Nicholas Gaylord (abt. 1500 - bef. 1546)

Born about 1500 in Langford, Somerset, England

Descendants

Died before 8 Apr 1546 before about age 46 in Pitminster, Somerset, England

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Walter Harrington [send private message] and Bob Harrington [send private message]

Disputed Origins

Do not connect Nicholas to Antonie Gailerd of Langford Budfield, another Nicholas Gaylard, or to French Galliards. Please see Research Notes for further information

There is currently no evidence of Nicholas' origin. Secondary sources online and published in the last century often claim, without good evidence, that Nicholas came from France, and that his father or grandfather was Antonie from Langford Budfield. There is no evidence of any of this, but was widely published by at latest 1965.

In 1999, the historian Robin Bush published further information about the Gaylard family that he gathered from examining the Taunton Deane manorial rolls. These records have helped to shed more light on this family.^[1]

A brief outline of documents laying out Nicholas' life is at the beginning of the Research Notes, and shows how the Nicholas who died in 1546 was married by probably 1527, and that his widow married Giles Alvyn.

Biography

Nicholas Gaylard and Joan Sevenok, daughter of John Sevenok, appear together in a manorial roll fine for the years 1526-1527.^[2] They were explicitly mentioned as married by 1531.^[3] They had (order uncertain, all born before the end of 1546):

1. Edmund^[4][5][6]
2. John^[4][5][6]
3. Christopher^[4][5][6]
4. Elizabeth^[4][5][6]
5. Mary^[4][5][6]
6. Hugh^[4][5][6]
7. William^[4][5]

Nicholas Gayler made his will March 25, 1546. A transcription of it was made in 1910, however the original was destroyed during World War II. The will reads:^[7]

Will of Nicholas Gayler of Pytmyster, (co. Somerset), dated 25 March, 1546. Being sick of bodie. My bodie to the holie sepulture of Pytmyster. Maintenance of the Church there viijd. Mayntenance of our Ladie service there viijd. To the light before the sacrament of the Aulter viijd. To the High Cross light viijd. To the sepulture light viijd., to the Torches viijd, and to the Belles viijd. I give to my ghostly father Sir Thomas Bicknam, to pray for me, xijd. I am in debte to John Parson of Pitmister xijs. xiijd., to Richard File of Trull iijs. iiijd., to William Finche of Wells vjs. viijd., to a thatcher of Wells iiijd., to John Spursaie of Pitmister xiijd., to John Shute of Trull vijs., and to John Morcombe of Trull vjs. viijd. I make Johan Gayler my wife my executrix of all my goods. Witnesses: Sir Thomas Bicknam, John Parson, John Durston.

His will was proved April 8, 1546.^[7] Nicholas Gaylard was buried April 8, 1546 at Pitminister.^[8]

The badly damaged manorial roll for 1547-1548 has a fine mentioning land formerly of John Sevenocke, and 'her late husband' Nicholas. This fine was likely paid by Joan upon transfer of their land to her after the death of her husband, Nicholas.^[9]

His widow Joan married Giles Alvyn, likely by 1551, when they were mentioned together in a court roll fine. That after their death Hugh Gaylard and Christopher Gaylard would have to pay sums to their siblings Edmund, John, Isabel (Elizabeth), and Mary.^[6] William Gaylerd was not mentioned. Payments were made to their sisters by 1573-1574.^[10]

Nicholas' children were mentioned in the May 4, 1567 will of Giles Alvyn,^[4] and the August 29, 1572 will Joan Alvyn.^[5] After the deaths of Giles and Joan, in the 1573-1574 manorial roll Edmund, Hugh, and Christopher all paid fines regarding lands formerly of Nicholas Gaylard. These fines mention 'their mother' Johanne, as well as payments to Elizabeth and Marie Gaylard. William and John were not mentioned.^[10]

Research Notes

As mentioned, there has been much confusion regarding Nicholas Gaylard and his family. In summary taking into account the manorial rolls:

• 1526-1527: Nicholas Gaylard and Johanne Sevenok were mentioned together regarding land called Lakemeade and Smalecroft in the tything of Southtrendle - these names are often mentioned in later deeds involving the Gaylards.
• 1530-1531: Nicholas Gaillard and Johanne are mentioned together as married
• 1546: will and death of Nicholas Gayler, who had a wife named Johan
• 1547-1548: damaged record of a fine mentioning John Sevenok, and 'her [Johanne's] late husband Nicholas'
• 1550-1551: Johan Gaylard and Ægidius (Giles) Alwyn are mentioned together in fines paid by and to do with Nicholas' children
• 1567, 1572: wills of Giles and Joan Alvyn, mentioning Joan's children named 'Gaylard'.
• 1573-1574: Hugh, Edmund, and Christopher Gaylard mentioned as children of Joanne, their payment to their sisters, and their owning of land formerly belonging to Nicholas Gaylard.

This timeline of, and content of, sources does not fit with there being two Nicholas' Gaylards - just the one who was married to Joan Sevenok.

One or Two Nicholas'

Many secondary sources claim that Nicholas died in the 1570s^[11] - this is unfounded. Iti s likely the result of both the assumption that the Nicholas who died in 1546 was this Nicholas' father, and that the fines paid by Nicholas' children in the 1573-1574 court roll were because Nicholas had died.

Johan Bicknam, Joan Alvyn, and Joan Sevenoak

The identiy of Nicholas' wife as a Sevenoak/Sevenoke/Sevenoke was likely discovered in 1999 by Robin Bush. Before this, there was confusion regarding who his spouse was.

A "Joan Alvyn" is often attached to this family as usually the daughter of Giles Alvyn and Joan, and wife of Hugh Gaylard the son of Nicholas Gaylard and Joan. This is probably the result of a bad gedcom import, where Hugh's mother "Joan Alvyn" was attached as his wife instead. There is no primary source for a separate Joan Alvyn related to these Gaylards (apart from Joan (Sevenok) (Gaylard) Alvyn).

In Nicholas' will, he mentions his 'ghostly father Sir Thomas Bicknam'. The term 'ghostly father' was another term for 'confessor'. It's likely that someone mistook this as his father-in-law, and given his wife's name as Johan in his will, created the non-existant spouse (or mother, in the two-Nicholas case) as "Johan Bicknam, daughter of Thomas Bicknam."

Langford Budfield

The will of Antonie Gailerd of Langford Budfield, dated December 25, 1565, mentions a son Nicholas.^[12] It is often claimed that this Antonie was the father (or grandfather) of this Nicholas. There is no evidence connecting the Gailerds of Langford Budfield to the Gaylerds of Pitminster. Furthermore, this Nicholas had died in 1546 - 21 years before Antonie made his will.

Death Date: May 13 or May 8

Nicholas' death is sometimes given as May 13 1546 - this is a misreading of the original date in the record; "viij" (8) as "xiij" (13).

France, Huguenots and Denization

Firstly, "Gaylard", while similar to French names, has been present in England for at least centuries by the time Nicholas Gaylard was in Pitminster. There was for instance an Adam Gaillard recorded at Taunton Deane manor (the same manor the parish of Pitminster belongs to) about 1250.^[1]

Various sources^[13] cite the Huguenot Society's records for the denization (ie. to become a denizen) of a "Nicholas Galiard" in 1537 and "Nicholas Galyard" in 1540^[14] as evidence that Nicholas (and an assumed father Nicholas) were French Huguenots (the definiton for 'denization' is in the preface of this source). Another source for these denizations (which better maintains the original format), show that both a Nicholas Galiard and a Simon Girrell (both natives of France) were denizied on the same day for both years,^[15][16] suggesting that the record was a repeat of the same Nicholas Galiard and Samuel Girrell instead of being four separate men.

Furthermore, though not conclusively as it could have been a typo, these records have Nicholas' last name as being "Galiard' (Ga-li-ard), as opposed to "Gailard" (Gai-lard) - which are separate pronounciations.

Apart from a similar name, there is nothing connecting this denization to Nicholas Gaylard of Pitminster.

Some secondary sources claim that the family name may have been Gaylard in France. While there may have been Gaylards in France, there is nothing connecting them to Nicholas Gaylard of Pitminster.

Considering that The Edict of Worms was made in 1521 - and the earliest record there is of Nicholas Gaylerd in Pitminster is 1526-27, it seems unlikely that he was an Huguenot.

Secondary Sources

There are a large number of secondary sources - published or posted online - which make claims about this family without the primary sources to back them up.

Tunnicliff's 1965 genealogy gives Alice (Gaylord) Treat as the daughter of Hugh Gaylord, son of Nicholas Gaylord, son of Nicholas Gaylord. And that the two denization records for Nicholas Galiard were for this Nicholas and his supposed father Nicholas. She further states that they were Huguenots who settled in Pitminster. She cites the Hugenot Society's source above, "Old Taunton Calendars", and no other primary sources.^[13] She also cites "The History and Pedigrees of the House of Gaillard or Gaylord in France, England, and the United States", which itself does not mention the Pitminster Gaylards.

Other secondary sources claim that Nicolas Gaylord was born Abt. 1499 in Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France. Again, there's no reason to think this Nicholas was born in Toulouse.

Other

The profile previously had the question:

• Mary Boscawen's son?

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Bush, Robin, Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John, 1630. Vol. 27 "New Ancestral Discoveries, Part 3". Edited by Burton W Spears. (the Mary & John Clearinghouse, 1999).
2. ↑ Taunton Deane Manor Compotus Rolls, DD/SP/325/86, 1526-1527 Poundisford Hundred, Fines.
   "...iij s iiij d de Nich[ola]s Gaylard p[ro] Johanna Sevenok..."
3. ↑ Taunton Deane Manor Compotus Rolls, DD/SP/325/90, 1530-1531 Poundisford Hundred, Fines.
   "...Nichus Gaillard concessit Johanne vx[or]i..."
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7} Clues from English Archives, p. 186, will of Giles Alvyn of Pitminster, citing Taunton Wills, Book V, f. 33.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7} Clues from English Archives, p. 185, will of Joan Alvyn of Pitminster, citing Taunton Wills, Book I, f. 13.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6} Taunton Deane Manor Compotus Rolls, DD/SP/325/108, 1550-1551 Poundisford Hundred, Fines.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Clues from English Archives, p. 185, will of Nicholas Gavler of Pitminster, citing Arch. Taunton, Book I, f. 349
8. ↑ Pitminster Parish Records, 1542-1701, 1607 burials (Ancestry.com image no. 95)
   nicolas Gaylard Gaylard [sic] was buried the viij^th day of Aprill [1546]
9. ↑ Taunton Deane Manor Compotus Rolls, DD/SP/325/105, 1547-1548 Poundisford Hundred, Fines.
   "...Johis Sevenocke... nup[er]... Nich[ol]i viri [page torn]
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Taunton Deane Manor Compotus Rolls, DD/SP/325/127, 1573-1574 Poundisford Hundred, Fines.
11. ↑ Goodrich, Steve, Ph. D, "Proven vs. Plausible Treat Ancestry in the Taunton Manor Rolls," Goodrich Gospel Special Topic 13, no. 3 (Goodrich Family Association, Oct 15, 2016), pp. 35-42. http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org/Newsletters/
12. ↑ Clues from English Archives, p. 186, will of Antonie Gailerd of Langord Budfield, citing Taunton Wills, Book IV, f. 125
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Tunnicliff, Zoe Hood, Tunnicliff Genealogy (Albany, New York: privately printed, 1965), p. 72-73 (available to borrow on Archive.org)
14. ↑ The Publications of The Huguenot Society of London, Volume 8 "Letters of Denization and Acts of Naturalization for Aliens in England, 1509-1603" (The Huguenot Society of London, 1893), p. 100
    Galiard, Nicholas, from the dominion of the King of France. 16 April, 1537. (Pat., 28 Hen. 8, p. 5, m. 13.)
    Galyard, Nicholas, from the dominion of the King of France. 16 April, 1540. (Pat., 31 Hen. 8, p. 2, m. 34.)
15. ↑ Brewer, J. S. Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reign of Henry VIII, Volume 12, Part 1 (London, 1590), p. 513
16. ↑ Brewer, J. S. Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reign of Henry VIII, Volume 15 (London, 1896), p. 287

• Manor and Liberty of Taunton Deane: compotus rolls, 1418-1745. Somerset Heritage Centre. Reference No. DD/SP/325. Digital images of Microfilm. FamilySearch collection "Manorial records for the manor of Taunton Deane, 1418-1884".
• Church of England, Pitminster Parish, Somerset. Pitminster Parish Records, 1542-1701. Digital images, "Somerset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1531-1812" > Pitminster > 1542-1701, Ancestry.com; citing Somerset Heritage Service; Taunton, Somerset, England; Somerset Parish Records, 1538-1914; Reference Number: D/P/pit C/2398 2/1/1.
• Lea, J. Henry and J. R. Hutchinson, "Clues from English Archives," The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 41, (New York: New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 1910), pp. 183-191.

See Also:

• Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John, 1630. Vol. 17 "West Country Ancestries, 1620-1643, Part 1". Edited by Burton W Spears. (the Mary & John Clearinghouse, 1992).