Nicholas Glanville

Birth, Marriage and Death information

     Nicholas Glanville was born before 1541 at ENG; probably Tavistock.
     He married Elizabeth Ridley before 1567 at Tavistock, DEV, ENG.
     He died circa September 1598 at ENG; probably Tavistock.
     His estate was probated on 31 October 1598 when the prerogative Court of Canterbury granted admon to Elizabeth the relict and executrix.

Other information

     The London Port Books of May 1580 (National Archives E 190/6/8] record Nicholas Glanfeld of Tavistock shipping to Plymouth on William and John of Millbrook significant quantities of weapons such as pikes and halberds.

     The Calendar of the Tavistock Parish records RN Worth 1887 lists:
[1581] Lease by the same of tenement and garden in
Bannawill streete — lands of Edward Dennys south, of
Thomas Mohun and Orgues his wife John Broune and
Margery his wife north ; also close of land at Waddon
between lands lately given to the almshouse and land of
William Grylls — to John Sooper the younger, cordwainer,
Joan his wife, and Rochard their daughter, for their lives.
Attorn ies — Richard Tvvigge and Robert Hollavvay. Wit-
nesses — Nicholas Glanvill, Robert Moore, Roger Upcott,
John Redstone, Edward Kechynge, John Kechynge the
younger. Aug. i. 23 ElizabetJi.
[Armorial seals of ffitz and Grylls.]

[1585] John ffytz, esquier, with William Houghton,
Nicholas Glandvile, Robert Moore, Edward Denys, Roger
Vpcote, Thomas Libbe, Richard Drake, and Thomas
Sowton — ' selectid and chosen the eighte men by gen'all
assent & consent of the pishe of Tauistock to be Sup-
uisors and dispensatours to & for the behouf and vse of the
saide Churche & pishe of Tavistock & of the poore people
of the same, and also of the lazar and poore people of
the hospitall there, namelie for appointinge, doinge, vsinge,
dispensinge, and ordringe the yerelie Revenewes pfitts
lands tenem*^ goods chattells and other afifares that any
waie touche belong or concerne the said Churche & pishe
. . . whearas John Batte prior of ye hospitall or Lazar howsse
of St marie magdalene and St Theobald of Tavistock,' and
' the bretheryn and sustern ' by deed 20th August 27 Eliz.
leased to Fitz and the eight men — for 1000 years — the
mawdelyn Chapell with the chappell haie to the same
belonging, also the three closes called the mawdelyn park,
with one garden adjoining on the north part of the
hospital house, and the east of the lazar lane, now in the
tenure of John ffytz or his assigns, and also one meadow
called the mawdelyn meade, near the water of Lambourne :
In consideration of ^10 for the Relief and mayntenaunce of
the lazaars and poore people aforeseid and other purposes
expressed in the deed ; also of the increase of more
yearly rent for the like use than of old ; also in respect of
giving up the old interest and term in the mawdelyn
meade,' — the aforesaid eight men, &c., assign to John
ffytz the younger, ' sonne and heir apparent of John ffytz,'
for 60 years at 33s. 4d. rent, the mawdelyn chapell, chapel
haie, mawdelyn parke, and garden north of the hospital
house, reserving paths to and from the houses of the
hospital or lazaars on the north side of the chappell haie,
and against the west end of the house ' lately ' called the
mawdelyn chapell. Witnesses — Walter Masters, Robert
Harcomb, Richard Glanvill, Edward Lybbe, Thomas
Hole, Gregory Gay. Sept. 23. 27 ElizabetJi.
[This is ffytz's counterpart, and bears a seal with the device of a centaur on a shell.]

[1593] Lease by Thomas Mohun, Richard Drake, John
Edgecomb, Peter Edgecomb, and Richard Sawell, of close
at Waddon to Roger Sowton. Witnesses include — Nicholas
Glanville, Robert Moore, William Grylls, John Pdyaux.
March 25. 35 Elisabeth.

[1593] Lease by Thomas Lybbe, Richard Drake, and
Thomas Mohun, of messuage and tenement within the
'vyllage' of Tavistock — tenement of Queen east, heirs of
John melett west, garden of Earl of Bedford north, East
street south — to Nicholas Smyth, Elizabeth his wife, and
John their son, for their lives. Recital that the said with
other properties was conveyed by John Glanfyld, merchant,
now dead, March 3, 7 Elisabeth [1565] to John ffytz,
Richard Servyngton, William Houghton, John Gyll, John
Coche, William Kedlye, William Grylls, John Cornyshe,
John Glanvill att Wille, John Glubbe, John Badge, William
Nychole, Edward Denys, John Skirrett, John Nuton,
Walter Glubbe, ' Ewstys Drake,' all now deceased, and to
the grantees, for the benefit of the poor people in the two
almshouses adjoining the churchyard, and for lack of such
to other poor. March 26. 35 Elisabeth.
[Signed and sealed ; neither Drake's nor Lybbe's seal has any personal device ; Mohun's has ' T M,' with ornament.]

[1593] Counterpart of above, less imperfect. Witnesses
to both — Nicholas Glanvyle, Robert Moore, Wm. Grylls,
Jn. Pdyaux, Edward Lybbe.

[1602] Lease by John Skawen, William Grylls, Walter
Masters, William Kedlie, John Gove, Peter Edgcombe, and
John Moore, gentlemen, Walter Trowte, William Burges,
and Mathew Edgcombe, pyshioners of the pyshe of Tavis-
tocke. Whereas John Bate, late pryor of the Maudlin and
the bretheren and sistren, did Aug. 20, the 'seaven and
twentieth yeare of the moste happie Raigne of oure Dreade
Soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth,' grant, &c., for 1000 years a
little tenement & garden in fiford St. in tenure of Marten
Roundall and other properties : Since when John ffytz,
William Houghton, Nicholas Glanvile, Edward Denys,
Roger Uppcott, Richard Drake, & Thomas Sowton died —
and Robert Moore & Thomas Lybbe ' them overly ved, whoe
enioyed the whole pmissis by waye of surviuorshippe,' and
upon request of the churchwardens did Sept. 10, 42
Elizabeth, set over to the above, with Richard Brewen
and Walter Kedlie, deceased : Now these feoffees, in con-
sideration of ^3 paid them by John Nycholls, of Tamerton
ffollyett, professor of physicke, being the Arrearages of an
Incombe and certn Rents formerlie due for thaforesaid
tenement, &c., now or late in the occupation of Walter
Palmer, grant a lease of the same to the said John
Nycholls, on the lives of William Nycholls, Thomas
Nycholls, and Katheren Nycholls, his children. Wit-
nesses — Nicholas Watts, Samuel Sumpter. Signed 'John
Nicolls.' July 10. 44 Elizabeth.
     In 1588 he was listed in the churchwarden accounts of Tavistock Itm paid Nicholas Glanvyle for Threeschore and ffyfteenne foote of wyre att v the ffotte, ffor the Scholehowse windowes, and for Carriadge thereof (Calendar of the Tavistock Parish records RN Worth 1887.)
     In the last few years of his life Nicholas Glanvill seems to have had massive troubles financially. He lost a complete shipload of tin to the Dunkirk pirates, he lost big money with his venture in partly financing the second of the Roanoak Voyages to America in which he had three of his own ships participate. The cost of fitting out three ships for this voyage would have been enormous and he made very little profit from it …As per the court case that followed. His daughter was executed for murder. He cancelled his purchase of the Manor of Plymouth Radcliffe in Plymouth, and after he died his son John had to sell the Tavistock Mansion and a lot of his other property probably to cover debts and pay Dewnes her dowry.

     Nicholas Glanville left a will on 30 August 1598 In the name of God Amen the thirtieth day
of August in the fortieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady
Elizabeth by the grace of God of England France and Ireland Queen
Defence of the Faith &c I Nicholas Glanvyle of Tavistock in the county
of Devon esquire noble and perfect of mind and body (thanks be given
unto Almight God) considering and perfectly seeing that death is certain to
all men but *** *** thereof *** /And knowing by daily experience that
many men are suddenly surprised with death and have no reason to dispose
of their lands or good that God in this world *** bestowe upon them for the solice
of them minds children and other freiends /Being therefore willing to be ready
as soon as God shall grant me grace whensoever it shall please god to call me out
of this miserable world *** for the disposing of my wordly things as I ***
and perforthe between he hath appointed and elected me for the beginning to be
*** ready when the number of my days in this *** pilgrimate are
run out to enter into and be partaker of the beautiful *** which is prepared for
them that are made righteous by the *** away of *** *** by the blood
of Jesus Christ doe there this present day make my last will and testament
in manner and form following /First I bequeath my soule to Almightly God
and by body to be buried by the discretion of my executor /Further I do give
anb bequeath unto my daughter Johans Glanvyle five hundred pounds of lawful money of England
to be paid unto her at her day of marriage so as she does behave herself dutiful to
her mother and be governed ruled or admised in her marriage by my executor and
the overseers of this my last will and testament or the more part of them /Farder
I do give and bequeath unto John Gove the son of my daughter Jane Gove twenty
pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid unto him when he shall accomplish the
age of twenty one years if he the said John Gove be then living /Further I do give
and bequeath unto Richard Gove one other son of my said daughter Joane Cove
twenty pounds of lawful money of England to be paid unto him when he shall
accomplish the age of twenty one years if he the said Richard be then living
/Farder I do give and bequeath unto Leonard Gove one other son of my said daughter
Jone Gove twenty pounds of lawfull money of England to be payable unto him
when he shall accomplish the age of twenty one years if the said Leonard be then
living /Farder I do give and bequeath
unto Nicholas Gove one other son of my said daughter Jone Gove twenty
pounds of lawful money of England to be paid unto him when he shall accomplish
the age of twenty one years if he the said Nicholas Gove be the living /Furder
I do give and bequeath unto Thomas Gove one other son of my said daughter
Jone Gove twenty pounds of lawful money of England to be paid unto him
when he shall accomplish the age of twenty one years if he the said Thomas
be then living /Furder I do give and bequeath unto Mary Gove the daughter
of my said daughter Jone Cove twenty pounds of lawful money of England
to be paid unto her when she shall accomplish her age of twenty one years if
she the said Mary be then living /The residue of all my goods and chattels
not before given now bequeathed I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth my wife
who I do make and ordain my full and noble executrix of this my last
will and testament /So as she the said Elizabeth do within three months
next after my death execute suffer and enowledge all and every such ***
act devise and devises in the same as shall be admissed *** or required by the
overseers of this my last will or the most part of them to and for the payment
of my debts and performance of this my last will and testament /And if she
do refuse to execute suffer and enowledge any such act or acts devise and devises
on the same as aforesaid or if the happen to die then I do ordain and make
John Glanvile my eldest son to be my sole executor of this my last will and testament
And further I do entreat my loving brother John Glanvile (one of her mag Justice
of her Righnes Comfit of Comom /Jsedb and my very good friends Robert Moore
William Grilles of Tavistock gent and Philipe Ping to be overseers of this my last will
and testatment and to put the same in all respect performed according to their best
power and discretion as my terms is resposed in them /In witnes hereof I have
herunto set my hand and seal of arms the day and year above written /***
me Nicholas Glanvile / Memorhind: That Thomas Glanville was stricken out of
this will by the said Nicholas Glanvyle, & me Phillipp Pring /Sealed & declared
as the last will and testament of the nother named Nicholas Glanvile by the
nother named Nicholas Glanvile the thirtieth day of August in the fortieth year
of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth in the presence of Phillipp
Pring / & me Thomas Mohun, Francis Birche, John Twigges, Robert Moore-
William Grills, Mathew Edgecombe.