Will of Anne Whiting, Widow (1534)

© Crown Copyright

National Archives PROB 11/25/170, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Proved 16 May 1534

Transcribed by Debbie Kennett

THE WILL OF ANNE WHITING (16)

(Anne Whiting, née Pauncefoot, was an heiress from the Somerset village of Compton Pauncefoot. She married John Whiting, a wealthy Devon landowner and cloth merchant, who was lord of the manor of Woode in Kentisbeare. When John rebuilt Kentisbeare’s parish church, he had a tomb made there with brass effigies showing himself and Anne. John predeceased Anne and was buried in this tomb. Anne then moved back to her old home in Compton Pauncefoot, where she died in 1534. In her will, she asks to be buried with her ancestors in the Pauncefoot chantry of Compton Pauncefoot parish church , and not in the tomb in Kentisbeare which her husband had prepared for both of them, though she leaves bequests to that church.
Mary Keynes, Agnes Walrond and Isabel Ayshford are Anne’s married daughters. The two youngest daughters, Jane and Elizabeth, were still unmarried.
The Willoughby sister and brothers Anne refers to are the children of her stepmother’s second marriage. Anne grew up with these younger step-siblings.)

Anne Whiting widow late wife of John Whiting esquire: to be buried in the parish church of Compton Paunscefote in the Ile before St Kateryn where my graunt-father and other of myn auncestors lyeth; to the parish church of Kentisbere 6s.8d., and a paire of vestments; to the Isle of St John where my husband lyeth buried a paire of vestments, to the bretherhede of St John in Kentisbere to have every year direge and masse to pray for the soul of John Whiting and Anne his wife 3 kyne; to the chauntry of Compton Paunsfote a paire of vestments and my best gowne and best kyrtell to make a paire of vestments. To Sir Robert Brice chauntrye prest of Compton 40s., church of Compton a paire of vestments and 6s.8d., my sister Elizabeth Willughby L6.13s.4d., half a dozen of my best smoks and my best bonet, a frountlet, my daughter Isabel Aysford a casket with Kerchers and my next best bonet with the edge of peryll, my brother Robert Willoughby my best crose; to my cosyn John Willoughby the King's chaplyn L10, my doughter Jane Whiting my best chamlet gowne and kirtell and the residue of my smoks and the cupp that Maister Nicholas Fitz-james did geve me. To my doughter Elizabeth my tabulment of golde with the peryll. All the residue of my apparel to my sister Elizabeth Willughby. To all my servants their quarter's wages and 6s.8d. apece. The residue to my brother Robert Willughby, my executor.

CODICIL
February 3rd, 25 Hen. VIII [1534] To all Christian people, etc. Anne Whiting, widow, late the wife of John Whiting of Wood, esquire, one of the sisters and heirs to Petir Paunscefoote son and heir to Water Paunscefote, esquire, greeting. That where Hugh Paulet, John Willughby, Robert Chudlegh, esquires, Humfrey Collys and John Caylewaye deceased, jointly in the year 22 Hen. VIII at Westminister before Sir Robert Brudenell, knight, late Chief Justice, recovered against me the manor of Compton Paunscefote with the advowson of the church of Compton Paunscefote and with the chauntrye in the same church and two mills with the course of the water thereunto belonging running in the said manor and all my lands in Blakeforde and elsewhere in the county of Somerset which were the inheritqance of me, by force whereof the said Hugh Paulett, John Willughby, Nicolas Willughby (sic), Robert Chudlegh, Robert Willughby, George Willughby with Humfrey Collys and John Caylewaye stand seased in their demeane as of fee of the said manor and premises to the use of me, I the said A. W. declare my will concerning them as follows:- My body to be intyred, after it is dede, in a chapel in the said parish of Compton Paunscefote, wherein my grandfather and other ancestors be buried. I will my brothers John Willughby clerk and Robert Willughby take 100 marks of the issues of the said manor, of which 50 to be bestowed the day of my burial among poor people and for a Trentll and for all other things necessary for a gentilwoman of my estate as well blakes, hersis and light and the rest at my moneth and twelmoneth mynde and two priests to sing daily for me for one year at Compton Paunscefote. I will my brother Robert Willughby shall dwell at my mansion place of Compton Paunscefote for 7 years receiving the profits of the same and of my lands in Blakford. My said brothers to have 40s. yearly for five years for the execution of my will after which my said recoverers shall stand and be seised of and in the chief capitall mansion of Compton Paunscefote, with the gardyn and orchards barton and domynycall or demean lands thereto belonging and also of the wood there called Holcombe Wood and of Custome mille there being with the course of water, lettes, spryngs, werys and fastenyng of the same and with the advowson of the Chauntrye of the same manor to the use of Humphry Keynys and Mary his wife on condition they dwell there at all tymes except when the pestelence is reynyng. If not my brother Robert Willughby to have the said manor and lands. Also my said recoverers to stand and be seised of and in all the tenantries in Compton Paunscefote, the hyer mille called the Est Mille and all my lands in Blakeford to the use of Agnes Walrond and Isabel Aysford and their heirs provided that if my daughter Jane Whiting marry with the son and heir of Niccolas Fitz-james, then she shall have her part as ferforthe as her two other sisters, likewise if my youngest daughter Elizabeth be married to a gentilman by my assent she shall have her part as her other sisters. To my brother Robert Willoughby 13s 4d yearly for gathering the rent of the above tenantries with 100s yearly out of the manor of Compton Pauncefote. I will that if ever my grauntfather or any of my ancestors have ever wrongfully taken away land in Compton Pauncefote from Walter Petwyn, or his father, my heirs shall make restitution thereof to the said Walter Petwyn or his heirs.

Proved 16th May 1534.

Source: Medieval Wills, Somerset, Somerset Record Society Vol. XXI, Weaver, the Rev. F. W., 1905. 1533. Anne Whiting (14 Hogen); and Richard Whiting, Notes and Materials towards a history of Whiting of Wood – A Mediaeval landed family, 1974 (MS in DRO).