Offices Held
Esquire of the body extraordinary by 1533; j.p. Wilts. 1554-d.; sheriff 1555-6, 1572-3; commr. sewers, Berks., Hants, Wilts. 1564, 1568, oyer and terminer, western circuit 1564.
Biography
When John St. John was about seven years old his father died while serving at Fuenterrabia, Spain, leaving him heir to the estates of the junior branch of the ancient St. John family. The freehold property comprised land in Essex, the midlands and Wiltshire, and its annual value, excluding the income from Essex, was reckoned in his father’s inquisitions at £78. He was later to inherit from his mother, who was still alive in 1549, manors in Hampshire and Surrey. Sir Richard Carew acquired the wardship of the young St. John, who by 1526 was married to one of Carew’s daughters; the two families were already connected, St. John’s maternal grandmother, Sanchia Carew, being Sir Richard’s first cousin. Although nothing is known of St. John’s education, his connexions suggest that he may have gone early to court: he shared a common ancestor with Henry VII, for Sir Oliver St. John’s wife, Margaret Beauchamp, had married secondly John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, while his brother-in-law Nicholas Carew was an intimate of the young Henry VIII.
It was to this brother-in-law, who owned Bletchingley manor, that St. John clearly owed his return to the Parliament of 1529: his fellow-Member, Nicholas Leigh, was another brother-in-law of Carew’s. The names ‘Mr. St. John’ and ‘Mr. Lee’ are found in conjunction on a list of Members drawn up by Cromwell on the back of a letter of December 1534. Those listed are thought to have been Members with a particular, but unknown, connexion with the treasons bill then on its passage through Parliament, and with no other clue to their identification the appearance of these two names together suggests that the bearer of the first was John St. John of Lydiard and not the head of the senior branch of the family, Sir John St. John of Bletsoe, who may by this time have been by-elected to the House. In September 1533 another namesake had been appointed a serjeant-at-arms, ‘to be specially attendant upon the King’s person outside the time of Parliament, and in the time of Parliament to be attendant on the Speaker elected by the Commons’. It is likely that St. John sat again for Bletchingley in the Parliament of 1536, in accordance with the King’s general request for the re-election of the previous Members, but as the returns for Bletchingley to the next Parliament, that of 1539, have been lost it is not possible to say whether he was returned on that occasion, immediately after Carew’s conviction for treason.
In 1533 St. John acted as a servitor at the coronation of Anne Boleyn. At his death in 1535 the bishop of Rochester owed one John St. John £20, but no direct connexion has been discovered between Bishop Fisher and the Member, although a Sir John St. John, presumably the father of Sir John of Bletsoe, had been chamberlain to Lady Margaret Beaufort and a fellow-executor with Fisher of her will. It was probably Sir John of Bletsoe, and not his cousin of Lydiard, who was in the household of Princess Mary at the time of Catherine of Aragon’s death in January 1536. In the previous year St. John had married as his second wife a daughter of Sir Richard Whethill. He disagreed with his new brother-in-law over the provision of Whethill’s will, of which he was an assistant overseer, and in March 1537 he journeyed from Calais to England to make his case to Cromwell and the Council. St. John appears to have been peripatetic, as his family’s scattered estates may have encouraged him to be: in a grant of July 1545 he is described as of Farley Chamberlayne, a property of his mother’s (where he was also probably living a year earlier when called upon to provide eight foot soldiers for the war), whereas in a settlement which he had made of his property in the previous month he is described as of Ewell, where his mother held the manor of Fitznells. His inclusion on the Wiltshire commission of the peace in 1554 seems to imply that he had finally settled at Lydiard Tregoz.
In 1545 St. John purchased the manor of Littleton for his son Nicholas. The tenants of Littleton quarrelled with the two St. Johns over the rents and dues of the manor, and in Edward VI’s reign they brought suits in the courts of Star Chamber and requests. They alleged that the St. Johns had forcibly entered the property and done at least £500 worth of damage, a charge denied by the elder St. John who claimed that he and his son had distrained legally for rent on 6 Dec. 1550 or 1551: Nicholas St. John for his part explained how his father had acquired two of the lessees’ shares in the manor. In 1548 Nicholas obtained a writ of partition from Chancery which was unsuccessfully challenged by the tenants in common pleas. The outcome of these suits is not known, but John St. John was able to bequeath the property to his son William.
In 1564 St. John was described by the bishop of Salisbury as ‘no hinderer’ to the Elizabethan settlement. He made his will ten years later on 24 Apr. 1574. Besides Littleton, William was to have the manor and advowson of Farley Chamberlayne, some household furnishings and ‘400 wether sheep which I left in stock there’. The youngest son, John, received the manor of Bincknoll, Wiltshire, and all the cattle, crops, and household stuff at Littleton unless his brothers paid him a stipulated amount for them. By a codicil of 2 Dec. 1575 William and John also received gifts of plate, bedding, a chain of gold and four horses. Nicholas, the heir, was appointed sole executor and had the residue of all the goods. St. John died on 5 Apr. 1576 and probate was granted on the following 9 Nov. 1
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The Will of John Seynt John or Seyntiohn otherwise Saint John of Lydiard Tregoze, Wiltshire, written 24 Apr 1574, proved 9 Nov 1576.
[paragraphed for easier reading]
In the name of god amen the fowre and twentithe daye of Aprill in the Yeare of our Lorde god One Thousande fyve hundrethe three score and fowretene an in the Yeare of the reigne of our Sovereigne Ladye Elizabeth by the grace of god of Englande France & Irelande defender of the Faith &c the Sixtenethe I John Seynt John of Lydyard Tregose in the County of Wiltes Esquier of Perfecte Remembrance thankes be to god for it Do make and ordeine this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme followinge
First I Bequeathe my Sowle which our Lorde Jhus Christ boughte and Redemed withe his most precious bloude into the handes of the blessed [and] my bodie to be buried at the discetion of myne Executour hereafter named with suche Funeralls then to be don and bestowed as to him shalbe thoughte Convenient
Item I will that all former wills by me made before this date of this my present Last Will and Testament yf suche shall appeare shalbe clerelie voyde and so my Last Will and Testamente is nowe as hereafter followinge
First I will that the Manor of Farley Chamberlayne with the Appurtenances in the Countie of Sowthamton with the Advowson of the Churche of Farlie Chamberleyne aforsaide shall continewe and be to Barbara Seintiohn the wieff of my Seconde sonne William Seyntiohn duringe the Naturall lyfe of the saide Barbara and after her decease the Remaynder thereof to the heires males of the bodie of me the saide John Seintiohn uppon the bodye of Elizabeth my Last Wieff deceased Lawfullie begotten And for defalte of suche issue the Remaynder thereof to the righte heyres of Dame Jane Seyntiohn my Mother deceased for ever accordinge to suche devises and Conveyances as for the Assurance thereof before this tyme of my free will hath ben conveyed and made
Also I will that my Manor of Letleton with the Appurtenances in the saide Countie of Sowthamton imediatlie after my deceasse shall Remayne and be to my saide sonne William Sentiohn and Henrie Seyntiohn Sonne and heyre apparente of the saide William Seyntiohn and to the heires of their two bodies Lawfullie begotten and to be begotten And for defaulte of suche issue the saide Mannor of Letleton with thappurtenances to Remayne to John Seyntiohn my yongest sonne and to the heires of his bodye Lawfullie to be begotten And for defalte of suche issue the Remaynder thereof to the righte heires of me the saide John Seyntiohn for ever acordinge to suche devises and conveyances and with suche condicions therein conteyned as before this tyme and sence the Feast of thannunciation of our Blessed Ladye the Virgin last past of my free will hath ben by me graunted conveyed and assured
And whereas I am seased of and in the Manor of Byncknoll alias Binall with the appurtenances and of and in dyvers Landes and Tente in Byncknoll Coterinshe Chaddenton Lydyarde Treygose Brodhynton Wotton Bassett and Cleve Pepper in the saide Countie of Wiltes to me and myne heires for ever Concerninge the disposityon of the saide Manor Landes Tenements and other the premisses my full will purpose and intent is in Manner and forme followinge
First I will and doo gyve and bequeathe unto the saide John Seyntiohn my yongest sonne the Manor of Byncknoll alias Bynall withe thappurtenances and all other my Landes Tenementes and Hereditamentes in Byncknoll Coterinshe Chaddenton Lydyard Treygose Brodhynton Wotton Bassett and Cleve Pepper in the saide Countie of Wiltes with the appurtenances with I latelie purchased of the Righte Honorable William Lorde Cobham To have and to holde the saide Manor of Byncknoll and other the premisses with their appurtenances to the saide John Seyntiohn my sonne and to his Assignes duringe his naturall lief. Provided allwaies and uppon this Condicion Nevertheless That yf Nicholas Seyntiohn my eldest sonne or his heyres shall at anye after my deceasse make or cause to be made unto the saide John Seyntiohn my sonne for and during the Lyef of hym the saide John Seyntiohn one sufficient and assured conveyance and estate of and in one Annuytie or Yearelie rente of Twentie Poundes of Lawfull Moneye of Englande by the Yeare payable unto the saide John Seyntiohn my sonne and to his Assignes during the Naturall Lyef of hym the saide John Seyniohn at twoo severall termes of the yeare that is to saye At the Feast of St Michaell tharchangell and the Annunciation of our Blessed Ladie the Virgin by every porcions issuynge and goynge owte of some of my Landes Whereof I at the tyme of my deceasse shalbe seased in Fee symple or Fee tayle of the Yerelie value of Twentie poundes or above as shall come to the possession of the saide Nicholas Seyntiohn after my deceasse with a sufficient clause of Distresse for non paymente of the same duringe the terme of the lief of the saide John Seyniohn my sonne in the same Conveyance and Assurance to be conteyned So that A good Assurance be made unto the saide John Seyntiohn my sonne and to his Assignes duringe his Naturall lyfe of the same Annuytie or Yearelie Rente of Twentie poundes as that he and his Assignes may Lawfullie quietlie and peaceablie enioye the same acordinge to the true meaninge of this my Last Will and Testamente That then and ymediatlie after suche Conveyance and estate made as aforsaide and a good Assurance of the saide Annuytie or Yearlie rente of Twentie poundes had I will the saide Gyfte and devyse by me made by this my Last Will unto the saide John Seyntiohn my sonne of the saide Manor of Byncknoll and other the premisses in Byncknoll Coterinshe Chaddenton Lydyard Treygose Brodhynton Wotton Bassett and Cleve Pepper and everie parte thereof shalbe clerelie voyde and his interest of and in the saide Manor with the Appurtenances in Bynall Coterinshe Chaddenton Lydyard Treygose Brodhenton Wotton Bassett and Cleve Pepper before herein devised shall Ceasse and determyne Also I will that after the Assurance of the saide Annuytie or Yearelie rente made or after the deceasse of the saide John Seyntiohn my sonne that the saide Manor of Byncknoll with the Appurtenances with all other the Landes and Tenementes in Byncknoll Coterinshe Chaddenton Lydyard Treigose Brodhinton Wotton Bassett and Cleve Pepper that I purchased of the saide Lorde Cobham with theappurtenances and other the premisses other then the saide Annuytie or Yearelie rente of Twentie poundes by the Yeare for the terme of Lyef of the saide John Sayntiohn my sonne which shalbe conveyed as aforesaide shall holie remaine come and be unto my saide sonne Nicholas Seyntiohn and to his heires for ever
Also I doo gyve and Bequeathe unto the saide William Seyntiohn my sonne All that the righte and interest that I have in and unto twooe severall Leasses of the Farme of Letleton in the saide Countie of South withe the Appurtenances late in the tenure and occupacion of one Robert Noyes and others by the graunte of the Late Abbott and Covent of the Late desolved? Monasterie of St Peters in Glouc and which twoo severall Leasses are by good conveyances comen? unto the handes of me the saide John Seyntiohn To have and to holde the same unto the saide William Seyntiohn and to his Assignes duringe the terme that I have to come in the saide twoo severall Leasses unexpired and undetermined
Item I do Remyse Releasse and forgyve unto the saide William Seyntiohn his heires Executors and Assignes twoo Partes of all suche arrerages as shall happen to be behinde and due to be paide unto me at or before my deceasse of myne Annuytie or Rente charge of Thirtie poundes by the yeare goynge owte of the Manor of Farlie Chamberlayne aforesaide so that and uppon this condicion Neverthelesse that the saide William Seyntiohn doo paye or cawse to be paide within one Moneth after my deceasse to the saide John Seyntiohn my sonne the other Parte being the thirde Parte of all suche arrerages of my saide Annuytie or Yerelie rente of thirtie poundes goyng owte of the saide Manor of Farlie as shalbe behinde and due to be paide at or before my deceasse. And also uppon this condicion that within one Moneth nexte after my deceasse and after Notice gyven unto the saide Willyam Stiohn of this my last Will and Testamente uppon request of myne executor he doo and shall make a sufficiente releasse and dischardge unto my Executor of all suche dettes dueties Legacies and other demaundes What so ever they be other than suche Legacies as by this my Laste Will and Testament are gyven and bequeathed unto hym the saide William Seintiohn as th saide William Seintiohn can demande of myne Executor as Executor unto me the saide John Seyntiohn
And yf the saide William Seintiohn shall refuse to make any suche releasse or dischardge or shall refuse and not paye unto the saide John Seintiohn my sonne the Arrerages of the saide thirde parte of my saide Annuytie or Yearelie rente of Thirtie poundes as is aforesaide, Then my full Will and intent is that all suche bequeastes of Gooddes and Cattells with the arrerages of myne Annuytie or Yearelie rente of Thirtie poundes goynge owte of Farlie Chamberlayne aforsaide And all other my Bequeastes of gooddes and Cattells conteyned in this my Last Will and Testamente made and gyven unto the saide William Seyntiohn my sonne shalbe clearelie voyde as thoughe I had made no suche gyfte unto hym Anything or thinges expressed in this my Last Will and Testament to the Contrarie in any wise notwithstanding
Also I doo gyve and bequeathe to the saide William Seintiohn Fowre hundreth wether sheepe that I lefte in Stock with hym at Farlie aforesaide when he first entred therunto And Furthermore I doo gyve and bequeathe to the saide William Seintiohn the Bedstede in my howse at Lydyarde Treigose aforesaide standinge over the Parlour there with the Testor? and valence embrodered with parte of my Armes and his Mothers my late wieff with also fyve Curteynes of yellowe silke and the Curten roddes and all the hanginges of redde saye hanginge in the saide Chamber and the bedde of Downe with the Bolster there and the Covelett of Arras or verder that comonlie lyeth upon the same Bedd and a payre of fyne wollen Blanckettes and twoo good Pillowes and also the greate flatt weynescott Cofer bounde all with --?-- with all suche Lynnen as by perticulars are conteyned in a Schedule unto this my last Will annexed and all suche other writinges and gooddes as the saide Cofer shalbe at the tyme of my deceasse
And also I doo gyve unto the saide William Stiohn my sonne one Neste of Bowlles that is to saye three Bolles of sylver withe a Cover percell gilte waying by estimacion three score fyvetene ownces
Item I doo gyve to John Seyntiohn my sonne Fyve Hundreth wether Sheepe twelve Kyene and one Bull and twelve Cart Horses that I shall have or comonlie have used to have at Letleton aforsaide in the saide Countie of Sowth to be delyvered to hym by myne Executor hereafter named within Syxe weekes nexte after my decesse And yf there shall not be so many Sheepe Kyne Bull and Carte Horses at the tyme of my decesse Then I will that myne Executor shall make up of others my gooddes and delyver so manye of everie sorte in Nomber at Lytleton aforesaide as good as comonlie I have used to have there to the saide John Seyntiohn or to his Assignes Also I doo gyve to the saide John Seintiohn all my Wheate Barleye and all other my grayne aswell growinge and being in and uppon the groundes and Barnes there at Letleton as also that shalbe bounde Cocked or carried or otherwise had of all the saide groundes there at the tyme of my deceasse with also all the Malte that I then shall have there or elswhere within the saide Countie of South And also all my Howsholde stuff Cartes Plowes and all other my Gooddes and Cattells what so ever they be that I shall have as aforsaide at Lytleton at the tyme of my deceasse to be delivered within the tyme before mencioned Provided alwaies and uppon this condicion neverthelesse That yf my saide sonne WilliamSeintiohn will bynde hym self after my deceasse within twentie dayes nexte after Notice unto hym gyven of this my Last Will and Testament in an assured Bonde with sufficient Suerties unto the saide John Seintiohn my sonne in the Some of twoo Hundreth markes with condicion that he the saide William Stiohn his Executors or Assignes shall pay or cause to be paide to the saide John Stiohn my sonne his Executor and Assignes one Hundreth Poundes of Lawfull money of Englande in manner and forme followinge that is to saye Within one Yeare nexte after my deceasse Fyftie poundes And within one Yeare more then afterwardes Fyftie poundes in full contentacion? and payment of the saide Some of one Hundred poundes Then I will that my said gifte of all my saide Shepe Kyene Bull Carte Horses Corne grayne and of all other my Gooddes and Cattalls remayninge at Letleton aforesaide at the tyme of my deceasse before herein gyven to the saide John Stiohn my sonne shalbe clerelie voyde And after suche an Assurance made for the payment of the saide Some of one hundreth poundes to the saide John Seintiohn as aforesaide Then my full Will and intent is that the saide William Seintiohn my sonne shall have to his owne use all the saide Sheepe kyene Bull cart horses Corne grayne gooddes and Cattell remayninge at the tyme of my deceasse at Letleton aforsaide which I have herein before gyven unto my saide sonne John Seyntiohn to be delivered unto hym the saide Wylliam Seintiohn by myne Executor hereafter named within Syxe weekes nexte after my deceasse: Furthermore I do gyve and bequeathe unto the said John Seyntiohn my sonne one hundreth Markes more over and besides the said Some of a Hundred poundes the saide Hundreth Markes to be paide by myne Executor unto the saide John Stiohn his Executors or Assignes within one yeare nexte after my deceasse And also I do gyve unto the said John Seyntiohn my sonne all suche beddes Stuff and other goodes of myne as he hathe or had in the Chamber at the Personage of Lydyarde and also twoo payer of good Sheetes as comonlie goeth abroade in my howse at Lydyarde for his owne bedd and twoo payre of Sheetes for his mans bedde and also the newe Tester and Curtens of blewe Saye that I latelie boughte and also the Coverlett of verder that lyeth comonlie uppon the bedd in the litle upper Chamber at Lydyard next the garden And also I doo gyve unto the saide John Seyntiohn my sonne the Shyppe Cofer standinge in the saide little upper chamber bound with --?-- having twoo lockes with twoo severall keyes wherein I have most comonlie used to kepe my fyne Lennen with all suche lynnen as by perticulers be conteyned in a Schedule to this my Last Will annexed with all suche other gooddes as in the saide Cofer shalbe at the tyme of my deceasse And I also doo gyve unto the saide John Stiohn my sonne one nest of Bowlles that is to saye Three Bowlles of sylver with a cover percell gilte weynge by estimacion Three score fyvetene ownces
Item I gyve and bequeathe to my Nephewe Sanders Bray Fyve poundes in ready Money
Item I doo gyve to Johan Goldsmythe my mayde yf She be in service with me at the tyme of my deceasse Fowre poundes in redie moneye besides that that I shall owe unto her for her Wages or otherwise at the tyme of my deceasse and also Black cloathe for A gowne or twentie Shillinges more in money for the same And also I doo gyve unto her all my Lynnen that she hath in custodie of myne as Sheetes Shertes handkerchers and kerchers quiltes Cappes Lynnen hoasen besides Pillowbe---s and all other my Lynnen being in her custodie and chardge and that she Accomptant for which she shall have at the tyme of my decesse All whiche the Premisses unto the saide Johan Goldsmythe by me gyven by this my Last Will and Testamente I will not that that She shall have yf she be not in service with me at the tyme of my deceasse
Item I doo gyve and bequeathe to my Servantes Thomas Webbe in reddye moneye Fyve poundes to William Edes Fortie Shillinges yf they be in service with me at the tyme of my deceasse or to suche other as then shalbe in service with me besides that that I shall owe unto any of them at the same tyme
All which my Bequeastes made unto the saide Sanders Braye Johan Goldsmythe Thomas Webbe and William Edes I will shalbe paide and delivered unto everie of them by myne Executor within one quarter of a Yeare nexte after my deceasse Furthermore I will that my Executor shall keepe and Mayneteyne my hole howseholde Servantes together yf they will tarrie there at my howse by the space of Syxe weekes nexte after my deceasse at my onelie Costes and Chardges
The residue of of all my Gooddes Cattall Plate and reddye Moneye that I shall have at the tyme of my deceasse withe all suche debtes as shalbe then owinge unto me After my Funeralls dischardged my dettes paide and my Last Will in everie Parte performed I will shall holie remayne come and be unto the saide Nicholas Seyntiohn myne eldeste sonne and heyre whom I make and ordeyne ... my onelie and sole Executor of this my Laste Will and testament Requyringe and also chardginge hym uppon my blessinge and, as he will answer before god at the dreadefull daye of doome That he doo Performe this my Last Will in all thinges accordinge to the true entente and meaninge of the same
In witness whereof unto this my presente Last Will and Testamente written with my owne hande I have sett my Seale and Subscribed my name the saide three and twentie daye of April in ... the Yeare of our Lorde go 1574. By me John Seyntiohn
This Will conteyninge Sixe Leaves was sealed by the saide John Seyntiohn and publisshed to be his laste Will and testament in the presence of Thomas Estcourte. 2
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Follows are the particulars of bequests mentioned above as annexing the Will, and a Codicil dated 2 Dec 18 Eliz. [1575]
Research Notes: