his executors, and gave the residue of his lands and goods between the said John Verney and Humphrey Conyngesby for ever.
He died 3 Oct., 1 Hen. VII. John Robarth, aged 16 and more, is his cousin and heir.
Herts. Manor of Pygottes, a messuage called 'Pennez Place,' and 70a. land in Aldenham, worth 14 marks, held of the Abbot of St. Peter's, Westminster service unknown.
Manor, or messuage, called 'Charynges,' a messuage called 'Wodes,' and a messuage called 'Rolnes,' worth 8l., held of John Foster, as of the manor of Welde, service unknown.
A messuage called 'Eydons,' worth 4l., held of Robert Louth, service unknown.
A messuage, and 20a. land in Illestre, and 30a. parcel of the 40a. mentioned above, worth 40s., held of the Abbot of St. Albans, service unknown.
Ten acres, being the residue of the said 40a., and 12a. wood, worth 5s., held of William Stonore, as of the manor of Shelney Hall, service unknown.
C. Series II. Vol. 2. (16.)
1486 The will of Ralph Penn was proved in November. [The probate claus in the record is incomplete. The next will in the record was proved on November 22 with the year not state. TNA dates the probate as November 1486.] [4] [5]
1494/5 "Walter Robarth esquire and John his son, kinsman of Ralph Penne, to wit son of Margaret his sister" quitclaimed the manor "'Pennes place' in Aldenham co. Hertford" and other lands to Humphrey Conyngesby and others on February 14. [6] The 1592 and 1629 Roberts pedigrees both include a detailed account of the surrender—under duress—of this land by Walter in right of his wife Margaret Penn and their son John. [7] [8]
[1] Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, PROB 11; Piece: 7, Logge (1479-1486), [AncestryImage].
[2] The National Archives of the United Kingdom Catalog, [UKNationalArchives].
[3] Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Henry VII, Vol. 1 (London: HMSO, 1898), 79, [GoogleBooks].
[4] Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, PROB 11; Piece: 7, Logge (1479-1486), [AncestryImage].
[5] The National Archives of the United Kingdom Catalog, [UKNationalArchives].
[6] K. H. Ledward, ed., Calendar of Close Rolls, Henry VII, Vol. 1, 1485-1500 (London: HMSO, 1955), 249, [BritishHistoryOnline].
[7] William Hayley, “Sussex: viz. Genealogica, Vol. II” (British Library Add. MS 6347), fol. 1–6, of which folios 2-5 and the front of fol. 6 are numbered in Hayley's hand as pages 1-9 and provide a transcription of a pedigree, dated 1592, of the Roberts family of Glassenbury), 3.
[8] Fane Lambarde, “Roberts of Kent,” Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica, Ser. 5, Vol. 6 (1926-1928), 168–187 at 186, [FHLCatalog].