Introductory notes by Shirley Knight

According to Arthur Clear, Joanne Forde was born a Lowndes.  This seems to be a misinterpretation of her will made in 1644 where she left £20 each to William Lownes and his wife Frances "my kinswoman".

Frances Wendover had married William Lownds at Winslow on 27 Oct 1615.

There had been an earlier Wendover/Lowndes marriage at Winslow on 5 Nov 1604 when Henry Wendover married Elizabeth Lownds.   She was the widow of Robert Lowndes, d.1602 (see will of Thomas Lowndes, 1622).

Clear has also said that the lid of a chalice given by Joanne Forde to Winslow Church is engraved with her date of birth as 25 Dec 1564.  According to the Winslow registers, Joanne Wendover was baptised 24 December 1564.  This error could have arisen from the fact that Joane was long-lived and was buried at St Botolph, Bishopsgate, London, 21 April 1647.

Jone Wyndober married Edward Nicholson at St Botolph, Bishopsgate, 10 July 1586. and Joane Nicholsone married Samuell Foarde at St Botolph, Bishopsgate, 14 November 1603.

The will makes other references to Wendover as kin and the Executor was Thomas Wendover.

The land for the poor was bought in 1648, and Winslow's leading inhabitants became trustees.

Sources: Winslow Parish Register transcript
                Ancestry London Parish Register

Will of Joane Forde

The items relevant to Winslow commence on page 3 of the document from National Archives and continue on to page 4. The will has become badly smudged at one point and difficult to read properly.

1.  Item I give and bequeath unto the

2. Parson and Churchwardens of the Parrish and Towne of Winslowe in the County

3. of Bucks where I was borne for the use of the poore of the same Parrish the some

4. of one hundred pounds in lawful money of England to be payd unto them by my Executor

5. hereafter named when they shall finde out tender and present unto him a purchase of

6. some land of Inheritance to be bought in their sayd parrish of the value of five or

7. six poundes p(er) annum and really contract for buy and purchase the same for a p(er)petuity    

8. for the poore of the sayd Towne and parrish with the sayd money The which Five

9. or six poundes p(er) annum soe to be bought and purchased with the sayd One hundred poundes

10. as aforesayd  I will shalbe yearely every yeare for ever distributed and given by the

11. sayde Parson and Churchwardens and other substantiall Inhabitants of the sayd

12. Towne and Parrish to the most pious impotent and needy persons of the sayd

13. Towne and parrish  as in their dictressions shall seeme necessarace and Convenient Item

14. I give and bequeath unto the say Parson and Churchwardens to their Successors

15. Parson and Churchwardens of the sayd Parrish and Towne of Winslowe for the

16. tyme being for the use and service of the Communion Table in the sayd Parish church

17. one Cupp or Challice of Silver Guilt of the value of Ten pounds of lawfull

18. money of England the same to be bought by my Executor with my name to be engraven

19. about ytt and p(re)sented and given to the sayd Parson and Churchwardens within three

20. months of my decease.    

Other provisions include:

Item I further give and bequeath unto the sayd Parson and Churchwardens of the Parrish of St Bottolph without Bishopsgate London All such som(m)e and som(m)es of money as I have lent uppon the Parliaments proposic(i)ons or to be repaid upon the Publique faith

And for Richard Stutbury somtyme my servant I give the som(m)e of Tenn pounds of like money

Item I give and bequeath unto William Lownes and Francis [sic] his wife my Kinswoman to each of them the som(m)e of twenty pounds of lawfull money of England And to every of their children Males and females that shalbe living at the tyme of my decease Thirty pounds a peece of like money

I give and bequeath unto Ann Wendover the daughter of Thomas Wendover my kinsman the som(m)e of one hundred pounds of like money

And I ordaine and appoint the sayd Thomas Wendover my Kinseman full and sole Executor of this my last will and Testament And doe give and bequeath to him All the rest and residue of my Leases moneys goods and Chattells whatsoever not herein given or bequeathed And I will limitt and appointe That he shall expende about my Funerall the som(m)e of Two hundred and fiftie pounds or thereabouts as to him shall seeme convenient

Thomas Wendover failed to pay the legacies to the three children of William and Frances Lowndes (Dionise, Elizabeth and Wendover) who were under 21. As a result William, as their guardian, took out a writ demanding that he produce an inventory and pay the legacies (National Archives, C3/452/64). William's elder son Robert would also have been entitled to a legacy, but he was in America at the time. Below is the court order requiring Thomas Wendover to pay the money to William Lowndes:

National Archives, C78/488/24

[Latin] Decree between Lowndes & others plaintiffs and Wendover defendant
[English] Whereas heretofore that is to say in the tyme of St Michael th’Archangell last past in this p(re)sent yeare 1647 Dionis Lownds Elizabeth Lownds & Wendover Lownds Infants by William Lownds gent their guardian and father by Frances his Wife exhibited their Bill of Complaint into this most honorable Court of Chauncery against Thomas Wendover Executor of the last Will and testament of Joane Ford [recites will]
[m.2] [she] did consitute ... Thomas Wendover sole and only Executor leaveing to him ... an estate in ready money goods Chattles leases of lands good debts and other estate of three thousand poundes and upwards . . . And the said Complaynants further declareing thereby that the said William Lownds ... was desirous and wilbe ready to give such securetie to this honorable Court as this honorable Court shall thincke fitt for satisfaction of the said legacies unto the Complaynants the Infants ... And prayed that the defendant might be enforced by this honorable Court to pay the said legacies to the said Wiliam Lownds . . . or to some p(er)son whome this . . . court shall appoint to the end the use and the interest ariseing upon the same might be imployed to the use and benefitt of the said Complaynants the Infants according to the intents of the said Will; And likewise that the defendant might discover the true and full value of all the estate whatsoever of . . . Joane Ford which since his [sic] death Has come to his hands and possession therefore and to the end the sayd Defendant by the Justice of this Court might be compelled to p(er)forme the said Will as touching the payment of the legacies to the uses of the sayd Comp(lainant)s The sayd Comp(lainant)s the Infants by . . . William Lownds . . . prayed the ayd and assistance of this . . . Court and p(ro)ces of Subpena to be awarded against the said defendant which being graunted and the defendant therewith served he accordingly appeared and made his answere unto the said bill of Complaint and . . . sayed that . . . Joane Ford deceased did in her life tyme by her last will and testament . . . give and bequeath [section continues by repeating the legacies of the Lowndes children and the defendant admitting his liability to make such payments and willingness to do so. Thomas Wendover was ordered to pay the money to William Lowndes.]  Mr Hackwell one of the masters of this Court by the sayd Order was to take securety ...  And upon payment of the said legacies the defendant was to be and should be saved harmles touching and concerning the payment thereof ... Upon opening of the matter the second day of this instant December unto this Court by the plaintiffs Councell ... and Forasmuch as the . . . master hath certified that . . . William Lownds hath given securety for payment of the legacies to the . . . Infants according to the . . . Order as appeareth by his Certificate; It is therefore on Thursday the second day of December in the three and twentieth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles By the grace of god king of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the fayth & By the right honorable Edward Earle of Manchester speaker of the house of lords pro tempore and William Lenthall Esq speaker of the house of com(m)ons Commissioners for the Custody of the great Seale of England Notwithstanding any thing nowe alleadged to the contrary by the sayd defendants Councell Ordered and Decreed that the . . . Defendant shall pay unto . . . Willm Lownds ... the sayd severall legacies for the use of the sayd other Complaynants the Infants his Children And upon payment thereof the . . . Defendant shall be discharged and saved harmles by the Decree of this Court of and from the . . . legacies and every of them against the said Children for and touching the same.