MRP: Charles Longland will

Charles Longland

PROB 11/392 Exton 87-130 Will of Charles Longland of Leghorn, Italy 20 July 1688

Editorial history

05/10/11, CSG: Created page

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Abstract & context

Charles Longland (b. ca. 1611, d. ?1688) was an English merchant who was based in Livorno for many years. He was already in Livorno in 1642/43, when he was one of the witnesses to the will of Daniel Oxenbridge, who lay sick in Livorno. He died in ?1688 at XXXX in Tuscany, alleging in his will that the Duke of Tuscany owed him considerable sums of money.

The son of Edward Longland (b. ?, d. 1619), a Royal Keeper at Old Windsor, Charles Longland was the youngest of seven children, the elder six being sisters. His mother was Cicely Edolphe of Kent, from an armigerous family, whose arms had been granted early in Elizabeth's reign. His father, Edward, bore the Longland arms. His grandfather was John Longland (b. ca. 1516, d. 1589), who at his death was Rector of Tingewick, Buckinghamshire, and who had been restored to the archdeaconry of Buckingham.

Charles Longland was orphaned in 1619, when still under the age of ten, with his inheritance subject to the dubious management of his uncle, Robert Barker. Barker was printer to King James, and appears to have had financial problems. A lawsuit was brought by Charles Longland in 1632 against Barker, in which Longland was described as a "poor orphan coming lately to full age and from beyond the seas." Longland had probably returned from working as a factor in Turkey. In a continuation of the law suit in 1634, Longland was described as a "merchant of London," with the accusation being made that Robert Barker owed him £1,000 from Edward Longland's estate.

Little is known about Charles Longland's commercial activities in Livorno, though he was one of the subscribers to the SVJS in 165X.

However, a considerable amount of his correspondence has survived in the archives of the English East India Company at the British Library and in the State Papers at the National Archives in Kew. Correspondence with the English East India Company has been calendarised in the calendars of the court minutes of the East India Company. A number of letters from Charles Longland to John Thurloe in the 1650s have been published.

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Suggested links

See Assorted letters of Charles Longland, Livorno (Various)

See Livorno

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To do

(1) Check the transcription

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Transcription

In the Name of God Amen one thousand six hundred seventy seven I Charles Longland residing at Leghorn in Italy at present in reasonable good health and perfect memory awaiting the good pleasure of Almighty God for my better things doo committ my Soul and Spiritt unto God that gave it and my body to the Earth from whence it came there to remain till my blessed Saviour shall awake it unto glory I doo make and ordagne (sic) this my last Will and Testament for disposall of the Estate it has pleased God to give me I bequeath and give unto the Poor in the parish of Tingewick near Buckingham one hundred and thirty in one hundred and forty pounds Sterling to buy a parcel of land called thexxxx yards lands (free hold) such a parcell as my ffather Edward Langland left me in the same Parish and I sold it in the yeare one thousand six hundred twenty five to one of the same Towne That the Minister and Churchwardens of the same parish be desired to see their money well laid out in such Land and the yearly rent thereof distributed to poor widdows of honest life that have fatherless Children twenty shillings a year to each Widdow as far as the rent will goo but if there be others in the Parish that have more need if it is referred to the Minister and Churchwardens as above to give them that are in most want not exceeding twenty shillings a yeare to a ffamily This I give in memory of my father Edward Longland and my Grandfather John Longland both of them liv'd long in the parish my Grandfather was Minister dyed & lyeth buryed there wherefore it is desired that the present Minister & Churchwardens of the parish would cause this donation to be duly and punctually registered in their Church Book in soe many words as is here above exprest (sic) that it may not be otherwise disposed of in future Ages but according to the true intent of the donor I give two hundred and ffifty pounds for redemption of poor English Captives in Barbary, Seamen, such as have no friends or xxxxx to Redeem them I give unto Mrs Hester Harris the widdow of Mr Richard Harris with whom I was prentice two hundred pounds I give unto Mrs Edward Goodwyn fifty pounds I give unto my Cozen Mrs Anne Rolfe twenty pounds I give unto her Brother Mr Thomas Rolfe tenn pounds I give unto my cozens (their fathers two sisters) to each tenn pounds I give unto my Cozin Evering and his sister to each five pounds (I give unto my cozin Danvers in London (the widdow) five pounds I give unto the five husbands of my neices to each tenn pounds I give unto the wives of my Nephew Robart Harris and Paul Bush to each tenn pounds and I give unto my cousin Mrs Margarett [?Oldish tenn pounds It has long been in my thoughts (as a duty incumbent upon me) to doe some good for the poor of this place where God has been mercifull unto me to give me soe long life and health but again considering how I am disabled by the Corsare Cardi who has taken from me so great an estate and deteyned it now these twenty yeares ag:t all the world of Justice I cannott performe the charity I would but conditionally that is to say if the letter from his Majesty to this prince in my favour doe prevaile with him to doe me justice and render the Estate taken from me (with charges damages and Interest for twenty yeares detention) I doe then give unto the poor of Livorne a house or Tenement to be bought by my Executors for the full vallue of tenn in twelve hundred pieces of eight the annuall rent thereof to be distributed among tenn poor widdows house women that have fatherless children each of them widdowsto have an equall share of the said rent soo long as she lives and as any of them come to dye another to be chosen in her place The widdows to be thus relieved are not to be such as formerly have lived well and plentifully and are now fallen to decay by their own xxxx husbands or thier Childrens Errors but such widdows as have been the wives of

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poor laborious men left bare and work daily with thier own hands for bread for themselves and children among these such as are natives of Livorne and have most small children are to be preferred The rest of my Estate I give to my sisters Children and grandchildren in the manner and forme following To my sister Bury's sonne John Parker and to the said Parkers daughter Elizabeth Chamberlain pieces of eight five hundred I give to the said Eliz Chamberlains daughter being two to each one thousand pieces of eight and to each of her five sonnes pieces of eight five hundred I give to my sister Harris her son Rob:t Harris one thousand pieces of eight to his daughter one thousand pieces of eight and to his three sonns each five hundred pieces of eight I give to my sister Harris sonne Charles Harris who has lived long with me two thousand pieces of eight besides all the household stuffe belonging to my house I give to Alexander Constantin'schildren by my neece to say his three daughters to each one thousand pieces of eight To his sonne Alexander that has lived long with me here one thousand pieced of eight and to his other two sonnes to each five hundred ps of eight I give unto my neice Winifred Harris pieces of eight fifteen hundred I give to my neece Susan ?Gyle pieces of eight five hundred I give unto my neice Hellen Newham pieces of eight five hundred To her daughter pieces of eight one thousand and to her sonne peeces of eight five hundred I give to my sister Constantins sonne Phillips children To his two daughters for each peeces of eight one thousand to each of his two sonnes five hundred peeces of eight I give to my sisters daughter Cicely Loid one thousand peeces of eight and more one thousand peeces of eight to the said Cicely Loyds (sic) daughter I give unto my Sisters Sonne Paul Bush one thousand peeces of eight I give to my sisters sonne William Bush one thousand peeces of eight All the aforsesaid Legacies and donations shall be paid and comppleted by my Executors within a yeare after my death except my Heire Winifred and my severall sisters Grandaughters whose portions are not to be paid till their marriage nor their grandsons till they become one and twenty yeares Age But my Executor is to allow them att five per Cent per Annum Interest till effectuall payment The legacies likewise given to my Neeces that are marryed are not to be paid them but in Widdowhood not withstanding my Executor is to give them five per cent yearely Interest for the same and in case of mortallity before their widdowhood each of them may dispose of and give away the said Legacy to whom they please the like may my neece Winifried in case she should dye unnmarryed I lent unto Mr Thomas Chamberlain long since one hundred and ffifty pounds which he promised faithfully to repay but has not done it and I have furnished him with one hundred and twenty pounds for charges in lawing with fframpton and Buckeredge both which parcells must be repaid what shall be recovered of fframpton and Burckeredge (more than the charges I have paid) I give unto the said Chamberlain as also all the Esmerald Buttons rings or loose stones which he shall recover of Marshall for his pains in recovering of him the composition money and the two pendent pearles with other friendly Offices done me If my Estate should come short and not Answere what I have given away there must be a proportionable abatement made of what I have given to each of my Sisters Children as above (but noe abatement to the other Legacyes) likewise if my Estate prove more there must be a proportionable Addition made to what I have given to each of my sisters Children and grandchildren I order and leave my two nephews Charles harris Alexander Constantin Executors of this my Will and Testament to see every thing performed

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accordingly In the first place to adjust the Books reviewall old Accompts and give every man thier due particularly Prior such States ginger Accompt Smith and Xolls Cork and others and also to gett my due from those that are debtors to use thier best diligence in selling my goods especially my Jewells either at Venice (?) or Paris which I conceive will be the best markets for them

We the underwritten Affirm to whom it may concerne that the aforesaid writing is a true Copy of the Originall Will of the late Mr Charles Longland all of his own hand writing And this wee affirme out of the knowledge wee have of the Character and handwriting of the said Mr Longland I XXX Man affirm the same witness myy hand I Edward Palmer affirm the same witness my hand

Vicesimodie meusis July Anno Uno millesimo septantesimo ortaro Emanat xxxxx [another seven lines]

TNA, PROB 5/5417

[Three sheets of parchment, folded to create an unbound booklet, with fold to produce a page of ca. 6” x 10”. Good condition, has been mounted by restorer, some loss of letters in top margin of first page. Written in non-italic English hand]

[Avove main text at top, but partially destroyed by ragged edge]

?Inventory XXXXX XXXX ?Argxx Caroll Longland desi ?intered p ?magasin
?Gould ?7:0 July 1688

TRANSLATED OUT OF ITALIAN

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN In the year of our Lord Jesus Christ from his Salutiferous (sic) incarnation One thousand six hundred eighty and eight the Eleventh Indiction , and nine and twentieth day of the moneth of April Innocent the Eleventh being Pope and the most Serene Cosmus the third the sixth great Duke of Tuscany happily reigning. Done at Leghorne in the dwelling house of the underwritten M:r Thomas Dorman scituate in the Great Streat in the presence of M:r James son of another James Harriman English man dwelling in this City and M:r Luke Anthony son of francis de ?Aubeis of Leghorne Witnesses

[LH MARGIN] Inventory and Estimation

Be it known and manifest that Before me underwritten Notary and the above written witnesses Personally appeared M:r Thomas Dorman English Merchant in this City to me Notary very well known who declared that by vertue of a deceree of the Archiepiscopal Court of the City of London he was ordered to be present at the Underwritten Inventory and Estimation underwritten respectively of the underwritten Jewells and Plate belonging to the Heirs and Inheritance of late M:r Charles Longland: deceased The said M:r Dorman in the presence of the above written witnesses and of M:r Robert Serle and John Horsey also English Merchants in this City also called to assist at the afterwritten Acts of the said M:r Thomas Dorman, having presented unto me a Packet of Papers very well seasled with two seales

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in Red Wax without any the least suspicion of the said Seals having been in any manner touched or altered, in each of which seals he remembers was stamped the Impression of Armes in the Margent (sic) and upon which Packet was read the underwritten words writ in the English tongue with the own hand and Character as well of the underwritten Notary as the said M:r John Horsey have perfect knowledge and acquaintance, which words were ny the said M:r John Horsey who sufficiently understands the Italian tongue interpretted, and the swore touching &c well and faithfully to interpret [Key of the Jewells] And I the said Notary in the presence as well of the above named witnesses as of the said Mess:rs Serle and Horsey haveing opened and unsealed the said Packet, there was found therein a small Iron key with which I the said underwritten Notary immediately at the request and by Commission and order of the said M.r Thomas Dorman with the assistance and presence of all the above named did open a little Iron Chest of about a quarter of a brace high and above half a brace long which was within a great Iron Chest fit to keep the money joined to the said Chest in which little Chest was dound tHE underwritten Jewells which severally were valued by M:r Francis Paci

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and M:r Jacob Berrera both skilfull Jewellers chosen and called with the consent of the said M:r Thomas Dorman To which skilfull persons was administred Oath by me the underwritten Notary in forme &:a to make the said estimation justly and according to their Conscience , and immediatley was made by the said skilfull persons the following estimation viz:t N:o 1. One necklace of divers Perls of various colours in all Thirty nine Perls valued at four hundred peeces of eight ryals N:o 2. Two pendant Perls one round white and the other not round both valued at Eight hundred peeces N:o 3. Eight small pendant Perls of various colours put in four papers all valued at Twenty five peeced N:o 4. One Jewell whrein the Picture of King Charles the first set in gold with Diamonds at the bottome one pendant Perl all valued at One hundred and fifty peeces N:o 5. Two great pendant Perls blemished not Round valued at Six hundred peeces. N:o 6. Two gold Rings in one a Diamond and in the other a Stone of small value both valued at Eighteen peeces N:o 7. One Small

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red box in which was found another smaller box, in the first was found one Piaster florentine money Two Italian Pistoles and a half a Golden Crosse in which was set Ten Diamonnds table fashion valued at fourty five peeces One string of thirteen Perls of divers colours which were valued at Thirty five peeces In the other small box was found an Amethist stone valued at Two peeces a Topas valued at Seven peeces, a packet of Dyed Christal balued at nothing N:o 8. Bundle of Margerites of Venice which were also valued at nothing. N:o 9. Seventeenn Perls divers white Scotch , and of divers other Colours that were all valued at fifty peeces. N:o 10. Eight Rings or gold circlets valued at Eleven peeces in all. N:o. 11. Two peeces of Gold large Engéish money one of the said Charles and the other James. N:o. 12. One Jewell of Diamonds and a pendant Perl which by the said skilfull persons is believed that the stone in the Midst is a Balascio and is valued at Two hundred peeces. N:o. 13. Another Jewell of Diamonds and a great Perl with a stone in the Middle that is belived to

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be another balscio which being truly such was valued at three hundred and fifty peeces and if the said stone in the midst is not a balascio it was valued at One hundred and fifty peeces only. N:o 14. One Godl Bracelet enameled with Blew of nienteen small Saphirs and an Scotch pendant Perl valued at three hundred and Sixty peeces N:o. 15. One Gargaintil (sic) of gold with divers Diamonds valued at three hundred and Sixty peeces N:o . 16. Two ?bossies with two Enameés set in gold mixed valued at Twenty five peeces. N:o. 17. Two little boxes of blew colour in each box was two drops of false red stone in all four drops valued at Seven peeces. N:o. 18. Two great Perls somewhat of the colour of Lead valued at Three hundred and fifty peeces N:o. 19. One Jewell with Two Balascios, with Table Diamonds and one white pendant Perl valued at four hundred peeces N:o. 20. Two pendant Perls one round the other not round both a little yellowish valued at thirty five peeces N:o. 21. One Gold Ring with diamonds at the bottome valued at fifty peeces N:o. 22. Seven Perls of Lead colour valued at Thirty

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Peeces N:o. 23. One red box within it one gold Ring with three diamonds rose cut and that in the midst broken valued at fifty peeces N:o. 24. One Rose of Table Diamonds and one breast Jewell of Emeralds all inferior valued at thirty two peeces N:o 25. Ten pistols in five ?Doblons of Genoa and fourteen Spanish Pistols in two of four, and three of two in all four and twenty Pistols all uspected to be false And no more Jewells or gold was found to be Inventoried and valued Wherefore immediately all the aforesaid Jewells and gold as above Inventoried and valued were put up and locked in the said little Chest whence they were taken, and thesaid Key at the request of the said Thomas Dorman was again foulded in a sheet of Paper and by the said Mess:rs Roberts Serle and John Horsey sealed with sealing Wax with the seale of the said M:r Serle and so restored to the said M:r Dorman And presently in the great Iron Chest was found thirteen pound and eight ounces of plate

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consisting in the following particulars viz:t One pair of Candlesticks Two Vessels or Pots of the English fashion Two Salts four Cups One Salver Twenty two Spoons Twenty three forks All which plate was by teh aforesaid Skilfull persons valued at the rate of five ?lives (could be ‘livers’) six sols and eight deniers forentine money p ounce - Praying ^
I underwriten Notary with my own hand

[LH MARGIN] Notariy signum

J Angelo son of Joseph de Maffei of leghorne Judge in Ordinary and florentine Notary Publick being requested about the premises have hereunto with my own hand and put my Notarial ?firm to the praise of God Almighty

Wee underwritten Merchants of the City of Leghorne do attest for truth to whom it doth concern that the aforesaid M:r Angelo Maffei is such as he doth stile himself and that to his Writings and Sunscriptions as well publick as

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private hath always been and now is given full and undoubted faith in Judgem:t and Without. In testimony

?Lester Burdett
?Sam:ll Hackwell

It agreeth in substnace
With the Originall
XXXXX XXXXXX [signatures are very fancy and ornate, and are unreadable]

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Notes

Biographical profile of Charles Longland

An anonymous, well researched and presented, genealogical study of the Longland family available online states:

"The Heraldry of Longland: Arms were born only by members of the senior branch, namely Bishop John Longland (of Henley) and Archdeacon John Longland (of Tingewick and of Windsor). Edward's son Charles (of Leghorn) seems not to have done so. Luke (Lucas) Longland, the bishop's brother, appears to have born arms though no grant of arms has been found."

The same source above states that the will of Edward Longland, father of Charles Longland, was proved in 1619 (Author and date unclear:vii).

Chapter One of the main genealogical document by the same author as above deals with the Longland family in Shropshire, c. 1400-1615. It is available online as a different PDF document.

The author states that the Longland family was present in Kinlet, a village roughly twelve mile north east of Ludlow, and eight miles south of Bridgenorth (p.5) in Shropshire in the C15th and C16th. The author states that Edward Longland's grandfather, John Longland (1516-1589), the Rector and archdeacon of Tingewick, Buckinghamshire, was related to the Longlands of Kinlet, who ceased to be resident in Kinlet in the 1610s. He states that the archdeacon was buried on November 7th 1589 (p.14). A will appears to be available for the archdeacon (p.13), which shows that his niece was , Margaret Smith, sister of James Longland, the last of the male line of Longland at Kinlet. Margaret was married to Ambrose Smith, parson of Tingewick, who had died by 1692 (p.13).

Chapter Two of the above mentioned document is titled 'Tingewick, Bucks, and the Park at Windsor,' (pp.29-39). The author states that John Longland was the son of William Longland of Kinlet , who was cousin of Bishop Longland. He was a BA, and fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford, and a Canon of Lincoln. Appointed archdeacon of Buckingham in1544, at the age of 28. Appointed Rector of Stanton St John, Oxford in 1543, and chaplain to Bishop John Longland, Bishop of Lincoln, in 1544. He was deprived of all public offices in1655 due to clerical marriage, when Queen Mary restored catholic clerical discipline. Queen Elizabeth restored him to his Lincolbnshire prebend in 1559 and made him Rector of Great Linford. From 1576 to 1689, when he died, he was Rector of Tingewick, and had been restored as Archdeacon of Buckingham (p.30). The author describes John Longland as a "reformed Anglican", in contrast toJohn pate, archdeacon of Lincoln and a relative, who he describes as a "convinced Catholic" (p.31). John Longlan's wife was Elizabeth, and was buried at Tingewick. The author provides a useful sketch of the Archdeaconry of Buckingham: "the Archdeaconry embraced 28 parishes and 7 hamlets and a population of 1,074 families (1562 census). There were, in 1585, a hundred and fifteen clergy and two Readers (probably schoolmasters licensed to read Morning and Evening Prayer)" (p.31). The author summarises his will on pp. 31-32, in which he mentions his brother, Thomas, of Kinlet, Shropshire, and requested to be buried by his wife in the chancel of the parish church of Tingewick.

Edward, his son, inherited the bulk of his estate, which the author states "must have been considerable." The author profiles the son, Edward Longland, father of Charles Longland, on pp.32-33, including summarising Edward's will. Edward married Cicely Edolphe, of Kent, from an armigerous family whose arms had been granted early in Elizabeth's reign. Edward bore the Longland arms. The author states that Edward Longland was a "Royal Keeper," and was resident at Old Windsor at his death in 1619. His evidence is that Edward's will mentions "the house in the Park" and that there are a number of documents referring to Langlan's Lodge at Windsor and a Mr. Langland, who was a Royal Keeper. I find this sufficiently convincing. "It seems reasonably cetain that Edward moved to take up the post there some time before the year 1607, as the relevant Certificates of Residence show him as having paid tax at Tingewick in 1601 but being taxed on his Old Windsor residence in 1607 and 1609," (p.32). According to his will, Edward retained his Tingewick house at his death, which he gave to his "brother Clark" to dwell in as tenant. His will refers also to "Cozen Barker." This Robert Barker was given full power over the land and leases of the estate until Edward's son Charles was of majority.

The author suggests that Charles Longland, the youngest child, with six older living sisters, was probably born in Old Windsor (p.33). He characterises Charles as a gentleman's son. Robert Barker was printer to King James, and appears to have had financial problems. A 1634 lawsuit describes Charles Longland as a "merchant of London," and acuses Robert Barker of owing him £1,000 from his father's estate. The suit had been brought by Longland in 1632 in which he is referred to as a “poor orphan coming lately to full age and from beyond the seas” (p.34). A schematic pedigree after p.36 shows the names of Charles sisters and some of their birthdates: Elizabeth, b.1592; Mary, b. 1593; Anna, b. 1594; Elenora, b.1596; Dorothe, b.1597; Cecyle, b. 1598, Charles, no birth date, but according to the authpr, post 1598. The author suggests that Charles Longland was probably in his late eighties when he died in 1688.

Chapter Three of the above mentioned document is titled 'Leghorn, Tuscany, c. 1650-1688,' (pp.41-60).

Chapter Four above mentioned document is titled 'The Thurloe Correspondence, 1653-1657. Charles Longland corresponds with John Thurloe,' (pp.61-70).

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