William Denys

Sir William Denys (c. 1470–1533) of Dyrham, Gloucestershire, was a courtier of King Henry VIII and High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1518 and 1526. The surname is sometimes transcribed as Dennis.

Origins

He was the eldest son and heir of Sir Walter Denys (d. 1505) of Siston in Gloucestershire, by his 2nd wife Agnes Danvers, 2nd daughter & co-heiress of Sir Robert Danvers (died 1467) of Epwell, Oxfordshire, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas (1450–1467). The Inquisition post mortem of his father Sir Walter, dated 1505, states William his son and heir to have then been "aged 35 years and more", which suggests a date of birth of 1470.

First marriage

In about 1481 William's father arranged for him to marry Edith Twynyho, daughter of the wealthy Cirencester lawyer and cloth-merchant

Clarence was determined to have Ankaret executed, against the wishes of the Queen, who believed her to be an elderly and harmless widow blamed unjustly. Clarence rapidly gave orders for her arrest, which was performed at Keyford, Frome, Somerset, the family home, on 12 April 1477, by Richard Hyde and Roger Strugge and 80 "riotous persons", whence she was taken to Bath, thence to Cirencester thence to Warwick, where she was tried before JP's at the guildhall and found guilty by a jury. She was hanged at Mytton, Warks., on 15 April 1477, which action is considered by modern historians as a notorious judicial murder. Clarence himself was executed in the Tower of London the following year, 18 February 1478, and two days later, on 20 February 1478, Ankaret's grandson, Roger Twynyho, obtained the king's annulment of Ankaret's conviction.^[2]

It appears the Denys/Twynyho relationship may have started in 1481 on the sale or other transfer by Sir Walter Denys of the manors, or an interest therein, of

At Westminster in the quinzaine of St. Hillary between Cristofor Twynyho cleric, John Twynyho of Cirencestre esquire, William Twynyho of Shipton Solers esquire, John Tame of Fayreford esquire, Edmund Langeley of Sudyngton Langeley esquire, Thomas Delalynde of Clencheston esquire, John Walshe of Olveston esquire, William Lovell of Raffeston esquire, and Thomas Warner of Cirencestre esquire querents; and Walter Denys esquire and Agnes his wife deforciants; for the manor of Northcheryton and the advowson of the free chapel of South-cheryton (and lands in Glouc. and Dors.). Walter and Agnes acknowledged the right of John Twynyho as by their gift and quit claimed for the heirs of Agnes, and they warranted against Richard abbot of the monastery of St Mary Cirencestre and his successors ; for this John Twynyho gave them six hundred pounds sterling.

• Christopher Twynyho was steward of Shaftesbury Abbey, Dorset, of which his sister Margery was Abbess (1496–1505). Shaftesbury was the second wealthiest Abbey in the land, behind only Glastonbury Abbey. The will of John Twynyho (died 1485) bequeaths to this "Dame Margery, my niece, nun of Shaftesbury" a silver & gilt goblet "which had been presented to him by George, Duke of Clarence". This familiarity with the Duke suggests that John was the son or grandson of Ankarette.
• William Twynyho (died 1497) of Shipton Solers, Glos., was the 2nd son of William Twynyho of Keyford and served as MP for Weymouth 1472–1475 had acquired that manor in right of his wife Catherine Solers (died 1494), daughter of John Solers. The manor descended to his son Walter Twynyho.^[4]
• Edmund Langley of Siddington, Gloucestershire, about 1 mile south of Cirencester was the husband of Lady Elizabeth Beynham (died 1527/28), widow of Sir Alexander Beynham of Mitcheldean, Forest of Dean, son of Sir Thomas Baynham and Alice Walwyn. Alice Walwyn, as widow of Sir Thomas, was the 4th and last wife of Sir Walter Denys (died 1505). Edmund Langley's will was dated 1490.^[5]
• Thomas Delalynde of Winterborne Clenston, Dorset, was married to Edith Twynyho, daughter of William Twynyho (died 1472) of Keyford, Frome,

Somerset, by Ankaret. He was living at Warwick, presumably as part of the retinue of Isabel, Duchess of Clarence, and the couple were summarily ordered to leave Warwick by order of the Duke of Clarence during the trial of Ankaret, as the petition to the king made by Roger, Ankaret's grandson, reveals.

• John Walshe (died c. 1492) of
  King's Champion at the coronation of Henry VIII, and was a great favourite of the young king's.^[7] John I Walshe's daughter Catherine married George Huntley (died 1580) of Frocester, MP for Cricklade, eldest son of John Huntley of Standish by Alice Langley, daughter of Edmund Langley of Siddington.^[8]

The marriage settlement appears to have concerned the Denys manors of Aust, Gloucestershire, of which they held a moiety, and Litton Cheney in Dorset.

Litton Cheyne

The Inquisition post mortem of William's father Sir Walter Denys, dated 18 October 1505, relating to his lands in Dorset, states as follows:^[9]

"He was formerly seized in fee of the under-mentioned moiety of the manor of Lutton, with the advowson, and by charter dated the eve of St. Thomas the Apostle, 21 Edward IV (i.e. 1481), gave it to Master Christopher Twynyho, clerk, John Twynyho, William Twynyho, John Walsshe, Thomas de la Lynde, William Lovell and Thomas Warner, esquires, to hold to them and their heirs to the use of William Denys, then his son and heir apparent, and of Edith, William's wife, and of the heirs of their bodies, and in default of such issue to the use of the said William Denys and his heirs; by pretext whereof the said Christopher and his co-feoffees were seized thereof to the use aforesaid in the form aforesaid".

The feoffees to this arrangement are the same as those who acted in the previously quoted transfer at about the same time of Cherington by Sir Walter Denys.

Aust

The marriage settlement appears to have concerned the Denys manor of Aust, Glos., as recorded in a charter dated 21 Edward IV (1481), incompletely quoted and preserved in the Gloucestershire Inquisition post mortem of Sir Walter Denys, dated 14 September 1505 :^[10]

He was seized of a moiety of the manor of Awste or Aust, and by charter dated... 21 Edward IV, ...enfeoffed thereof...Twynyho, William Twynyho, John Thame, Edmund Langley...to hold to the use of William Denys, then his son and heir apparent, and of Edith, William's wife, and of the heirs of their bodies, and in default of such issue to the use of the said William Denys and his heirs; by pretext whereof the said Christopher Twynyho and his co-feoffees were seized thereof in form aforesaid.

A daughter named Anne was born from the marriage with Edith Twynyho, who died sine prole.^[11]

Career

Esquire of the Body

It may have been due to the position of William's half-uncle

At about the time of William's appointment as an Esquire of the Body the King granted him the honour of the licence to empark 500 acres of Dyrham, which is to say to enclose the land with a wall or hedgebank and to establish a captive herd of deer within, with exclusive hunting rights. This grant is witnessed by a charter on parchment, to which is affixed a rare example of a perfect great seal of Henry VIII, now hanging in a frame at Dyrham Park. It clearly was handed down with the deeds of the manor on the termination of the Denys era at Dyrham in 1571. The charter is of exceptional interest as it is witnessed by men of the greatest importance in the state, who were at the King's side at that moment, at the Palace of Westminster. The text of the document, translated from Latin is as follows:^[12]

"Henry by the grace of God King of England and France and Lord of Ireland sends greetings to his archbishops, bishops, abbotts, priors, dukes, marquises, earls, barons, judges, sheriffs, reeves, ministers and all our bailiffs and faithful subjects. Let it be known that we, motivated by our especial grace and certain knowledge of him, have granted for us and our heirs to our faithful servant William Denys, Esquire of the Royal Body, to him, his heirs and assigns, the right to empark 500 acres of land, meadow, pasture and wood together with appurtenance at Le Worthy within the manor of Dereham in the county of Gloucestershire and enclose them with fences and hedges in order to make a park there. Also that they may have

warren to hunt or catch anything which might belong to that park or warren without permission from William, his heirs or assigns under penalty of £10, provided that the land is not within our forest

.
Witnessed by:

• The most reverend in Christ father William Canterbury our chancellor and archbishop (William Warham)
• The reverend in Christ fathers Richard Winchester, Keeper of the Privy Purse (Richard Foxe) and
• Thomas Durham, our secretary (Thomas Ruthall), bishops.
• Thomas Surrey, Treasurer of England ( Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk) and
• George Shrewsbury (George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury), steward of our household, earls.
• Charles Somerset Lord Herbert (Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester), our chamberlain and
• George Neville of Abergavenny (George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny), barons.
• Thomas Lovell, treasurer of our household and
• Edward Poynings, comptroller of our household, knights, and many others.

Given by our hand at Westminster on the 5th day of June in the 3rd year of our reign" (1511).

From the size of the present park it appears that only about 250 acres were ultimately enclosed.

High Sheriff

Sir William served as High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1518 and 1526, continuing the tradition of the Denys family which would hold that post on more occasions than any other family.^[13]

Second marriage

William married 2ndly in about 1508 Anne Berkeley, daughter of Maurice Berkeley (died 1506), de jure 3rd

Marriage settlement

The Inquisition post mortem of Sir William Denys, taken at Marshfield on 7 January 1534/5 makes reference to the marriage settlement, and details the manors which William settled on Anne's feoffees at that time:^[14]

“The jurors say that he held no lands of the king in the county of Gloucester, but that some time before his death he was seized of the manor of

Barton

, near Bristol. Which recovery of the said manor of Ciston (sic) is to the use of the said William & Anne his wife and of their heirs male. And the moiety of the manor of Aust etc., to the said Anne for life.”

John FitzJames was

In 1520 Sir William and Lady Ann founded the "Guild of St. Denis" in the Church of St Peter, Dyrham, next to their manor house. The early English

• (1)Sir Walter (died 1571), eldest son & heir.
• (2)Sir Maurice Denys (died 1563), Treasurer of Calais & builder of Siston Court.
• (3)William II Denys (died post-1571). He was bequeathed by the will of his eldest brother Sir Walter his "velvett gowne and velvett jackett". After the
  Winterbourne, Glos. (between Siston & Alveston), which had been founded by Thomas Bradston. The chantry held lands in Winterbourne, Framshaw, Hambroke, Churchefelde & Cliffelde, all in Glos., from which it received rents. By 1553 William had disposed of it to Robert Bradston of Winterbourne, who used it as security for a loan of £40 from John Smyth, a merchant of Bristol.^[18] A contemporary report on the chantry related as follows:^[19]

"Bradston Chantry in Winterbourne, co. Glos. A doubtful seal. Oval, a leopard's head jessant-de-lys. Motto: “..ATA TRAHUNT"

This appears to be one of the leopards on the Denys arms. The motto may have been from Ovid, Aeneid, Book 5, line 709: Quo fata trahunt, (retrahuntque, sequamur)("Whither the Fates draw (us) (and draw us back, let us follow"))^[20]

• (4)Thomas
• (5)Francis, probably named after the French king
  Francois I
  whom William had attended his king to in 1520 at the Field of the Cloth of Gold.
• (6)John

Daughters

• Anne, married 1stly John Raglan, 2ndly Sir
  Edward Carne
  (died 1561). She had issue from the 2nd marriage.

• Isabel, married 1stly Sir John Berkeley (died 1546) of Stoke Gifford, Glos., who died of splinter wounds whilst on board ship at Portsmouth, eldest son of Sir Richard Berkeley (died 1514) by Elizabeth Conningsby. The couple's eldest son was Sir Richard Berkeley (died 1604), MP for Gloucestershire, whose effigy can be seen in The Gaunts Chapel, Bristol. Also 2 daughters: Elizabeth Dennis Berkeley, born 1530, married Henry Lygon; Mary Berkeley, married Nicholas Walshe. Isabel survived her first husband and married 2ndly Arthur Porter (c. 1505 – 1559) of Newent and Alvington, MP for Gloucestershire in November 1554, for the City of Gloucester in 1555 and for Aylesbury in 1559.^[21]

• Katherine (died 1560), married 1stly, on 15 September 13 Henry VIII (1521), Sir Edmund II Tame (died 1544) of Fairford. 2ndly
  Walter Bucler, secretary to Queen Katherine Parr. 3rdly Roger Lygon (died without issue 1584), 8th son of Richard Lygon by Anne Beauchamp, 2nd daughter & co-heiress of Baron Beauchamp of Powyke. He was a Gentleman Usher to Mary I of England.^[23] From her 1st marriage she inherited a life interest in the considerable Tame lands, including the manor of Fairford, Glos., in the parish church of which she is buried with her last husband in a chest-tomb
  with sculpted portrait effigies above.
• Eleanor, married William Lygon of Madresfield, son of Richard Lygon (eldest son of Richard Lygon & Anne Beauchamp) by Margaret Greville, founders of the prominent early American colonial family of "Ligon" of Virginia, ancestors of actress Courteney Cox. Eleanor was also the grandmother of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, founder of the American province of Maine, whose mother was Cicely Lygon.
• Bridget
• Mary, described in the 1623 Visitation of Gloucestershire as "a nun at Lacok",
  dissolution came to Lacock and made a favourable report. John ap Rice wrote that he had "founde no notable compertes there" and commended the nuns of Lacock for their familiarity with their rule and constitutions.^[25] He informed Thomas Cromwell that Dame Marie Denys, 'a faire young woman of Laycock', had been made Prioress of Kington, where the visitation had revealed a less satisfactory state of affairs.^[26] She lived to ripe old age, having outlived her eldest brother Sir Walter (died 1571), who bequeathed to her in his will his "second best bed at Codrington". She died in 1593 and received the honour of burial at the Gaunt's Chapel
  , Bristol.
• Margaret, married on 19 June 21 Henry VIII (1529) Sir
  Dissolution of the Monasteries. Her uncle, Thomas, 5th Baron Berkeley (died 1533) gave her in his will 200 marks for her marriage^[27]

• Davis, Cecil T., Monumental Brasses of Gloucestershire, London, 1899, p. 109, Re brass of John Twynyho at Lechlade.
• Maclean, Sir John, (ed.), Visitation of the County of Gloucester Taken in the Year 1623 by Henry Chitty, London, 1885. ("Dennis" pp. 49–53)
• Robinson, W.J., West Country Manors, Bristol, 1930. (Dyrham, pp. 73–76; Syston(sic), pp. 169–172)

References