St. Mary's church- Boxford
1. JASPER-
b.c.1490
m. ELIZABETH ______ (will 30 Oct. 1552-13 Apr. 1553 Boxted)
will 29 Aug.- 15 Sept. 1552 Boxford, Suffolk
St. Mary's church- Boxford
The only information I can find concerning the Riddlesdale family prior to Jasper is for a Thomas Rydesdale who was a witness to a gift by John Gravener alias Belleter of Bietterscote, Staffordshire to Richard Broten, Edward Wystowe, Richard Sulley, Thomas Barker, Richard Washales, Robert [ ], Ralph Meyne, John Chaar and John Irpe of a cottage with appurtances in Bitterscote with all his lands, tenements, meadows, pastures and pasturage in the lordship of Drayton Bassett. Dated 12 Dec. 8 Henry VII (1492).(3)
The church warden's accounts make interesting reading and they show that Jasper was a church warden in Boxford in 1542-3 and 1547-8.
During the peroid of 1540 to 1550, he was paid for loads of straw, clay, gravel and for carrying lead to the church (2d. in 1547). These must have been for repair of church property, the lead being used to repair the church roof.
Jasper helped organize a church ale in 1544. A "church ale" was a fund raiser for the parish involving food, drink and entertainment (an activity that certainly vanished after the Puritans came into power!). He also received rent money (1d in 1544) from the church for the church house.
He rented a house at Hagmer from the church for 12s and in 1548, he bought a blue linen cloth from the church for 2s. (1)
Jasper's will is dated 29 August 1552 and was proved 15 Sept 1552 at Boxford:
"the will of Jasper Rydysdale of Boxford, county Suffolk, husbandman... to each of my daughters, namely Grace, Elizabeth, Jane and Amy £4 apiece to be paid by the hands of Elizabeth my wife and Henry my son, save that 4s, 10d, which shall be paid of the debts that her husband Richard Keble owes me...to Thomas my son, my house & land with appurtenances called Doves lying in a street of Boxford called hagmer lye, the same Thomas my son paying to Richard & John his brothers £20 apiece of good and lawful money, 33s apiece every year to both till the sum of £20 be paid fully...the first payment within the first year after he enter and take possession of the same house & land...money to be held by executors until they reach age 21...houses & land in Polstead called Osmonds to Elizabeth my wife for life, then to son William...
Elizabeth my wife and Henry my son to have my farm in Boxford, Henry paying to Robert my son his brother £10 within one year after he enter the place...Elizabeth my wife & Henry my son to have all my corn, hay, horses, sheep, cattle...Thomas rydysdale and Henry Redysdale my sons and Thomas Ryvett, parson of Boxford to be supervisors & each to have 20s...Alice Bygg my kinswoman to have 3 yards of my red cloth...to every godchild 4d...to the poor mens box of Boxford 3s.4d...I forgive Peter my son the 5 marks that he owes me...I forgive my sister Agnes 13s that she owes me...to my 2 sisters Christine Egle and Margery Skott, to each of them 6s.4d..to Thomas Ryddsdale the son of Peter Rydsdale 2 sheep;..to Peter my son, £3.6s.8d to be paid him by Thomas Rydysdale and Henry Rydsdale my executors.
Witnesses were: Peter Fenne and Jafrey Purdy of Boxford, and Thomas Revett, parson of the same town, John Bonde of Polstead and Thomas Tomson of Boxford."
Elizabeth Rudysdale of Boxford, widow, made her will on 30 Oct 1552:
"...the will of Elizabeth Rydysdale of Boxford, county Suffolk, widow...to be buried in the churchyard of Boxford...to forty of the poorest houses in Boxford 6d apiece....to my son Thomas Rydeysdale £4 within 1 year next after my decease ...to my son Peter Reddisdale £4 within 2 years...to Grace my daughter £3 in 3 years...to Elizabeth my daughter £3 in 5 years...to Jane my daughter £3 in 5 years...to Amy my daughter £3 in 5 years...to Robert Rydysdale my son £6 & a calf in 6 years...to my son Richard Rydesdale £6 & a calf in 7 years...to John rydesdale my son £6 & a calf in 8 years...to my son William rysdale £6 & a calf in 9 years...if either Robert, Richard, John or William die before age 21..to be equally divided...to Joan my daughter my best gown & my tawny damask sleeves...to Elizabeth my daughter by best red peticoat and my best red cap...to Grace my daughter my second gown & my second broad black hat...unto Thomas my son my best kirtle...unto my sister Rose Benet my red kirtle...unto Amy my daughter my second red peitcoat...unto Peter my son my second white cap and my best black silk sleeves...unto Harry my son my best silk hat & my best white cap...unto mother Agnes sometime by beax my old red cap...unto Thomas Frosts wife my best russet peticoat... residue to Harry Rydysdale my son, he to be sole executor...superivsors to Thomas Ryvet my son in law...and for performance of this my last will...said Harry Rydsdale to stand bound by his bill obligatory unto the foresaid Thomas Ryvet & Thomas Osborn of Boxford in the sum of £70 within 21 days next after my decease.
Witnesses: Thomas Ryvet, Anthony Tompson, Rob't Pattey, Wylliam Hall, and Wylliam Rudland. The will was proved 13 April 1553."(2)
Issue-
Ref:
(1) Boxford Church Warden's Accounts- 1530-1561- Peter Northeast, Suffolk Records Society- Vol. XXIII
(2) Probate records at the Suffolk Record office- Bury St. Edmunds
(3) Sir Thomas Phillipps Collection-Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service, Staffordshire Record Office- 3764/10
Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England & Their Origins- John Brooks Threlfall- p.315ff
Parish Registers for Boxford
NEHGR- Vol. 143, pp. 213-220
b.c.1518
m. JOAN ______ (d. after 1591)
bur. 15 June 1591 Boxford, Suffolk
The Boxford Churchwardens Accounts show that in 1555, Henry Riddlesdale was paid 6d. by the church wardens for carrying a load of wood and, like his father, he helped to organize a church ale in 1560. Henry was a church warden in 1562 and was assessed at £10 in 1568. (1)
Henry made his will 20 June 1591:
"...the will of Henry Ridsdale of Boxford, yeoman...sick in body...to John Ridsdale my son �14 to be paid within six months next after the end & completion of my lease which I have in the house where I now dwell called Coddenham Hall...to Robert Ridsdale my son all my corn both wheat & mixtoland as it now standeth...to Henry Ridsdale my son �60...to Richard Ridsdale my son �60...to John Stansbye my daughter's son �10 at age 21...to Richard Ridsdale my son's son �4 at age 21 but if he die, then said �4 to go to his brother Thomas Ridsdale at age 21...to the poor of Boxford 10s...to Agnes church, widow, 10s...residue to Joan Ridsdale my wife, she to be sole executrix. Signed by mark. Witnesses: John Winterflod, William Brand, Symon Smuth, John Higham. Proved 9 December 1591."(2)
Issue-
Ref:
(1) Boxford Church Warden's Accounts- 1530-1561- Peter Northeast, Suffolk Records Society- Vol. XXIII
(2) Probate records at the Suffolk Record office- Bury St. Edmunds-R2/42/127; W1/48/110
Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England & Their Origins- John Brooks Threlfall- p.315ff
Parish Registers for Boxford
NEHGR- Vol. 143, pp. 213-220
bpt. 27 Sept. 1557 Boxford
m. DORCAS ______ (bur. 24 Sept. 1624 Assignton, Suffolk)
bur. 4 June 1629 Assington
St. Edmund's Church- Assington
On 3 January 1613/14, John & Dorcas Riddlesdale sold a ten acre close, two others of five acres and one of two acres to John Gryme the elder of Assington and his wife Faith for £120. All were pasture and lying in Assington. On the same day, Dorcas Riddlesdale released her interest in land leased in June 1555 by John and Robert Gurdon for 500 years to John Vigorus the younger, clothier of Langham, Essex, England.(1) Perhaps John Vigorus was Dorcas' grandfather?
John Riddlesdale's burial record at Assington states that he was of Bures. He may have, and probably was, living with one of his children at his death, but he was buried next to his wife at Assington.
Issue-
Ref:
(1) Gurdon Papers- Essex Recod Office- Ipswich- HD22/1/4
Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England & Their Origins- John Brooks Threlfall- p.315ff
Parish registers for Assington, Suffolk
French Family Association- www.frenchfamilyassoc.com/FFA