Dame Mary Judde

Not the wife of Thomas Langton, Baron of Newton

Mary Mathew

• ”Dame Mary Judde”
• formerly Mathew aka Wollaye, Langton, Judde
• Born about 1516 in Colchester, Essex, England
• Died 15 Jan 1602 in Latton, Essex, England
• Daughter of Thomas Mathew and Marion (Bardefeld)
• Wife of Unknown] Wolley / Wollaye
• Wife of Thomas Langton — married about 1537 in London, England [uncertain]
• Wife of Andrew Judde Kt — married 7 Feb 1551 in City of London, England
• Wife of James Altham esq — married about 1563

Biography

The third marriage of Dame Mary Judde -- who retained to the end of her days the name of the most famous of her three husbands -- was to James Altham, another London merchant, alderman, and sheriff. For "contemptuous disobedyence" of a court order of the aldermen, he was dismissed from that office in 1561 and retired to Latton, where he bought not only the great Manor but also most of the village. This marriage brought into Dame Mary's family circle a new set of step-children, all mothered by James Altham's first wife, daughter of the London haberdasher, Thomas Blanke. Altham died in 1583, leaving his widow to enjoy for eighteen years her share of the fortunes of her three husbands.

Family

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mathew-325

Thomas Mathew Esq. of Colchester, Essex, was recorded as the father of Mary Mathew, the latter being granted arms on 10 Oct 1558.

Mary Mathew married four times:[3]

1. [Unknown] Wolley / Wollaye
2. Thomas Langton, Skinner of London
3. Sir Andrew Judde, Skinner of London and Merchant of the Staple (Andrew Judde married three times:[9] 1) Mary Murfyn/Mirfyn (daughter of Thomas Murfyn, a former Lord Mayor of London); 2) Agnes/Annys (surname unknown); 3) Mary Mathew (daughter of Thomas Mathew of Colchester, Essex, widow of Thomas Langton, Skinner of London)
4. James Altham of Latton, Essex

Children of Mary Mathew and unknown Woolley

1. Emanuell Wolley[6][7]

Children of Mary Mathew and Thomas Langton

1. Mary Langton (married Sir William Wynter)[7][17][18]
2. Thomas Langton[7]
3. Jane Langton (married John Barne)[7][8]
4. Ann Langton[7]
5. Elizabeth Langton (married first John Reynolds, gent., and then Sir William Morgan)[7][19][20]

Children of Mary Mathew and Andrew Judde

1. Martha Judde (married Robert Goldinge)[6][11][21][22]

   ---

In the will of James Wattar of Latton, Essex, Yeoman, the will made on 01 Sep 1571 and proved on 17 Oct 1572, he made bequests to [the Altham children were step children]

• his Master James Altham esq. and his good lady;
• Mistress Martha my ladies daughter;
• Mr Thomas Altham my mistresses eldest son;
• Mr Edward Altham my mistresses 2nd son;
• Mr James Altham my mistresses 3rd son;
• Mr John Altham my mistresses 4th son;
• Mr Mathew Altham my mistresses 5th son;
• Mistress Mary Reynolds; and
• Emanuell Wollaye, Grocer, whom he made his Executor[6].

Notes

This matriarch, Dame Mary Judde, with an allure for wealthy widowere, began life as Mary Mathew, of Colchester, Essex. she was entitled, she thought, to the arms of her forebears, which were in fact confirmed unto her shortly after she inherited her share of the Judde fortune. Her first husband was Thomas Langton of London, who left her with several marriageable daughters. One of these, Mary Langton, married Sir William Winter. Jane Langton, another of Dame Mary's daughters by her first marriage, married John Barne.

On February 7, 1552, Mary Langton, nee Mathew, became the third wife of Sir Andrew Judde. This marriage took place, a chronicle of the period reveals, only five weeks after the decease of Thomas Langton of the Skinner' Company. In due time she bore Sir Andrew a daughter named Martha, the only child of the marriage.

In Tudor Women

Tudor Women: MARY MATHEWS (1517-1602)

Mary Mathews was the daughter of Thomas Mathews of Colchester, Essex. She married three times, ending up as an extremely wealthy woman. Mary Mathews' first husband was Thomas Langton of London (d.1551), a skinner. On February 7, 1551/2 she married Sir Andrew Judde (c.1490-September 7, 1558), who had been Lord Mayor of London the previous year. After his death, she married James Altham (d.1583), another wealthy merchant, a former sheriff of London who was sheriff of Essex in 1570-1 and purchased Mark Hall in Latton (now Harlow), Essex in 1562. Queen Elizabeth visited Mark Hall in 1571, 1576, and 1578. Mary may have had as many as nine children from her three marriages (some genealogies say four marriages), two sons and seven daughters, but since she referred to several of her grandchildren as her sons and daughters in her will, there is some confusion. She had at least two daughters by Langton, Mary (d.1575) and Jane (d.1609) and one, Martha, by Judde. Sir Andrew Judde left his widow Ashford Manor and Esture, Kent (worth £73/year), Barden in Hertford, worth £40/year, and land in Surrey worth £28/year. At her death, Lady Judde left some £2000 to be distributed in cash and a considerable number of household furnishings. She was buried with her third husband. Portraits: effigy on Judde tomb in St. Helen's Bishopsgate; effigy on Altham tomb in St. Mary-at-Latton Church, where she was buried.

Link: http://www.kateemersonhistoricals.com/TudorWomenM.htm

Legacy

The Gift of Dame Mary Judde

"Dame Mary Judde of Markhall in Latton, widow, for the great love, and favour and affection, which she bore unto the town of Colchester being the place of her Nativitie .. and by Indenture bearing date 13 Feb, 33 Elizabeth [1590/1591] give to the Bayliffs and commonality of Colchester, one hundred pounds, as a stock" .... [for charitable activities].[1]

Death, Burial and Monument

"The Lady Marye Judde whoe finished her dayes the Fiftenth day of Januarie" was buried on 03 Feb 1601/1602 at Latton, Essex.[12]

There is a monument to Mary and her husband James Altham in the parish church of St Mary Latton, Essex:[3]

Summary of the Will of Dame Mary Judd 1602

In her will made on 20 Feb 1596/1597, published on 13 Jul 1601, and proved on 19 Feb 1601/1602[6] she was recorded as "Dame Mary Judd of Latton in the countye of Essex widdowe". Her will was "to be buried in Latton churche in the same place where my husband Mr Altham lieth". She made bequests to a number of family members and others, namely:

• Emanuell Wolley my sonne .. to my daughter Wolley his wife;
• Mr John Barne my sonne in lawe, and Jane his wife my daughter;
• Mr Roberte Golding my sonne in lawe and Martha his wife my daughter; including to Martha Golding "one neaste of gilte gobletts with a cover which were Sir Andrewe Judds";
• Sir Edward Wynter my sonne …. to my ladye his wife;
• my daughter Morgan;
• my daughter Huntley ... and to Jane Huntley her daughter my grandchilde "one hundred pounds in money to be payde unto her at the daye of her maryage";
• my daughter Welshe;
• my son Willm Wynter;
• my cozen George Sare;
• my cozen Richarde Sare;
• Francis Roberts and Marye his wife my grandchilde;
• Edward Altham my sonne in lawe and his wife;
• Willm Derehaughe, and Marye his wife, my grandchilde;
• Mr Thomas Alltham eldest sonne unto my late husband Mr Alltham;
• Mr James Alltham his brother … and to his wife;
• Mathewe Alltham their brother;
• Marye Gosnall my grandchilde;
• Marye Hawtrie my grandchilde;
• Marye Derehaughe the younger my grandchilde;
• Barne Roberts my grandchilde;
• James Alltham my grandchilde;
• Edward Alltham my grandchilde.
• Also to: mistris Marye Barlee; to mistris Jane Chaunce my wayting woman; to mistris Edie Agar; to Dorothie Hodson sometimes my servant and to her husband; to Mr Chatterton Master of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge .. "And him I desier to preache at my ffunerall"; to Mr Blande mynister of Buckland; to Joseph Birde sometimes mynister of Latton; to Mr Baines mynister of Hunsdon; to Mr Linse Minister of Weole?; to Mr Denne mynister of Latton; to Mr John Napper; to Henry Dondale; to Mary Allen of Collchester; to Willyam Allen her brother; to Roberte Allen his sonne; to Katheren Tilley; to Henry Stracie my Tennante and to his wife; to Roberte Welles my Tennante … and to his wife; to James Aydie my servant .. and to his wife; to Anne Brett.
• "I geve unto every one of these my servants hereunder named as followeth if they be in my service at the tyme of my decease, and to every one of them a blacke coate. To Sethe Huggar.. Henrye Gullyver…. Thomas Ancepte my butler … Thomas Edward … Edward Rinie … Andrewe Plancke my footeman … Thomas Skingle .. Walter Godfrey my ould servant."
• "I geve unto ffortie poore women gownes of clothe at sixe shillings eighte pence the yard to be worne by them at my ffunerall. And my will is that my poore neighboures specialle those of Latton and Harlowe sholde have those gownes. And among the rest ould Goddarde wife of Harlowe to have a gowne, and her husband a coate of the same clothe."
• "I geve unto the poore of muche Parmdon Three pounds. I geve to the poore of Latton ffoure pounds. I geve to the poore of Harlowe ffowre poundes. I geve to the poore of Netywell Three poundes".
• "I make and ordaine Emanuell Wolley my sonne, John Barne, and Roberte Goldinge my sonnes in lawe my Executors. The rest of my goods … I will and bequeathe to my Three Executors to be equally divided amongst them".

A full transcript is also available.[30]

References

• http://www.st-mary-at-latton.org.uk/history.htm
• http://www.oxford-shakespeare.com/Probate/PROB_11-73-383.pdf
• https://marymathewsofessex.weebly.com/
• Battle, Robert. English Ancestry of Anne (Derehaugh) Stratton of Salem, Massachusetts. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 155 (2001): 367-390 and 156 (2002): 39-61.
• "Altham (Harl MS 1541, 191b)," in the Visitation of Essex, pp. 539-540. Archive.Org