William Clopton (abt. 1551 - 1588)

Born about 1551 in Long Melford, Suffolk, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Died 1588 at about age 37 in Long Melford, Suffolk, England [uncertain]

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Biography

William Clopton was born in Suffolk, England.

Early Life

William Clopton was probably born in Suffolk in about 1551 (he was aged twenty-seven years and more at the time of his brother Francis’s death - see research notes) and was the son of William Clopton and Margaret (Jermyn) Clopton. ^[1]. He had at least two older brothers (Thomas and Francis) and three sisters (Elizabeth, Anne and Margaret) from his father’s first marriagea. William’s mother Margaret died sometime after 1551 (William appears to have been the youngest of her surviving children) and his father remarried, probably before 1555. William’s father’s second wife was Mary Periant (daughter of George Periente of Digswell. There were at least three children born of this second marriage: George, Bridget and Thomas (William’s half brother and sisters). The youngest, Thomas being born in 1558. There may have been other siblings from his father’s first marriage (see research notes for more details of his siblings and other family members).

The family home was Kentwelll House in the Parish of Long Melford in Suffolk, England (although his father held a number of other properties). Kentwell had been the home of the Cloptons since the early fifteenth century when William Clopton (1375-1446) had inherited it from his mother Katherine Mylde.

The moat house Kentwell

In 1562, when William was about 11 his father died and his elder brother Francis (then aged about 23) was heir to the estate. His father left a will (we know because it is referred to in the post mortem inquisition following his death). The inquisition states that they were shown the will and in it William (the son) was bequeathed an annual return of £6 13s 4d secured yearly of the Manor of Melford Monachorum for the rest of his life. ^[2]

Inheriting Kentwell

William’s' brother Francis died in the spring of 1578 and was buried on the 22nd April. Although there is no indication that he left a will, a transcript of the subsequent inquisition does exist, albeit in Latin. ^[3] . The original record of the inquisition is also available. ^[4]

The post mortem inquisition recorded that at his death Francis Clopton was seized of the following properties, all in Long Melford:

On the 14th May 1578, William was granted administration of his brother’s estate. ^[5]

William was described as:

the natural and lawful brother of Francis Clopton, late of Kentwell, in the county of Norfolk, having the deceased esquire, etc. to administer assets, rights, and credits of this kind in respect of assets, etc., to the sworn.

Kentwell Hall, Long Melford, Suffolk. The courtyard

Wiliam may not have satisfactorily completed the administration of his brother Francis’s estate , as in 1589 following his death his sister Margaret (now married to Edward Stuteville) was granted administration of her brother Francis’s will ^[6]

a commission was issued to Margaret Stuteville, alias Clopton, the natural and legitimate sister of Francis Clopton, late of Kentwell, in the county of Suffolk, esquire, deceased, as well as to Edward Stuteville, her husband, to administer the goods, rights, and credits of the said deceased through William Clopton, the administrator, now deceased not managed well etc. swears in the person of the said Edward.

Later Life and Marriage

Only a few month’s after his brother Francis’s death in 1578, Elizabeth the Queen progressed through Suffolk. She visited Long Melford from the 3rd to the 5th of August 1578. She stayed at Melford Hall with Sir William Cordell. There is no record of her visiting Kentwell, but it’s probable that the Clopton Family (who were a major Suffolk family would have met her. ^[7] (and see research note).

After inheriting the estate, William would have been an attractive match. Soon after, on 5 February 1578/79 , William married Anne Elmes in Lilford cum Wigsthorpe, Northamptonshire, England.^[8] Anne was the daughter of Edmond (Elmes) of Lilford (1515-bef.1602) (see research notes: Family Members)

On the 11th January 1579/80 William created a Joynture for his wife Anne. He feoffed certain properties (Woodhouse and Blake’s, Bixbyes, Trippes and Stockmans and other parcels of land) to Thomas Elmes and John Elmes (presumably Anne’s brothers Thomas and John) for the use of the said William Clopton and the said Anne his wife for the jointure of the said Anne for the term of the life of William and Anne and the male heirs legitimately begotten. This joynture may have subsequently become a matter of legal dispute after Williams death.^[9]

In 1587 William Clopton, of Kentwell Hall, Esq. became High Sheriff of the county of Sussex. ^[10].

Death, Burial and the Disputed Will

William wrote his will on the 11th December 1588 (see The Will of William Clopton of Kentwell, Suffolk - 1589 for a full transcript). The will commenced I William Clopton of kentwell esquire. There were no named legatees (except he left five pounds to the poor of Melford, Stanstead and Glemsford) nor a residual legate. He named his executors to be: his (half) brother Thomas Clopton; his Lovinge kinsman William Clopton of Groton gent and his fayethefull and trustie servannte John Bowswell gent. William died that day or a few days later and was buried on the 18 December 1588 at Holy Trinity Church in Long Melford, Suffolk, England. As William had no children his brother Thomas (the first named executor) would have been heir to his estate ^{[11] [12]}

Long Melford Holy Trinity church

William’s will was initially proved at Norwich on the 31st December 1588, administration being granted to the executors. However the will may have been contested (possibly by Anne) as it was subsequently considered by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and a Sentence given. Administration was granted on the 19th July 1589 to the named executors subject to the Sentence. ^{[13] [14]}

William’s will is surprisingly brief considering the likely size of his estate. It also made no mention or provision for his wife. There was presumably a previous will as this will did revoke and hereby utterly reverse and disalowe all former wills. Subsequent to his death, his widow, Anne widow of William Clopton esquire deceased, late of Kentwell, Suffolk brought legal bill against the named executors of the will to ”establish lease and set aside a will; a mansion house or place called Kentwell or Lewton [Kentwell Hall] and divers lands in Suffolk said to be the estate of plaintiff's late husband.” ^{[15] [16]}

The legal case brought by his widow Anne supports the idea that there was a previous will in which she was a named beneficiary (otherwise there would be no benefit to her to setting the disputed will aside). It is also possible that through changes in the arrangement of property, Anne’s joynture arranged in January 1579/80 had in some way been affected.

It has also been asserted by others that Anne accused William’s brother Thomas of having poisoned William, Thomas in turn it is said accused her of having done so and of having forsaken her husband. It hasn’t been possible to verify this information, the legal case referred to above may substantiate this.^[17]

Property Held in 1588

Although William’s will contains no information on the property he held at the time of his death, a subsequent inquisition completing in 1589 identified a number of properties that William was seized of.at the time of his death. ^[18]. The original record of the inquisition is also available. ^[19]

see also: William Clopton of Suffolk Post Mortem Inquisition 1588

Research Notes

Family Members

Information gathered from administrations and wills regarding family members.

Siblings of the first marriage:

• The eldest brother was Thomas (first son of William and Margaret, died before 1562, married to Dorothy but no surviving children^[9]
• William’s brother Francis Clopton was aged 23 at the time of their father Williams death in 1562 and was therefore born in about 1539^[2]
• William’s brother Francis’s wife Agnes Crane , survived Francis and remaried within a year of Francis’s death to Christopher Heydon MP (abt.1519-1579) and was living as Lady Heydon at Baconsthorpe in the county of Norfolk (Agnes also mentioned in Brother Thomas’s will of 1598 as married to Edward Clere MP (1536-1606) ^{[3] [20]}
• William Clopton (subject of profile was aged 27 in 1578 at the death of his brother Francis (ie born in 1551)^[3]
• Anne, william’s wife survived him^[18]
• William’s sister Elizabeth was eldest of the sisters^[9]. Elizabeth had probably married but must have died on or before 1588 as she is not mentioned in 1588 as eldest sister to inherit (Anne and Margaret are)^[18]
• William’s sister Anne Clopton was aged 40 at the time of William’s death in 1588 (ie born about 1548) and married to Hamon Claxton (probably Hamond Claxton (abt.1540-bef.1616) .^[18]
• William’s sister Margaret was married to Edward Stuteville in 1589 (from 1589 administration).^[6]. She was aged 38 at the time of William’s death (ie born in 1550) ^[18]

Siblings (half) of the second marriage:

• The eldest (half) brother was George (1598 inquisition) but died in 1587 ^[21]
• William’s younger (half) brother Thomas (heir to William’s estate) was aged 30 at the time of William’s death (ie born in 1558) ^[18].
• A half sister Bridget, named in the Clopton pedigree from the 1561 Visitations. ^[1]

Simon d’Ewes who was married to a Clopton, in his Autobiography written in 1635 described several further siblings of William, from his father’s first marriage, if true however they were deceased by the time of the Visitation in 1561. ^[22],

The Queen’s Progress 1578

A day to day diary (unsourced) of the Queen’s year in 1578 can be found in this unsourced document

The Property Inherited

A detailed explanation of how a number of the properties inherited by William were gained, together with a history of antecendants and descendents of William, and including further details of some joynture (including to Williams wife Anne can be found in the latin transcript of the “INQUISITION ON THE DEATH OF THOMAS CLOPTON , ESQUIRE . - 1598 ” ^[23]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Visitations: “ CLOPTON PEDIGREES , AS RECORDED IN THE ORIGINAL VISITATION OF SUFFOLK , 1561 ”, Joseph Jackson Howard (ed.) The Visitations of Suffolke, William Harvey, with additions from Family Documents Original Wills”, publisher Samual Tymms, London, 1866 , Vol. I, p. 122, Google Books, (accessed 10 Aug 2023)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Visitations: “ INQUISITION ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM CLOPTON , ESQUIRE . - 1562”, Joseph Jackson Howard (ed.) The Visitations of Suffolke, William Harvey, with additions from Family Documents Original Wills”, publisher Samual Tymms, London, 1866 , Vol. I, p. 57, Google Books (accessed and translated by google translate 10 Aug 2023)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Visitations: “INQUISITION UPON THE DEATH OF FRANCIS CLOPTON , ESQUIRE . - 1579”, Joseph Jackson Howard (ed.) The Visitations of Suffolke, William Harvey, with additions from Family Documents Original Wills”, publisher Samual Tymms, London, 1866 , Vol. I, p. 63, Google Books, (accessed and translated by google translate 3 Aug 2023)
4. ↑ Inquisition: “Clopton, Francis: Suffolk”, The National Archives Kew, Court of Wards and Liveries: Inquisitions Post Mortem, ref: WARD 7/20/40, 17 Nov 1578, (record only accessed 3 Aug 2023)
5. ↑ Visitations: “ ADMINISTRATION OF FRANCIS CLOPTON , ESQUIRE . - 1578 ” , Joseph Jackson Howard (ed.) The Visitations of Suffolke, William Harvey, with additions from Family Documents Original Wills”, publisher Samual Tymms, London, 1866 , Vol. I, p. 63, Google Books,(accessed and translated by google translate 3rd August 2023)
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Visitations: “ ADMINISTRATION OF FRANCIS CLOPTON , ESQUIRE . - 1589” , Joseph Jackson Howard (ed.) The Visitations of Suffolke, William Harvey, with additions from Family Documents Original Wills”, publisher Samual Tymms, London, 1866 , Vol. I, p. 65, Google Books,(accessed and translated by google translate 3rd August 2023)
7. ↑ Lives of the Queens of England, from the Norman Conquest, Volume 6 By Agnes Strickland Google Bookspage 332 (accessed 11 Aug 2023)
8. ↑ Marriage: "England Marriages, 1538–1973"
   FamilySearch Record: NKT2-49Q (accessed 26 July 2023)
   Willyam Clopton marriage to Anne Elmes on 5 Feb 1578 in Lilford cum Wigsthorpe, Northamptonshire, England.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2} Visitations: “ INQUISITION ON THE DEATH OF THOMAS CLOPTON , ESQUIRE . - 1598”, Joseph Jackson Howard (ed.) The Visitations of Suffolke, William Harvey, with additions from Family Documents Original Wills”, publisher Samual Tymms, London, 1866 , Vol. I, p. 68, Google Books (accessed and translated by google translate 6 Aug 2023)
10. ↑ Sheriff: Alfred Suckling, 'High Sheriffs from 1576 to 1845', in The History and Antiquities of the County of Suffolk: Volume 1 (Ipswich, 1846), pp. xlii-xlviii. British History Online British History Online, (accessed 26 July 2023).
11. ↑ Will of William Clopton: "Will of William Clopton of Kentwell, Suffolk",The National Archives Kew,ref: PROB 11/74/85, 19 June 1589, (accessed 31 Jul 2023)
12. ↑ Burial: "National Burial Index For England & Wales"
    FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 26 July 2023)
    William Clopton burial (died in 1588) on 18 Dec 1588 in Long Melford, Suffolk, England.
13. ↑ Will: “Clopton, William, esquire, of Long Melford [Kentwell], Suffolk”,Norfolk Records Office, 1588, NCC will register Homes 337, (accessed 8th August)
14. ↑ Will: "Probate records for the Episcopal Consistory Court, Archdeaconry of Norwich"
    Catalog: Probate records for the Episcopal Consistory Court, Archdeaconry of Norwich Regd. copy wills vol. 86 1587-1588
    Film number: 008219667 > image 391 of 490
    FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-CSGJ-DSZQ (accessed 10 August 2023)
15. ↑ Legal: "Short title: Clopton v Clopton. Plaintiffs: Anne Clopton, widow of William Clopton...",The National Archives Kew,ref: C 2/Eliz/C13/3, 1589-1603, (accessed 3 Aug 2023)
16. ↑ Legal: "Short title: Clopton v Clopton. Plaintiffs: Anne Clopton, widow. Defendants: Thomas...",The National Archives Kew, ref: C 2/Eliz/C14/42, 1589-1603, (accessed 3 Aug 2023)
17. ↑ ”Kentwell Hall Web Site” KENTWELL HALL HISTORY
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5} Visitations: “ INQUISITION ON THE DEATH OF WILLIAM CLOPTON , 1588-9”, Joseph Jackson Howard (ed.) The Visitations of Suffolke, William Harvey, with additions from Family Documents Original Wills”, publisher Samual Tymms, London, 1866 , Vol. I, p. 101, Google Books (accessed and translated by google translate 6 Aug 2023)
19. ↑ Inquisition: “.Clopton, William: Suffolk”, The National Archives Kew, Chancery, the Wardrobe, Royal Household, Exchequer and various commissions,ref: C 142/221/124 , 31 Elizabeth , (record only accessed 3 Aug 2023)
20. ↑ Visitations: “ WILL OF THOMAS CLOPTON , ESQUIRE . - 1598”, Joseph Jackson Howard (ed.) The Visitations of Suffolke, William Harvey, with additions from Family Documents Original Wills”, publisher Samual Tymms, London, 1866 , Vol. I, p. 65, Google Books (accessed 8 Aug 2023)
21. ↑ Burial: "National Burial Index For England & Wales"
    FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 10 August 2023)
    George Clopton burial (died in 1587) on 19 Jul 1587 in Long Melford, Suffolk, England.
22. ↑ James Orchard Halliwell (ed.). The Autobiography and Correspondence of Sir Simonds d'Ewes, Bart., Vol. I, pub. Richard Bentley, 1845, p. 330, Google Books (accessed 10th August 2023)
23. ↑ Visitations: “ INQUISITION ON THE DEATH OF THOMAS CLOPTON , ESQUIRE . - 1598 ”, Joseph Jackson Howard (ed.) The Visitations of Suffolke, William Harvey, with additions from Family Documents Original Wills”, publisher Samual Tymms, London, 1866 , Vol. I, p. 68, Google Books, (accessed 6th August)

Pam Arnold created WikiTree profile Clopton-123 through the import of Arnold Family Tree.ged on Feb 17, 2013.

Acknowledgements

This profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail