1534/35 Richard Fermor, Grocer, was nominated for the position of Alderman in Farrington Ward Without in London and elected on March 11, but he was not sworn. He was discharged on December 2, 1535; fine of £100. [1]
1533-1538 Plaintiff Richard Fermar, citizen and grocer of London, sued defendant Edmund Knyghtley, serjeant-at-law, in the Court of Chancery concerning manors of Towcester and Alderton (Aldrington), advowson of the church of Alderton, messuages and land in Alderton and Blisworth, and rent of lands in Abthorpe and Foscote. Northampton. [2]
1551 Richard Fermer wrote his will on July 1. [3]
In the name of god amen The first daie of July in the yere of our lorde god a Thousande fyve hundreth and one and fyftie, And in the fyfte yere of the reigne of our soueraigne Lorde Kinge Edward the Sixt by the grace of god of Englande France and Irelande Kinge defender of the faithe and in earthe of the Churche of Englande and Irelande the supreme head I Richard Fermer of Esten Neston in the Countie of Northampton Esquier being hole of mynd and of good remembraunce do make this my present testament and Last will in maner and forme folowing. First I bequeathe my soule vnto Almightie god my maker and my redemer, & to our blessed ladye Saynt Mary the Virgin mother of Christ, and to all the companey of heaven beseching them to be mediators and intercessors vnto Almightie god for the Saluacion of my synfull soule, And my bodye to be buried where yt shall please god to appoynte by thaduyse of myn Executours. Also I giue and bequeathe vnto my dere and welbeloued wief Anne Fermer all suche Landes as I haue Appoynted her all redy by dede of feoffement And also the vse of all my houshold stuf in Eston Neston to occupy at her pleasure during her lief naturall. And after her decease I will that all the saide stuf shall remayn vnto myn heyre Except and always reshued foure ___ fetherbeds and all man' things vnto them and one ____ vessell of pewter and honest kechyn belonging ymplements for to be gyn gouse with all which I give vnto my sonne Jerom by the Appoyntment of myne Executours or the most parte of them. Also I giue & bequeathe vnto my saide wief my lease or Farme of the parsonage of Wapenham for terme of her Lief. And if she fortune to dye before all the yeres be expired, then I bequeathe ye residue of the terme of yerees to com and the lease thereof after her decease with all my stuf & cattell that shallbe on the saide parsonage grounde at the death of myself or of my wief vnto my said sonne Jerrom Fermer. And yf the said Jerom fourtune to dye before hsi mother or will not dwell on the saide parsonage then I will the terme of yeres to com of the saide parsonage shall Remayne after the decease of me and my side wief vnto my sonne in Lawe Thomas Lovell. Item I will that all my debts that can be laufully provyd shall paide first before any of my legacies or bequests. Anything before geven or hereafter to be fiven or any article beforemencioned or hereafter to be mencioned. to the contrary in any wise notwtstanding. Item I wiill that yf I haue done any wronge to any persone or parsons that vpon profe therof with all hast possible he and they shalbe restored and recompensed to the vttermust by myne Executours. likewise before my legacies be paide as is aforesaid, Item I bequeathe vnto my daughter Mary Fermer to the prefarrement of her marriage so that she be Rulyd in her mariage by myn Executours or by the most parte of them Sevyn hundreth markes of good and Laufull money of Englande. Item I giue to the two doughters of Robert Welford toward their marriage to Euery of them Twentie poundes and one of them to be thothers heyre yf any of them fortune to dye before the daye of theire mariage or before thaige of xxj yeres. Item I giue and forgive William WIlford their brother all suche money as I paide for his wardship. Item I bequeathe vnto euery of my sonne John Fermers children being vn lyve the deaye of my deathe fourtie pounds apece. And one of them to be anothers heire as afresaide. Item i bequeathe vnot Thomas Lucy and his wief foure pounds to bye eache of them a Rynge. Item I bequeath vnto euery of my sonne William Lucys children being in lyf the daye of my deathe theyre except tenne pounds apece And vnto Mr John Mordaunts sonne that he hath by my daughter tenne pounds.And vnto my daughter the ladye Mordaunt Tenn pounds to by her apece of plate for her table. And vnot Jane Lovett her daoghter tenne pounde. Item I bequeathe vnto Richard Lane my wiefs kynnesman fourtie poundes. Item I bequeathe vnto Anne Briknell that ys in my house towards her mariage Twentie pounds and to euery of her susters fyve pounds towards their mariages. Item I bequeathe vnto my cosyn Dawkeings children twentye poundes. And to my coyn Barret yerely for terme of his lyfe one Annuytie of fyve markes which he hath allredy by patent. Item I bequeathe vnto my cosyn John Eldertons children tenne pounds to be deuvded amongs them. And to his brother Thomas children lyken of twentye pounds to be devided emongest them. Item I bequeath towards the reparing of high wayes by the discrecion of myne Executours fourtie poundes. Item I bequeathe vnto William Tailer William Hoknell and Roger Ashewell my Seruintes to euery of them fyve pounds. And to my Seruinte John Anne toward his prefarrement fourtie poundes. Item I bequeathe vnto euery one of my other seruints that shall be wt me at the tyme of my death his full yeres wages for the yere and fourtie shillings of my gifte besides. Item I bequeathe vnto my cousyn Wenmans children of Effeynly tenne poundes to be deuyded emongest them. Item I bequeathe vnto my doughter Fynes tenne pounds to bye her apece of plate for her table. Item I bequeathe vnot my Loving frends George Modley and Elizabeth his wief to euch of them x ls to bye euche of them aRinge. Item I bequeath vnot my said sonne Jerom Fermer and to theyres of his body laufully begotton and for lacke of suche yssue to the right heyres of me Richard Fermer the mannor of Hoo with thappurtennncs in the countie of Bedford. And the mannor the lyyd in the said countie of Bedford wt thappurte'nnces after that all my debts and legacies be fully paide and performed. And the meane seasyn. I will that my saide sonne Jerom Fermer shalhaue twentye markes yerely to fynde hym vntill this my presnte Last will be truly parformed. Item I wyll that all my lands and tenements wt their appurtenncs in Dorsettshire callyd Coxscombe Hallestoke and Nether Stokk and the manner of Towcost wt all my lands and ten'ts with their appurtenncs in the towne and folded of Towcest that I have the daye of my death not before this my last will gevyn awaye by feoffement And also all the landes and thets that my wief hath in Joynter by feoffament shll goo to thuse and performance of this my last will & testament Except and Alwayes resyned vnto my siad wief during her lyf all suche Lands that she hath in Joynter by such feoffment and asmoche woode for her sewell st in my woodes of Towcest as she will spend during her lyf to fall cut down and carry awaye yerely at all conuenient and sesonable tymes at her pleasure with oute assignement or interruption or immpechement of wast. Item I bequeather vnto my sonne Thomas Fermor after the decease of my saide wief my manner of _____ with thappurtenncs in the countie of Worcetur Annd all my landes tenements and hereditaments in _____ According to a dede thereof made as by the same yt may more playnly appere. Item I do ordeyne constitute and make Anne my wief Willm Fermer my brother and John Fermer my eldest sonne and Thomas Fermer my seconde sonne myne Executours of this my last will and testament they to se my bodye to be brought to the earthe with the Seruices and Ryth belonging to the Christon maner And to se my debtes Legacies and bequests truly paid according to the trewe meaning of this my last will and testament. And I do give vnto my siade brother Twentie pounds praying hym to be good loving and kynde vnto my poore children as he hath byn Alwayes vnot me and vnot them before tyme. In witnes that this is my last will and testament I have subscribed the same with myne owne hande and caused the same to be redd in the presens of them whose names be vnder wrytten, per me Richard Fermer. per me Georgiu' Coldewell per me Johan Anne. per me William Hyckwell. per me Johem Garter clericu'
1551 Richard Fermor died on November 17. His monumental inscription at Easton Neston, Northamtonshire, England, states, "Here under thys Tombe lyeth buryed the Body of Rychard Fermer Esquyer & marchant of the staple of Calays & Anne hys wyffe one of ye Doughters of Sr Wyllm Browne Knyght which Rychard Dyed the xvii day of Nouember ao dni mccccclij." The above inscription "is marginal round three sides of altar tomb, against the south wall of chancel, on which are represented the effigies of Richard and Ann Fermor on brass plates. The following shields of Arms are placed at each corner of the slab:--1. Fermor. 2. Fermor, impaling Browne (see woodcut). 3 As 2. 4. Browne." [4]
1551/52 The will of Richard Fermer was proved the third day of February. [5]
Research Notes:
Richard Fermor, elected Alderman in London in 1534, was a "zealous Romanist who in 1540 was imprisoned and deprived of his property for denying the supremacy of the King (Henry VIII). He was subsequently released and in the reign of Edward VI. his property was restored. He was son-in-law of William Browne (Mayor) and ancestor of the Earls of Pomfret." [6]
[1] Alfred B. Beaven, The Aldermen of the City of London temp. Henry III.-1908 (London: Evan Fisher, 1908), 156, citing Rep. 9, fo. 99, Rep. 9, fo. 141 b, and Journal 13, fo. 461, [HathiTrust], [GoogleBooks].
[2] The National Archives of the United Kingdom Catalog, Court of Chancery, C 1/796/38-41, [UKNationalArchives].
[3] Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, [AncestryImage].
[4] J. Jackson Howard and H. Farnham Burke, eds., Genealogical Collections Illustrating the History of Roman Catholic Families of England Based on the Lawson Manuscript, Part I I. Fermor. II. Petre. (Printed for Private Circulation, 1887), 13.
[5] Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858, [AncestryImage].
[6] Alfred B. Beaven, The Aldermen of the City of London temp. Henry III.-1912 (London: Eden Fisher, 1913), 170, [HathiTrust], [HathiTrust].