Weekes Wick Wickes Wicks Wyke Wykes Genealogy	26 August 2006
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view WYKES family tree view WYKES family summary view WYKES ancestor chart		Dr G.M.W.Mann. Baytrees Burnhams Rd, Lt.Bookham Surrey, U.K. KT23 3AU geoff.mann@btinternet.com
	11 Aquila WYKE c1570-1655
	m Dorothy DUNCOMBE 1612

Aquila WYKE was probably born around 1570, place unknown, though his father was probably named Edward and whose family are believed to come from Gloucestershire.

Aquila married Dorothy Duncombe in London when he was about 40 years old, but their first known child was not baptised until 1621, nine years after their marriage. At about the time of his marriage Aquila became keeper of the Gatehouse Prison in Westminster, a gaol used for political prisoners, a post he retained until his death in 1655 aged 85.

Aquila baptised seven children at St Margaret’s in Westminster, but three of them died young. His son named Aquila succeeded him as keeper of the prison

EVENTS

C=Christened

age DATE AW DD	EVENT
c1570 23Jul1612 42 1613 43 14Jun1621 51 30Dec1622 52 5Feb1624 54 14apr1625 55 29Jul1628 58 15Jny1629 59 24Nov1632 62 8Oct1655 85	Aquila born, son of Edward? m Dorothy DUNCOMBE at St Mary le Strand first record of Aquila as keeper of the Gatehouse Prison son Edward C at St Margaret’s Westminster dau Dorothy C at St Margaret’s son Edward C at St Margaret’s son Aquila C at St Margaret’s dau Dorothy buried son John C at St Margaret’s dau Frances C at St Margaret’s; bur 11Dec Aquila buried at St Margaret’s

PRINCIPAL RECORDS

b=born m=married d=died

C=Christened B=Buried

BIRTH

Aquila married in 1612 so a birth date around 1580/90 might be expected; however two chancery depositions dated 1613 and 1622 in which Aquila WYKE of Westminster was a witness, state an age which gives a birth date of c1570. This gives him an age of 42 at marriage and of 85 at death. These are high but not improbable ages. No suitable baptism has yet been found.

The Court of Chivalry heard a case in 1688 brought by Edward Wykes of Westminster against John EMS of Pershore who had questioned Edward’s pedigree (see below). A pedigree was produced in evidence showing that Aquila and Edward WYKES both of Westminster were sons of Edward WYKES who was born 1534 the third son of Nicholas. This is consistent with a birth date of 1570 for Aquila and the unusual name, correct time and place leaves little doubt that this document refers to Aquila-11

Thus we are looking for Aquila bc1570 son of Edward Wyke of Westminster. There is a suitable marriage preceding this date at Allhallows Honey Lane in the City of London:

m 9Nov1561 Edward WYCKES & Mrs Kateren CLYFFORD

[no additional information in the register and no baptisms or burials relating to these parents were found up to 1566 (though many plague deaths in 1563)]

According to the Visitation of Gloucester 1623, Katharine Clifford married Edward Wykes of Tormarton; Bigland in his “Monuments of Gloucestershire” (see below) records a brass monument in Tormarton church showing that Edward Wykes was the rector there and that he died in March 1590/1 aged 63. This gives a birth date of 1528 and an age at the above marriage of 33. Moreover, the monument states that Edward was the son of Nicholas.

The discrepancy between the birth dates of Edward given by the two sources (1534 form the Court of Chivalry pedigree, and 1528 from the brass monument) is not a serious objection to the conclusion that the above marriage refers to the parents of Aquila.

Further circumstantial evidence points to Aquila’s origin in the Tormarton area:

The arms of the Westminster family were described in the Chivalry Court and are similar or identical to the arms of the WYKES family of Tetbury in Gloucestershire (described in Bigland’s monuments of Gloucestershire as: “Gules a Bend ermine between two Cottizes dancette Argent”). Tetbury is only about 12 miles from Tormarton

There was a baptism of Aquila WEEKES at Bromham in Wiltshire 20Oct1599 (no parents stated, but other register entries suggest father was Robert or possibly Edward and the mother was Cecile nee HOBBES). The unusual name strongly suggests a family connection and Bromham is about 15 miles from Tormarton.

The unusual name Aquila derives from the New Testament, perhaps indicating again that he may have been the son of a rector.

Thus it appears that Aquila was the son of Edward Wykes, rector of Tormarton, and Katherine Clifford born about 1570. If so he would have been baptised at Tormarton, but the register there is preserved only from 1679. The brass monument was erected by the rector’s son, William, and he could be the Westminster Attorney, William Wykes, who was associated with Aquila at the Gatehouse Prison around 1610 and was probably Aquila’s brother.

However, the brass monument in Tormarton church presents a serious difficulty with this analysis

The monument (transcript) states that Edward, rector of Tormarton, was the son of Nicholas of Bodington and Jane Poyntz, daughter of Sir Robert Poyntz.

Tormarton is adjacent to the parish of Dodington, where lived Nicholas Wykes with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Poyntz. So presumably, Bodington and Dodington were confused either in transcription or on the original monument. Also that Jane was substituted for Elizabeth at some stage

The problem however is that the arms of the Dodington Wyke family were so different from that of the Westminster family, that a descent of Aquila from Nicholas of Dodington is extremely unlikely:

Westminster Wyke family: Gules a Bend Ermin between two Cottises Dancette Or [Court of Chivalry, Harl. Soc. vol107 p70]

Doddington Wyke family: Ar. on a pale cotised sa. three greyhound’s heads erased or, collared gu, in the mouth a man’s leg couped at the thigh, of the first. [Burke’s general Armory]

This difficulty may be resolved in two different ways:

1. The marriage of Edward Wykes of Tormarton in Gloucestershire son of Nicholas to Katherine Clifford was unconnected with the birth of Aquila. Thus we have to suppose that a different Edward Wykes also a son of Nicholas and also from Gloucestershire of about the same age married at about the same time.

2. The information on the brass plate in Tormarton church was incorrect. Two known errors are mentioned above (Bodington for Dodington, and Jane for Elizabeth; The visitation of Gloucester in 1623 lists the children of Sir Robert Poyntz as Anthony, John, Francis, Edward, Nicholas, Margaret, Katherine, Elizabeth, Ann - no Jane. Sir Robert’s will of 1521 merely mentions his sons Anthony, John and Francis and a daughter Margaret]. It seems possible that the plate was also incorrect in stating that Edward was the son of Nicholas of Dodington:

· Nicholas Wyke of Dodington died in 1558 and his will mentions specifically four sons: William (executor), Thomas, Frannce and Morryce. There is no mention of a son Edward. This is suspicious but does not prove that he did not exist, there may have been a family rift, or as a vicar with the living of Tormarton, he was already taken care of. Nicholas’ eldest son John died in 1536 leaving John’s son Robert as Nicholas’ heir.

· After the death of his first wife, Elizabeth Poyntz, Nicholas’ remarried a widow, Anne Clifford. But by her first marriage, Ann was the mother of the Katherine Clifford who married Edward Wykes:

Elizabeth POYNTZ--m1--Nicholas WYKES---2m2---Anne HAREWELL--m1--James CLIFFORD

mc1508 | c1488-1558[1] d1568 | d1545

| |

? |

? |

Edward WYKES----------m-------------------Katherine

bc1527 m1561AH CLIFFORD

d1590

So Nicholas was the stepfather of Edward’s wife – a stepfather-in-law? Since Edward and Nicholas had the same surname it seems possible that this relationship led to the supposition that Nicholas was Edward’s father. The brass plate was erected after Edward’s death – perhaps long after – at least 20 or 30 years after the deaths of Nicholas and Anne and was erected by William who would have known neither in his lifetime. If the plate were in error, this may have been unintentional, or deliberate if William wished to claim a descent from the influential Poyntz family.

It is interesting to note that Nicholas’ will shows that one of his daughters, Jane, married Harry Wyke. This shows a connection with another Wyke family of sufficient or comparable standing to Nicholas. It is not uncommon to find siblings of one family marrying siblings of another, so it can be speculated that Edward and Harry were brothers and probably cousins to Nicholas’ children. The IGI has the burial of Harry Weeke 6Oct1618 at Compton Martin SOM (c20miles from Dodington); the Wykes web page notes that:

“There are records in the Berkeley castle muniments room of the land deeds of the Berkeley family, who were granted the lands at Arlingham and much of the Vale of Berkeley in 1145, by Henry II , an old friend of Robert Fitzharding, the first Lord Berkeley. The original 'de Berkeley' family were deposed and moved to Dursley. There was a union of the two families and the Dursley Berkeley line ended in an heiress who married Thomas Wykes in the 15th.century from whom descended the Wykes of Dursley and Dodington, Gloucestershire and Chew Magna, and Compton Martin, Somerset, and Newport, Essex”.

This raises the possibility that Harry (and so perhaps also Edward) were from the Compton Martin branch of the family. Registers there survive from 1559 but have not yet been examined.

Magaret Poyntz sister of Elizabeth m Sir John St Loe of Tormarton patron of the church (d1559) who appointed Edward in 1549 (Bigland) but Tormarton wills dated 1555 have John Lawrence parson of Tormarton; first will witnessed by Edward Wyke parson of Tormarton was in 1562 (bblue115). Since Sir John died in 1559, he appointed Edward before his marriage to Clifford. This strongly supports the descent of Edward from Nicholas of Doddington

Robert, who married Cecile Hobbes at Bromham in 1598 is almost certainly another son, born around 1570. Thus the names of four sons of Edward of Tormarton appear to be: Edward (eldest), William, Aquila and Robert.

Despite these objections, on balance it seems likely that Edward, rector of Tormarton, was the son of Nicholas of Dodington. This is supported by the patron of Tormarton at the time of Edward being Sir John St.Loe, who was married to Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Poyntz; Edward would thus have been his nephew. Also the second marriage of Nicholas to Ann Clifford provides another link between the Wykes and the Cliffords, though the relation of Ann to Katherine is not yet known

Could Edward have been Nicholas’ third son as stated in the Court of Chivalry pedigree?

From his will and other sources, Nicholas had five sons: John, William, Thomas, Frances, Morryce and three or four daughters: Margaret, Mary (m Thos Madocke) Jane (m Harry Wyke) Isabel (m Chris.Willoughbie). Isabel was not mentioned in the will. The eldest son John died in 1536 after marrying and producing two children. He is unlikely therefore to have been born after 1510. Edward of Tormarton was born 1527 and for him to be the third son, William and the four daughters would have to be born between 1512 and 1525, Edward in 1527, the other three sons later still:

eg: 1510 john, 1512 william, 1515 margaret, 1517 mary, 1520 jane, 1523 isabel, 1527 edward, 1529 thomas, 1531 frances, 1533 morris

these dates are quite hypothetical, but show that Edward could have been the third son within a plausible child bearing span of 23 years. It could provide critical evidence if these dates could be established more precisely, perhaps by finding marriages or the birth dates of children of the marriages, especially of John. Were John to have been born in 1500 for example, then it would be virtually impossible for Edward to have been Nicholas’ third son.

MARRIAGE

Aquila-10 was baptised at St Margaret’s Westminster in 1625, son of Aquila. There is a preceding marriage of Aquila to Dorothy DUNCOMBE in the nearby parish of St Mary le Strand

m 23Jul1612 Aquila WICKES & Dorothy DUNCOMBE by licence

The allegation has not been found. A printed pedigree (HS vol 107 p70) shows Aquila Wykes of Westminster married to Dorothy dau of John DUNCOMBE of Denton Bucks, Esq. so this appears to be the correct marriage (presumably at modern Dinton). Moreover, the first known daughter of Aquila was named Dorothie. However, the first known descendant of the marriage was not baptised until 1621, which seems odd, unless Dorothy was very young at marriage; the registers of Dinton have not yet been examined.

DESCENDANTS

from register of St Margaret Westminster (original and transcript)

C 14Jun1621 Edward s Aquilla WYKES

C 30Dec1622 Dorothie s Aquilla WYKES; B 29Jul1628 Dorothie WEEKES ch

C 5Feb1623+Edward s Aquilla WEEKES; admitted to Middle Temple 3mar1639/40

C 14Apr1625 Aquilla s Aquilla WEEKES

C 15Jny1628+John s Aquilla WEEKES

C 24Nov1632 Frances d Aquilla WEELKES; B 11Dec1632 Frances WEEKES ch

DEATH

from register of St Margaret Westminster (original and transcript)

B 8Oct1655 Mr Aquila WEEKES

The burial of Dorothy has not been found, but the College of Heraldry have her funeral “certificate”. It is not clear to me what this document might contain and as often the case with the College of Heraldry they do not reply to my query

OTHER

Chancery town depositions

these are depositions from witnesses in chancery disputes, and were found using the Bernau index; details of the dispute were not noted

C24/256 initial letter H

this reference to Aquilla WYKE dated 1597 could not be found

C24/392 HODDESTON v NURSE

10Jun1613 Aquila WYKES of the city of Westminster in the parish of ---- gent aged 44 or thereabout [bc1569]

Dame Elizabeth HODDESTON widow defendant, John NURSE gentleman complainant

[parish looked like Nich--, rather than Margaret]

C24/494 STROWD et al v CLARK

26Oct1622 Aquila WYKES parish of St Margaret Westminster, Gent aged 50 or thereabouts…[bc1572]

Westminster Abbey Records

Several references to Thomas WYKES of Co.Cambs 1409-1475, concerning leases etc

1609-1612: William WEEKS gent Attorney of the King’s Bench. Lawsuit touching the convict prison Westminster WA ref 6068-6115

1611 : William WYKES gent; power of attorney to, for livery of Westminster Gatehouse Prison ref 18106

1613 : Aquila WYKES keeper of the Gatehouse; letter to College receiver on the committal of convict prisoners for the King’s Bench; 41484

? : Aquila WYKES, Power of attorney for receipt of surrender form of the East part of the Gate House Prison: 18129/30

1627 : Aquila Wykes gent; keeper of the Gatehouse prison; certificate of warrant of the privy council for committal of Sir J Corbett; 18145

1627 : ditto to produce Sir J Corbett in the Kings Court; 18145

1632 : Aquila WYKES gent; lease of the gate House Gaol (28years at £5 pa); 18125

Charles II: Aquila WYKES gent, keeper of the Gate House Prison, power of attorney to, to receive fines for non-committals thereto; 18167

1654 : Aquila WYKES, keeper of the Gate House Prison, petition against the almsmen for detaining a house and land belonging thereto; 18174

c’wealth: Aquila WYKES, keeper of the Gate House Prison, petition against the Bailiff of Westminster; 18198

c’wealth: Aquila WYKES, keeper of the Gate House Prison, petition against for wrongful imprisonment; 18199

c’wealth: Aquila WYKES senior, petition as lessee of the Gate House Prison, Westminster, to the Governor of Westminster Church against his son; 18201/2

c’wealth: Aquila WYKES, petition as lessee of the Gate House Prison, to the Governors of Westminster College against their bailiff and almsmen; 18203

c’wealth: Aquila WYKES esq, petition against the almsmen for claiming ground adjoining the prison; 18398

c’wealth: Aquila WYKES junior, petition against, from the almsmen of Westminster; 18398

c’wealth: Aquila WYKES junior, petition of his father against, to show his title to the keepership of the prison and to his father’s estate; 18201/2

1659 : Mary WYKES widow of aquila WYKES, keeper of the Gate House prison; petition to the Governors of Westminster College; 18185

1659 : Mary WYKE, keeper of the Gate House Prison, order of the College Governors to the City Bailiff on the complaint of; 43657

c’wealth: Mary WYKES, widow of Aquila WYKE junior, petition as lessee of the gatehouse prison against the officers of Westminster College; 18204/5

5Oct1661: lease to Sir Edward Broughton of the gatehouse prison for 40 years at £5 pa

7Feb1672/3: patent to be keeper of the Gatehouse prison franted to William DYKE (register XIX f 199b or 6)

Calendar of State Papers Domestic

1617 Nov22 no.34 Aquila WYKES (keeper of the Gatehouse) to Richard YOUNGE. Has received the prisoners Mabella GRIFFITH, Dorothy FORMAN, Ann ROOTES and Mary GREENE (refused the oath)

Middle Temple Admission Register

3Mar1639/40 Edward WEEKES son and heir app. of Aquila WEEKES of the City of Westminster, arm, at request of Chas. Jones now reader

Court of Chivalry (HS vol 107 p70)

This was a cause of scandalous words provocative of a duel promoted by Edward Wyke of St Margaret Westminster esq against John Ems of Pershore co. Worcester. Citation issued 2July 1688

In order to prove his gentility the Plaintiff put in evidence the following certificate, pedigree and affidavit. These are to certify whom it may concern, that the arms hereunder painted viz Gules a Bend Ermin between two Cottises Dancette Or, do belong to the Family of Wykes of the City of Westminster

there follows a drawing of a shield not reproduced in the HS volume. But the following is taken from the web site of the World Wykes Web, apparently reproduced from the Genealogy of the family published by Robert Weeks in 1885:

Wykes of Westminster, Middlesex Edward Wykes son of Edward Wykes of St. Margaret's, Westminster. In 1688 a case in Court of Chivalry. Dispute over right to arms resulted in a duel. Also recorded as Wykes of Dorset. Gules a bend ermine cotised dancettée or. Genealogy, Wykes, Weekes, Wicks, by Robert D. Weeks, published in 1885. See also: Gloucestershire, Wikes, Wykes of Gloucestershire and Dorset, Wykes

The pedigree produced at the court is as follows:

Edward Wykes third son of Nicholas 1534 =

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______________________|__________

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Edward Wykes = Aquila Wykes = Dorothy dau John Duncombe of Denton, Bucks Esq

of Westmr | of Westminster

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_____________|

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Edward Wykes = Eliz dau of Hugh May of Moore Park,Berks Esq

of Ryton Park, Salop |

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____________|

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Edward Wykes = Eliz: sole dau and heir of Thomas Turvey of Walcot co.Worcr;

of St Margarets Westmr | relict of the other Ld Windsor

Gent living 1688 |

____________|

|

Elizabeth, only dau about a year and a quarter old 1688

The will of the last named Edward (PROB11/447 p343) proved 12Oct1698 by his widow Elizabeth Wyke of Old Hall Green of Standon Herts, shows he had a son “May Brograve” (sic) Wyke and two unmarried daughters Mary Anne and Sarah. Edward WYKE m Elizabeth BROGRAVE at St Marylebone 1Dec1690

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