These wills are from a variety of sources – some from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, and others from county record offices. Most of the wills have been transcribed to include all the names mentioned, but not necessarily all of the details of what each person received, so please see the originals for complete details.
Derehaugh, Robert, of Gray’s Inn, Middlesex, 1613
Nephew William Veysye of Hintlesham, Suffolk, and Elizabeth his wife
Land and property in Hintlesham. Land and property in High Holborn purchased by testator in the names of Francis Derehaugh of the Inner Temple, gentleman, and William Veysye of Gray’s Inn, younger son of nephew William Veysye.
Lease of farms in Halstead, Essex, called Dungeans Bradfields and Lady Crofte, Nether and Upper Prior, from Thomas French of Halstead, father and son. Lease of the Manor of Souendesse in Oxfordshire. Farm in Cancorden?, Essex. Houses in the City of London from Clement Goldsmyth.
All properties to executors for five years from testator’s death to pay each of William Veysye of Hintlesham’s children £100: Charles V (eldest son), William V (younger son), Elizabeth Bragge (eldest daughter), Anne Parmeter (second daughter), Mary Cutler/Cutter (third daughter), Frances V (youngest daughter, unmarried).
Robert Derehaugh, second son of my nephew William Derehaugh of Gedgrave, Suffolk: £100 when 21.
James Derehaugh, third son of my said nephew William Derehaugh, £100 when 18.
Mary Saxcey, widow, eldest daughter of my said nephew William Derehaugh.
Dorothy Derehaugh, youngest daughter of my said nephew, £100.
Thomas French the father and Agnes now his wife, my loving niece, £50. And £20 to each of Thomas and Agnes’ children.
Anne Parmeter, grandchild of my said nephew Veysye, £20 on her marriage.
After 5 years, all the property in High Holborn to Francis Derehaugh, eldest son of my nephew William Derehaugh, to pay £20 to his brother James Derehaugh for life. And also to Francis, the lease of the manor of Sovendesse (?) in Oxfordshire.
To Robert Derehaugh, second son of William Derehaugh, land and farms in Halstead, and the property in the City of London.
Nephew William Veysye and wife Elizabeth: the house in Peasenhall, Suffolk, and all household goods.
Executors: Francis Derehaugh and William Veysye the younger.
Witnesses: Robert Carter, Jonas Lawrance, Isack Kettell.
Written: 10 Oct 1611, probate 8 Feb 1612/3
PCC
Transcriber’s notes: Robert Derehaugh was buried in Flowton, Suffolk, on 15 Oct 1612 – his nephew William Vesey, who was of Bradwell in Suffolk when he wrote his will (PCC, 1645), left £20 to be invested to provide a yearly paymeny to the poor of Flowton as his uncle “lyeth in the chancell of the church of the said towne”.
William Derehaugh mentioned in this will was born in about 1560, the son of Edward Derehaugh of Markshall, Essex (and perhaps Julian Cardinall). As William is described as Robert’s nephew, the testator was presumably Edward Derehaugh’s brother. Note that Julian Cardinall’s sister Faith was Faith Derehaugh on her marriage to Henry Appleton in 1561 at Great Bromley. A brass at Great Bromley, now lost, showed William Derrhaughe with his wife and infant – Symonds recorded the brass in 1639 saying that William was 22 at his death in 1562. It’s possible that the year on the brass is slightly out, as I have found with some of Symonds’ before, and that Faith was William’s widow. Chancery case at TNA C 3/55/6: plaintiff Robert Derehawgh, defendants Henry Appleton and his wife Faith “and one other” over property in Sudbourne near Orford, Suffolk, is presumably this testator challenging Faith over property she had from her late husband Derehaugh.
William Veysye (Vesey) was the half-brother of Robert Vesey (d 1575 and buried in Markshall) – Robert’s wife was Joan/Jane (d 1624), daughter of William Cardinall and Joan Gurdon, who went on to marry Robert Suckling of Norwich and become an ancestor of Nelson. Robert was the eldest son of William Vesey by his first wife (who appears to have been Margaret Barker of Bildeston); he died before his father. William jnr’s wife Elizabeth was the daughter of Edward Reynold of Holton St Mary, Suffolk. It seems that Joan Cutler and Robert Derehaugh were half-siblings, the children of the same mother. This is very interesting, given that two of William Cardinall’s daughters (Faith and Julian) married Derehaugh brothers, and that another of his daughters, Joan Cardinall (half- or whole sister of Faith and Julian), married Joan Cutler’s stepson Vesey!
Agnes Holmesteed married Thomas French in Farnham, Essex on 26 July 1587, by licence. As she is described as Robert Derehaugh’s niece, it seems he had a Derehaugh or Cutler sister who had married a Holmstead. Morant (History of Essex, vol 2, p256), when writing about the manor of Stansted Hall, Halstead, says that John Olmsted or Holmested, gent, (whose ancestors were from Helions Bumpstead, living at the moated manor house of Olmsted Hall), bought the manor in the 1570s. John had been the Earl of Oxford’s Master of the Horse at Castle Hedingham. Then, when Agnes married Thomas French, she took the manor with her. Thomas died in 1613, and their son Thomas sold Stansted Hall. Even so, when Agnes (or Anne as she appears in some records – she seems to be the same woman) died in 1625, Halstead St Andrew’s register tells us that she was a gentlewoman from Stansted Hall. It is possible that Agnes’ mother – and therefore the mysterious Derehaugh or Cutler sister was Alice, wife of John Holmested, who appears in feet of fines records in the 1550s for property in Braintree, Rayne and Great Bardfield.
Souendesse Manor in Oxfordshire is mentioned in the will. This appears to be Soundess Manor (information from British History Online) in Nettlebed, which once belonged to the Soundy family. It was owned by the Taverner family from 1545 until the late 1600s, and Robert was leasing it from them.