Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 1.djvu/515

 i. MAY 28, wo*.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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to the ' Visitation of London, 1633-5' (Harl. Soc. xvii.), in the pedigree of Watkins, Aldgate Ward, we find Anne, daughter of Nicholas and Margery Watkins, married Charles Fleetwood. Though not shown in this pedigree, Anne's elder brother, Sir David Watkins, Knt., married Honora Fleetwood, Charles's sister, at Chalfont St. Giles, 21 Jan., 1629. Sir David Watkins died 25 Dec., 1657, and was buried at Chalfont. I draw atten- tion to him as I suggest he was godfather to Charles Fleetwood's second son, David. Charles Fleetwood's daughter, Catherine, married George Clerke, a merchant of London ('Visitation of Warwickshire, 1682,' in Misc. Gen. etHeraldica, New Series, iv. 73). She is the aunt "Mrs. Katherine Clarke" mentioned in the will of Anne Fleetwood, the regicide's daughter. ME. PINK says she died in 1678 (9 th S. ix. 430).

Let us revert now to George Fleetwood, the regicide. The 'Dictionary of National Biography' quotes the Mercurius Attlicus of 7 Dec., 1643, in which it is stated that young Fleetwood of the Vach had raised a troop of dragoons for the Parliament; and again, towards the end of the article, his plea for mercy after his trial is mentioned, viz., his youth when he signed the death warrant.

The regicide was baptized at Chalfont St. Giles, 15 Feb., 1622. I have gone into the question of his "youth" at some length, as at first sight it seemed doubtful if so young a man could take so prominent a part in public matters. Men matured more quickly in the olden time, e.g., Cardinal Wolsey had taken the degree of B.A. at fifteen, while two Fleetwoods are recorded as having married at fourteen and eighteen respectively. In ' Chalfont St. Giles, Past and Present,' p. 31, with reference to the regicide's baptismal entry in the registers, it is stated that he was the son of Charles Fleetwood.

All the evidence I have adduced points to an error in the pedigree, and leaves no doubt in my mind that George was not the son, but the grandson, of Sir George Fleetwood of the Vache. The ' Dictionary of National Bio- graphy ' does not appear to be certain that his elder brothers left no issue, although accepting the statement that he was the son of Sir George.

The will of Anne, the regicide's daughter, discloses the fact that her father was twice married, as she could not leave her mother's

of Stratford-on-Avon, as father of Ann, baptized 9 Oct., 1642, and Katherine, baptized 17 March, 1643 (Parish Register Society, vol. vi.). The same registers record the baptism of a John, son of William Fleetwood, 26 July, 1640.

wedding - ring to her aunt Mrs. Honoria- Cradock, were her own mother alive. This- strengthens Waters's surmise, quoted in my previous article, that John and Anne were- the grandchildren of John Oldfield.

With regard to the regicide's second marriage, I have found the will of his widow,. Hester Fleetwood, "of Jordans in the parish' of Giles Chalfont, co. Bucks, widow, of a great age," dated 11 August, 1712, proved 13 May, 1714 (P.C.C. Aston, 94). She makes- bequests to her grandsons George and John, and granddaughter Anne, and daughter-in- law Anne. Other relatives are mentioned. The remainder of her estate is left to her grandson Robert Fleetwood, who is sole executor. I quote the following extracts from her will :

' Item, unto my loving friends William Russell) and Bridgett his wife (with whom I have long sojourned) I give the sum of Tenn pounds of like- lawfull money as an acknowledgment of their kind- ness to me and a, token of my love to them "

"item, my will and desire is that my Body may be laid in the Burying Ground called New Jordons,. belonging to my friends, the people called Quakers "

"Item, unto the poor of the Parish of Giles Chalfont aforesaid (in which I have long lived, and in which I desire to be buried) fifty shillings."

The witnesses to the will are Tho. Ellwood,. Mary Baker, and Joseph Dodd. Ellwood, of course, would be Milton's friend, who engaged the cottage in Chalfont for him, and was in prison when Milton went to reside there.

Hester Fleetwood died the 12 th mo. 9 th day (9 Feb.), 1713/14. She was a member of Upperside Monthly Meeting, and was buried at Tring, her name appearing in the list of members of the Upperside Meeting. As her executor resided in London, and she died at a time when communication would be difficult owing to the state of the roads, it is possible the instructions in her will were not known, though why Tring should have been chosen for the interment, instead of Jordans,. which was much nearer, is certainly curious.

It was Hester Fleetwood who petitioned in 1664 against the regicide's proposed deporta- tion to Tangier, where food was so dear that she would be unable to relieve him. She was the daughter of Robert Smith, of Upton, co. Essex, barrister - at - law (created a baronet 30 March, 1665), by his wife Judith, daughter of Nicholas Walmesley. The ' Visi- tation of Essex,' vol. xiv. p. 713, of the Harleian Society, does not give all the children of Robert Smith, but Berry's ' Essex Genealogies,' pp- 34, 35, is fuller. This pedigree shows that his daughter Judith married Thomas Brand (of Moulsey, co.