Elizabeth Mansfield

Notes:

Gateway ancestor, one of LD's five (so far).

From Robert Charles Anderson, John C. Brandon, and Paul C. Reed, "The Ancestry of the Royally-Descended Mansfields of the Massachusetts Bay" (citation details below):

Of Elizabeth (Mansfield) Wilson, not much is known. She was very unwilling to come to New England; as Mather writes, she had to be "perswaded over into the difficulties of an American desart," arriving two years after her husband. In May 1631, Margaret (Tyndal) Winthrop told how Mr. Wilson "can not yet perswad his wife to goe, for all he hath taken this paynes to come and fetch hir. I maruiell [marvel] what mettell she is made on. shure she will yeald at last, or elce we shal want him excedingly in new england." Later the same month, Mrs. Winthrop again mentioned Elizabeth's distaste for the trip; she was "more auerce [averse] then euer she was." Mrs. Wilson finally arrived in Massachusetts in 1632. Her dislike of the voyage to New England, and her unhappiness at hearing of the death of her eldest son, whom she did not long survive, are almost all that we know of her character and life.

Elizabeth married Rev. John Wilson before 1617. Rev. (son of Rev. William Wilson and Elizabeth Woodhall) was born about 1591; died on 7 Aug 1667 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Rev. John Wilson was born in Sep 1621 in London, England; died on 23 Aug 1691 in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts.
2. Mary Wilson was born on 12 Sep 1633 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; was christened on 15 Sep 1633 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts; died on 13 Sep 1713 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: of London, England

Notes:

Burgess (M.P.) for Beverley, Yorkshire. Queen's Surveyor. B.A., Peterhouse College, Cambridge, 1572-3.

He was described as a resident of London in 1582, but the 1587 pedigree attached to the grant of his father's crest called him "of Huton on Derwent", Yorkshire.

From Robert Charles Anderson, John C. Brandon, and Paul C. Reed, "The Ancestry of the Royally-Descended Mansfields of the Massachusetts Bay" (citation details below):

Cotton Mather, in his biography of the Rev. John Wilson, identifies the father of the immigrants as "Sir John Mansfield, master of the Minories, and the Queen's surveyor." This identification has always been troublesome, as it includes some inaccuracies. The immigrants' father was an "esquire," a step below the dignity of knighthood, but above gentleman. Evidence has been found, however, to confirm that John Mansfield was intimately involved with royal mining interests, and was Queen's surveyor -- at least in Yorkshire.

When Mather used the word "Minories," he must have intended the word "mineries," or mining operations. The 3rd Earl of Huntingdon held mines and lands in Dorsetshire, having purchased various mining interests from James, Lord Mountjoy. John Mansfield was the Earl's "servant, and at one stage his lessee of the Canford mines, near Poole, Dorset. Lord Mountjoy was heavily indebted to creditors, and various interrogatories were taken in May 1582 concerning his sale to Huntingdon. "John Mansfield, and W[illia]m Bird, all of London," were among men examined on behalf of the Earl on May 17, 21, 24, and 31, and June 1, 1582. "John Mansfield of London" was also examined on 14 or 15 June.

John Mansfeild, Clement Draper, and Richard Laycolte received lands, rents and liberties in Brownsea Island, Dorset, with the advowson, by permission of license dated 1 April 1581. John Mansfelde, Richard Laicolte, Clement Draper, and Edward Mead complained to the Privy Council on 4 January 1581 that Edward Lane [of Blackfriars, London, 1582], John Lane, and others had "wrongfullie dispossessed them of two their workehouses for allum and coppres, called Allam Chyne and Okemans in the countie of Dorset." The various examinations "touching matters in conroversie betwene John and Edward Lanes and John Mansfelde" were delivered to the servant of the Earl of Huntingdon on 27 May 1582. On 12 September 1592, Clement Draper wrote to the Queen, pleading that he had "been detained in prison 12 years against all right, by practice of the Earl of Huntingdon, John Mansfield, his deputy, and Richard Laycolt, who have taken away his goods, which, with other losses, amount to 10,000l; his good name, dearer to him than his life, is rooted out by their false reports." He further claimed that "Mansfield, for 4l., got a protection under the Great Seal to defraud him and others of their goods....The Earl, the better to defend his own quarrel against Lord Mountjoy, has got into his hands...the writer's [Draper's] deeds and writings concerning his estate in the mines, and detains them. The Earl, in May 1583, covenanted that the mines should be maintained and set to work." John Mansfeld/Mansfyeld, with Clement Draper, had brought suit against others in the Court of Star Chamber, but later John sued Clement Draper in Chancery.

John Mansfield's career in politics reached its pinacle in 1593, when he represented Beverley, Yorkshire, in Parliament. He is not known to have had personal connections at Beverley, so the seat was likely procured through the influence of his lord the Earl of Huntingdon or cousin Lord Eure. As one of the burgesses for Yorkshire boroughs, he was appointed to a committee on cloth 23 March and to another concerning weirs 28 March 1593. In 1597, by which time he was serving as a Justice of the Peace for the North Riding of Yorkshire, John Mansfield offered himself for election to Parliament at Scarborough, but though he was recommended to the bailiffs and burgesses by the Archbishop of York, and had the support of his prospective fellow burgess, Sir Thomas Posthumous Hoby, his nomination was not accepted by the borough authorities.

Queen Elizabeth I on 8 February 1597/8 granted John Mansfield "the office of collector of the rents and revenues of the dissolved monastery of St. Mary's, York," and more importantly, "the surveyorship of the Queen's lands in the North Riding of Yorkshire." The Crown had extensive honours and holdings in Yorkshire. John Mansfield set about to prove his proficiency by making an unusually thorough and careful survey of the manor of Settington, Yorkshire, compiled between 17 and 21 March 1599/1600. Mansfield obviously took great pains in producing this detailed document, probably an attempt to demonstrate abilities superior to those of a rival who had received many benefits for little effort. John alluded to this in his plea to the Lord Treasurer in his introductory remarks to one copy of the survey:

It is my hard fortune whilest other men receyue great rewardes for small deserts I must hold my selfe happy not to be disgraced after good seruyce done. Good my Lord excuse me for thus writyng. I haue chosen to depend on your lordship onelye. When your lordship shall please to gyue me over I wilbegone as forsaken by all. I will equall my selfe to all in this[,] never any did nor shall performe more honest dutyes to your Lordship then I will.

The manor of Settrington had been granted to Matthew, Earl of Lenox, and his wife Margaret, in 1544, but was later returned to the Crown. John Mansfield, "Crown Surveyor," was ordered to make a survey of the manors of the late Margaret, Countess of Lennox. These documents are dated February 1600/1 to July 1601, when Mansfield died. He made the surveys as part of a northern tour, likely drawing up the results after his return to London.

John married Elizabeth before 3 Feb 1592. Elizabeth died before 10 Feb 1634; was buried on 10 Feb 1634 in St. Michael Cornhill, London, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also called Lancelot Manfield, Manfeld, etc.

From Robert Charles Anderson, John C. Brandon, and Paul C. Reed, "The Ancestry of the Royally-Descended Mansfields of the Massachusetts Bay" (citation details below):

Lancelot Manfield or Mansfield, Esquire, born say 1533, is of obscure origins. It is likely he was a Yorkshire man, from the border area between the East and North Ridings, near where he and his sons received grants of land. The very existence of these grants to a new man, and his marriage to Anne Eure, the sister of Lord Eure, indicates that he likely served the crown in a minor position in the Exchequer, or in the household of one of the great lords of the North, possibly as a servant of the Earl of Huntingdon, for whom both his sons served.

Lancelot Maunfeld [sic] received a grant, "by advice of the treasurer, chancellor and undertreasurer of the Exchequer," of a lease of the capital messuage and demesne lands of the manor of Skirpenbecke, Yorkshire for twenty-one years on 26 March 1561. The manor was a parcel of the Duchy of York, and included a water mill, "all parcels of the manor of Skirpenbecke and of the lordship of Sherifhutton, co. York." Lancelot received this grant from Queen Elizabeth in consideration of the payment of £65 and was to pay a yearly rent of £16 5s. He was also to provide entertainment for the queen's officers coming to hold court or make a survey. On 10 August 1569, the same lands and mill were granted to Ralph Hope, Yeoman of the Robes, after the termination of Lancelot Mansfield's lease.

Lancelot Manfeld, "of Skirpenbeck, co. York," received a grant of a crest from William Flower, Norroy King of Arms, "principall herald of the north partes of the realme of England," dated 20 September 1563. The grant does not state his parentage, but does say, as was the custom, he was "well borne and descended of worthie progenitors bearinge signes and tokens of their race and gentry called Armes..." His "ancient" arms are described as gueles a bend cotized argent, betweene six crosse crosselets fitche gold. It is important to note that another rendition of this grant, bearing almost the same wording and spelling, was in possession of descendants in New England in 1850. "The diploma is on vellum, handsomely written..., with the Arms and Crest beautifully emblazoned in the margin." As the manuscript copy recorded in the Bodleian Library includes later additions, and would almost certainly have been unknown to anyone in New England before 1918/19, it is possible that the document handed down among the New England descendants was the original grant, or a copy made from an original in the College of Arms.

These arms are found only among the descendants of Matilda de Manfield (heiress of her brother Robert de Manfield, clerk), wife of John Monceux of Barmston in Holderness, Yorkshire; her will was dated 3 July 1441 and proved 1 March 1441/2. Their daughter and heir Matilda Monceux married Brian de la See, and their son Martin de la See, in turn, left a daughter and coheir named Margaret de la See who brought the de la See quartering of arms and extensive Monceux inheritance into the Boynton family. Gules a bend cotised and six cross crosslets fitchy argent appears alone in the south choir window of All Saints, Barmston, Yorkshire, as does Manfield paled with Monceux.

[...]

No probate record or inquisition post mortem for Lancelot Manfeld has been found. The registers of the parishes where he likely resided are not in existence early enough to record his burial. He was certainly alive 20 September 1563 when he received the grant of the crest, and probably alive 10 August 1569, when the lease of manor of Skirpenbecke was granted to another after the expiration of his lease, but no certain determination of how much longer he survived can be made. Sometime before his death (but possibly after the 1587 pedigree was drawn up on John Mansfield's behalf, as it does not mention a second marriage), Lancelot Mansfield married, second, Margaret -----. Her will was dated 17 January 1596/7 and proved 13 April 1597 by her son, George Wilkinson[.]

Lancelot married Anne Eure. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He was slain in the Battle of Ancrum Moor, part of the 1542-51 War of the Rough Wooing.

Ralph married Margery Bowes before 1529. Margery (daughter of Ralph Bowes and Elizabeth Clifford) died after 1566. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Elizabeth Willoughby about 1503. Elizabeth (daughter of Christopher Willoughby and Margaret Jenney) was born about 1483. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He fought at Flodden Field in 1513.

Ralph married Elizabeth Clifford. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also called Ralph Evers.

Ralph married Muriel Hastings on 18 Jan 1482. Muriel (daughter of Hugh Hastings and Anne Gascoigne) died before Jan 1516. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Date of license.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: of Eresby, Lincolnshire, England

Christopher married Margaret Jenney before 28 Mar 1482. Margaret (daughter of William Jenney and Elizabeth Cawse) died between 1515 and 1516. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sheriff of Durham, 1482.

Ralph married Margery Conyers. Margery (daughter of Richard Conyers and Alice Wycliffe) died after 6 Aug 1524. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Also called Harry Clifford.

From Wikipedia (accessed 2 Jan 2024):

Henry Clifford, 10th Baron Clifford KB [...] was an English nobleman. His father, John Clifford, 9th Baron Clifford, was killed in the Wars of the Roses fighting for the House of Lancaster when Henry was around five years old. A local legend later developed that -- on account of John Clifford having killed one of the House of York's royal princes in battle, and the new Yorkist King Edward IV seeking revenge -- Henry was spirited away by his mother. As a result, it was said, he grew up ill-educated, living a pastoral life in the care of a shepherd family. Thus, ran the story, Clifford was known as the "shepherd lord". More recently, historians have questioned this narrative, noting that for a supposedly ill-educated man, he was signing charters only a few years after his father's death, and that in any case, Clifford was officially pardoned by King Edward in 1472. It may be that he deliberately avoided attracting Yorkist attention in his early years, although probably not to the extent portrayed in the local mythology.

The Yorkist regime came to an end in 1485 with the invasion of Henry Tudor, who defeated Edward's brother, Richard III, at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Henry's victory meant that he needed men to control the North of England for him, and Clifford's career as a loyal Tudor servant began. Soon after Bosworth, the King gave him responsibility for crushing the last remnants of rebellion in the north. Clifford was not always successful in this, and his actions were not always popular. On more than one occasion, he found himself at loggerheads with the city of York, the civic leadership of which was particularly independently minded. When another Yorkist rebellion broke out in 1487, Clifford suffered an embarrassing military defeat by the rebels outside the city walls. Generally, however, royal service was extremely profitable for him: King Henry needed trustworthy men in the region and was willing to build up their authority in order to protect his own.

Although Clifford's later years were devoted to service in the north and fighting the Scots (he took part in the decisive English victory at Flodden in 1513) he fell out with the King on numerous occasions. Clifford was not an easy-going personality; his abrasiveness caused trouble with his neighbours, occasionally breaking out in violent feuds. This was not the behaviour the King expected from his lords. Furthermore, Clifford had married a cousin of the King, yet Clifford's infidelity to her was notorious among his contemporaries. This also drew the King's ire, to the extent that the couple's separation was mooted. Clifford's first wife had died by 1511, and Clifford remarried. This was also a tempestuous match, and on one occasion he and his wife ended up in court accusing each other of adultery. Clifford's relations with his eldest son and heir, the eventual Henry Clifford, 1st Earl of Cumberland, were equally turbulent. Clifford rarely attended the royal court himself, but sent his son to be raised with the King's heir, Prince Arthur. Clifford later complained that young Henry not only lived above his station, he consorted with men of bad influence; Clifford also accused his son of regularly beating up his father's servants on his return to Yorkshire.

Clifford outlived the King and attended the coronation of Henry VIII in 1509. While continuing to serve as the King's man in the north, Clifford carried on his feuds with the local gentry. He also indulged his interests in astronomy, for which he built a small castle for observation purposes. Clifford grew ill in 1522 and died in April of the following year; his widow later remarried. Young Henry inherited the title as 11th Baron Clifford as well as a large fortune and estate, the result of his father's policy of frugality and avoiding the royal court for most of his life.

Henry married Anne St. John. Anne (daughter of John St. John and Alice Bradschagh) died after 12 May 1506; was buried in Skipton-in-Craven, Yorkshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]