William SPENCER

Family/Spouse: Agnes HERITAGE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Julian SPENCER was born in 1505; died between 24 Aug 1558 and 14 Apr 1559 in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire.
2. Thomas SPENCER, Esq. was born about 1509 in of Badby and Everdon, Northamptonshire; died on 16 Aug 1576 in Everdon.
3. Margery SPENCER was born about 1512.
4. Agnes SPENCER was born in 1514.
5. John SPENCER
6. Giles SPENCER was born about 1525; was buried on 12 May 1609 in Burton Dassertt, Warwickshie .

Notes:

Name:
Thomas Spencer probably died soon after executing his will on 30 June 1493. he was certainly dead by 15 September 1496, when he was referred to as deceased in the will of his brother John Spencer. Thomas married MARGARET ?, a cousin of John Smyth of Wold (or Old). She is often called Margaret Smyth, but no proof of her surname has been found. She married second by about 1496-97, Edmund Belcher of Guilsborough, Northamptonshire, by whom she had sons Humphrey and John, both of whom died without issue. Humphrey, the oldest son and heir, was aged 4 in 1501. Margaret died on 29 Mar 1501. Edmund Belcher of Guilsborough died between 18 December 1528 and 26 April 1529, the dates of the execution and probate of his will.

Thomas and Margaret received the manor of Wold from Margaret's cousin John Smyth. The terms of the gift provided that Margaret's children were to receive the manor after the deaths of their parents. The Spencers were also to make an annuity of nine marks to Smyth during his lifetime. Additionally, upon Smyth's death Thomas and Margaret were to employ a priest in the church of Walgrave to celebrate mass for the souls of Smyth and his ancestors for the next fifty years, and the Spencers were to give security to Smyth for such service. Accordingly, Thomas and Margaret Spencer entered the premises, but Thomas was soon dissatisfied with the arrangement. Openly declaring the manor was not worth so great a charge, he failed to pay the rent or find security for a priest, and he apparently returned to Badby, where he died. After Thomas's death, Margaret refused to occupy the manor for the same reason, and Smyth reclaimed the property. upon her marriage to Edmund Belcher, a new agreement was made between Smyth and the Belchers with different terms. When Margaret died in 1501, the manor and advowson of Wold went to her son Humphrey, age 4, who died without heirs. At that time, the manor consisted of two messuages ad three virgates of land (about 90 acres) valued in the whole at L7 per annum. Eventually, the manor of Wold passed to William, the eldest son of Thomas and Margaret Spencer.

The will of Thomas Spencer of Badby, dated 30 June 1493, includes a request to be buried in the Badby churchyard. Small sums were given to several local churches, and L20 went to his wife Margaret. No children were mentioned, but, as will be shown below, he had as least four sons.

Thomas married Margaret ?. Margaret died on 29 Mar 1501. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]