EDWARD AND ANNE COWLEY
Edward Cowley was born in about 1540 of Edensor.
He married Anne 5 October 1569 in Edensor. His marriage record
recorded
him as Edward Cowley als Higdone. His first two children
were also christened under that name, including the alias.
Edward and his family later used only the name Cowley. A name
including alias was used in this time period in the case of
adoption, illegitimacy or for rights of inheritance. There were
Higdons recorded in the early parish register. Henry Higdon had
passed away in 1551.
Anne's name in the marriage record began with "Mar.." and two unreadable letters. Extracted records show her as Anae M. The most common name in Edensor starting with "Mar" in this time period was the Marple family. The Mercer family was also called "Marser" in some early records.
Marriage record for Edward Cowley and Anne in Edensor:
"5 Octobris M Edverdi Cowley als Hygdone et Anae Mar.."
Edward was mentioned in the will of Henry Lees in 1578: "Item I gyve & bequeth to Edward Colley & Edward Colley Marie Colley sonne eyther of them a shepe." Anthony Cowley was a witness to the will. Henry Lees had married Catherine Cowley in 1540, and may have been Edward's uncle.
Will of Henry Lees in 1578 mentioning two Edward Cowleys:
"Item I gyve & bequeth to Edward Colley & Edward Colley Marie Colley sonne eyther of them a shepe."
Edward was a witness to the will of Richard Bolton in 1603.
Edward died in August 1605.
Burial record for Edward Cowley in Edensor: "August S. - Edvardi Cowley de Edensore"
Edward left a verbal will:
Knowe all men by theis presents that we John Marple and George Mercer of Edensore in the Countie of Derbie husbandmen will testifie and declare that this is the laste will and testament of Edward Cowley late of Edensore aforesaid deceased viz: that his debts should be paid of his whole goodes & cattles. Item that Anne Cowley his wiffe should have the third part of all his goodes and cattles after his debtes were paid, and that she the said Anne should have all his houshould stuff during her natural life shee keepine her self single and unmaried. Item that all the rest of goodes and cattles should be equallie divided amonge his vj children saving his twoe daughters Elizabeth and Anne Cowley should have either of them one cowe or heafer to mend ther portions. In witness wherof we the said John Marple and George Mercer have set oer handes the fifteen daie of October in the third yeare of the raigne of our most gracious Soveraigne Lord James by the grace of God of England Frannce and Ireland Kinge Defender of the faith & of Scotland the xxxixth 1605.
Jo. Marple his marke as a witness
George Mercer his marke as a witness
Debtes which the said Edw: Cowley did owe
Imp to Robt Stafford xvli
Item to Thomas Seele of Bakewell - vli xs
Item John Reeham of Mamashe – vli
Item to Anthonie vli
Item to the Right Honorable the Countess of Shrowburie for rent xiijli
Item Henrie Norman – xxvjs vjs viijd
Item to John Smith – xxxxijs
Item to Edw: Deane – xxiiijs
Item to Anthonie Buxton – xiiijs
Item to Nicholas Webster of Chesterfeild – viijs
Item to Jo: Dangerfeild – iiijs
Item Rich: Hartley – vjs
Item to Richard Marshall – iiijs
Sum of his debtes xlix li xiiijs
An inventory was created for Edward's estate:
Inventory for Edward Cowley, 5 October 1605
A true and perfect inventorie of all the goodes cattle and chattels of Edward Cowley of Edensor husbandman deceased prised the fifte daie of October anno dmi 1605 Regni Regis Jacobi [torn] Anglae ___ et Scotiae xxxix by John Marple Georg Mercer, John Noton and Thomas Cowper
Imprimus ij oxen – iiijli xiijs iiijd
Item one other oxe – xxxiijs iiijd
Item iiij little bullockes – iiijli vjs viijd
Item v kine – viijli vjs viijd
Item iiij calves – xxxvjs
Item iij horses – ijli vjs viijd
Item xviij ould sheepe – iiijli
Item xix yong sheepe – ijli xiijs iiiijd
Item geese and ij hennes – iijs iiijd
Corne and haye
Imprimus wheat v sheaves – xs
Item rye xx sheaves – xls
Item barley xxx sheaves – iijli
Item oates x froe sheaves – xli
Item iiij weane loades of pease – xxiiijs
Item x loades of hey – iijli vjs viiijs
Husbandrie stuff
Item ij weanes one peare of wheels one plough ij harrowes [illegible] – ijli viiijs
In stuff and bedding
Brasse
Imprimus ij kettles = iijs
Item ij pottes – viijs
Item one chaffingdish and one candlesticke – xxd
Item viij pewter dishes and one salt – xs
Beddinge
Imprimus ij featherbeddes and ij bolsters – iiijd xxs
Item iiij coverletes – xxs
Item a peare of sheetes – xvjs
Iron stuff
Iten one benche one peare of golbewles one brandiron iron forge pothooks & one sithe – iiijs
Wodden stuffe
Imprimus iij cubbordes – xxs
Item ij arkes and one cofer - viijs
Item one long board with a forme – xvjd
Item xiij breades – iiijs
Item one dishboard & one spinning wheele – xxd
Item ij lomes ij kittes and one churne & iij parksadles with all the rest of other wodden implements in the house – vs viijd
Item iij cheeses – ijs
Item his apparel and money in his purse – viijli
Sum total Lxiijjli xiiijs
Edward and Anne had the following children:
1. Catherine, christened 22 April 1570 as "Cowley als Higdon"; buried 1 May 1570 in Edensor.
2. Elizabeth, christened 22 May 1571 as "Cowley als Higdon" in Edensor.
3. Johannis, christened 30 October 1573 in Edensor.
4. Richardi, christened 4 Apr 1577 in Edensor.
*5. Anne, chr 7 October 1579 in Edensor; married Johh Mercer 23 August 1606 in Edensor.
Baptism record for Anne Cowley in Edensor: "7 Octobris B Annae Cowley, filiae, Edvardi Cowleye"
6. Edvardi, christened 31 Jul 1582 in Edensor.
7. Aliciae, christened 6 Jan 1585 in Edensor.
SOURCES: Edenor parish register; will of Edward Cowley of Edensor, 1605/6;
Anne's name in the marriage record began with "Mar.." and two unreadable letters. Extracted records show her as Anae M. The most common name in Edensor starting with "Mar" in this time period was the Marple family. The Mercer family was also called "Marser" in some early records.
Marriage record for Edward Cowley and Anne in Edensor:
"5 Octobris M Edverdi Cowley als Hygdone et Anae Mar.."
Edward was mentioned in the will of Henry Lees in 1578: "Item I gyve & bequeth to Edward Colley & Edward Colley Marie Colley sonne eyther of them a shepe." Anthony Cowley was a witness to the will. Henry Lees had married Catherine Cowley in 1540, and may have been Edward's uncle.
Will of Henry Lees in 1578 mentioning two Edward Cowleys:
"Item I gyve & bequeth to Edward Colley & Edward Colley Marie Colley sonne eyther of them a shepe."
Edward was a witness to the will of Richard Bolton in 1603.
Edward died in August 1605.
Burial record for Edward Cowley in Edensor: "August S. - Edvardi Cowley de Edensore"
Edward left a verbal will:
Will of Edward Cowley of Edensor,
proven 22 Feb 1605/6
Knowe all men by theis presents that we John Marple and George Mercer of Edensore in the Countie of Derbie husbandmen will testifie and declare that this is the laste will and testament of Edward Cowley late of Edensore aforesaid deceased viz: that his debts should be paid of his whole goodes & cattles. Item that Anne Cowley his wiffe should have the third part of all his goodes and cattles after his debtes were paid, and that she the said Anne should have all his houshould stuff during her natural life shee keepine her self single and unmaried. Item that all the rest of goodes and cattles should be equallie divided amonge his vj children saving his twoe daughters Elizabeth and Anne Cowley should have either of them one cowe or heafer to mend ther portions. In witness wherof we the said John Marple and George Mercer have set oer handes the fifteen daie of October in the third yeare of the raigne of our most gracious Soveraigne Lord James by the grace of God of England Frannce and Ireland Kinge Defender of the faith & of Scotland the xxxixth 1605.
Jo. Marple his marke as a witness
George Mercer his marke as a witness
Debtes which the said Edw: Cowley did owe
Imp to Robt Stafford xvli
Item to Thomas Seele of Bakewell - vli xs
Item John Reeham of Mamashe – vli
Item to Anthonie vli
Item to the Right Honorable the Countess of Shrowburie for rent xiijli
Item Henrie Norman – xxvjs vjs viijd
Item to John Smith – xxxxijs
Item to Edw: Deane – xxiiijs
Item to Anthonie Buxton – xiiijs
Item to Nicholas Webster of Chesterfeild – viijs
Item to Jo: Dangerfeild – iiijs
Item Rich: Hartley – vjs
Item to Richard Marshall – iiijs
Sum of his debtes xlix li xiiijs
An inventory was created for Edward's estate:
Inventory for Edward Cowley, 5 October 1605
A true and perfect inventorie of all the goodes cattle and chattels of Edward Cowley of Edensor husbandman deceased prised the fifte daie of October anno dmi 1605 Regni Regis Jacobi [torn] Anglae ___ et Scotiae xxxix by John Marple Georg Mercer, John Noton and Thomas Cowper
Imprimus ij oxen – iiijli xiijs iiijd
Item one other oxe – xxxiijs iiijd
Item iiij little bullockes – iiijli vjs viijd
Item v kine – viijli vjs viijd
Item iiij calves – xxxvjs
Item iij horses – ijli vjs viijd
Item xviij ould sheepe – iiijli
Item xix yong sheepe – ijli xiijs iiiijd
Item geese and ij hennes – iijs iiijd
Corne and haye
Imprimus wheat v sheaves – xs
Item rye xx sheaves – xls
Item barley xxx sheaves – iijli
Item oates x froe sheaves – xli
Item iiij weane loades of pease – xxiiijs
Item x loades of hey – iijli vjs viiijs
Husbandrie stuff
Item ij weanes one peare of wheels one plough ij harrowes [illegible] – ijli viiijs
In stuff and bedding
Brasse
Imprimus ij kettles = iijs
Item ij pottes – viijs
Item one chaffingdish and one candlesticke – xxd
Item viij pewter dishes and one salt – xs
Beddinge
Imprimus ij featherbeddes and ij bolsters – iiijd xxs
Item iiij coverletes – xxs
Item a peare of sheetes – xvjs
Iron stuff
Iten one benche one peare of golbewles one brandiron iron forge pothooks & one sithe – iiijs
Wodden stuffe
Imprimus iij cubbordes – xxs
Item ij arkes and one cofer - viijs
Item one long board with a forme – xvjd
Item xiij breades – iiijs
Item one dishboard & one spinning wheele – xxd
Item ij lomes ij kittes and one churne & iij parksadles with all the rest of other wodden implements in the house – vs viijd
Item iij cheeses – ijs
Item his apparel and money in his purse – viijli
Sum total Lxiijjli xiiijs
Edward and Anne had the following children:
1. Catherine, christened 22 April 1570 as "Cowley als Higdon"; buried 1 May 1570 in Edensor.
2. Elizabeth, christened 22 May 1571 as "Cowley als Higdon" in Edensor.
3. Johannis, christened 30 October 1573 in Edensor.
4. Richardi, christened 4 Apr 1577 in Edensor.
*5. Anne, chr 7 October 1579 in Edensor; married Johh Mercer 23 August 1606 in Edensor.
Baptism record for Anne Cowley in Edensor: "7 Octobris B Annae Cowley, filiae, Edvardi Cowleye"
6. Edvardi, christened 31 Jul 1582 in Edensor.
7. Aliciae, christened 6 Jan 1585 in Edensor.
SOURCES: Edenor parish register; will of Edward Cowley of Edensor, 1605/6;