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ahnentafel and citation # display:| |
| Snapshot: | lived in late 14th- and early 15th-century Kent, England |
| Parents: | 525392Thomas Bettenham 525393Matilda ___ |
| Born: | unknown |
| Died: | between 26 May 1412 and 9 June 1415 presumably Cranbrook, Kent, England |
| Buried: | the portico of St. Dunstan's Church, Cranbrook, Kent, England church's coordinates: N51.0973 E0.5364 |
He sold some land in Hawkhurst on 30 March 1397.
An English translation of
In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, the father and son and holy spirit, Amen. I, Stephen Bettenham, of the parish of Cranebroke, lord Jesus Christ willing, of sane mind, on Thursday in the week of Pentecost in the year of the lord 1412, make, renew, reform and rewrite in my own proper hands my will in this manner. First of all, I bequeath my soul to omnipotent God, my creator, the Blessed Mary, his mother, and to all the saints, and my body to be buried in the porch of the church of Cranebrok next to Helewise, my first wife, if it happens me to die in the county of Kent, [but] if elsewhere, I commend my burial to where it will please God. Item, I bequeath to whoever is the vicar of Cranebroke at the time of my death for tithes forgotten or detained negligently, both at times in the past and also during his time, 3s 4d. Item, to the high altar of the church of Bydynden for the same reason 20d. Item, to the high altar of the church of Frithenden for the aforesaid reason 3s. Item, to the high altar of the church of Hedecrone for the aforesaid reason 2s. Item, to the high altar of the church of Couthyrst for the aforesaid reason 20d. Item, I bequeath to the purchase and provision of new vestments or towards the making of new chairs in the church of Cranebrok, just as will seem more suitable and necessary to the vicar and parishioners, 20s. Item, I bequeath to the fabric fund of the church of Frythenden in aid of new works lately made there for my lands and tenements, which I had in the aforesaid parish, in such a way that they thereupon discharge my soul, on account that I was not called or consenting in my life towards the making of the aforesaid works, just as is fitting, 20s. Item, I bequeath for expenses and distributions to be made among paupers on the day of my death and my burial according to the discretion of my executors 40s. Item, on the day of the month of my obit according to the discretion of my executors £10, prohibiting to my executors from making on the day of the month of my obit any general and great feast for my soul, except only when there are paupers and chaplains there on that day, because the solace of those living and the dissipation of goods is said to be better than the refreshment and salvation of souls. Item, I bequeath to every stipendary chaplain celebrating in the church of Cranebrok, aforesaid, 12d. Item, to lord Henry the chaplain at Melkhouse 20d. Item, in expenses and distributions on the day of my anniversary among paupers 40s. Item, to the parish chaplain 20d. Item, to the parish clerk and the sacrist of the aforesaid church, to each of them 12d. Item, I bequeath to be shared and divided among my domestic servants at Harcherigge 20s according to the discretion of Benedicta my wife. Item, I will, require and assign to my executors and heirs that, immediately after my death, the day of my obit is written and entitled in all books for the chapels of Bettenham and Harcherigge, appointed for divine service, in diverse and all calendars of the aforesaid books, and that on the day of the anniversary of my death, at whatever time of the year it will happen, there will be made the obits of Henry Bettenham, my grandfather, in the church of Cranebrok, Thomas my father, Matilda my mother, Helewys and Benedicta my wives, William Bakere, father of the same Helewys, and Denise, late wife of the aforesaid William Bakere, in the aforesaid church on one and the same day firstly by my executors, while they are alive, and afterwards by my heirs, as long as they have memory of me, forever, namely in divine services, alms and other works of charity whatsoever, so that there are savings in labours and expenses and so that they are not handed over to oblivion on account of the multitude of diverse days of obits of the aforesaid persons and on account the negligence and ingratitude of my executors and heirs according to the exigence of an unstable and false world. Item, I bequeath to Benedicta my wife all my goods and chattels, both living and dead, which I have in the manor and upon the manor of Thrulegh and being in the parish of Thrulegh and Sheldewych at the time of my death, to have and to hold to the aforesaid Benedicta as long as she keeps herself unmarried after my death; but after the death or marriage of the aforesaid Benedicta, while Thomas atte Thoune, her son, is then alive, all the aforesaid goods and chattels or other like things are simply to remain to the aforesaid Thomas atte Towne and his executors. But on the death of the aforesaid Thomas atte Towne, while the aforesaid Benedicta is alive or married, all the aforesaid goods and chattels, their price or the like things are to entirely revert to my executors, then being alive, or their executors, to be converted to the use of my heirs, if there will be any then begotten from my body, and completing this by inventory between the aforesaid Benedicta and my executors, the co-executors of the same Benedicta, about the aforesaid goods and their price, to be delivered by my executors, co-executors of the same Benedicta, to the aforesaid Benedicta in the aforesaid form. Item, I bequeath and assign to Benedicta my wife all my utensils in the hall and chambers, both jewels, silver cups in the chapels, kitchen, pantries, bakehouses, and other goods and chattels of my messuages and tenements being in granges and granaries at Bettenham and Harcherigg at the time of my death, not bequeathed in the present will or elsewhere or not assigned orally to the aforesaid Benedicta, while she keeps herself unmarried, to be occupied and possessed to her use, with the reasonable use and decrement of the same in the meantime having been allowed to the same Benedicta from the premises. But if the aforesaid Benedicta dies or marries, all the aforesaid utensils in the aforesaid messuages or houses of the aforesaid messuages, afore-named or the like, are to revert to my surviving executors, to the use of my heirs then being begotten from my body, to be divided by my executors according to their discretion between the aforesaid heirs separately, the indentures thereof received between the aforesaid Benedicta and the rest of the executors of the same Benedicta about the premises, to be delivered and completed after the death of the aforesaid Benedicta or after she will be married, as is aforesaid. Item, I bequeath to Thomas Bettenham, my son, all my goods and chattels, both utensils and also any other goods, which I have in the manor of Sharlond in Plukle at the time of my death, and throughout one month before my death, to have and to hold to the aforesaid Thomas for the whole time, when Theobald Frend will be the farmer there, for the comings of the same Thomas with his family, whenever it will be pleasing, during the term of the same farmer. Which same manor after my death I have assigned to the same Thomas with the consent of my feoffees in my ordination and will, just as is more fully contained in the ordination thereupon completed by me. Provided always that, if the same Thomas dies within the term of the farm of the aforesaid Theobald or after the aforesaid term without heir of his body begotten, that then all the goods and chattels, both utensils and other things, are to revert to my executors or the price of the same, and are to remain to the use and profit of John Bettenham, my son, his brother, if he is then alive. And if the same Thomas dies while the heir of his body begotten is below the age of 21 years, that then all the aforesaid goods, as above, are to remain to the aforesaid John Bettenham during the minority of the heir of the aforesaid Thomas, to hold and occupy until the aforesaid age, but once the age has been completed, namely 21 years, of the heir of the aforesaid Thomas, the aforesaid manor of Sherlond with the chattels is to remain to the aforesaid heir of the aforesaid Thomas. Moreover, of this my present testament or last will, I make, ordain and appoint Benedicta my wife as my principal executrix, Thomas Hillis, my brother, John Hillis, son of the same Thomas, and William Edward of Sandhirste, as my executors and co-executors of the same Benedicta, willing that, as long as the aforesaid Benedicta keeps herself unmarried, that she only is to have the administration, if she wishes, but if the aforesaid Benedicta dies or marries, her power of administering is to cease, but the other co-executors are to have and receive full administration by these presents. The rest, indeed, of all my goods, not bequeathed by these presents above, I bequeath to the aforesaid Benedicta so that she, herself, together with the discretion of her aforesaid coexecutors, may dispose for my soul, just as will seem best and expedient to them. [26 May 1412].
By the tenor of these presents we, Henry, etc, make known to all men that, on the 9th day of the month of June in the year of the lord 1415, in our collegiate church of All Saints of Maydeston, our diocese, before the beloved in Christ the son master William Lyndewod, doctor of both laws, and auditor of our audience of causes and businesses, there was proved the will of Stephen Betenham of our diocese, deceased, annexed to these presents, having, while he was alive, etc. By pretext of which, etc, and not to another judge inferior to us from the prerogative of our church, etc, to notoriously pertain, and by our same auditor approved (fo. 275v.) and registered and lawfully pronounced for the same, and proved again first of all by our authority, the approval of this will having been quashed and annulled by the official of our archdeacon of Canterbury, after it had been rashly made against our aforesaid prerogative. And the administration, etc, is committed by our aforesaid province to the beloved in Christ the daughter Benedicta, relict of the aforesaid deceased, the executrix, named in the same will, about completing a faithful inventory, etc, and exhibiting it to us before the feast of St Michael next to come, and administering the same goods well and faithfully, and rendering an account, etc, and admitted by the same in due form, with power reserved to us, etc, to the named persons, when they come to admit it in form of law. In [testimony] of which, etc. Dated the day, place, month and year of the lord, abovesaid, and in the second year of our translation. [9 June 1415].
As you can see,
1: E. F. Jacob, ed., and H. C. Johnson, The Register of Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury: 1414-1443, Volume II (University Press, Oxford, 1937), pages 33-36. This a transcription of the will of Stephen Bettenham, which is in Latin. I privately obtained an English translation. I have been unable to find the original record that Jacob and Johnson transcribed.
2: UK National Archives CP25/1/108/210 number 58. I obtained an image of this record from: Anglo-American Legal Tradition, O'Quinn Law Library, University of Houston; <http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT2/CP25no1/CP25_1_108/IMG_0069.htm>, accessed 5 April 2022. The Kent Archaeological Society's abstract of this record reads as follows:
(58) Octave of Hilary 2 Richard II [= 20 January 1378/9] Q: Robert de Ore D: William de Beteryndenne 60 acres of land 13 acres of meadow 5 acres of wood 60 acres of marsh in Tenterdenne, Wodecherche and Ebbenee To hold to Robert for life. Remainder to Robert de Echynghame Stephen son of Thomas de Bettenhame and Thomas de Stonlynke and the heirs of Thomas
3: Kent History and Library Centre archive reference P178/28/12, a deed dated Friday next after the Annunciation of 20 Richard II [30 March 1397] from Stephen, son of Thomas de Bettynhamme and Henry Bourne (rector of 'Langelee') to William [??] De Festynden' of Hawkhurst.
4: UK National Archives record CP 40/358 (Records of the Court of Common Pleas / Plea Rolls / Chief Justice's roll, 23 Edw III, Easter term) on an apparently unnumbered page that describes the case of Thomas Betenham et al. vs. Emma Pykyngdenne of Frythyndenne. I obtained an image of this record from: Anglo-American Legal Tradition, O'Quinn Law Library, University of Houston; <http://aalt.law.uh.edu/E3/CP40no358/cCP40no358mm101dtoEnd/IMG_8571.htm>, accessed 12 April 2022. You can see AALT's index entry for this record on this page by searching for "8571." Researcher Jared Nathan graciously transcribed and translated the first half of the record: "Cant[] Thom[] fil[ius] Thom[] Betenham et Will[elm]us frat[e]r eiusdem Thom[] fil[ius] Thom[] et Steph[an]us frat[e]r eiusdem Will[elm]i op[?] [abbreviation] iiijto die v[e]rsus Emma[m] quo fuit ux[orem] Thom[] Pyky'ngdenne de Frythy'ndenne de pl[aci]to q[uo]d redd[] eidem Emme" = "Kent, Thomas son of Thomas Betenham and William brother of the same Thomas son of Thomas and Stephen brother of the same William versus Emma late the wife of Thomas Pyky'ngdenne [perhaps Pkyeringdenne?] of Frythyngdene in a plea [...]."
5: UK National Archives CP 40/717 (Court of Common Pleas / Plea Rolls / Chief Justice's roll, 18 Hen VI, Easter term), on an apparently unnumbered page pertaining to a lawsuit involving William Sonde et al. vs. John Ruton et al. I obtained an image of this record from: Anglo-American Legal Tradition, O'Quinn Law Library, University of Houston; <http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT1/H6/CP40no717/bCP40no717dorses/IMG_1261.htm>, accessed 29 March 2022. You can see AALT's index entry for this record at <http://aalt.law.uh.edu/Indices/CP40Indices/CP40no717/CP40no717Pl.htm> by searching "1262." As you can see, the original record is in Latin, so refer to the abstract in: George Wrottesley, Pedigrees from the Plea Rolls: Collected from the Pleadings in the Various Courts of Law, A.D. 1200 to 1500, from the Original Rolls in the Public Record Office, page 371.
6: Edward Hasted, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, Volume VII (W. Bristow, Canterbury, 1798), pages 104-105.
7: Rod C. Saunders, a photograph of Bettenham Manor, taken 13 August 2007. Historic England Archive reference IOE01/15946/29, <https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1338661>, accessed 12 March 2022. Mr. Saunders apparently retains full copyright, but the manner of my use (for non-commercial, non-profit, research-focused use of an image already published elsewhere, reproduced in a fairly low-resolution format and not as a market substitute) constitutes fair use.
8: Hasted, op. cit., page 471.
9: E. F. Jacob, ed., and H. C. Johnson, The Register of Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury: 1414-1443, Volume II (University Press, Oxford, 1937), pages 33-36.
10: Julian P. Guffogg, "St Dunstan's Church, Cranbrook" (photograph taken 13 August 2011). Wikimedia, <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_Dunstan%27s_Church,_Cranbrook_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2551260.jpg>, accessed 7 March 2022. Mr. Guffogg has shared this image under a Creative Commons BY-SA 2.0 Generic license.
