Nicholas Byfield (1579 - 1622)

Born 1579 in Warwickshire, England

Died 8 Sep 1622 at about age 43 in Isleworth, Middlesex, England

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Biography

Nicholas was born in 1579 in Warwickshire, England, the son of Richard Byfield, vicar of Stratford on Avon 1596-1606.

Nicholas entered Exeter College, Oxford, in the Lent term 1596, and was four years at university, but did not graduate.^[1] He took Holy Orders and was prevailed upon to become one of the city preachers in Chester. He lectured at St. Peter's church, and was said to be extremely popular with the congregation. ^[2]

He married Elizabeth Tomlins and they reputedly had at least eight children.

On 31 March 1615 Byfield was admitted to the vicarage of Isleworth. At this point he was chaplain to Edward Russell, 3rd Earl of Bedford. At Isleworth he preached twice every Sunday, and gave expository lectures every Wednesday and Friday.

Nicholas died at the age of about 43 on 8 September 1622 in Isleworth, Middlesex, England. ^[3] The following day a surgeon removed from his body a stone which weighed 35 ounces; William Gouge was present at the autopsy. ^[2]

His portrait has the following inscription: “Mr. Nicholas Byfield, minister some times in the City of Chester, but last of Isleworth, in the county of Midellsex, where he deceased on the Lord’s Day September the 8th, anno domini 1622, aged nealy 43 years. The next day after his death he was opened by Mr. Millins, the surgeon, who took a stone out of his bladder of this form, being of a solid substance 16 inches compass the length way, and 13 inches compass in thickness, which weighed 35 ounces in weight.” ^[4]

There are records of several children in parish registers

• Adonis Bifeilde (poss Adoniram??) 6 February 1603/4, Fotheringhay.^[5]
• Martha Bifeilde, 3 November 1605, Fotheringhay.^[6]

In Chester

• Jonathan Bifild, 26 March 1609.^[7]
• Michaiah Or Michaiiah Bifild, 21 June 1612.^[8]

In Isleworth

• Beniamine Bifield, 14 Jun 1617.^[9] Attended New Inn Hall, Oxford.^[1]
• Anna Bafield, 3 Sep 1620.^[10] Buried 9 Feb 1623.^[11]
• Marg* Byfield, Sept 1621.^[12]
• ?? Male buried 13 September 1623.^[13]

Also John, attended Lincoln College, Oxford in 1640, aged 20.^[1]

Research Notes

A Nicholas Byfield was recorded in the Church of England Clergy Database as being a schoolmaster at Fotheringhay School in 1604.^[14] Combining this with Adonis/Adoniram suggests it could be the correct Nicholas. For this reason the two baptism entries have been added.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} 'Bruges-Bythner', in Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714, ed. Joseph Foster (Oxford, 1891), pp. 201-227. British History Online BHO
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Wikipedia contributors, "Nicholas Byfield," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nicholas_Byfield&oldid=919460462 (accessed November 2, 2020).
3. ↑ Ancestry.com. England, Extracted Parish and Court Records, 1399-1795 . Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2017.Ancestry Record 61519 #42897
4. ↑ Nicholas Byfield (1579-1622) A Puritan's Mind APM
5. ↑ Transcription from St Mary and All Saints, Fotheringhay. Freereg
6. ↑ Transcription from St Mary and All Saints, Fotheringhay. Freereg
7. ↑ "England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQXR-7WY : 12 February 2018), Jonathan Bifild, 26 Mar 1609, Christening; citing item 1, St Peter, Chester, Cheshire, England, Record Office, Chester; FHL microfilm 2,045,912.
8. ↑ "England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQXR-W5J : 12 February 2018), Michaiah Or Michaiiah Bifild, 21 Jun 1612, Christening; citing item 1, St Peter, Chester, Cheshire, England, Record Office, Chester; FHL microfilm 2,045,912.
9. ↑ "England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D6ZN-FTPZ : 11 July 2022), Elizabeth in entry for Beniamine Bifield, 1617.
10. ↑ "England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DDXB-RC6Z : 11 July 2022), Elizabeth Bafield in entry for Anna Bafield, 1620.
11. ↑ "England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DX31-VHZM : 11 July 2022), Anna Byfield, 1623.
12. ↑ "England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:D68J-VKN2 : 11 July 2022), Elizabeth Byfield in entry for Marg* Byfield, 1621.
13. ↑ "England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8KPS-X63Z : 11 July 2022), Byfield, 1623.
14. ↑ CCED Clergy of the Church of England Database Nicholas Byfield