Elizabeth Clerke

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ramsey-2116

Elizabeth Ramsey, daughter of Thomas Ramsey of Hitcham in Buckinghamshire and Parnell Baldwin, was born in about 1524, two months after the death of her father. [1]

Her first husband was Nicholas Clerke and after his death she married Roger Alford about the year 1560. She bore Roger at least 1 son, Edward and possibly a daughter[2] Anne[3].

In 1545 she was a legatee in the will of her grandfather John Baldwin [4] and in 1579 she was named in the will of her husband Roger.

Elizabeth had her will drawn up on 28 Sep 1598.[5]She described herself as a widow of Hitcham in the county of Buckingham and made bequests to and mentioned:

• Eldest son Sir William Clarke
• 2nd son John Clarke
• Edward Alford
• Nephew (grandson) Hercules Clarke, son of William
• Late husband Roger
• Son Sir Charles Morrison
• Daughter the Lady Russell
• Son Fettiplace and my daughter his wife
• Godson (grandson) John Fettiplace
• His sister Elizabeth
• Edward Fettiplace
• Cousin John Alford
• Son in law Edward Fettiplace Esq

Her will was probated on 23 Dec 1598.

'Parishes: Hitcham', in A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 3, ed. William Page (London, 1925), pp. 231-235. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/bucks/vol3/pp231-235 [accessed 5 April 2022].

His son and heir Thomas Ramsay (fn. 35) died in 1510, (fn. 36) and by his will left a life interest in Hitcham to his wife Margaret. (fn. 37) She died in 1515, and the manorial rights vested in their son and heir Thomas, aged thirteen, (fn. 38) on whose death in 1524 Hitcham was granted in dower to his wife Parnel. (fn. 39) A posthumous daughter Elizabeth, born two months after her father's death, inherited the property on the decease of her mother Parnel in 1527. (fn. 40) Elizabeth Ramsay married as her first husband Nicholas Clarke, who died in 1551. (fn. 41) In 1553 the manor was settled to the use of Elizabeth Clarke and her heirs, (fn. 42) and on her subsequent marriage with Roger Alford further settlements were made in 1561 and 1562. (fn. 43) Elizabeth was again left a widow on the death in 1580 of Roger Alford, who left instructions for his burial in the chancel of Hitcham Church, his motto, 'trie, trust and mistruste not,' to be placed on his tomb. (fn. 44) The manorial rights were exercised by Elizabeth Alford (fn. 45) until her death in 1598, when she left Hitcham Manor by will to Sir William Clarke, her son and heir by her first husband. (fn. 46) Queen Elizabeth visited Sir William Clarke on 2 October 1602, when he 'so behaved himself that he pleased nobody, but gave occasion to have his misery and vanity spread far and wide.' (fn. 47)

References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ramsey-2116

1. "Parishes: Hitcham," in A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 3, ed. William Page (London: Victoria County History, 1925), 231-235. British History Online, accessed February 7, 2021, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/bucks/vol3/pp231-235.
2. History of Parliament online: ALFORD, Roger (by 1530-80), of Hitcham, Bucks
3. Benolte, Thomas; Philipot, John; & Owen, George. The Visitations of the County of Sussex: 1530 and 1633-4. London: The Harleian Society, 1905. Vol LIII, p 205.
4. Will of John Baldwin 1545, Internet,[ http://www.oxford-shakespeare.com/Probate/PROB_11-30_ff_302-4.pdf. PDF
5. Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858 . Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.The National Archives; Kew, England; Prerogative Court of Canterbury and Related Probate Jurisdictions: Will Registers;PROB 1192Ancestry Record 5111 #940455