Thomas Sabean was christened 16 April 1551 in Cropredy, the son of Richard and Margery Sabean. He married Alyce Mannsell 14 December 1584 in Cropredy.

Marriage record for Thomas Sabean and Alice Mannsell in Cropredy:
"Thomas Sabean and Alice Mannsell were married the 14 day of December"

Thomas was a husbandman of Great Bourton. The Sabeans or Sabins of Great Bourton were thought to have been gardeners: "Sabins who followed Normans into their Church Street cottage were known as gardeners and there may have been work for them at Prescote. The estate was owned by the Danvers of Chelsea who had laid out a London garden in the Italian style by the end of the sixteenth century, though Walter Gorstelow's believed their garden layout came from the distant past. Even so the walks, groves and vegetable garden all required gardeners who must have lived in Cropredy." (The Town of Cropredy)

No christening record has been found for Alyce, but later Mansells were millers of Slat Mill in Great Bourton.

Thomas died, and left a will, written in 1614, and at that point his two married sons, Thomas and Richard still lived at home. Thomas was buried 14 April 1620 in Cropredy.

Burial record for Thomas Sabean in Cropredy:
"Thomas Sabin was buried the xiiijth daye of Aprill 1620"

Thomas' will mentions his wife Alice, son Richard, and son Thomas.

The will of Thomas Sabin of Great Bourton,1614

In the name of God Amen, the xixth of September in the yeare of our Lord God 1614, I Thomas Sabinne of Greate Borton, in the county of Oxforde, husbandman, beinge weeke of body, but of perfecte memorie, thanks be unto God doe make and ordayne this my last will and testaymente in maner and fourme followinge, ffirste I beaqueathe my soule unto almighty God, my maker, hoopinge to have remyssione & pardon forgevenes of all my sinnes by the deathe and bloud sheeding of Jesus Chryste my only  Saviour and Redeemer. My body I comitte to they earthe from whence it came to be buried in the church yarde of Cropreedye. Ffirste I geve and bequeathe unto Alce Sabinn my wyffe the howse wherin she nowe dwelleth and halfe my living beinge ij yards lands with all the profett and commodityes thereunto belonging as arable grounde medowes and pasture for  feeding for beastes and harses and sheepe and all and singular other profits and comodityes in they townes of Greate Bourtonn and Lytle Bourtonn beinge in ye parishe of Cropredy, in the conty of Oxfarde aforesayde, excepting half a yarde of lande sett and let unto Townsonn and  nowe in the tenure and possetions of Wydowe Townsonn during her lease made unto Townsoon her husbande deceased. And also one howse and close with halfe my living within they fooldes of Greate Bourtonn and Lytle Bourtonn aforesayde during they life of Widowe Pantoll and after her decease unto Alce Sabinn my wyffe and Richarde Sabinn my sonne for terme of xxi yeares if Alces Sabinn doe soe longe live and after her naturell deathe to Richard Sabinne and his assygnes during they lease of xxi yeares. And my will is that my wyffe shall have halfe my lyvinge agaiynste my sonne Richarde Sabinn for terme of her lyfe and after her decease to my sonne Richarde for terme of xxi yeares, always provided that if it please God my wyffe out live Widowe Pantell and to weare out that leasse lett to Thomas Townsonn deceased and nowe in they tenure of Widowe Townsonn wyddowe that then she shall use and occupye and enjoye halfe all my living excepte before excepted for terme of xxi yeares if Alce Sabinne doe soe longe live. And my will is tht my wyffe shall soe loonge live shall have all my goods withing within my doors and all my good within my doors excepte before excepted, my harses my cowes, all my sheepe and all my goods within doors and without which are  not knowwen to be my sonne Richarde Sabinnes. And my will is that my sonne Richarde Sabinn shall paye the lande rente during they lease of xxi yeares if Alce Sabinn so longe live and that shee shal have that rennt which Wydowe Pantell payeth to me for her life and after her deceasse my wyffe and my sonne shall have halfe that rennet which Wydow Pantell payes to me for her life and after her deceasse my wyffe and my sonne shal have,  occupye and enjoye my living together during they lease of xxi yeares & Alce Sabinn my wyffe doesoe longe lyveth my will is that Richarde  Sabinn doe paye unto his brother Thomas Sabinn tenne poundes of lawfull money of Englande within one yeare nexte after my deceasse if it be lawfully demanded by they sayd Thomas Sabin brother to they foresaid Richarde Sabinn. All the rest of my goods and cattells, my debts being payed and my funnerell well and sufficiently discharged I geve wholly to my wyffe Allce Sabinn whome I make whole and absolute executriyes of this my last will and testeymente. My overseers I make Mr Richarde Butler of Byfoolde in ye county of Northamptonn gentleman and Thomas Gille of Great Bourton in they conty of Oxforde, husbandman, overseers of this my last will and testeymentes to whome for there payndes I geve xijd a peece for there paynes. In witnesse hereof I have sett to my seele and marke in ye psents of us.
Richarde Butler
Thomas Gill

'

The seal of Thomas Sabin on his will

Thomas also left an inventory:

Inventory of Thomas Sabin inventory

A true and pfect inventory of all the goods, cattell & chattels of Thomas Sabin late of Borton Magna in the countie of Oxon, husbandman, deceased, made & taken by George Gardner, George Hopkins & John Lovell and John Quinney of the same towne & countie, husbandman the xxth day of Aprill 11620

Imprimis, all his apparel prized at xxd

Item, Twoo bedsteede and bedding  & linen, twoo coffers and a presse prized at xxxd

Item, All brasse and pewters  xxxd

Item, all the coperyware and a little cheast, table & frame, stoles & forms, cubbard, shelves & benches  xxd

Item, mares and coltes beinge the one laulfe of the team prised at vid

Item, his pte of the beasts beinge in the whole, three kine and calves prised at iiid

Item, his pte of the cropp in the fields and that is lefte nowe in the barne prized at yth

Item, his pt of carts, plows & harrowes, toule and herfse harness prised at yls

Item, his pt of the hay in the housses  yyd

Item one hive tore and one other hanging in the roosse prised at xxiiid

Item, his pt of the wood  xd

Item, carts, vises and _____ and other implements unprised prised at xd

Alyce was buried 15 December 1634 in Cropredy.

Burial record for Alice Sabean in Cropredy:
"Alice Sabin was buried the xvth daye of December"

Thomas and Alyce had the following children:
 

1. Thomas, christened 27 October 1585 in Cropredy; listed as a scholar from Bourton to Williamscot School in 1598.
 

2. Richard, christened 11 February 1587/8 in Cropredy; listed as a scholar from Bourton to Williamscot School in 1598.
 

*3. Audrey, christened 15 March 1590/1 in Cropredy; married George Sherman about 1629 in Cropredy; buried 4 January 1678/9 in Cropredy.

4. John, christened 19 October 1594 in Cropredy.

SOURCES: IGI; Cropredy parish register; The Town of Cropredy, Pamela Keegan; "The Registers of Williamscote School", Cake & Cockhorse, Banbury Historical Society, January 1963.
 
 

Richard Sabean was born in about 1520 of Cropredy. He is most likely the son of Thomas and Margarytt Sabean. Richard married  1) Margery. They had a son, Thomas in April of 1551.

Margery died and was buried 17 May 1546 in Cropredy.

Burial record for Margery Sabin in Cropredy:
"Margarytt Sabyn whas beryd ye xvij day of May"

Richard then married 2) Joan Gregory 14 July 1551 in Cropredy.

Richard was buried 16 October 1584 in Cropredy.

Burial record for Richard Sabean in Cropredy:
"Rychard Sabean was buried the 16 day of October"

Joan was buried 11 June 1596 in Cropredy.

Richard and Margery had the following child:
 

*1. Thomas, christened 16 April 1551 in Cropredy; married Alyce Mannsell 14 December 1584 in Cropredy; buried 14 April 1620 in Cropredy.

Richard and Joan had the following children:

1.  Ellyn, christened 29 September 1554 in Cropredy.

Hughe, christened 16 June 1564 in Cropredy.
 

Anne, christened 6 August 1566 in Cropredy.
 

Henry, christened 14 November 1566 in Cropredy.
 

Richard, christened 29 April 1570 in Cropredy.
 

Margery, christened 2 May 1574 in Cropredy.
 

Alice, christened 16 May 1576 in Cropredy.
 

Nycholas, christened 2 August 1579 in Cropredy.
 

William, christened 15 March 1582 in Cropredy.
 
 

SOURCES: Cropredy parish register; www.ancestry.com; email communication from Alan Savin, 2012.
 
 

Thomas Sabin was born in about 1470. He married Margarytt. Thomas was buried 11 October 1544 in Cropredy.

Burial record for Thomas Sabin in Cropredy:
"Thomas Sabyn whas beryd ye xith day of October"

Margaretta was buried 26 July 1545 in Cropredy.

Burial record for Margarytt Sabin in Cropredy:
"Margarytt Sabyn whas buryd ye xxvij day of July"

Thomas and Margarytt were most likely the parents of the following children:

 

1. William, born about 1500 of Cropredy; married Alys Atkynson 3 November 1544 in Cropredy. William was mentioned in a survey of Cropredy in 1552, as a customary tenant in Cropredy: "Will. Saven, 1 cott.".

2. Ellyn, born about 1510 of Cropredy; married Richard Schowell 26 June 1544 in Cropedy.

3.  John, born about 1515 of Cropredy; married Phyllyppe Gullover  7 July 1547 in Cropredy. John was mentioned in a survey of Cropredy in 1552: "The Survey was made by the King’s General Surveyor, Mich. Camswell, Esq…on the oath of the King’s tenants of the manor of Cropredy, John Kynton, John Saven, Rich. Robyns, Thomas House, Rich. Gybbes, Will. Gylle, Will. Barnesley, John Hartlet, Will. Bayley, Edw. Brytwell, John Longe, and John Readshawe." (Historical Notices of the Parish of Cropredy)

*4.  Richard, born about 1520 of Cropredy; married 1) Margery in about 1550, 2) Joan Gregory 14 July 1551 in Cropredy; buried 16 October 1584 in Cropredy.

 
5 . Eme, born about 1525 of Cropredy; married Thomas Hale 2 November 1552 in Cropredy.

6. Ayllys, born about 1530 of Cropredy; married John Humpfray 18 July 1556 in Cropredy.

7. Robert, yeoman of Coton in the parish of Cropredy; married Ann; left will proven 17 November 1590, mentioning lands in Coton, Great Bourton, Wardington and Williamscot, and wife Ann and grandson Sabyn Cooles. In his will he requests that he be buried "in the church of Wardington where my father Thomas Sabyne was buried".

SOURCES: Cropredy parish register; will of Robert Sabyne, written 1 October 1590, proven 17 November 1590, on http://wills.oxfordshirefhs.org.uk.
 
 

THE SABIN FAMILY OF CROPREDY,
GREAT BOURTON AND WARDINGTON

The Sabin family are found in the records in the towns of Great Bourton, Cropredy, and Wardington. A History of the County of Oxford mentions the Sabine family in Wardington: "One deep-rooted farming family in Wardington can be traced to Thomas Sabin of Coton, aged 60 in the 1530s; in Wardington John Sabin and his son, Hugh, and in Coton Robert Sabin, were copyholders in 1552. Over many generations the Sabins appear as churchwardens, tenants, appraisers, jurors; the Sabin family died out in Wardington in the male line only in 1949." 

Thomas Sabyn and Agnes his wife of Wardington were admitted into the Guild of Knowle, a charitable organization, in 1514: "Thomas sabyn & agnes de Wardynton".

John Sabyne of Wardington left a will written 25 March 1551, and proven 23 April 1551, mentioning wife Elizabeth, son Hugh, daughters Jone (who married John French) and Annys, born in about 1520, (who married John Muddyn, making John Sabyne our ancestor on another line).

Will of John Sabyne 1551

In the name of god amen the xxv'ti daye of Marche in the yere of our lord 1551 I John Sabyne with a parfet memorye and sycke in bodie doe make my laste wyll in this maner a forme ffyrst I betake my sowle to God allmyghtie and all the holly companie in Heaven my bodye to be buryed in the church of Wardington And Unto the curate for fore gotten tithes iiijd And to the poore mans boxe xijd And to Alice Brydge halfe a quarter of malte And to the reparacions of the churche iijs iiijd. And to the reparacyons of Moore Lake xijd And towarde the maytenynce of the high wayes at Cropredye brydge xijd. And to dyging stone for Starnnforde xvjd And to mend the high wayes at Chacom hylls xijd And to the reparacions of the Towne wells viijd And unto ev'y godchilde that is alive iiijd apece And to Anne ffrenche my goddaughter an ewe and a lambe And to Peter ffrenche a shepe And to Edwarde ffrench a shepe And to John Muddyn and his children ten shepe And to Wyllyam Polton my sonne in lawe syxe shepe a brasse potte and a brasse panne and two pecies of pewter And to Jone ffrenche my dayughter a brasse potte and a hyve of bees And to Annys Muddyn my daughter a hyve of bees And to Hugh my sonne my beste brasse potte and a brasse panne and three Iron wedgys a mattocke and all the hovells aboute the grounde and two Yron bounde carts a ledde and a styrynge fatte a ploughe and all maner of things belonginge therto two peces of the beste pewter a spyt and a payre of Cabyrons And to Elizabeth my wyffe my beste brasse panne And to John Muddyn xiijs iiijd to by hym a cowe with all And to John ffrench my sonne in lawe xiijs iiijd And I doo mak Elsabeth my wyffe and Hugh my sonne my full executors they to brynge my bodie honestly to the grounde p'fourmynge my wyll and to paye my detts They to have the reste of my goods unbequested to be devyded to theym in even porcyons And if that Elizabeth my wyffe do departe from the grounde Then my wyll is that she shall have a yarde lands croppe with all hir goods and catalls at her pleasure at all tymes And my wyll is that they shall occupye togither with owte anye partynge And I doo make John ffrenche and Roger Clemson my overseers They to have for their Labors xijd a pece Wytnes herof Nicolls Pedyll Edwarde Kenche Wyllyam Hyll with certen other Thus Jesu reste my sowle at his pleasure amen

(Will of John Sabyne of Wardington, written 25 March 1551, proven 23 April 1551, http://wills.oxfordshirefhs.org.uk.)

John's son Hugh Sabyne, husbandman of Wardington left a will written 24 December 1586 and proven 2 March 1591/2, mentioning wife Joane (French), sons John and William. (Will of Hugh Sabyne, http://wills.oxfordshirefhs.org.uk)

In earlier records:

"Joan Sabyon, widow", is found in a land grant in 1512: "Roger Lupton and Rich. Skipwith grant to Thos. Ffrench, Rob. Lumbard, Rich. Howse, Hugh Page, Will. Lumbard, Rog. Truste, Rob. Burman, Will. Grene, Tho. Smyth, Tho. Dalton, Will. Newman, Rob. Osborne, Peter Lumbard, John Shereman, John Gubbys, Tho. Hall, John Gyll, Tho. Plant, Will. Walker, Tho. Gobyn, Valentine Jamys, Tho. Colyer, John Jefkyns, Thos. Browne and Tho. Bacheler, of Cropredy, our two tenements in Wardington, two crofts appertaining, and a quarter of a yardland; one tenement and croft between Hugh Tynkok, north, and Rob. Mathew, south; the other tenement and croft between Joan Sabyon, widow, east, and Juliana Collys, west; which tenements lately were Thos. Besonds’, of Wardington." (Historical Notices of the Parish of Cropredy)

Researcher Alan Savin reports that  "The Sabin name can be found Great Bourton in 1421 in the Feet of Fines":

 "And he also granted for himself and his heirs that 1 messuage, 2 virgates of land and a moiety of 1 acre of meadow in the vill of Magna Bourton - which John Felson and Agnes, his wife, held for their lives - and that 1 carucate of land and 1 acre of meadow in the same vill - which Thomas Felson, John Felson, and Henry Sabyn held for their lives - and that 1 messuage, 1 and a half virgates of land and a moiety of 1 acre of meadow in the same vill - which Henry Sabyn held for life."

Feet of Fines, 27 January 1421, CP 25/1/291/64, number 101;http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/fines/abstracts/CP_25_1_291_64.shtml

 

Also in the 1379 Poll Tax return for Little Bourton and Hardwick is found:

 

Johannes and Alicia Sabyn    2s 0d

Johannes Sabyn     4d

Henricus Sabyn    4d

 

"The surname then appears about 20 miles to the north in the mid 1300's and then in the 1200's a further 16 miles away." (Email communication from Alan Savin, April 2012)

The Sabin/Sabean surname "dates back to the time of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It comes from Sabinus and Sabine. The personal name is derived from the Sabines, a people who lived in the Appenines northwest of Rome. By the third century BC the Sabines had become fully Romanized."  (www.houseofnames.com)