MRP: Nathaniell Withers will

Nathaniell Withers will

PROB 11/331 Coke 108–166 Will of Nathanaell Withers, Merchant Tailor of London 15 September 1669

See also his inventory: TNA, PROB 4/8600 Withers, Nathaniel, the elder of St Giles without Cripplegate, Citizen and Merchant Taylor of London, 1670 13 Aug (1669)

Editorial history

01/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted completed transcription
07/12/11, CSG: Improved abstract & context

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Abstract & context

Nathaniel Withers, merchant taylor, was the brother-in-law of the London merchant, Sir Samuel Mico, through his marriage to Hesther (alias Esther) Mico.

Nathaniel was born in the parish of St. Dunstan in the East, London, to father, William Withers, who was from Menedownes, Hampshire and to mother, Jane Webb, from Henley-on-Thames, Surrey. In 1633 he was recorded as resident in Tower Ward, described as a London merchant, most probably in the parish of St. Dunstan in the East, where he was recorded in 1638 as still an inhabitant, paying a relatively high rental of £20. However, he was living in the parish of St. Giles (without) Cripplegate at his death in 1669, his dwelling in Goat Alley having been rated at a relatively modest eight hearths three years earlier.

He rose to senior roles in the company of merchant taylors in the 1650s and 1660s, serving in 1656 as second warden, and in 1666, the year of the London fire, as master.

His surviving inventory provides the impression of a modestly wealthy merchant [TBC], though his will lists a remarkable range of London tenaments and houses whose rentals he collected. His will also lists a number of outstanding bonds owing to him, specifying bonds with the brewer William Dashwood, with a M:r Munns and with a M:r ?Goldum. Nathaniel named William Dashwood one of his overseers, together with a Mr. John Warner and a Mr. Edward Munns (possibly he of the outstanding bond). The John Warner named as overseer may himself have been a merchant taylor, also of Saint Giles without Cripplegate, who died the following year.

Records of his commercial activities are patchy. No business papers nor partnership accounts survive. However, the voyage accounts of a 1637 joint stock venture survive of a London to Virginia bound ship, in which Nathaniel Withers owned one eighth of the shares, and there are a number of letters of commercial advice directed to him in London from Alicante, Spain, in the 1646-1652 period. In addition there are a number of possible court cases, in the High Court of Admiralty and in the Court of Chancery, dating from 1637, 1650 and 1654, which provide insights into his commercial activities. Synthesising the various sources results in a partial impression of Nathaniel Withers commercial strategies and business approach from the later 1630s until his death in 1669.

There is some weak evidence of trading activities linking Nathaniel Withers and his brother-in-law Samuel Mico. In a record of the House of Commons in 1651 Samuel Mico mentioned that a small part of a shipment of raisins, anniseeds, almonds, figs, and some wines, etc. from Aaron Mico his Alicant factor to him in London was for the "Accompt of his Brother-in-Law, Nathaniel Wythers, an English Merchant now beyond the Seas."

Nathaniel Withers combined trade with the Mediterranean coast of Spain (and Italy) with the tobacco trade to Virginia. There is no evidence of involvement in the triangular London to Guinea to Barbados trade in general goods, slaves, and sugar. Unlike some of his fellow merchants involved in the Spanish trade, such as Thomas Boone and Samuel Mico, he had no close family connection to the south-west England clothier industry. From the limited evidence available, he appears to have exported XXXX to Spain, and to have sourced wine, and presumably other goods, from Spain to export to Virginia, in return for tobacco, which he sold in London and re-exported to Spain.

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To do

(1) Image and transcribe Nathaniel Withers inventory

(2) Examine Chancery documents involving Withers and possible associates such as Limbrey/Limery (?mariner), Craddocke, Marescoe, and Morse

(3) Examine 1637 HCA cases, and look for other HCA cases in 1650s (early, mid and late 1650s)

(4) Investigate Nathaniell Withers' apparent involvement in compounding in 1644, and later reference in 1651

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Transcription

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN the Nyne and Twentieth day of August In the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand Six hundred Sixty and Nyne And in the one and Twentieth yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the grace of God of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland King defender of the ffaith xcr. I Nathaniell Withers the elder Cittizen and Merchant=taylor of London being att this tyme sicke and weake in body but of sound and perfect mind and memory (Thanks be therefore given unto Almighty God) And calling to remembrance the uncertaine Estate of this Transitory Life And that all fflesh must yeild unto death when it shall please God to call Doe make and ordainethis my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following Revoaking and annulling by these presents All and every Testament and Testaments will and wills heretofore by mee made and declared either by word or by writing And this to be taken only for my last Will and Testament And none other

And FFIRST being penitent and sory from the bottome of my heart for my sinnes past most humbly desireing foregiveness of the same I give and Committ my soule into the hands of Allmighty God my Creator And his sonne Jesus Christ my onely Saviour and Redeemer by whose merritts I trust and assuredly beleive to be saved And to have full remission and forgiveness of all my sinnes And that my soule with my body att the generall day of Resurrection shall rise againe with Joy and possesseand inheritt the Kingdome of heaven prepared for his elect and chosen And my body I committ to the Earthto be decently buried Att the discretion of my Executo:es hereafter named

And now for the setling of my Temporall Estate And such goods Chattells and debts as it hath pleased God farre above my desents to bestowe upon me I dispose of the same in manner and forme following (That is to say)

IMPRIMIS I give and bequeath unto my Loveing Sonne William Those houses in the tenure of M:r Davis M:r Merry M:r Porter Alsoe those houses held by M:r Bryan and John Buckingham Alsoe the house shedd and yard where M:r ?Adcocke dwells the house of Edward Shippthorpe M:r Holmes M:r Knight a weaver and William Buckingham Alsoe the house wherein ?hasell dwells now in the holding of the widdow Bunbury when her lease is determined Alsoe All those howses held by M:r Crooke the widdowe Thomas William Ward William Slade M:r Crooke and M:r Penn with the Gardens grounds and other appurtenances and the passages thereunto now appurteyning Provided that the said William Ward be permitted to dwell in his house soe long as he pleaseth paying for the same noe more than Six pounds per Annum Alsoe I give and bequeath unto my said loveing sonne William the house wherein ?Hannah ?Bird now dwelleth Alsoe all the houses of Thomas Skinner Alsoe the houses in the possession of M.r XXXXX M:r Philpott M.r ffuller M:r Burdett the widdowe Watts M:r ?Broughton and M:r Crofts

ITEM I give and bequeath

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Unto my other loveing sonne Nathaniel That house of myne with the yard and stable and out houses thereunto belonging now in the tenure of Elizabeth XXXX widdow Alsoe the house and yard wherein ?John Wilson dwells Alsoe those houses That stand in the East side of the Same Comonly Called ParkXXX Rents being ffourteene tenements Alsoe the house in the possession of M:r ?Elstone one Shedd adjoyning in the possession ofone Williams with a garden to the samebelonging Alsoe the house and garden in the possession of one??Parlous Alsoe the house and Garden in the possession of M:r Wilson Glover The little house where the widdow Cooper dwells And alsoe the house and Garden in the Possession of ffrancis Cooper

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said Loveing sonne Nathaniell the house which I lately built in the possession of one M:r XXXXX Taylor Alsoe those six houses in Grubstreete in the severall occupationsof M.r?Quinton M:rAldridge M:r Humfrey Ballard Thomas Manne widdowe Walton and M:r Algxxx

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my loveing daughter Elizabeth Ward my dwelling house Except One Chamber out of the same which I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah To be held and enjoyed by her during the terme of her naturall life Alsoe I give and bequeath unto my said daughter Elizabeth Ward the house where the Widdow ?Sheldrith lives The house where the widdow harris dwells the house where Sherman a Joyner dwells And the little Shedd in the possession of Robert ?viner

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my Loveing daughter Sarah the house that William ffranklyn lives in And the house of one Mastershell a Glover Alsoe Two Tenements in the possession of Blackman XXXXX ?Perry and the widdow Johnson Alsoe the Shedd in the possession of George Bullocke

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said loveing daughter Sarah The Three pounds Tenn shillings a yeare which I receive of M.r Alcocke for the ground holdeth of me

ITEM I give and bequeath unto every one of my Poor Tennants in the Parkers Rents Twelve pence a peece

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said Loveing sonne William (To make up his Legacie bequeathed unto himby his sister Mary ffish the summe of ffoure hundred and sixty pounds

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said loveing sonne William All the goods and householdstuffe which was bequested unto me by my said daughter Mary

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said loveing sonne Nathanael Two hundred pounds

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said sonne Nathanel the summe of one hundred more due and oweing unto me from William Dashwood Brewer upon Bond in satisfaction and liew of the hundred pounds left him by his sister Mary ffish

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Ward ffifty pounds

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah the summe of ffower hundred pounds now dueand oweing unto me upon Bonds from M:r Munns and M:r ?Goldum

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my sister Elizabeth Brown ffive pounds

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my sister Elizabeth Browne ffive pounds

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my brother John Withers his wife ffive pounds

ITEM I give and bequeath unto Thomas Wedge his wife ffive pounds

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my Maid servant Mary Edwards Twenty shillings

ITEM I give and bequeath unto the Churchwarden sand Overseers of the Lordshipp in the parish of S:t Gyles Cripplegate in the County of Midd for the use of the Poore there in the Lordshipp the summe of ffifty pounds Provided that the said Churchwardens and overseers for the Poore for the tyme being doe yearly andevery yeare for ever (That is to say) On the ffeast of All Saints in evey yeare lay out and disburse the summe of Three Pounds to buy loafes for men and women which are very Poore in the same Parish in the said Lordshipp

ITEM I give and bequeath unto my Loveinge

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Sonne and daughters Nathanael Elizabeth and Sara All my goods moveables and householdstuffe to be equally devided betweene them share and share alike

ITEM my will and mind expressly is that if it shall fortune that any of my sonne and daughters to dye and depart this mortall life without issue liveing of their body lawfully begotten That then the houses and land which is given to such of my Children soe deceasing shall goe unto and be distributed amongst the other of my Children surviving equally share and share alike And further if any difference discord or contention shall happen to arise betweene my said Children and my Executo:es or betwene any of them touching the deviding or distributing of this my Estate My will is that the hearing and determing thereof shalbe referred unto my loveing ffreinds M:r Edward Munns M:r John Warner and M:r William Dashwood whom I doe appoint to be overseers of this my will for the avoiding of strife and suites w:th Lawe And that my Execut.es and Children doe acquiesce in their determinaton

The rest and residue of my Estate not before bequeathed (aftermy debts paid and funerall Charges defrayed) I give and bequeath unto my Loving Sonne in Law William Ward and my sonne Nathanael Withers

And I doe nominate ordaineand appoint the said William Ward and Nathanael Withers full Executors of this my last Will and Testament

IN WITNES whereof to this my last will and testament Conteyned in ffive sheets of Paper To every sheete have putt my sealeand subscribed my name And published the same the day and yeare ffirst above written

NATHANIELL WITHERS

Signed sealed Published and declared by the said Nathanael (sic) Withers the elder as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us Richard ffuller John XXXXX John Burdett Scr

PROBATUM FUIT XXXXXXXXXXXX

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Notes

Family history

Father: William Withers (b. Menedownes, Hampshire)
Mother: Jane Webb (b. Henley on Thames TBC)

Born: St. Dunstan in the East, London

Wife: Hester Mico
Children [This is incomplete - a son, John Withers, is mentioned in will of Nathaniel Withers]:
1. William Withers, c. 23 Sep 1633, St. Giles without Cripplegate, London
2. Elizabeth Withers, c. 23 May 1636, St. Dunstan in the East, London
3. Nathaniel Withers, c. 29 Nov 1637, St. Giles without Cripplegate, London

Company of Merchant Taylors

"List of Masters and Wardens:
Date of election: 1656: John Ellis [Master]; Thomas Nevile, Nathaniel Withers [1st and 2nd Wardens]; Charles Chamberlain, Richard Latham [3rd and 4th Wardens]"

"List of Masters and Wardens:
Date of election: 1666: Nathaniel Withers [Master]; Robert hall, Jonathan Andrewes [1st and 2nd Wardens]; Roger Alsopp, Robert Chilcott [3rd and 4th Wardens]"

Spanish trade

London merchants trading with Alicante, Spain

Principales beneficiarios de las remesas metálicas efectuadas por Richard Houncell y cia

John Benthall
Thomas Boone
Robert Burdett
Francis Clarke
Andrew Cogan
Abraham Deskeene
John Fredereck (alias Frederick)
Moses Goodyeare
John Lewis & Mead
John Loveringe
Aaron Mico
Samuel Mico
Juan Domingo Piaggi
Benedito Vigo
William Piles
William Rider
Thomas Rousse
John Robinson
Nathan Wright

PROB 11/284 Wootton 627-673 Will of John Benthall, Merchant of London 09 November 1658
PROB 11/310 Juxon 1-51 Sentence of John Benthall, Merchant of Crouched Friars London 05 February 1663
PROB 11/228 Brent 166-217 Will of Thomas Cogan, Merchant of Saint Decumans, Somerset 24 May 1653
PROB 11/254 Berkeley 105-154 Will of Humfry or Humphry Cogan, Merchant of Tiverton, Devon 28 April 1656
PROB 11/268 Ruthen 359-410 Will of Charles Cogan, Merchant of Saint Decumans, Somerset 26 November 1657

C 3/424/1 Short title: Carewe v Goodyere. Plaintiffs: John Carewe and others. Defendants: Moses Goodyere. Subject: money matters in Cornwall. Document type: [pleadings]. 1640-1642
C 4/92/70 Pleading with mention of Moses Goodyear and Hugh Sowde 1650 Jan 1 - 1670 Dec 31
C 6/31/37 Short title: Goodier v Goodyeare. Plaintiffs: Moses Goodier and Anne Goodier. Defendants: John Goodyeare. Subject: personal estate of the deceased Richard Goodier, of Plymouth, Devon. Document type: bill, answer. 1661
C 6/145/52 Short title: Chudleigh v Pole. Plaintiffs: Sir George Chudleigh baronet. Defendants: Sir John Pole baronet and Moses Goodyeare. Subject: money matters, Devon. Document type: bill, answer. 1656
C 10/75/3 Daniel Andrewes v John Buckworth and Hester his wife, Samuel Mico, Moses Goodyeare, Aaron Goodyeare and Hester Goodyeare: personal estate of Moses Goodyeare, deceased, of London, Middx 1664

Tobacco trade

"'A Book of Accounts for the Shippe called the Tristram and Jeane of London which came from Virginia Anno Domini 1637' (Public Record Office, London, HCA 30 635, 13 sheets)...is the earliest account of a trading voyage to Virginia that this writer has seen...it was a joint stock venture with each member putting up either a certain amount of money or of commodities, repayable at the end of the voyage with a proportionate share of the profits. In this case there were eight shares divided among seven persons as follows: Mr. Nathaniel Withers, one-eighth; Mr. Henry Greene, one-eighth; Captain Batten, one-sixteenth; Mr. Thomas Steed, one-eighth; Mr. Daniell Hopkinson, the so-called "Merchant" but acting more like a supercargo, three-eighths; his brother Mr. Abraham Hopkinson, one-eighth, and Mr. James Pickering, one-sixteenth. Daniell Hopkinson died in Virginia testate leaving his brother-in-law, Joseph Clifton, his executor. Hopkinson's will was probated in London (P.C.C. (52)) Goard 1636...The account book was among the papers filed in the settlement of the estate.

The Tristram and Jane probably left England in late summer or early fall 1636, arriving in Virginia in time to take on the tobacco which was ready for market by December. On the homeward voyage the vessel probably reached London the latter part of March 1637 for Daniell Hopkinson's will was probated April 8, 1637. The ship took back to England 99 hogsheads of tobacco totalling 31,800 pounds or an average of slightly over 321 pounds to the hogsghead. Besides this, the partners shipped on the Unity of the Isle of Wight two hogsheads weighing 550 pounds. Their total poundage was, therefore, 32,350 pounds, which at fourpence per pound equals £539-3-4....

The one-eighth share of Mr. Withers was in sack valued at 10,000 pounds of tobacco, one pound of tobacco being worth in money fourpence. Sack was a light colored, Spanish wine, but in the seventeenth century the term was applied to all strong light wines to distinguish them from red rhenish wines. It was shipped in butts, which seem in this case to have contained 106 gallons, equivalent to four quarter casks of twenty-six and a half gallons of capacity.."

[Mr. Green's share was in "strong waters"; Captain Batten's share was in "candy oyle"; Mr. Steed's share was in "powdered sugar, loaf sugar, marmalade of quince, conserves of sloes, roses, and barberries, and bare 8shelled) almonds"; Daniell Hopkinson's share was in raisins; Abraham Hopkinson's share was in "clothes, shirts, etc."; James Pickering's share was in fish]

High Court of Admiralty

"26 October 1637
395. On behalf of...Withers and company
Witnesses:-
XXXX"

"30 November 1637
450. On behalf of Nathaniel Withers
— John Limbery of Ratcliffe, co. Middlesex, mariner, aged 36. ... That Sweet has no share in the Swann or her forthcoming voyage, John Slaney of London, merchant, being sole owner.....
...Witness was master of the Swann, and on his last voyage from Spain he brought fifteen or sixteen barrels of tobacco, worth between £500 and £600, which were laded by Nicholas Johnson, Sweet's factor, to William Watson, resident in Amsterdam. Witness received £600 or £700 for the same, with which he paid Sweet's debts, vizt to XXXX
... (fol.XXXX
XXXX"

"[DATE?]
554. German Doves and others versus... Micoe and ... Withers.

Witnesses:-

Thomas Biam of the precincts of St. Peter ad Vincula in XXXX"

Committee of compounding

"George Vaux, Datchet, Nathaniel Withers, and Anne Horne, Bucks.
8 Oct. 1651. Being summoned by the County Committee to produce their discharge on pain of sequestration, they beg dismissal, being no delinquents and not informed against. Noted, "the other parties to produce their discharges.
3 Dec. Hester, wife of Nath. Withers, merchant, he being beyond seas, — produces his discharge by the Camden House Committee in 1644; he was sequestered on ...CHECK THIS QUOTATION AND BACKGROUND"

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Possible primary sources

TNA

C 5/18/87 Withers v. Seaman: Middlesex. 1654
C 5/396/182 Withers v. Limbrey 1654
C 5/581/97 Withers v. Morse: Middlesex. 1645
C 5/581/98 Withers v. Withers: Middlesex. 1668
C 5/583/109 Wythers v. Flatman: Middlesex. 1659

C 6/44/99 Short title: Withers v Knapp. Plaintiffs: Nathaniel Withers. Defendants: Thomas Knapp. Subject: assurance policy, Middlesex. Document type: bill, answer. 1650
C 6/133/248 Short title: Withers v Sowden. Plaintiffs: Nathaniel Withers. Defendants: Hugh Sowden and Jane Sowden his wife. Subject: property in All Hallows Barking, London. Document type: bill, answer. 1656
C 6/185/75 Short title: Marescoe v Wythers. Plaintiffs: Charles Marescoe. Defendants: Thomas Wythers and Mary Wythers his wife. Subject: money matters, Middlesex. Document type: bill, answer. 1669
C 6/607/24 Short title: Marescoe v Withers. First plaintiff: Marescoe. Defendants: Withers. Document type: bill only. [1649-1714]

C 9/4/161 Withers v. Craddocke 1650

C 10/18/31 Duncombe v. Withers: Middx 1653

E 115/411/35 Certificate of residence showing William Wither (or the variant surname: Wyther) to be liable for taxation in Hampshire, and not in the hundred of Alton, etc. (a duplicate original cataloguing slip gives Portsdown Also), Hampshire, the previous area of tax liability. 1620-1621
E 115/421/140 Certificate of residence showing Nathaniel Withers to be liable for taxation in London. (Details of which pouch this certificate was removed from are now lost.) 1547-1685
E 115/423/78 Certificate of residence showing Nathaniel Withers to be liable for taxation in London, and not in the half-hundred of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, the previous area of tax liability. (Any information not given in this certificate comes from its old pouch, no 2708. 1640-1641

PROB 4/8600 Inventory of Nathaniel Withers the elder, 1669 [Still need to scan this document]

PROB 11/331 Coke 108–166 Will of Nathanaell Withers, Merchant Tailor of London 15 September 1669
PROB 11/334 Penn 129-184 Will of John Warner, Merchant Tailor of Saint Giles without Cripplegate, Middlesex 11 November 1670
PROB 11/341 Pye 1-52 Will of John Warner, Haberdasher of London 02 April 1673

London Metropolitan Archives

Indexes to Probate Inventories of the Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral: MS. 19504/23/67, Muns, Nathaniel, St Giles Cripplegate, 19/11/1678
Indexes to Probate Inventories of the Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral: MS. 19504/28/55, Munns, William, St Giles Cripplegate, 11/12/1682

Indexes to Probate Inventories of the Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral: MS. 19504/07/123, Withers, Nathaniel, St Giles Cripplegate, 03/11/1665

Indexes to Probate Inventories of the Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral: MS. 19504/14/07, Warner, Armiger, St Giles Cripplegate, 22/08/1670
Indexes to Probate Inventories of the Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral: MS. 19504/29/32, Warner, John, St Giles Cripplegate, 22/05/1683
Indexes to Probate Inventories of the Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral: MS. 19504/07/109, Warner, John, St Giles Cripplegate, 22/05/1683

Derbyshire Record Office

Letter from Richard Houncell, Alicante to Nathaniel Withers per William Neuill, London, May 17th, 1649

Letter from Richard Houncell, Alicante to Nathaniel Withers, London, July 18th, 1649