William Eddye

William Eddye
BORN: probably between 1558 and 1564 at Bristol, Egland
DIED: November 23, 1616 at Cranbrook, Co. Kent, England

MARRIED: Mary Fosten on Nov. 20, 1587 at Cranbrook

CHILDREN:
other children skipped
Samuel Eddy

MARRIED: Sarah Tayler on Feb. 22, 1613/14 at Cranbrook

CHILDREN:
other children skipped

1 William Eddye, b. at Bristol, Egland; d. at Cranbrook, Co. Kent, England, Nov. 23, 1616; m. (1) at Cranbrook, Nov. 20, 1587, Mary Fosten; dau. of John and Ellen (Munn) Fosten. Mary died in July 1611 and William m. (2) Feb. 22, 1613/14, at Cranbrook, Sarah Tayler, a widow. She d. before Feb. 5, 1639/1640 when her will was proved.

BIO and OTHER CHILDREN SKIPPED. (probably born between 1558 and 1564).

First wife:
+10 Samuel Eddy, bapt. Sept. 15, 1608.

WILLIAM EDDYE, VICAR OF CRANBROOK, ENG., AND HIS DESCENDANTS

TITLE ON P. 3 WILLIAM EDDYE, VICAR OF CRANBROOK, ENG., AND HIS DESCENDANTS 1 William Eddye, b. at Bristol, England; d. at Cranbrook, Co. Kent, England, Nov. 23, 1616; m. (1) at Cranbrook, Nov. 20, 1587, Mary Fosten; dau. of John and Ellen (Munn) Fosten. Mary died in July 1611 and William m. (2) Feb. 22, 1613/14, at Cranbrook, Sarah Tayler, a widow. She d. before Feb. 5, 1639/40 when her will was proved.

Elizabeth became Queen of England in 1558 and reigned until 1603. William Eddy was born probably between 1558 and 1564 and died in 1616, so that with the exception of the last few years, his whole life was spent in that great period, the Age of Elizabeth. His years of life were almost the same as those of Shakespeare, who was born in 1564 and died in 1616.

In spite of many years of research it has not as yet been possible to learn the names of the parents of William Eddye. Upon the first page of the Parish Register at the Church of St. Dunstan in Cranbrook, it is written by the hand of William himself, since his signature is at the foot of the page, that he was "borne in the cittie of Bristol." The church registers of the towns about Bristol as well as those of Bristol have been searched in vain for this birth record. Among the many wills which have been found (abstracts of which will be found in Bulletin No. 8) the two following seem to be the only ones which might throw any light on the problem. The town of Northleach is in the eastern part of Gloucestershire and the city of Bristol is in the southern part of the same county.

25 March 1578. Thomas Eddie of Norlach (Northleach), co. Glouc., tanner. To be buried in Norlach Church or churchyard. Sons: John; William; Harrie; Thomas; Christopher. To John that house and part of my 3 tenement at east end of Norlach next to a lane leading to the water on, now inhabited by Harrie Mynchin with reversion to son Thomas. To son William second tenement inhabited by George Mynchin. To son Harrie 3rd tenement inhabited by Nycholas Horton. To my sister Agnes Lane 40s. Residue to my son Harrie, sole execr. Overseers : Thos. Herbert the elder, & Christopher Lane. Wit: Thomas Dutton, Harrie Wynchcombe, Wm. Haule, Robert Fyfield, Thomas Herbert the elder. 2 July 1579 Proved at Gloucester by Harrie Eddie, son.

12 Jan, 1586/7. Henry (or Harrie) Edie, of Northleach, shoemaker. To son Thomas, his heirs, etc. 2 tenements ... at east end of Northleach in occupancy of John Evance & John Green. ... To Harry my son £5. at age of 18 years. To Marie.... To Ane.... Residue to my wife Margaret, sole executrix. Overseers: Richard Rose & Henry Winchcombe. Wit: Henry Winchcombe, Rychard Rose. Gregory Townsend, Thomas Edie. Proved 2nd Sept. 1589.

If the Harrie of the second will was the son, Harrie, of the first will he must have been married before 1557 in order to have a son Thomas, who is of age to inherit immediately. This would seem to place the children of Thomas Eddie, namely, John, William, Harrie, Thomas, and Christopher, one generation earlier than the vicar William. But it is just as probable that the Thomas and Henry (Harrie) of the two wills were of the same generation. In this case the son William (if second son, as position in will would suggest) must have been born as early as 1552. This date is earlier than has usually been ascribed to William, the Vicar, but of course not impossible. The problem of his parentage, however, must remain unsolved until more information is discovered. It is possible that the family to which our William belonged left the vicinity of Bristol during his childhood and settled in some other part of England, perhaps in the vicinity of Bury St. Edmunds, co. Suffolk, or in Cambridgeshire, where William became imbued with the desire to become a clergyman.

William Eddy matriculated as "sizar" at Trinity Hall, at the University of Cambridge, and there received the degree of B.A. in 1583. (A sizar is one who performs certain duties in part payment of his expenses at a school or college.) William then went to Thurston, a small parish in co. Suffolk, near Bury St. Edmunds and not very far from Cambridge. There he occupied the position of curate, perhaps from 1583 to 1586, as is shown by his signature on the transcript of the Register which was sent to the Bishop's office at Norwich. This signature was compared with those at Cranbrook and found to be the same, so there can be no question concerning the identity of William the Curate at Thurston, and William the Vicar at Cranbrook. During this period he matriculated at Trinity College at the University of Cambridge and in 1586 received the degree of Master of Arts - "magister in artibus" as he records it on the Register at Cranbrook. In this same year, 1586, Richard Fletcher, who since 1559 had been Vicar of Cranbrook, died, and Robert Roades, the President of St. John's College, Cambridge, was chosen by Archbishop Whitgift to succeed him. To have held this position in the College, Robert Roades must have been a very able and distinguished man, probably a Fellow of the University for many years and one who had taken a leading part in molding its views and spreading its teaching and discipline. It is likely that he had become acquainted with William Eddye and was attracted to him, perhaps because of his scholarship or personality, and invited him to accompany him as his assistant to the Parish of Cranbrook in 1586. To a young man this must have been a wonderful opportunity, this chance to work with and be the companion of one of the scholars of the day. William accepted the invitation and settled in Cranbrook. There he met Mary Fosten and in November of the year 1587 he married her. Upon the Marriage Register in his own handwriting there is the following entry:

20

Nupt.

November, 1587 Willimus Eddye in artib' magister et Marya Fosten Virgo

Mary Fosten was the daughter of John and Ellen (Munn) Fosten, who were married Jan. 19, 1562. John Fosten died and his widow married Andrew Ruck on Jan. I I, 1574. There was at least one child by this second marriage as William Eddye in his will mentions "my loving brother Stephen Ruck." It is possible that Mary inherited from her father some property, which would become hers upon her marriage, so that William felt that he could marry when only a curate. This marriage portion may be the "Annuitie of five pounds a yeare granted unto me and Mary my late wife now deceased and to the heires of our body", whereof he makes mention in his will.

This first year of their married life was a very exciting one in the history of England, for it was the year of the war with Spain and the defeat of the great Spanish Armada. Cranbrook is not very far from the coast and must have taken a very active part in furnishing men for the ships and in other preparations for the defense of the coast bordering on the English Channel.

For some reason William Eddye was in Staplehurst, a town about six miles from Cranbrook, in the spring of 1589 and there his son Nathaniel was born and baptized, for the Register of the Staplehurst Church has the following record:

The Register at Cranbrook records that on February 24, 1589/90, was buried Master Roberte Roades, "whoe was President of St. John's Colledge in Cambridge and after Vicar of this parish of Cranbrooke". Archbishop Whitgift then appointed Richard Mulcaster, the Head-Master of the Merchant-Taylors School, to the office of Vicar. But he remained only a year, during which time William Eddye continued as curate. Then on Jan. 12 , 1591, Archbishop Whitgift ap-pointed William Eddye to succeed. He occupied this position for twenty-five years, until his death in 1616. Perhaps this appointment gives us the clearest picture of the ability of William Eddye which we have, in that he was deemed worthy to succeed the three brilliant and scholarly men who had occupied the vicarage for the previous thirty years.

Richard Fletcher, the first Protestant vicar, served from 1559 to 1,586. He received ordination iii the reign of Edward VI, and during the reign of Mary remained in England, iii in spite of many hard3hipa and imprisonment. When he was Vicar of Cranbrook he had associated with him two men who were so Puritanical in their views that they were ordered to stop preaching their doctrines. This Richard Fletcher was the father of Richard Fletcher who became the Bishop of London and religious adviser and Chaplain of Queen Elizabeth, and he was grandfather of John Fletcher, whose name is so often. associated with that of Beaumont as a writer of brilliant plays. After the death of Fletcher, Archbishop Whitgift, a "strong Calvinist in doctrine and a strict enforcer of conformity," chose Robert Roades, the scholar, a kindly gentleman, one whose views were above suspicion and one whose manners were conciliatory, who, as President of St. John's College, Cambridge, had long shown his ability and genius. These were two of the noted men whom Archbishop Whitgift deemed William Eddye worthy to succeed. Thus it seems likely that in 1591 William Eddye was a strict Conformist and it is probable that he held these views for the greater part of his life, for there seem to be no accounts of any religious disturbances recorded in the parish during his incumbency. If there were any changes they must have come gradually as a natural growth rather than from any sudden adoption of the more radical views of the Puritan element, which was gaining ground in the section to the north-east of London, especially in the counties of Suffolk and Essex.

We can imagine the pride which William felt upon being chosen, when only about thirty years of age, to become the Vicar of the Church at Cranbrook, and we can understand the joy in his heart when he wrote below the record of his marriage those Latin words which when translated are " But he was inducted into the real and actual possession of the Vicarage of the Church of the parish of Cranbrooke on the twelfth of January in the year 1591". Another proof of his installation as Vicar is a record found in the First Fruits' Composition Books in Vol. XI, fo.I3I, at the Public Records Office, which contains the following records:

Every new incumbent of a feudal or ecclesiastical benefice or of an office of profit was obliged to pay to his superior the "first fruits" or in other words, the income for the first year of the benefice or office. In England up to the time of Henry VIII these "first fruit" taxes were paid to the pope by every new incumbent of a benefice in the pope's patronage, but Henry VIII abolished this payment and the "first fruits" tax was transferred to the Crown. This record shows that the income of William Eddye for the first year of his incumbency, which began on Jan. 12, i5gi, was gig.19sh. 6d. and that on Dec. 17, 1591 he paid one-tenth of the stipend and arranged with Richard Jurden, yeoman, and Robert Hovenden, clothier, to act as security for his payment of the rest. It also shows that he paid the remaining amount L17.19sh. 63/4d. in four payments, two in 1592, and two in 1593.

Previous to i~598 the Church Registers of England had been written for the most part on paper. In the latter part of that year a law was issued to the clergy that the records must be kept on parchment. William Eddye set about this task and scholar that he was, he wished it well done, so he did it himself. Eighty pages bear his signature. The book bears evidence of careful work as a scribe and it shows some skill in drawing and designing, but a critic states that the illuminations are poor when compared with the work of mediaeval artists, but far superior to those of the average vicar of his time. The Rev. David Brewer Eddy, who visited Cranbrook in 1927, writes as follows: "The vicar opened the large steel safe which stands in the rear of the entrance hall near his study door, and placed before me, with my two younger boys, Russell and David Brewer, Jr., the sacred pages of the old parish records. He spoke with satisfaction of the painstaking care with which our famous William had recopied on permanent parchment the earlier records. Turning the pages he showed exactly where the handwriting of our ancestor began. He opened several sections of the records to show the decorations that William had added to embellish the pages for Burials, Marriages, Births. Together we sought the names of th~ Eddy children noted at birth, the longer lists of parish deaths at the times of plague, a surprising list of vicars with all too brief tenure in these times of the Black Death, possibly related to our modern epidemics of the flu, and vastly more fatal. Each new page of parchment was endorsed with the signature of "William Eddye, Vicar" and one or two names of church officials added to his own as witness~s. The principal pages show designs of rather crude workmanship, often in a pale green ink, with rulings for margins and an occasional flower pattern with geometric patterns at the corners of the page. It is all free hand work and totally without artistic effect but reveals care and patience through many years of faithful effort. " This Title Page is of interest, since it is the source of much of our knowledge concerning William Eddye himself. CRANBROOKE This Register is divided into three books in which are contained the names of all such persons which have been either Baptized, Married and Buried within the parish of Cranbrooke from yeare to yeare and from time to time wch Register was begune to be keapte in the moneth of August Anno Domini 1559 Theye were first writen in a booke of paper appointed for that purpose and so contyrrued from yeare above writen unto the first day of Decembr anno Dominy 1598 at which tyme all that was writen before untill then were taken oute of the sayed booke of paper and placed into this Book of Parch- mente by commarmclemente from aurtheurtie for the better continuance of the same unto Posteretie The Pastor or minister then of this parrish of Cranbrooke was William Eddye in artib' iiiagister of the univer- setie of Camebridge and boriie in the Cittie of Bristoll whoe wroat or cu ppied owte this Register to the end it mighte more faithfullie donne wth his owne hand The Churchwardens at the same tyme of this sayed parrish of Cranbrooke were James Kinge Senior church w:yt yeare and Mr. Allexander Brickenden 2F-terna expeto qd Eddye The Rev. William Bell, who was Vicar of Cranbrook in 1902 made a careful study of the Register for the purpose of writing a Memoir of William Eddye. He states that scattered throughout the book are several scholarly quotations. Some are from the Scriptures and others from Latin authors. The following quotation from Cyprian is found on the Title-page preceding the records of Baptisms," Ut deus personam non accipit sic nee aetatem item a baptismo atque gratia nemo prohibetur." One from Aug ustine precedes the records of Burials. " Nee aliquid nocet fidelibus negata eorum corporibus sepultra, nee si exhibeatur aliquid infidelibus pro&5t." Mr. Bell states that here and there after the entry of a burial William Eddye added a comment, such as "an honest man" or "a good woman", "a good Christian." Some places show that sometimes he erased the comment which he had added. From the fact that the names of the children of William were Bible names and not those that were characteristic of the Puritans of the time, such as Faint-not, C6mfort, Repent, and Experience, 1\/Ir. Bell draws the conclusion that William Eddy did not go to extremes in his beliefs, but was a sincere adherent of the Church of England as it was in the reign of Elizabeth. He adds

that this idea is borne out by the fact there are no records of any disputes in the parish while he was Vicar.

One section of this Register contains a description of a plague which fell upon Cranbrook. It is of interest because it was written by William Eddye and is the only piece of his own composition that has been found. It is quoted below in modern spelling.

In this year following 15()7 began a great plague in Cranbrook, which continued from April the Year aforesaid unto the 13th of July, 1598.

~i. First it is to be observed that before this infection did begin that God about a year or two before took away by death many honest and good men and women -

2. Secondly, that the judgment of God for sin was much before threatened and especially for that vice of drunkenness, which did abound here.

3. Thirdly, that this infection was in all quarters at that time of this parish except Hartley quarter.

4. Fourthly, that the same began in the house of one Brightlinge out of which much thievery was committed and that it ended in the house of one Henry Grynnoche who was a pot com Panion and his wife noted much for incontinency which both died excommunicated.

5. Fifthly, that this infection was got almost into all the inns and victualling houses of the town Places then of great misorder, so that God did seem to punish that himself, which others did neglect and not regard.

6. Together with That infection there was a great dearth at the same time, which was cause also of much heaviness and sorrow.

7. This was most grievous unto me of all that this judgment of God did not draw the people unto repentance the more but that many by it seemed to be more hardened in their sin."

The other matters of interest in the Register are the records of the baptism of his children, a record which has proved invaluable to his descendants of later generations. It is also noted that the records in the latter part of 16io and for nearly all of 1611 are written by another hand. When this fact is added to the record that "Thomas Greene, son of Mr. Greene preacher of the word, was baptized in Cranbrook," it would seem likely that for some reason William was away from his vicarage or else was suffering from a long illness. This was the year in which Mary, his wife, and also a new-born child, Nathaniel, died.

Two years later he married again. The second wife, Sarah Tayler, was a widow with several children by her first husband. From her own will and from the will of William Eddye it is evident that she had property. There is on record at Cranbrook a deed, dated 1617, between Dence Weller of Cranbrook, clothier, and Sarah Eddy of Cranbrook, widow, late wife of William Eddy, late Vicar of Cranbrook. This deed bears a seal heraldic and five signatures (Coleman's catalogue of I87S, No. 56).

From the inventory of William's estate it is possible to get some idea of his home. There was a hall with a large fireplace and some armor on the walls and behind it the kitchen, evidently a large room where the family ate. Here also was a large fireplace surrounded by the utensils used in cooking, many of them similar to those used in the very early New England kitchens. The kitchen had two cupboards, one of wood and the other, either with a glass front, or else made for holding glassware. The shelves were filled with pewter dishes and there were several pieces of brass. On this same floor opening out of the hall and kitchen, were several other rooms. First of all there was a parlor which was well-furnished. There were curtains and "mappes" and pictures on the walls, a carpet on the floor, tables, chairs, and cushions for further comfort and decoration. Then there were six chambers, the Chapel chamber, which was his own and which he probably used for his study and work, a parlor chamber, a hall chamber, a kitchen chamber, a maid's chamber, and another over the shop, which seemed to have been used partly as a storeroom, as was also the shop below. If one recalls the pictures of the interior and exterior of Shakespeare's house and remembers that William Shakespeare was a contemporary of William Eddye it will greatly aid in forming a mental picture of the appearance of the vicarage of Cranbrook. Beyond the kitchen were the regular outbuildings, one where the meal was sifted (or bolted) and then stored and where the loaves were kneaded, another building where the ale and other drinks were brewed and a third where the products of the dairy were cared for and stored. The three buildings generally adjoined the kitchen, while the other outbuildings were entirely separate. There were several of these besides the barn and the woodhouse.

We learn from the Register that at times there were other inmates in the household of William besides his family and servants, for on Feb. 10, 1,599 Mistress Bridget died, about whom he wrote "she appeared a maiden and most godly Christian gentlewoman. She lodged with me at the N Vicarage and there died." There is also the entry of the death of a gentleman "who was schooling for the Latin tongue." So we may believe that William increased the income derived from his position as a Vicar by tutoring. It is probable that among these scholars was his own son, John, who shows in after life, that he had a very good education.

William Eddy did not live long after his second marriage which took place in Feb. 1614. One daughter, Priscilla, was born to him. Early in 1616, if we can judge by the handwriting on the register, William 6vas so ill that he was no longer able to perform his duties as Vicar and on Nov. 23, 1616 he died. He left a will dated Aug. 20, 1616 and proved Dec. 4, 1616 in the Court of the Archdeacon of Canterbury. The seal on this will is not armorial.

In the name of God Amen the twentieth day of August 1616 and in the yeares of the Reigne of our sovereigne Lord James by the grace of God of England Scotland Fraunce and Ireland King defender of the faith &c vizt of England Fraunce and Ireland fourteenth and of Scotland the fyfteth I William Eddye Minister and Pastor of the parrish Church of Cranebrooke in the County of Kent being at this present afflicted Wth great bodely infirmities and weaknes whereby I doe assuredlie conceive that the tyme of my dissolution out of this mortal life draweth neere and is at hande have therefore determined to make and ordeine this my present last will and testament in manner and fourme followinge vizt Inprimis I coiiiend my soule into the handes of allinighty God my heavenlie father in Jesus Christ by the merritts of whose death and passion only my sinnes (Wch I confesse to be many and great) being wholly remitted and forgotten I am fully persuaded in heart this mortal life ended to enjoy everlastinge life Item I give and bequeath unto forty poore householders of this parishe that are apparentlie knowen to resort difigenthe to y~ church upon the lordes day and doe live Peaceablie and godlie the sume of forty shiliinges of 1~wful money of England to be Daid unto them wthin WfP a ypre next after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto John Eddie my sonne the some of sixescore poundes of lawfull money of England to be payd unto him by my executor in manner and fourme followinge vi~t threescore poundes thereof when he shall accomplish his full age of one and twentie yeares and other threescore noundes residew of his said portion Wthin one whole yeare next after his said age Item I give and bequeath unto Samuell Eddie am d Zacharias Eddie my sonnes to either of them one hundred poundes a laeece of lawfull money of England to be paid unto them and either of them when they and either of them shall severally accomplish their severall ages of two and twentie yeares And if it shall fortune that either of my said sonnes Samuell and Zacharias to departe this life to Gods mercie befo e the tyme that his or their said Legacie or Legacies shalbe due & my said son John then being livinge then I will that he shall have Twentie poundes of his or their legacie or legacies so deceasinge to be paid unto him at his age of twentie and two yeares if either of his said bretheren depart this life before he shalbe of the said age. And if after the said age then to be paid him wthin one whole yeare next after the death of his brother so disceasinge And the residew to be equally devided betweene the survivor and my executor Item I give and beQueath unto Abigail Eddie Anne Eddie and Elizabeth Eddie my daughters to either of them the some of one hundred poundes of lawfull money of England to be paid unto them and either of them at their severall ages of XXtie yeares or at their severall dayes of marriage wch shall first happen And if any of my said daughters shall happen to departe this life to Gods mercie before the tyme aforesaid that hei or their legacie or legacies shallbe due then I will that my Executor shall pay unto Priscilla my daughter twentie markes thereof at hei age of twentie yeares or day of marriage wch shall first happen (if she shall live untill her said age or day of marriage) And allso, unto my sayd sonne John Eddie twentie poundes theieof if he be then livinge and neither of his younger brethren deceased to be paid unto him as the twentie poundes abovesaid lymitted out of his younger brothers portion Provided allwayes if he have Twentie poundes by the death of either of his younger brethren he shall not have anythinge out of any of his sisters legacies aforesaid And if either of his Sisters die fiist then to have nothing out of either of his said Brothers poitions. And the residew of the said legacie or legacies of my said daughters see departinge this life I will shall remaine to my executor Item whereas Sara my now wife in love and kindness to me and my othei children hath promised to make up a portion for Priscilla my daughter W~h I had by her yet I doe give and bequeath unto the said Priscilla my daughter my gieat new silver salt two silver beaie cuPPS two new silver wine cuppes and one greene ragge coverlett all W~h I will shall be delivered unto the said Sara my wife y-mediatlie after my decease for the use of my said daughter Priscilla to be given to the said Priscilla at such convenient tymes as she in her discretion shall thynke fitt Item I further give and bequeath unto the said Priscilla my daughter my best greene standard cloth wrought wth needle worke and one suite of my best needle worke Cushions belonginge thereto to be delivered to the said Priscilla by my Executour at her age of twenty yeares or day of marriage w-h shall first happen Item I give and bequeath more unto the aforesaid John Eddie my sonne one other suite of my needle worke Cushions vizt one large and two short that were wont to lye in the chamber window over the Parlor and my greane Cupboaid Cloth for the Parlor that is wrought with needle worke together allso wth my Cipres table wth boxes in it wherein I doe use to lay the evidences of this house and one faire pewter Candlesticke set forth Wth a man Item I give and bequeath more unto Samuell Eddie my sonne one little sylver salt called a trencher salt to be delivered unto him at his age of one and twentie yeares Item I give and bequeath more unto Zacharias my Sonne one payer of my greatest brasse Candlestickes to be delivered unto him at his age of one and twentie yeares Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Marie the wife of Simeon Everriden one needle worke Cushion that is wont to stand upon the Cupboard in the Parlor to be delivered unto her yfnediately after my decease Item I give and bequeath more unto Abigall Eddie Anne Eddie and Elizabeth Eddie my daughters three needle worke Cushions vizt to each of them one w~h were wont to stand in the laige wyndow in my parlor to be delivered unto them yniediatelie after my decease and to be reserved in their trunkes for them W~h longe since I gave them Item I give and bequeath unto Simeon Everriden aforesaid my sonne in law and to my said daughter Maiie his wife twentie poundes of lawfull money of England to be paid unto them or either of them by my executor wthin fower yeares next after my decease and to their three children viz Simeon Katherine and Robert each of them ten shillings to be put into or bestowed upon silver spoones for each of them one to be delivered unto them within two yeares next after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto Richaid Taylor Robert Taylor Thomas Taylor Elizabeth and Sara Taylor the scones and daughters of Sara my now wife ten shillings a peece to be bestowed uppon Silver Spoones foi everie of them one and to be given or delivered unto them wthin three yeares next after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my good friend Mi, Elmestone of Cranebrooke one gold Ringe of the price of xiii~ iijid and also unto my loving brother Steven Rucke I will in like manner one gold Ringe of like valew to be delivered unto them wthin one halfe yeare next after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto my two maid servauntes vizt Marie Greene and Anne Goodman to either of them five shillings to be paid unto them and either of them wthin one month next after my decease The residew of all and singular my moveable goods and chattells Bookes Coine Cattell and household stuffe whatsoever before herein not willed given nor bequeathed my Debts Legacies and funerall expences discharged and paid I give and bequeath unto Phinees Eddie my Scone whom I make and ordeine full whole and sole Executor of this my present last will and Testament This is the last Will and testament of me the aforesaid William Eddie made and declared the day and yeaie aforewritten as touchinge the disposition of all and singular my lands Tentes and hereditaments whatsoever vizt I give and bequeath unto the aforesaid Phinees Eddie my sonne (for and towardes the better performance of my will and for the full and more absolute payment of my debts and legacies) all my messaages or Tentes Edifices buildings Orchardes gardens rentes annuities landes and heieditaments whatsoever wth all and singuler their appurtnces situate lying and being in the parrish of Cranebrook aforesaid or elsewhere in ya Realme of England to have and to hold the same unto the said Phinees my sonne his heiies and assignes for ever Provided alwayes and my verie will and meaning is that if the aforesaid Phine s my sonne his IlCiTes and assignes shall make default in payment of any of the foresaid legacies before given to my sonnes and daughters That then yifiediatelye fiom and after any such default of payment so made contraric to this my will it shall and may be lawfull to and for such of my sonnes and daughters as shalbe so unpaid to enter in and upon all and singuler my foresaid lands and Tentes whatsoever wth their appurtenances before given unto my sonne Phinees And the same to have hold and occupye and enjoy vizt my Sonne John for the full terme and space ,of fower whole yeares in recompence of his foresaid legacies of sixe score poundes And my other sonnes and daughters everie one of them that shalbe so unpaid to entei in and upon all my said landes and Tentes Wth their appurtences and the same to have hold occupie and enjoy everie one of them for the full terme and space of three whole yeares in full recompence, of his her or their foresaid legacie or legacies of one hundred poundes And this everie one of them to doe successivelie one after another as often as any of them shalbe unpaid Item my will and my minde, is that whereas I have an Annuitie of five poundes a yeare granted unto me and Mary my late wife now deceased and to the heires of our bodies lawfully begotten wth said Annuitie after my decease by law will descend unto all my sonnes equally yet I by this my will have given the same unto the foresaid Phinees my sonne now my will and true meaning is that my foresaid sonnes; John Eddie Samuell Eddie and Zacharias Eddie and everie of them in respect of their foresaid legacies to them by me given shall at all tyme and tymes after they and everie of them shall severally accomplish their severall ages of one and twenty yeares upon reasonable request to them and everie of them to be made by the said Phinees my sonne his heires or assignes and at the costs and charges of the said Phinees his heires or assignes make convey and assure unto the said Phinees his heires or assignes such assurances and conveyances for the dischardging of their severall rightes tytles and demandes of in and to the fore~id Annuities as the said Phinees Eddie his heires or assignes; or his or their Councell learned shall devise And if any of my said scones John Sainuell and Zacharias shall refuse so to doe upon iequest made as aforesaid that then he or they Wch shall so refuse shall loose the benefit of all his or their foresaid legacies before to them by me given Item I will and my mind is that the aforesaid Phinees Eddie my sonne his heiies or assignes shall well and vertuouslie bringe upp the foresaid Samuell Eddie Zacharias Eddie Abigall Eddie Anne Eddie and Elizabeth Eddie my scones and daughters in good and vertuous education and maintaine and keepe them wth meete and suffitient meat drinke and apparell vizt my sonnes; untill they accomplish their severall ages of eighteene yeares except before that tyme he can place them forth in good services fytting for their degree and my daughters untill they shall severally accomplish their severall ages of eighteene yeares In witness whereof I the foresayd William Eddie to everie sheet of paper of this my will conteininge sixe sheetes have set my hand and to this last sheete have ~Iso sett my scale Dated the day and yeare first above wiitten William Eddie Sealed and published in the presence of John Elmestone and George Martin scriptor.

Probate was made of the will of Wm Eddie clerk late Vicar of Cranebrooke Archdeaconry Court deceased 4th day of the month of December A. D. 1616 by the oath of Phinees Eddie the Executor

Afterwards namely the 8th day of the month of October 1617 by the Oaths of John Elmestone George Martin John Weller and Dence Weller the Probate was confirmed

Parlies to the Sentence

Phinees the Son, Sara Eddie the widow, John Samuell & Zacharias the Sons, Marie Eddie als

Evernden wife of Simon Evernden Abigal, Anne, Elizabeth & Priscilla Eddie the daughters.

(Archdeaconry of Canterbuiy Book 61 fo. 331 District Probate Registry at Canterbury)

Original copy of this will was received by Miss Clara A. Avery, July 27, 1922, from her representatives, Phillimore & Co., Ltd., London, England.

INVENTORY SKIPPED

After the death of William Eddye his widow continued to live in Cranbrook. There seems to be evidence in the Churchwarden's book that her sons and the children of William did not always agree. Zachary Eddy, in his oration in I 88o, states that Phineas had a fight with one of them in the churchyard. When Sarah died she left no property to any of the Eddy children and since her own daughter, Priscilla Eddy, is not mentioned in her will she must have died in childhood. Her will was dated Aug. 1, 1637 and proved Feb. 5, 1639/40- (See Bulletin No- 3, p. 29 for an abstract of this will).

just what happened to the children of William after the death of their father can only he conjectured. It is known that the oldest son, Nathaniel, died before 1611, since aiiotlier son was given that name. The latter died in infancy. The death of Eleanor (Elleii) is recorded also. The oldest daughter Mary had married Simeon Evernden and had three children before her father's death. It is probable that Phineas, who was twenty-three when his father died, soon married Katherine Courthopp, daughter of Peter and Anne (Sheaffe) Courthopp, and so made a home for his younger brothers and sisters, for by Llie terms of his father's will he was entrusted with this care.

"Phinees Eddie my so nne his heirs or assignes shall well and vertuouslie bringe upp the foresaid Samuell Eddie Zacharias Eddie Abigail Eddie Anne Eddie and Elizabeth Eddie my scones and daughters in good and vertuous education and maintaine and keepe them wd, meete and suffitient meat drinke and apparell vizt my sonnes untill they accomplish their severall ages of eighteene yeares except before that tyme he can place them forth in good services fytting for their degree and my daughters untill they shall severally accomplish their severall ages of eighteene yeares."

Since Samuel was a tailor it is probable that in due time Phineas apprenticed him to that trade, which in that section of the country at that time was a very lucrative one. No record of Zacharias is found anywhere. He may have died in boyhood or he may have been the Eddy, who, according to Pope in his "Pioneers of Massachusetts", came to New England from Boxted, England in 1639. The story of Abigail and Anne is told in the following chapter. Of Elizabeth we have no further record. She may have died in childhood or she may have been the wife of some one of the early settlers here in New England.

The marriage of Phineas to Katherine Courthopp, a niece of William Sheaffe, allied him with two of the best families in Cranbrook. He was appointed as one of the sidesmen at Easter in 1618. Before 1620 two of his children died, one an unnamed child, the other named Peter. Some time later Phineas left Cranbrook and settled in Portsmouth. Whether his wife Katherine died before or after this change in residence is not known, but she had died and he had married a second wife, Christian . . . , before Dec. 18, 1639, when he made a will. This will was proved June 7, 1641. From this will, which follows, it is evident that Phineas left no male descendants, so unless Zacharias married and had sons there are no descendants of William, the Vicar, beariiig the name of Eddy, except those who trace back either to John or Samuel Eddy.

In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN. The 18 daye of december 1639 and in the sixteenth yeare of the Raigne of our soueragine Lord Charles by ye grace of god of Great Brittaine france and Ireland Kinge defender of the faith; I PHINEHAS EDDEY of Portsemouth in the Countie of South Yeamon and now in the Calling of a Cooke ... being sicke in bodye but of perfitt memory thankes begiuen vnto allmightie god for it, doe make and ordaine this my last will and Testament viztimprimis I Commend my Soule into the hands of the all mightie god my heauenly father in Jesus Christ by the meritts of whose death and passion only my sins which I confess to be many and great being wholly remitted and for-gotten I am fully persuaded in my hart this mortall life being ended to inioye life euerlasting Item I give vnto the poore of the towne of Portsemouth two shillings sixe pence in bread. Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Aanne Eddey twenti pound of good and lawfull money of England which is in the hands of her granfather Couhops his handes and her vnkle Allexander Courhops in ther two hands vpon specialltie Item I give vnto my foresaid daughter one trunckeof linnen wholly as I left it at my father in laws Mr Peter Courthops house and as the perticulars what is in the trunck will mor apeare by A just Inuentory of it in my Executor's hand with the band of the afoiesaid twentie pounds I give vnto my foresaid daughter one great Joyned cupbeard wh was given to my late wife Katheren Eddy By her vncle Mr William Sheafe and now is in the keping of Mr Peter Couthope my one great joyned Cradle and on little joyned Cradle one hye Chayre wth turnd stanes for A Child to set at table and one great Shipp Chest and much more other lumber which is specified in the foresaid inuentory wth the band Item I give vnto my foresaid daughter Anne all my debtes oweing me vpon my Shope booke all which forme a legacie of twentie pounds and the goods specified and booke of debtes my true will and meaning is that she my foresaide daughter Ann Eddey may be truly paid her legacie and possest wth the goods at her age of one and twentie years or daye of maryage fist happen and my executor to be the beest ayde she can to help her to procure it And further my will and true meaning is that if it shall please god to take away my foresaid daughter before she come to the age of one an twentie years or day of maryag that then I give the leagacie of twenti pounds and all the goods specified wth my Shope booke of debts vnto my executor Item I giuc vnto my foresaid daughter Eddy one gold ringe in valuation worth thirtye shillings wth a possie in him of these words (f eare God and one siluer spoune which was her owne mothers which ringe and spoune shalbe giuen her at her age of one an twentie years or daye of maryage by my executor it being lawfully demanded Item Igiue vnto my daughter Margaret Eddey one sute of Christening linun of callicoe laune and one gold ringe and one grine kirsie cushin boxe at her age of one an twentie yeares of age or daye of maryage first happen but if it shall please god she to depart this lif before she come to age or daye of maryag I will it remaine to my executor Item I giue vnto my foresaide Daughter Margaret Eddey the house I now dwell in which came to me by maryage of her mother and the deeds thereof to be deliueried up into her hands of my oveerseers in trust presentlyafter my deceas and they to haue the menorrities and bringine upe of my foresayd daughter Margaret Eddey an they to let out the house and despose of it as they shall thinke best for her better maintenance and education. Item I glue vnto my daughter Susanna Eddey tenne pounds of good and lawfull money of England at her age of one an twentie years of age or daye of maryeg first heppen Item I giue and bequeath vnto my now wif Christian Eddey whome I doe make my wholl EXECUTOR three feather beadses and blousters one silluer bowle and all the rest of my goodes and chatteles what soeuer all my debtes wages from the King ore any other legacioes it herafter may be fall me whatsoeuei all my household stuf and goodes and further I doe ordaine and for the better performanc mak my two trustie frindes Richard Ridg and Richard 0seborne my two ouerseeres and for Richard Ridg and Richard Oseborne I apoynt them to be wholle gardions of trust foi my daughter Margeiet Eddey and for ther paines taken therein I giue vnto them by this my will five shillings apece for A remembrane IN WITNES wherof I haue hearvnto sett my hand and sealle the daye and date aboue written-The testament of me PHINEHAS EDDEY (L S)-Witnesses as followeth-RICHARD RIDGE-RICHARD OSBORNE that which is crost out in my will was done by my self because my daughter Abigall departed this lif since I made my will and I haue made up my daughter Susanna her legacie tenne pounds which I doe afirme vnder this my hand that and all the rest to be firme and my last will and testament of mePHINEHAS EDDEY.

Proved 7th June 1641. FOS 12. 0.B.Evelyn 66. AVP.

. John Eddy was nearly twenty years of age at his father's death, so Phineas was given no care over him. No further record concerning him has been found in Cranbrook. It has been suggested that perhaps he was studying to follow in the footsteps of his father and was about to enter Cambridge, but that his father's death put an end to these plans. At any rate he is next found in 1622 married and living in Nayland not very far from Thurston, the little parish in which hi~ father served as curate while studying at Cambridge. Both of the towns are in the region of Bury St. Edmunds. It has been suggested that perhaps some relatives or friends of his father lived in this vicinity and gave to this young student a home while he was studying. He does not seem to have learned any trade. This change from peaceful Cranbrook to Suffolk county, one of those sections in which Puritanism was rapidly increasing in strength, was destined to be a momentous one in the life of young John Eddy. It is probable that he embraced these views with all the ardor of a young man, so that when the great Puritan migration to New England began under the leadership of John Winthrop in 1630, he was ready to throw in his lot with this group, and probably induced his younger brother Samuel, who was just coming of age, to be also one of those who were setting out to secure religious liberty and a civil democracy in a new land.

The exact spot where William Eddye lies buried is not known. It may be beneath the chancel of the church where the incumbent often was buried, or outside in the churchyard, where at some time a wooden cross may have marked the grave. If so it has long since disappeared. Thus passed the name of Eddy from the memory of Cranbrook and it remained for a descendant some two hundred and fifty years later to restore it to the town.

Robert Henry Eddy of Boston became interested in his ancestry and visited the 'place which tradition had handed down as the birthplace of his first New England parents. There on the Register he found proof of the truth of this tradition, and wishing to have some permanent record of his ancestor, William Eddye, in the church which he so faithfully served for over twenty-five years, he left a bequest of $5000 for this purpose to the Church in Cranbrook. In 1902 three memorial windows and a tablet were dedicated to the memory of William Eddye and his emigrant children.

Children, by first wife; all born in England:

2 NATHANAELL EDDY, bapt. Mar- 30, 1589, at Staplehurst, Co. Kent; d. young.

3 MARY EDDY, bapt. Sept. isgi, at Cranbrook, co. Kent, Eng. (Church Register); m. before 1616 SIMEON EVERNDEN. Simeon Evernden was one of the

witnesses of the will of William Eddy and one of those who took the inventory of his goods. Their children were Simeon, Katherine, and Robert. Perhaps further research will connect this family of Everriden with those Everridens which appear early in New England.

4 PHINEAS EDDY, bapt. Sept. 1593, at Cranbrook, Eng. (Church Register); m. (1) KATHERINE COURTHOPP, dau. of Peter and Anne (Sheaffe) Courthopp. She d. before 1639. He M. (2) CHRISTIAN . . . . who survived him. (See his will.) His children were Peter, Anne, Margaret, Susanna, and Abigail. Peter died at Cranbrook Nov. 8, 16ig and Abigail between Dec. 18, 1639 and June 7, 1641. Phineas died before June 7, 1641, when his will was proved at Portsmouth.

5 JOHN EDDY, bapt. 1597, at Cranbrook.

6 ELEANOR EDDY, bapt. Aug. 1599; called Ellen when buried Oct. 16io.

7 ABIGAIL EDDY, bapt. Oct. i6oi.

8 ANNA EDDY, bapt. May 1603.

9 ELIZABETH EDDY, bapt. Dec. 16o6. She was living in z616.

10 SAMUEL EDDY, bapt. Sept. 15, 16o8.

11 ZACHARIAs EDDY, bapt. Mar. 16io. He was living in 1616, according to his father's will. Query.-Is he the . . . Eddy, who according to Savage came to New England in 1639 from Boxted, Eng.? Did he come accompanied by a young son John, who later settled in Taunton and whom we know as John Eddy of Taunton, carpenter?

12 NATHANIEL EDDY, bapt. July 1611; d. 1611, aged 9 days.

Child, by second wife:

13 PRISCILLA EDDY, bapt. Dec. In, 1614. She was living in 1616, but died, probably unmarried, before 1637, as she is not mentioned in her mother's will, dated Aug. 1, 1637 (See Bulletin, No. 3).