Thomas Eyre MP (aft. 1539 - 1628)

Born after 1539 in Wiltshire, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Rogers) Eyre — married [date unknown] (to 1612) in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

Descendants

Died 1 Nov 1628 before age 89 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

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Biography

Thomas Eyre, Esq. of New Sarum (Salisbury),^[1] co. Wilts (d. 01 Nov 1628 Salisbury),^[2] was the only son of:

• Robert Eyre of Salisbury, co. Wilts. (b. by 1518 - d. abt. 1570 or later);^[3]
• by his second wife Jane (or Jean), widow of George Tourney or Turney (d. Jan. 1539).^[4][3]

His parents were married sometime after January 1539.^[3]

Thomas' mother died at some point and his father remarried for a third time to Edith, widow of William Knyte (or Knight) of Salisbury.^[3]

Marriage

Thomas married Elizabeth Rogers of Poole, co. Dorset (b. 1544/50 - d. 1612).^[4] Her father was Robert (or John?) Rogers of Poole, co. Dorset (d. 1555).^[4]

Her mother was Elizabeth (will 16 Mar 1601, proved 05 May 1602), dau. of William Webb.^[5][6]

Elizabeth's step-father was Giles Estcourt of Salisbury, co. Wilts (d. 1587).^[4][2][5]

children

Hasler (1981), asserts that Thomas and Elizabeth had 8 sons and 4 daughters,^[4] and states that:

"His eldest son Robert (d.1638), a lawyer, married a daughter of John Still, bishop of Bath and Wells; the second, Giles (1572-1655), a country gentleman seated at Brickworth, was an opponent of James I and Charles I; Christopher (1578-1624), an East India merchant adventurer, became a common councilman of London; Thomas became mayor of Salisbury in 1610, and William, the youngest, was a Lincoln’s Inn lawyer. The eldest of Eyre’s four daughters married Giles Tooker, recorder of Salisbury."^[4]

sons:

• 1. (s & h) Robert, esq. (over age 40 on 02 Oct 1629; - d.1638).^[7][8] -- father of the American immigrant, Catherine Chauncey (nee Eyre), wife of the pres. of Harvard College.

m.1 Anne Still (b. 1581 Hadleigh, co. Suffolk), dau. John Still, of Bishop of Bath & Wells (d. 1607).

m.2 Alicia Tooker of co. Dorset.

• 2. Giles, esq. of Brickworth, co. Wilts. (bp. 27 Feb 1572 - d. 1655).^[9][10] -- ancestor of the Eyres of Ireland

m. (1603) Jane Snelgrove, dau. of Ambrose Snelgrove of Redlynch, co. Wilts.^[9]

• 3. Christopher of London (b.p. 25 Apr 1578 St. Thomas, Salisbury - dsp. 1624; will codicil 05 Jan 1624).^[11][8]-- original member of the East India Company

m. Hester Smithies of London (bp. 09 Apr 1589 St. Matthew, Friday St., London; living 19 April 1625).^[8][12]

• 4. Thomas of South Newton, co. Wilts & Salisbury city (d. 1633), Mayor of Salisbury in 1610.^[13]

m. Anne Jaye, dau. of Rev. Thomas Jay[e] of Fittleton, co. Wilts.^[13][14]

• 5. William (living 05 Jan 1624).^[8] MP for Downton in 1640.^[11]

daughters:

• 1. Elizabeth (living 16 Mar 1601).^[15]

m. (09 Sep 1586) Giles Tooker recorder of Salisbury, co. Wilts. (b. c. 1565 - 25 Nov 1623; inq. pm. 27 Aug 1624 Westbury).^[16][17]

• Catherine (b. abt. 1571 - d. 11 Mar 1637; bur. Cranborne priory, co. Dorset).^[15][18]

m. Thomas Hooper, esq. of Boveridge, co. Dorset (b. abt. 1572 - d. Sep 1638; bur. Cranborne priory, co. Dorset),^[15][19][18] son of Edward Hooper of Boveridge & Dorothy Mussell.^[20]

• Anne

m. (03 Mar 1605/6 St. Thomas, Salisbury) John Swayne or Swain, gent. of Tarrant Gunville, co. Dorset (d. 10 May 1625).^[11][21][22]

• Rebecca

m. (10 Jul 1609 St Thomas, Salisbury) John Love of Basing, co. Hants.^[23]

The following children are named in Wilts. Notes & Queries, 5. They are not found in the Eyre pedigrees published in Vis of Wilts 1565 or 1623, and apparently died during infancy or childhood.

• Nicholas (bp. 05 Dec 1573 St. Thomas, Salisbury, co. Wilts - d.i).^[11]
• John (bp. 20 Sep 1587 St Thomas, Salisbury, co. Wilts).^[11]
• Melior (dsp).^[11]
• Francis (d. age 14).^[11]
• Elynor (d.i).^[19]
• (dau) ... (d.i).^[19]

Occupation

• 1586-87: Mayor of Salisbury.^[24]
• 1597: MP for Salisbury.^[4]

Religion

• 1574-75: Churchwarden of St. Thomas & St. Edmund.^[24]

Death

According to his inquisition post-mortem, Thomas died 01 November 1628.^[7] This date conflicts with the memorial he's commonly associated with, which asserts that he was buried 10 September 1628/9. The date of the memorial is also cited by Wilts. Notes & Queries,^[25] as well as FindAGrave and other sites online.^[26]

Hist. of Parl., may have been aware of dating conflict because they only state that Thos died in 1628.^[4]

inquisition post-mortem

• Inq. pm: 02 Oct 1629.^[7]

Thomas Eyre, esquire

Inquisition taken at the City of New Sarum, 2nd October, A 5 Charles I [1629], before Robert Worssam, esq., escheator, after the death of Thomas Eyre, of the said City, esq., by the oath of Coferer Hughs, gent., John Note, gent., Leonard Browne, John Wayte, Richard Carter, Robert Swevinge, John Speringe, Thomas Svmes, Thomas Wolford, Daniel Langley, Edward Warde, Edward Fauckener, and William Williams alias Carter, who say that Thomas Eyre was seised to him and his heirs for ever of:

• one capital messuage in Castle Street in the said City of New Sarum;
• 2 acres of meadow in Fisherton Augur;
• one messuage or inn called the Blew Boare, opposite the market-place in the said City;
• 4 acres of meadow called the Blew Boare meade in Fisherton Augur;
• one messuage or inn called the Talbott, in Winchester Street in the said City;
• 10 acres of meadow in the parish of Laverstocke;
• one messuage or inn called the Bell opposite the Tann Gate in the said City;
• 7 acres of meadow in Laverstocke;
• one tenement in Katherine Street in the said City;
• one tenement in High Street there;
• 2 tenements in Minster Street there;
• one tenement in Milford Street there;
• one tenement in Browne Street there;
• 5 tenements in Ivye Street there;
• 6£ acres of land in Fisherton Augur;
• 10 acres of land in the parish of Bemerton;
• one capital messuage and divers lands and hereditaments in the tenure of John Brent, of Hoonesbrooke, in the parish of Wimborne Minster in co. Dorset;^[27]
• one tenement there;
• 2 acres of land there;
• 14 acres of land there in the tenure of Thomas Barnes;
• half an acre of land there in the tenure of Thomas Budden;
• one messuage or inn called the Angell and one acre of meadow in Stockebridge in co. Southampton;
• 3 parts, in 5 parts to be divided, of one tenement called Bonhames in the parish of South Newton;^[28]
• 3 parts, in 3 parts to be divided, of one tenement in Stovord and Newton;
• 3 parts, in 3 parts to be divided, of 21 acres and 3 virgates of land in Fowlstone and Chilhampton;
• 3 parts, in 3 parts to be divided, of one messuage, 20£ acres of land, and 2 acres of meadow in Chilhampton;
• 3 parts, in 3 parts to be divided, of one messuage and 3 acres of land in Newton;
• and 3 parts, in 3 parts to be divided, of one messuage and one acre of land in Chilhampton.

So seised, the said Thomas Eyre, by indenture dated 31st December, 17 James I [1619], agreed with Robert Eyre, his son and heir apparent, for the advancement of the said Robert, that he would be seised of all the said premises, except the messuage and lands called Bonhames and the first crop [tonsura] of the 10 acres in Aldwerbury, to the use of the said Robert Eyre and his heirs for ever. The said tenement called Bonhames was conveyed to William Eyre, esq.,^[28] son of the said Thomas, and to his heirs.

The messuages in the City of New Sarum and the meadow called the Blewe Boare meade are held of the Bishop of Salisbury in free socage, by the yearly rent of 7s. gd. and by suit at court, and are worth per annum, clear, £3. The premises in the parish of Wimborne Minster,^[27] in the tenure of John Brent, Thomas Barnes, and Thomas Budden are held of the manor of Kingstone Lacy in co. Dorset, by the yearly rent of Sd., and are worth per annum, clear, 10s. The other premises in Wimborne Minster,^[27] are held of the manor of Wimborne "Decanatus" by the yearly rent of ud., and are worth per annum, clear, $s. The premises in Stockebridge are held in common burgage, but by what rent the jurors know not, and are worth per annum, clear, 3s. \d. The premises in Fisherton Augur and Bemerton are held of the King as of his manor of Bullisford, by fealty only, in free socage and not in chief, and are worth per annum, clear, 10s. The premises in Fowlstone, Stovord, Chilhampton, and South Newton are held of William Earl of Pembrooke,^[29] but by what services is not known, and are worth per annum, clear, 10s.

Thomas Eyre died at New Sarum, 1st November last past; the said Robert is his son and next heir, and is now aged 40 years and more.

Inq. p.m., 5 Charles I, pt. 28, no. 116.

Notes

• The assertion that Elizabeth Rogers was the dau. of a "John", seems to be based on Hoare's Hist.
• In general, problems with the heritage of Thomas can be traced back to the "Eyre of Wheathampton, in Vis. of Wilts, 1565, and some are repeated in the 1623 edition. There are a number of problems with alleged wives, and the insertion of a Margaret Button (or Bytton, Bitton), which ... according to the Hist. of Parl. is an error. However, the Button pedigree does show Margaret as the wife of a Thomas Eyre. Another problem relates to the placement of Alice Payne and Jane Cuffe (sometimes called Cusse but this could another error since they seem to be distinctly different families). In any case ... the main thing is that Thomas' father Robert of Salisbury, is the HALF BROTHER of John Eyre who came into the Chalfield estate by marrying the co-heiress, Alice Tropnell. It's also the case that Marg. Button was dropped from the pedigree for "John Eyre of Wedhampton," in Vis. of Wilts. 1623.

• The arms of Eyre are not the same as the arms of Eyer.

Sources

1. ↑ for New Sarum see Wikipedia: Salisbury
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "Wiltshire Notes and Queries", 1908, 5, p. 30, Archive.org..
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Bindoff, S.T. (1982). EYRE, Robert II (by 1518-70 or later), of Salisbury, Wilts. HOP. Web.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7} Hasler, P.W. (1981). "Eyre, Thomas (d.1628), of Salisbury, Wilts.," in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603. HOP. Web.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Hasler, P.W. (1981). ESTCOURT, Giles (d.1587), of Salisbury, Wilts. HOP. Web.[1]
6. ↑ Bindoff, S.T. (1982). Webbe, William II (by 1499-1554), of Salisbury, Wilts. HOP. Web.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} "Thomas Eyre, esquire," in Abstracts of Wiltshire Inquisitiones Post Mortem, Returned Into the Court of Chancery in the Reign of King Charles the First, p. 369. Google Books.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} Wentworth, T. (1663). The Office and Duty of Executors: Or, a Treatise of Wills and Executors, 5th ed., p. 350-351. London: John Streater. Google Books.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Wiltshire Notes and Queries, 5 p. 97 - 99. Google Books.
10. ↑ Burke, J. (1836). "Eyre of Brickworth," in A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, p. 292. Google Books.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6} Wiltshire Notes & Queries, V, p. 50. Google Books.
12. ↑ Hester remarried to Sir Francis Wortley of Wortley Hall in Tankersley, co. York on 19 April 1625.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Burke, B. (1871). "Eyre of Warrens, Bramshaw," in A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, 1, p. 411. Google Books.
14. ↑ see also: Sir Thomas Jay (b. 1597/8), eldest son of Thomas Jay, clerk of Fittleton, co. Wilts. & Anne, dau. of Robert Janson.

    JAY, Sir Thomas (1597/8-1639), of Netheravon, Wilts. and Blackfriars, London. HOP. Web.

15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} Crisp, F.A. (1890). "Elizabeth Estcourt," in Abstracts of Somersetshire Wills, p. 6. Google Books.
16. ↑ Hasler, P.W. (1981). TOOKER, Giles (c.1565-1623), of Salisbury, Wilts. HOP. Web.
17. ↑ "Giles Tooker, esq.," in Abstracts of Wiltshire Inquisitions Post Mortem, Returned Into the Court of Chancery, 1, p. 38. Google Books. (mirror @ wiltshire-opc.org.uk, PDF).
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1} Smart, T. (1841). A Chronicle of Cranborne: Being an Account of the Ancient Town, Lordship, and Chase of Cranborne, in the County of Dorset, p. 34. London. Google Books.
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1 19.2} Wiltshire Notes & Queries, 5 p. 51. Google Books.
20. ↑ "Hooper Harl. 1166 , fo. 30," in Vis. of Dorset, 1623, p. 56. Archive.org. eBook.
21. ↑ Wiltshire Parish Registers: Marriages, 5, p. 22. Google Books.
22. ↑ Fry, E.A. & Fry, G.S. (1894). "No. VIII. John Swayne," in Abstracts of Dorset Inquisitiones Post Mortem: Returned Into the Court of Chancery in the Reign of King Charles the First, p. 16 - 18. London: Charles J. Clark. Google Books.
23. ↑ Wiltshire Parish Registers: Marriages, 5, p. Google Books.
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1} Eyre Memorials. stthomassalisbury.co.uk. Web.
25. ↑ Wiltshire Notes & Queries, 5, p. 30.[2]
26. ↑
    see also: bur. 10 Sep 1629 St Thomas in Salisbury, co. Wilts., (Find A Grave: Memorial #57864963, citing St Thomas Becket Churchyard, Salisbury, Wiltshire Unitary Authority, Wilts. Maintained by Robert DeVowe. contributor 48224154.
    Burial 10 Sep 1628 at St Thomas Salisbury: "Thomas Eire, Gent and Justice of Ye Citty. " Image 195 St Thomas Salisbury accessed by subscription at: Ancestry.com Meehan-411
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1 27.2} see also: Coulstock, P. H. (1993). The Collegiate Church of Wimborne Minster. Boydell & Brewer. Google Books.

    NOTE: In 1359 Henry Eyre was vicar of Christ Church, (p. 138).[3] It's also the case that William Eyre (d. 1520), son of Joana Cockrell, was subprior of Christ Churst from 1502 until he died. Our Thomas is presumably his grand nephew.

    Wikipedia: Wimborne Minster
28. ↑ ^{28.0 28.1} Bonhames was inherited by Thomas' youngest son William, who in turn bequeathed it to his (William's) great-nephew, the judge Sir Samuel Eyre of Newhouse (b. 1633 - d. 12 Sep 1698 Lancaster).
29. ↑ see also: Wikipedia: William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke (8 Apr 1580 – 10 Apr 1630)

See also:

• Photo of St Thomas Becket Church, listings include numerous surname Eyre. Findagrave.com. Web.