Frances Mathew

Matthew Parker born 1 Sept. 1551, died 1574; married Frances Barlow, daughter of William Barlow, Bishop of Chichester, she remarried Tobie Matthew, Archbishop of York. Frances was the daughter of a bishop, daughter in law of an Archbishop of Canterbury, her second husband was an Archbishop and, apparently, had four brothers who were Bishops.

children

Notes made by Frances Barlow Matthew on her children (transcribed from facsimile of manuscript by Stephen W. Edmondson).From York Minster Library Archives.Date needed).

1. Borne at Eaton Colledge. Matthew Parker my first sonn was borne in the year 1575 the 11 of July being Saterday betwixt 9 e. 10 of the clock at night.His godmother my Mother, his godfathers my brother Dave and my brother Parker. He departed this life in March next following and was buryed in Eaton Church.
2. Borne at Salesbury. Toby Matthew was borne . 1577 the therdeof October being Thursday a littell after thre of the clock in the after noone, his godmother my Mother in lawe, his godfathers Mr. Estecourteand Mr. Weekes.
3. Borne at Salesbury My first daughter was still borne 1579 the secondeof August being Tusday at twelve of the clocke at night and buryed in the Cathedrall church at Salesbury.
4. ?Borne at Oxford in Christ Church John Matthew was borne 1580 the sixt of December being Tusday at five of the clocke in the morneing his godmother my sister Westfailling ? , his godfathers Doctor Humfrie and Doctor Cullpepper.
5. Borne at Salesbury Mary Matthew was borne 1582 the 24 of October wensday being atfive of the clocke in the aftern nooneher godmothers the countice of Pembroke and my Mother, her godfather Dr. Whyt. Shee departed this Lyfethe 6 after next following and was buryed at the Cathederall Church at Salesbury.
6. Borne at Oxford in Christ Church Samuell Matthew was borne 1583 the fifth of February being Wensday at two of the cloke in the morneinghis godmother Mrs.Humfryhis godfathers Dr. Slithers and Dr. Witherington This Samuell Matthew, my most deerly beloved sonne, departed this Life most Christianly the 15 of June 1561/1601 and is buryed in Peter-House in Cambridge. [this shows that Captain Samuel Mathew Sr of Virginia was not the son of Tobias Mathew]

from her will

• http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/matthews/6109/
• 45       Kings majestie that now is gane me, Item I give to my sonne Mr John Mathew the
• 46       summe of five hundreth pounds in money Provided alwayes and my will is
• 47       That the said somme of Five hundreth pounds shall remayne in the Costodye of my Executors
• 48       duringe the liffe of my said sone John and he to gane only the benefitt therof duringe
• 49       his lyffe, And after his decease my will is that the said somme of Five hundreth pounds
• 50       shall whollie remaine to Frannces and Dorcas Matthew daughters of the said John
• 51       and to the survivors of the said Frannces and Dorcas, Item I give to Mr Josias Mathew
• 52       my Grandsonne Two hundreth pounds in money, And my will is That one Hundreth
• 53       pounds therof shalle for the sole use of Barberie his now wyffe, and her Eldest Brother
• 54       or such other kinsman as she shall approve of to gane the Costodie therof for her beniffytt
• 55       and behoofe, To my grandson Mr John Matthew two hundreth pounds in money, Item I
• 56       give to my grandchild Frannces Mathew afforesaid the somme of foure hundreth pounds
• 57       And to her syster Dorcas Mathew three hundreth pounds in money to be payd at ther severall
• 58       Aige of one and twenty yeares or dayes of marriage which shall first happen, And if eyther of
• 59       them shall departe this lyffe before ther severall aige of one and Twenty yeares or dayes of
• 60       marriage, then my will is that the survivor of the said Frannces and Dorcas shall gane the
• 61       parte and porcion of eyther of them deceassinge, And my will is further that my Executors shall
• 62       allow to the said Frannces and Dorcas the beniffit of ther said porcions for ther maintenance
• 63       until ther severall aiges of one and Twenty yeares or dayes of marriage as afforesaid, And
• 64       Further I give and bequeath to the said Frannces and Dorcas Mathew all such things as are
• 65       Conteyned in one truncke standinge in the little house in the upper end of the great Chamber
• 66       and also in asquare black Chiste over the kitchinge to be Equally devided bewixte them, Item

notes

From Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury: new series. v. 1-6. Reformation period. Walter Farquhar Hook page 565

Another family affliction Parker had to endure, when in the month of December, 1574, he followed to the grave his second son, Matthew, who died at the age of twenty- three. He died at the Duke's house, Lambeth, which had i559-75. been assigned to him by his father as a residence after the death of the archbishop's wife. He must have been dependent upon his father for his income ; for his wife, the younger daughter of Barlow, Bishop of Chichester, brought with her no portion, or next to none. All that she received from first to last from her father was 100/., or rather what would have been valued at that sum, if all had been properly appraised ;—besides a gelding, she had for her apparel 10/., a stock of damask linen worth 121., a tablecloth and a towel, two pillow-biers, two long cushions, a silver salt, and standing cup, and 10/. in money.

From A Popular History of Bristol: Antiquarian, Topographical and Descriptive from the Earliest Period to the Present Time ; with Biographical Notices of Eminent Natives and Residents, Impartially Written George Bryce W. Mack, 1861 - Bristol (England) - 622 pages. Page 586-587

Adjacent to that of the archbishop was also a monument to the memory of his lady, thus inscribed :-—
“ Frances Mathew, first married to Matthew Parker, son to Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury; afterwards to Tobie Mathew, that famous Archbishop of this See: She was a woman of exemplary wisdom, gravity, piety, bounty, and indeed in other virtues not only above her sex, but the times. One excellent act of her, first derived from this Church, and through it flowing upon the country, deserves to live as long as the Church itself. The library of the deceased Archbishop, consisting of above three thousand books, she gave entirely to the public use of this Church. A rare example that so great care to advance learning should lod in a Woman’s breast! but it was the less wonder in her, because she was in to so much learning.

She was daughter of William Barlow, Bishop of Chichester, and in King He the Eighth’s time ambassador into Scotland, of that ancient family of the Barlow’s in Wales. She had four sisters married to four Bishops; one to William Wickham, Bishop of Winchester; another to Overton, Bishop of Coventry 8: Lichiield; a third to Westphaling, Bishop of Hereford; a fourth to Day, that succeeded Wickham in Winchester; so that a bishop was her father, an archbishop her father-in-law; she had four bishops her brethren, and an archbishop her husband. When she had lived seventy eight years, the eighth of May she changed this life as full of honour as of years, Anno Domini 1629.”

On the tomb of the archbishop‘ were blazoned the arms and quarterings of his family and those of his wife; as also the arms of the Sec of York impaled with his own, which were Sable, a lion rampant argent, armed and langued gules, by the name of Williams, of the counties of Flint and Lincoln. Crest, a Moorcock. These arms, as well as the name of Mathew, were assumed, as before stated, by John Williams, on his marrying the daughter and heir of Edmond Mathew, in the reign of King Edward IV.

• Re: Captain Samuel Matthews of early Virginia (And sources for Tobias Matthew) May 10, 2009