I pray give my humblestt duty too my lord. I writt to his lordship this daye sevenightt. My wife comends her servis to yow and I pray give both ower servises too my Cosen Blakson. [Addressed] For My honored Frend Mr Miles Stappelton att Durham Casttell. Durham. postt paid. creddible witnesses make, publish, and declare his last will and testament nuncupative or by word of mouth in these or the like words in effect following, being asked how he would settle his worldly affairs, answered all that I have I give and leave to my eldest sonne. Witnesses, the two and twentyeth day of September, 1687, William Thomas Carnaby, Ivele? Savile, Grace Carnaby, omnes jurati fuerunt coram magistro Savile 26 September 1687 de veritate contentorum. York Probate Registry. It is possible that Sir Gilbert Gerard's sons by his first marriage were both dead, and that the eldest son who was sole devisee under the will was Gilbert Gerard, otherwise Gilbert Cosin Gerard, eldest son of the second marriage, who, under the special limitation of the patent, succeeded his father as second baronet. He was born in 1662, and had Brafferton under Bishop Cosin's settlements. He was entered at Gray's Inn 25th April, 1684. His first wife, whom he married 2nd May, 1681, at Westminster Abbey, was Mary, daughter and heir of Charles Berkeley, Earl of Falmouth; she was divorced and was buried at Bexley, Kent, 23rd April, 1693, aged 27. He married secondly Mary, divorced wife of Sir Samuel Morland, whose maiden name was Ayliff, who is described as a woman of low origin and infamous character. His third wife was Mary Wheeler, married at St. James', Duke's Place, 6th April, 1712. Sir Gilbert Cosin Gerard was evidently a spendthrift, and became an inmate of King's Bench prison. Having no issue he apparently released his life estate in Brafferton to his brother, Samuel Gerard. He died circa 1730, when the baronetcy became extinct. Samuel Gerard, second son of the second marriage of Sir Gilbert Gerard with Mary Cosin, was born in 1664, and became a gentleman of the Bedchamber of James II, and as such was knighted on the 12th August, 1688. The name of his first wife has not been ascertained; but as a widower of the age of 23 he took out a licence 23rd May, 1687, from the office of the Vicar General, to marry Elizabeth Spencer, daughter and coheir of Sir Thomas Spencer of Yarnton, Oxfordshire, and Whitfield, Northamptonshire. He died without issue, and by will dated 20th July, 1695, and proved 26th of same month, he gave Brafferton to his wife. Charlotte, daughter of Sir Gilbert Gerard and his wife, Mary Cosin, became the wife of John Barcroft, a cadet of the family of Barcroft of Barcroft in the parish of Whalley, Lancashire, and had (perhaps with other) issue a son. In the church of SS. Philip and Jacob, Bristol, on the north wall of the chancel, there is a tablet with a coat of arms and the following inscription: "Gilbert Barcroft of this parish, apothecary, son of John Barcroft of Barcroft | Hall in Lancashire esq. by Charlotte his wife daughter of the Hon. Sir Gilbert Gerard of | Brafferton Hall in the North Ride | ing of Yorkshire baronet and grand daughter of the Right | Reverend Father in God | John Cosin late Lord | Bishop of Durham, erected | this monument in memory of his two children | buried underneath | February the 8th | 1722. | Also Gilbert Barcroft | sen . aged... cf. Westminster Abbey Register, Harl. Soc., No. x; G.E.C., Complete Baronetage; Le Neve, Pedigrees of the Knights, Harl. Soc., No. viii. 2nd Sept., 1691. Release from Sir Samuel Gerard of Buckstape, Sussex, WILLIAM MARSHALL TO MILES STAPYLTON. Honoured Sir: According to your order I went to Sir Thomas Remmington haull att Lund, and my brother Young went along with me, and he was not att home, and we hearing that he was att Yorke we went to him and tooke his answere of the letter. And he did confess unto us that he had made saile of ten trees besides some that he had carried to his owne house, I acquainting Mr Blakston and Mr Jefferson* with itt, they desired to speake with him, and desired me to stay to heare his answere before them, and there he did confess to the felling of thirty trees and did promise to come to my lord to treat with him about them. Which if he come I hope you will be pleased to consider if my lord and he agree that I may be satisfied for fower days both for man and horse that I have disbursed for myselfe and my brother Young. The receaver and I have delivered possession of the ferries and fishings belonging Owse and Darwent, with the ferrieboate att Booth, and allsoe of the Bishop Middowes, according to the tenor and effect of the conveiances, and I have disposed of the fishings and ferries for one yeare according to your order, but had much to doe to bring them to itt, Scelton and Saltmarsh hopes you will abate them something which is left to your discretion. I promised Mr Blakston when he was att Yorke to send to the tennants att Walkington, to know of them if they would continue tennants att the same rate that they have itt att now, and take itt for a tearme, which I tould Mr Blakston as I thought would be the safist and best way both for my lord and himselfe, and accordingly I have sent unto Francis Elliott of Walkington and to the tennants, and both expect some one of them with an answere att my house upon Satturday next if I be not there before, which soe soone as I receave I shall imediately send unto you for I promised Mr Blakston soe to doe. I have severall chapmen for the Bishop Middowes but I cannott bring them up to any considerable prise untill Mr Kirlew† have refused them, which I finde he is unwilling to doe, and as yitt he will bid nothing considerable for them, and yitt saith he will give knight, for himself and for his brother, Sir Gilbert Gerard of Brafferton, knt., to John Phillippson of Newcastle, from all manner of actions" from the beginning of the world unto the day of the date” hereof. Seal armorial: u fesse, in chief a lion (?) between two stars; crest: a lion's gamb erased. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 2 ser., vol. ix, p. 166. On the communion plate presented by Sir Gilbert Gerard (when master) to Greatham Hospital, are his arms, I and 4 a saltire, 2 and 3 a lion rampant. Ibid., vol. iv, p. 18; vol. ix, pp. 284-285. * Probably John Jefferson of Durham and of Gray's Inn, subsequently sergeant-at-law, Recorder of Durham and Justice of the Common Pleas in Ireland; baptised 13th September, 1635, knighted 5th November, 1692. cf. Surtees Soc., No. cxxiv, p. 106n. † Edward Kirlew of Woodhall; see p. 16on supra, as much as another. But I doe perceive his desire to take them againe is a meanes to hinder others for either hireing for a yeare or garsoming of them; soe that I am very confident if they were out of his possession for one yeare and lett for a rent it would tend much to the advantage either for the disposing of itt by garsom or letting itt by yeare; for after much enquirie I lett with a gentlman that lives in Hemmingbrough parrish,* and he tould me if you pleased to sett a reasonable rate either for a yeare, or for the garsom,† and impowre me for the disposing of itt, that I might make a tender of itt to Mr Kirlew first, which if he refused to accept, that then he would give as much as any one whatsoever, notwithstanding Mr Kirlew pretence of a tennant-right; and I thinke he will be one of the fittest that you can have by reason the high way unto itt will be some small obstruction, for the antient way unto itt hath beene over the river as I heare, but he liveing in that parrish and an able man may have that privilidge that an ordinary man cannott. Therefore if you please to send me a letter of atturney for the disposing of itt I have now a fitt oppertunitie and if you have a desire that it shall be garsomed I shall prevaile with the gentlman to come over with us. If not, now is the opportunitie to dispose of itt for a yeare. I have layd downe an assessment for the Royall Aide and hath taken care to gitt itt fenced. Thus hopeing to receave your order by the next post with my humble service remembred unto your selfe, Mr Neile, and Mr Arden, I remaine Yorke this 2 of Aprill, 1666. Post Scriptum. Your faithfull servant to commaund I have very good hopes att this time to dispose of itt for this yeare att the vallew of fifteene or sixteene pounds, if nott more, you defraying all charges, which if more you shall finde I shall nott be any way negligent, and Mr Kirlew was unwilling the last Satturday to give 131, all charges defrayd, and I was bid before Mr Kirlew forty pounds for the garsom of itt by a man of Barmby, and I tould him itt was soe inconsiderable I would nott write to you about itt; for I know this gentlman abovementioned as he tells me will give more, soe that I thinke if you have a desire it shall be garsomd to lett itt for one yeare will be a meanes to advance the garsom allthough assessments for this yeare will be chargeable. [Addressed] For His Honoured Freind Mr Myles Stapylton att my Lord Bishop of Durham Castle in Durham theise present. *At the foot of the page: Verte. † Gersom: a premium or fine paid to a feudal superior on entering upon a holding. N.E.D. |