Where to find 16th Century information

[athel_cb]

Not quite sure how an unlearned man, who did not understand Latin could become a minister at that time (unless I've got it completely wrong).   

Simple answer (I suspect): money. At least in France at that time if a rich and powerful person wanted you to be a bishop then you became a bishop (or even a cardinal). I doubt whether it was very different in England.

[Jonathan Frayne]

I took a slightly different tack on this. What if he attended university (Oxford or Cambridge), graduated and then west to work for the Duke of Somerset. Later in life the Duke mislays his head on Tower Hill and the household disperses. Our man then looks for work and as he is a graduate he is automatically qualified as a vicar. I am not sure how it worked but you became a vicar at graduation. You could repudiate it and/or not apply for a parish but it was a part of graduation back then. He then gets a parish and later still starts to suffer with dementia and can no longer recall his Latin. If he is a priest in a parish he owns the freehold and cannot be ousted; I then would see the attempt to get the Bishop charged with nepotism as a means of trying to get him to take responsibility for him and to pay for a pension. As nepotism was then part of the way of life-it ensured you got loyal people working for you-it is not a charge involving a hint of corruption, just bad judgement by the person appointing to the post and a blow to their reputation.

It would mean that he may well have operated as an effective cator for the Duke of Somerset. I would also see if records exist for the Dukedom/Seymour family back then. They may have been destroyed as I understand Berry Pomeroy castle was burnt in the Civil War, but you never know. Then when yo have a name you could see if here is a record at the universities.

[IJDisney]

I suggest you email both, they may be able to source the information within their archive.
Barb ,of course you could visit our beautiful city.

I will do that. Thanks.
My mother was born in Topsham, and my father was born in St.Thomas'. But its always nice to visit again.

They were very kind and sent me some scanned information on John Woolton's tomb in Exeter Cathedral. But they did not think they had suitable material for family history - the documents relate to church mangement. But they offered to welcome me if I chose to see them in person if I had any ideas on what to look for.

[IJDisney]

Are you aware that both the Bishop and his son John have Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills?

I have glanced (I stress glanced) through the two wills.

If it were my research I would take a hard look at the name LEVERMORE.

I got the two wills, but no help in finding the elusive father-in-law//wife. The names are either children, siblings or trusted friends (who I can trace and see no family connection to).

Back to square one!

[horselydown86]

I got the two wills, but no help in finding the elusive father-in-law//wife. The names are either children, siblings or trusted friends (who I can trace and see no family connection to).

In my quick scan through the wills, I noticed that John LEVERMORE was called brother-in-law in the son's will, but LEVERMORE was not included in the list of married daughters in the father's will.  (John LEVERMORE was a witness to the father's will.)

I thought it possible that he was a child of the son's mother by a previous husband.  In the convention of the time, this relationship could also be described as brother-in-law.

(Obviously, he could also have been the husband of a deceased daughter of the father.)

Were you able to identify how John LEVERMORE fits into the family?

[IJDisney]

I got the two wills, but no help in finding the elusive father-in-law//wife. The names are either children, siblings or trusted friends (who I can trace and see no family connection to).

In my quick scan through the wills, I noticed that John LEVERMORE was called brother-in-law in the son's will, but LEVERMORE was not included in the list of married daughters in the father's will.  (John LEVERMORE was a witness to the father's will.)

I thought it possible that he was a child of the son's mother by a previous husband.  In the convention of the time, this relationship could also be described as brother-in-law.

(Obviously, he could also have been the husband of a deceased daughter of the father.)

Were you able to identify how John LEVERMORE fits into the family?

The John Levermore who signed the 1594 will was either ;
(1) John Levermore, the son of Maurice Levermore (Maurice was Mayor of Exeter in 1564; John was Mayor himself in 1596). 
Or
(2) John Levermore his son, whose sister Elizabeth married John Woolton jnr, and is also therefore the brother-in-law mentioned in the will of 1614.

[horselydown86]

Thanks IJD, so a dead end then.

Have you checked for wills for the several married daughters (and/or their husbands) as mentioned in the Bishop's will?  If you are lucky they might mention a maternal aunt or uncle, or something else which could provide a lead to the mother.

[IJDisney]

Thanks IJD, so a dead end then.

Have you checked for wills for the several married daughters (and/or their husbands) as mentioned in the Bishop's will?  If you are lucky they might mention a maternal aunt or uncle, or something else which could provide a lead to the mother.

In hand. No luck so far.