William Pynchon

Sheriff of London. Nicholas (Nichas) PYNCHON was a citizen and butcher of London.

"The Pynchon family, though closely connected with London, had long held lands in Essex. In A.D. 1277-8, in sixth year of King Edward 1st, Richard Pinchon, citizen of London, owning property at Latton, County Essex, bequeaths it to his daughter Agnes. In 1476, and seventh year of King Edward IV., John Pynchon of Writtle, in Essex, purchased land in that village. Henry Pynchon is one of the witnesses to the deed. In 1479, in nineteenth year of King Edward IV., John Pynchon, father and son are witnesses to a deed of land, situated at Bromfield, County Essex. The name also appears in connection with lands in the eastern and southeastern part of the same county. There are also traces of the family as living from time to time in the city of London. According to Stow's Chronicles, p. 708, the clothworkers' Hall in the city of London, in which Queen Elizabeth entertained the Dutch Ambassadors in 1585, was situated in Pynchon Lane in the heart of the city, near Tower street. In 1576 there was a John Pinchin living in London, an attorney of the common law, some time of the Middle Temple, and owning a house at Westminster. (P) There are also traces of the family in Northamptonshire. Thomas Chichele [accent grave, final e] of Higham-Ferrers, in that county, married Agnes, the daughter of William Pynchon, Esq., who arms are the same as those of the family at Writtle. This Agnes Pynchon was the mother of Henry Chichile, Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of the Lancastrian Kings, Henry IV., V. and VI., and Founder of All Soul's College, Oxford. (P) The first appearance of the name in England, however, is found in connection with the manor of Tattershall, county Lincoln, which was granted to Eudo together with one Pinco, his sworn brother in arms, though otherwise not allied, Eudo to hold immediately of the king, Punco his of St. Cuthbert of Durham. The son of Pinco was Hugh, fils Pinconis. Hence the name Puncon---Pinchon. From this point the family would seem to have drifted into the adjoining county of Northampton, and thence to London and Essex. T.R.PYNCHON."

---Henry F Waters, *Genealogical Gleanings in England*, Boston (New-England Historic Genealogical Society) 1901, p 846

From the same, p 845-6, the will of Nicholas PYNCHON (this should be compared with the much more restrained and practical will of his brother William PYNCHON, our DIRECT ANCESTOR --- see note under William): "NICHAS PYNCHON, citizen and 'bocher' of London, 15 February 1528, proved 22 April 1533. I bequeath and recommend my soul unto Almighty God my maker and redeemer and to the most glorious Virgin his mother, our lady Saint Mary, and to all "tholy and blissed company of Saintes in hevin." And my body to be buried in the church of St. Nichas Flesh shambles of London before the image of our landy there, where the body of my late wife lyeth buried. To the high alter of the foresaid church, for my tithes and oblations, negligently forgotten or withholden, in discharge of my soul and conscience, ten shillings. To Edward Pinchon, my son, in the name of his full portion and part of all my goods, &c. to him after the use and custom of the City of London belonging, thirty three pounds six shillings eight pence, to be delivered to him when it shall fortune him to come to his full age of twenty one years. A like bequest to sons William, Robert and John Pynchon. And I charge all my said children on my blessing that they shall hold themselves contented and pleased with my said bequests to them made and that they be loving and kind to my wife their mother and be ruled after her and if they or any of them grudge or will will not be ruled after my said wife then I will that the portion and part of him or them so not contented nor ruled shall be abated and "mynishid" after the discretion of my said wife. Provisions as to the decease of any of them. And it if fortune all my said "children" before their said lawful ages to decease then I will that "oon hundreth mrd" [one hundred marks] of their portions shall be applied towards the gilding of the Rood loft of the said "paroche" church of St. Nichas and the residue bestowed in deeds of charity for the wealth of my soul. :Itm I will that assone after my disceas as conueniently may be there shalbe ordeynid an honest able preest of good conuersacion to sing in the foresaid church of Saint Nichas for my soule my late wifes soules our fathers and mothers soules and all chren [Christian] soules by the space of three yeres complete. And I bequeth to hym for his salarty in that behalf vij li. vj s. viij d [7 pounds 6 shilling 8 pence] by the yere. And I will that another preest shall sing in the churche of Writtell in the Countie of Essex for my soule and for the soules of my father and mother and all chen soules by the space of oon [one] hole yere." To Parnell my "suster" forty shillings sterling and my gown next the best, and to every of her own children six shillings eight pence. To John Pinchon my cousin dwelling in Writtell, in discharge of my soul and conscience, twenty shillings. "I bequeth to the place of ffrier mynours in London to thentent that they say a trigintall of masses and pray for my soule xl s st [40 shillings sterling]. Itm I bequesth to eury of thorder of ffriers Preachours, Carmelites, Augustines and Crossid fiers to thentent that they shall doo in eury of their Couent churches for my soule and all chren soules oon trigintall of masses x s st. a pece siu [up to?] xl s [40 shillings]. Bequests to the prison houses. To every poor man and woman keeping hambers in Penthecost Lane, Hunt's Alley and Scaldinghouse Alley in the parish of St. Nichas four pence apiece. Ten pounds to be applied in buying of coals in the Winter season, in ten years next after my decease, to be distributed amongst the most needy of th epoor in St. Nichas. To Geffrey Boyland of Mountnesing my best ring: To frier John Burthan towards his exhibition at the University sixty six shillings. Watkin Bissett my servant. "Itm I will that lxvj s. viij d. [66 shillings 8 pence] shalbe distributed in peny doole [penny dole] among poore people at tyme of my buriall and at monthes minde." To the "warkes" of the church of our Lady of Woodford, of Harnesey, of West Tilbury and of East Tilbury. The residue to Agnes my wife to her own proper use. I make and ordain the said Agnes, John Martyn, butcher, and John Hone, tallow chandler, my executors, and Sir John Mundye knight, alderman of London, overseer. Hogen, 2." OUR PYNCHON FAMILY www.josfamilyhistory.com

WILLIAM PYNCHON

Generation 2

The ancestral village of the Pynchon family was Writtle, near Chelmsford, in Essex, England. WILLIAM PYNCHON was born there in 1513. The family name was spelled in various ways and is thought to be Norman in origin.

William was a yeoman, and married about 1545, ELIZABETH STEVENS. She was born at Writtle about 1515, the daughter of Richard Stevens. As is typical, little else is known of her.

Elizabeth died in 1552 possessed of substantial holdings. William died at Writtle on September 5th, in 1553.

The only known child of William and Elizabeth Pynchon was JOHN PYNCHON.