Pope: His Descent And Family Connections Part 4

In the year 1562, when the corporation of York contemplated making him sheriff, Edward Turner was a married man, and the father of a family. The earliest register book of the parish of Saint Helen Stonegate, which commences in the year 1568, records the baptism of two of his younger children: "Lucy Turner, daughter of Edward Turner, gentleman," was baptized on the 24th of February, 1569, and a son, named Edward, on the 12th of August, 1570. Another son, named Martin, of whom he speaks in his will as his youngest son, must have been born a very short time before the death of his mother, an event which is thus entered in the same register:--"Mistris Turner, wife of Edward Turner, gentleman, buried 13th June, 1571." I have found no clue whatever to the discovery of the name of this lady, or of any other particulars relating to her.

A few months after the usual period of mourning had pa.s.sed, the widowed husband took unto himself a second wife. On the 22nd of September, 1572, "Mr. Edward Turner and Mrs. Jane Fale" were married at the church of the parish of Saint Michael le Belfrey, in York. Mrs. Jane Fale was the widow of Mr. Thomas Fale, who for more than twenty years was town-clerk of York, and died in the month of March, 1571.

In the year 1573, Mr. Turner purchased of William Wentworth, of Killingwicke, a plot of ground near to his own residence, which had been the churchyard of the demolished church of Saint Wilfred.[9]

Of thirty householders of the parish of Saint Helen Stonegate, who, in the year 1574, were a.s.sessed to the relief of the poor, Edward Turner paid the highest rate. The amount, when compared with modern experience, seems ridiculously small: it was no more than fourpence. But this was in the very infancy of poor-rates, and, with one or two exceptions, the aldermen of the city were the only persons who contributed so large a sum as sixpence.

A few years later, Mr. Turner had to lament the loss of his early friend and patron, Mr. Secretary Eymis. He died on the 19th of August, 1578; and in his last will we find a token, although it be but a slight one, of his regard for the person who had so long shared his official labours.

During his long tenure of the influential and lucrative office of Secretary to the Court at York, Mr. Eymis had acc.u.mulated great wealth. He appears to have partic.i.p.ated largely in the distribution by the crown of the ecclesiastical property in Yorks.h.i.+re which was confiscated at the Reformation. His estate at Heslington, near York, where he built for his own residence a stately mansion, consisted chiefly of lands which had belonged to the Hospital of Saint Leonard and the Priory of Saint Andrew, two of the religious houses at York. He had possessed himself of the estates belonging to a collegiate foundation at Lowthorpe in the East Riding. He was lessee under the church of York of the prebend of Bugthorpe in the same riding, and owner of the manors of Bugthorpe and other adjacent places; and he had obtained a grant from the crown of the t.i.thes of Clifton, near York, which belonged to the rectory of Saint Olave in Marygate. He must have been remarkable for the state and splendour of his domestic establishment, having a house in the Minster Close at York, and another in the Savoy at London; and two country houses, one at Bugthorpe, and the other at Heslington.[10]

The last will of Mr. Eymis was executed on the first day of the year in which he died. In this doc.u.ment the name of Edward Turner occurs twice: first, in his disposal of a house and close of land, without Monk Bar, York, which he states that he had purchased of "Edward Turner, gentilman"; and secondly, in a bequest of which I must speak more at length. The testator gives a life interest in nearly the whole of his estates to his wife Elizabeth; but he does this by means of numerous separate devises, intailing the various parts of his property, after her death, upon his nephews, Thomas Eymis, William Eymis, Richard Eymis, John Eymis, William Thynne, and Sir John Thynne, Knight,[11] varying the order of succession, and introducing into some of the limitations the names of the younger sons of his nephew, Sir John Thynne, and his brother-in-law, Sir Henry Neville, Knight, and of two or three other persons, of whom Edward Turner is one.

The t.i.thes of Clifton, which the testator states that he held for a term of years by a grant from the Queen, he gives, after the death of his wife, to five of his nephews for their lives successively; and if they all die before the expiration of such term of years, he bequeaths the same t.i.thes to "Edward Turner, gentilman, and his a.s.signs, during the residue of the years then to come, if he live so long;" and if not, then "to my friend Robert Man, gentilman," in a similar manner, with the ultimate bequest to "Henry Pulleyne, my servant." The will was proved at York, on the 20th of March, 1578-9, by the testator's widow, Elizabeth Eymis, the residuary legatee and sole executor.[12]

Mr. Edward Turner did not long survive his patron and superior in office, Mr. Secretary Eymis. He died in the month of December, 1580, and was buried in the church of the parish of Saint Helen Stonegate, of which he had been for many years one of the princ.i.p.al inhabitants. A few weeks before his death he executed his last will. It is dated the 27th of November, 1580, and was proved by Lancelot Turner, the eldest son and one of the executors, on the 31st of January, 1581. After the usual pious introduction, the testator, who describes himself "Edward Turner, of the cittie of Yorke," without any addition, gives to his wife, Jane, for her life, all such lands, &c., as she had already set forth for her jointure.

He then proceeds to make the following disposition of his real estate:--

"To Lancelot Turner, my son, all my lands in possession and reversion, except a tenement and garthinge in Stanegate, to him and his heirs males; with remainder to Phillippe Turner, my son, and his heirs males; with remainder to Thomas Turner, my son, and his heirs males; with remainder to Martyn Turner, my son, and his heirs males; with remainder to my own right heirs."

The following bequests show that the testator's personalty was of a costly description:--

"To my son, Lancelot Turner, my dolphyn of gold; to my wife, all such gold rings and gold tablets as she hath in possession; to Phillipp Turner, my son, my ring hoop of gold; to Thomas Turner, a ring of gold, with a graven death's head in it, weighing about 40_s._; to Martyn Turner, a gold ring, with a death's head of stone in it; to Margaret Willowbie, a round gold ring of 12_s._ price, which lieth in my study amongst other my rings; to Elizabeth Martyn, a gold ring in a purse, in my far study; to Katherine Turner, a ring of an angel weight; to Margaret Willowbie, 100 marks in consideration of such reckoning as is between her and me; to Elizabeth Martin, 10 over and beside 6. 13_s._ 4_d._ which I owe of the 100 marks that I promised to her husband for her marriage goods; to Katherine Turner, 30 over and besides her child's portion; to Johan Willowbie, 40_s._, and to Anne, Elizabeth, and Thomas Willowbie, 20_s._ each; to my wife, the t.i.thes of corn and hay at Bishopthorpe during her life; to Martyn Turner, my youngest son, twenty marks yearly, out of the annuity of 20 granted unto me from William Chamberlayne, Esq., and Leonard his son,[13] for his bringing up at the University, and I commit him to the tuition of my wife, to be ruled and ordered by her, who I trust will be his good mother, and see all his things ordered for his most benefit; to my son, Lancelot, my years in the t.i.the of Braken-on-the-Wold, by grant from the Queen's Majesty; to Thomas Turner, the tenement and garthing in Stanegate; to my son, Philip Turner, my years in my lands in Clifton which I have by grant from the Queen, and my right in the Howe close without Walmgate Bar; to my well-beloved cousin, Mr. Henry Maye, the moiety of my leasehold lands in Kexbie towns.h.i.+p, for that he in truth did disburse the one half of the money for the obtaining of the leases--the other moiety I give to my children, Edward, Martyn, and Katherine Turner; to my daughter, Margaret Willowbie, my years in a close in Scoreby, paying out of it to my sister, Alice Hall, widow, 40_s._ yearly; to Lancelot Martin, my son-in-law, a gold ring of the value of 40_s._ I will that all the 'waynescott, sealings, portalles, binkes, cundetts for conveying of water,' &c. in my now dwelling-house, and within the house of the Lady Beckwith, be heirlooms. To my wife, a stoke of corn which I estimate to be twenty quarters of barley; 30 from one Hunter, for the fine or gressam of a tenement and lands of my said wife in Tockwith; and a grey ambling nag which she useth to ride upon, and calleth her own nag, which I esteem at the value of 4. To the right wors.h.i.+pful and my singular good mistress, Mrs. Eymis,[14] one old ryal; to my good friend Mr. Thomas Sandes, my cousin Henry Maye, and his wife, an old angel each; to my cousin Thomas Jackson, and my niece Jane Crosethwaite, each a French crown; to each of the children of my late brother-in-law, John Hall, 5_s._; to Edmund Fale and his wife, 5_s._ each; to Mrs. Maltus, an English crown; to Mrs. Wood, of Kilnwick, a gold ring, or two old angels; to Agnes Walker, of Saint Nicholas, 3_s._ 4_d._ The residue to my wife, and Lancelot Turner, Margaret Willowbie, and Elizabeth Martin, my children, whom I make executors; my very good friend, Mr. Thomas Wood of Kilnwicke,[15] Robert Man, Thomas Blenkharne, John Stephenson, and Thomas Smithson, supervisors."

It does not appear that the testator's wife, who survived him, had borne him any children. By the aid of his will the issue of his previous marriage may be placed in the following order:--

1. LANCELOT, the eldest son. For copious information respecting him, we are indebted to your researches.

2. PHILIP, the grandfather of Edith Pope.

3. THOMAS. In the year 1580, "Thomas Turner, goldsmith, son of Edward Turner, gentleman," was admitted to the city franchise.

4. MARGARET, married, in her father's lifetime, to a person of the name of Willowbie. After his death she married John Stephenson,[16]

one of the supervisors of her father's will.

5. ELIZABETH, married to Lancelot Martin at the Church of Saint Helen Stonegate, on the 17th of July, 1580. Thomas Martin, the London apprentice, to whom Lancelot Turner gives a legacy of 200, was their son. It appears from the will of Lancelot Turner, that she was afterwards the wife of a person named Hustler.

6. KATHARINE, a minor at the time of her father's death. She afterwards married Thomas Blenkarne, another of the supervisors of his will.

7. LUCY, baptized 24th of February, 1569. As she is not named in her father's will, she most probably died young.

8. EDWARD, baptized 12th of August, 1570.

9. MARTIN, the youngest child, about nine years old when his father died.

Mrs. Jane Turner lived several years after she became the widow of Edward Turner. Her last will is dated the 11th of December, 1588. The bequests it contains, are very numerous, and I will mention only such of them as seem to be pertinent to our present inquiry.

"To my G.o.d-daughter, Jane Newton, the wife of Miles Newton,[17]

gentleman, one angel." Jane Newton was one of the daughters of Ambrose Beckwith of Stillingfleet, the brother of Sir Leonard Beckwith, whose widow, Lady Beckwith, was the neighbour and tenant of Edward Turner. You have shown us that Thomasine Newton, Edith Pope's mother, was the grand-daughter of Miles Newton and Jane Beckwith.[18]

"To my son-in-law, Martin Turner," 5_s._, and a tablet of gold which was his father's. "To Phillip Turner and Edward Turner, my sons-in-law,"

20_s._ each. "To my daughters-in-law, Elizabeth Martin, wife of Lancelot Martin, and Katherine Blenkarne, wife of Thomas Blenkarne," gold rings.

"To John Stephenson, my son-in-law, and Margaret Stephenson, my daughter-in-law," small legacies; and "to my sister, Alice Hall, an angel and my black gown furred with cunny."

Among the other legatees are the following persons of distinction, then resident in York and the neighbourhood:--

Mr. Henry Slingsby, afterwards Sir Henry Slingsby, Knight, Vice-President of the Council of the North; and Mrs. Frances Slingsby his wife, daughter of William Vavasour of Weston, Esq., by Elizabeth, sister and coheir of Roger Beckwith, Esq., eldest son and heir of Sir Leonard Beckwith.

Mrs. Jane Wood, widow of Thomas Wood of Kilnwick Percy gentleman (of whom I have previously spoken), and Mr. Barney Wood, their son.

Mrs. Hilliard, wife of William Hilliard, Esq., Recorder of York, afterwards Sir Wm. Hilliard, Knt.

Mr. John Jenkins (whose son was afterwards Sir Henry Jenkins, Knight), and his wife, and Margaret, their daughter.

Mrs. Darley, the wife of Mr. John Darley of York.[19]

Lady Beckwith, and her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. George Harvie,[20] and Mrs. Frances, his wife.

The testatrix appointed John Darley and William Allen,[21] draper, executors, and Mr. William Bush.e.l.l and Mr. William Hilliard, supervisors of her will, which was proved at York on the 30th November, 1589. She was buried on the 9th of September preceding, in the church of Saint Michael le Belfrey; it being her testamentary wish to be interred near to her first husband.

I now pa.s.s to the third generation of the Turners; and I will speak first of Philip Turner, who was the second son of Edward Turner, and the direct ancestor of the great Poet.

In the year 1586, Philip Turner was admitted to the franchise of the city of York, as the son of Edward Turner, gentleman. In the register of freemen he is called a merchant, implying that he was a member of the chartered company of Merchant Adventurers, which was then const.i.tuted of the highest cla.s.s of York citizens.

On the 18th of January, 1590, at the church of Saint Helen Stonegate, "Phillippe Turner and Edeth Gylminge was maryed." This lady was the mother of William Turner, in remembrance of whom he gave to his daughter Edith her pretty Saxon christian-name, and it cannot be uninteresting to inquire a little about the family to which she belonged. The name of Gylminge is of rare occurrence in our local annals. In Mr. Drake's volume it appears only once; but I believe that the "William Gylmyn" whom the historian[22]

places at the head of a list of the freeholders of York who were present at the election of two representatives in Parliament on Oct. 28, 1584, was the father of Edith Gylminge who married Philip Turner, as he unquestionably was of Christian Gylminge, who, at the same parish church, on April 9, 1599, became the first wife of George Ellis, Esq., afterwards Sir George Ellis, Knight, a member of the Council of the North.

William Gylminge was a vintner,--in modern phrase, a wine-merchant. In the sixteenth century the vintners were among the most opulent of the York tradesmen, no person being permitted to sell wine without having an annual license from the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. In the year 1583, William Gylminge was one of the eleven persons to whom this privilege was exclusively granted. Henry Maye, whom Edward Turner names in his will as his cousin, and who was an alderman, and lord mayor in 1586, was another of these eleven vintners.

William Gylminge died in the year 1591. In his will, dated Jan. 28, 1590-1, he mentions his son James, and his daughters Joan and Christian.

The name of his daughter Edith does not appear; and I can only account for the omission, by supposing that she had received her child's portion twelve months before, when she became the wife of Philip Turner. Robert Gylminge, a merchant and goldsmith at York, was the brother of William Gylminge. He died in the year 1580; and from his will[23] it may be inferred that he was engaged in large commercial transactions, as he gives to his wife and children all his goods "on this side the sea, or beyond the seas."

Soon after the marriage of Philip Turner to Edith Gylminge, I find him living in the parish of All Saints Pavement in York, a part of the city which was then inhabited by many of its princ.i.p.al merchants. In this parish he continued to reside several years, and became the father of a numerous family. The baptismal register contains these entries:--

1592, Oct. 3.--Lancelot, son of Philip Turner.

1593, Nov. 3.--Frances, daughter of Philip Turner.

1594, Feb. 26.--Martha, daughter of Philip Turner.

1796, April 14.--Katherine, daughter of Philip Turner.

1597, June 7.--WILLIAM, son of Philip Turner.

1598, Oct. 9.--Philip, son of Philip Turner.

1603, Dec. 4.--John, son of Philip Turner.