LIBER FAMELICUS. THIS book I began to write in, the 18 April 1609, anno 7 Jacobi regni sui Anglise, et Scotise 42. In it I en tend to set downe roemorialls for my posterity of thinges most properly concerning myself and my familye. Oculis in solem, alis in coelum. Motto de cognisance.* Vive diu Whitlocke, tuis sic utere fatis Vt referent sensus alba nee atra tuos. JAMES WHITELOCKE. My father RICHARD WHITELOCK: was the fourthe sun of Richard Whitelock, and was born in the ancient seat of the Whitelocks, called Beeches, situate neer Okingham, a market towne in the countye of Barkes, whiche land hathe continued in our blud sithence the year of our Lord 1231; for it appeerethe by a deed in my cosen William f Whitelockes hand of Beches that Robert J then bishop of Salisburye, who was lord of the manor of Sunning neer Okingham, did give to William de la Beche, out of his purpres- ture§ of Bear Wood, that verye land my cosen William Whitelock now holdethe by discent from his father, and he bathe the originall • This "motto of cognisance" refers to the arms borne by the Whitelocke family, a chevron between three falcons, or, as they are called in one pedigree, three eagles, and the crest, a like bird rising out of a tower. +• My father's elder brother's son, and heir of the family ; William the eldest being ded without issue. Note by the writer of the MS. J Robert de Bingham, bishop of Salisbury 1228—1246. § Inclosure. CAMD. 8OC. B 2 LIBER FAMELICUS. deed of confirmation from the dean and chapter in his hand, dated at that time, and an other deed of composition made between the bishop and the said William de la Beche, dated 1247, for the im- provement of the rent of the land so given. This land continued in the name of Beches, being the manor of Beches, untill 31 Henry VI., and divers court rolles ar in the hands of my cosen William Whitelock of the Beches, in Edward III., and Edward II., and Richard II. his time, by whiche it ap- peerethe they were sum of them knightes. The last male of this house was Robert de la Beche, who had only on daughter and heir called Agnes de la Beche, to whome this land near Okingham and an ancient farm of the Beches in Whitchurche in Oxfordshire, called Beches Place, wear intailed 31 Henry VI., and then soon after dyed Robert, and Agnes was maryed to John Whitelock, who, in her right, had these lands; from which John they descended by mean and lineall discents to John Whitelock, father of William Whitelock who now holdethe them as heir to his sayd father John, except sutche as William, the now tenant, hath solde to myself and others. Thear ar among our evidences of our house, in the hands of my cosen William Whitelock, leases made by John Whitelock and the sayd Agnes, of part of these lands, in the beginning of Edward the IVth his raigne. [ 12 Maij, 4 E. IV.*] A writ of restitution for John Whitelock, of the lands in Whit- churche upon a forceable entre. This Agnes in a publique instrument doth write her self " gene- rosa," whiche is very unusuall for that time, and for this see the deed in my cosen Whitelockes hands. [Rob. Beche gent., in a deed, 14 H. VI.; Agnes generosa, 8 H. VILf] Querie for a commission that came out of the Eschequer about the end of Elisabethes raigne to enquire of subtractions of rents of the manor of Sunning, which is now the enheritance of the crowne by exchange withe the bishop of Salisburye, and you shall * Subsequently added. f The like. LIBER FAMELICUS. 3 finde that my cosen William Whitelock is by it charged withe the sub- tracting of the rent of improvement, by the composition made withe the bishop anno 1247, as lineall heir to that William de la Beohe. Observe the moderation of this family, that hathe continued thear patrimony for almost 400 yeares without encrease or diminution; it hathe been more impaired by the now owner then by all his ancetors, as I can finde by his evidences; nether do I finde that in all this time they have purchased any land, nether that they have solde anye. My grandfather RICHARD WHITELOCK maryed a Grove; her frends dwelled at a place called Funges* in [Buckingham] shire. His father William maryed a Cowdrey. My grandfather had four suns: WILLIAM, that was brought up at Eton Colledge, and from thence went to Kinges Cplledge in Cambridge, whear he was chosen Fellow, and after was Viceprovost of the colledge, and from thence was presented to the vicaradge of Prescot in the dioces of Chester, as apperethe by the letters of presentation in my hand an. 1559, in whiche he is named viceprepositus of the colledge and sacrce iheolo- gice baccalaureus; he had another good benefice in Middlesex, and was canon of Wells, and of Litchefeild, in whiche churche he lived for the latter part of his time alto^eather, and thear dyed a single man, being neer fowerscore yeares of age at his deathe. The second sun was JOHN, who had the land from William, first by composition, and afterward, he dying without issue, became heir, but was fayne to agree for it withe his brother William the heir. This John lived neer fowerskore yeares, and dyed miserably tormented withe the stone, above the space of a dozen whole yeares before his deathe. His wife was the daughter of on Planer of Okingham, and by her he had many children, and left her surviving at his deathe; he was 45 year olde before he maryed, and his wife very yong; about 17 yeares of age. His sun and heir was William Whitelock, now living, and owner of * Probably Pingest in Buckinghamshire. 4 LIBEE FAMBLICUS. the land as heir to the family; and he maryed Ursula Beresford, daughter of George Beresford and Marye daughter of John Colte, my mother's brother, and by her hathe divers children. This George Beresford was sun to on Beresford an alderman of London. His mother did afterward marye sir John Langley sumtimes maior of London.* He had a sister maryed first to Mr. Colte of Wood- wicks in Hartfordshire, my mother's cosen german, by whome she had John Colte now owner of Woodwicks, and Ursula wife first to Robert Woodford of Burnham, and now to Hughe Holland. After- ward she maryed mr. John Norris of Barkshire, now sir John Norris, by whome she had only on daughter and heir, first wife of sir Edward Norris of Englefeilde and now of vicount Fenton, [after erl of Kellye,]f a Scot, capteyne of the king's gard. William Whitelock hathe a second brother, called John White- lock, that is now a servant in the king's house in the waferye. The third sun of my grandfather was HIEEOM, who lived not mutche above 60 yeares. He had only on sun at the time of his deathe, called William, that was broughte up in Westminster School, and went from thence by election to Christchurche in Oxon, whear he continued untill he was maister of artes, and was afterward vicar of Sunning, prebend of Wells, and of Lichefeild, and had a com- petent patrimonye of lay fee from his father. He was a verye^good scholer, and a good houskeeper, but lived in great torment withe the stone, of whiche he dyed little above 30 yeares of age, and left children very yong. His widow maryed John Whitelock of the waferye in the king's house. My father, RICHABD WHITELOCK, was the fourthe and yongest sun. He was put to London to be broughte up in the trade of mar- chandise, and then became free of the best companyes, as of the marchant adventure[r]s, Spayne, Muskovie, and did trafique in all these countryes, and heer in England withe the Italian marchants, but used most trafique in Fraunce. He used to go in parson into foreyne countryes, and, having a purpose to leave that dangerous * Lord Mayor in 1576. f A subsequent insertion. LIBER FAMELICUS. 5 course of life, was taken away by deathe in that voyage he made accoumpt shold have been his last. He went from London toward Burdeux in Fraunce, the emporium for Gascoyne wines, 22 Sep- tember, 1570, and thear fell into a plurisye, 21 October next following, of whiche he dyed 7 November following, and was buryed, withe great difficultye; for, by reason that he refused extream unction and sutche popishe ceremonies in his siknesse, he was excommunicate as an heretik, and so deprived of Christian buriall. But the Englishe marchants that wear then at Burdeux, to the number of a 100 or more, armed withe shot, did carye the corps into the-vineyards, and thear did honorably interr it. He made his last will and testament in his siknesse, dated 30 October, 1570, and in it made my mother his executrix, who did prove it and execute it most faythefully and lovingly toward her children. The inventarye was 1221Z. 11s. Id. He was but 37 yeares of age when he dyed, as appeerethe by his picture, whiche was made 1563, and then he was 30 year olde, and he died in anno 1570. I have noted his gravitye by his picture, for, being then but 30 year olde, he ware a cap, a verye smale ruffe withe black work, a side coat of fine black clothe, a black satten dubblet, and a Spanishe cape of fine black clothe, furred and edged withe pinked satten, and long stokkins.