Henry Shrapnell Junior (1625-1688)

Document dated 1674
...... three Strangers called by the names of Wolfe, Gregorius & Jone, Dutchmen by nation or of Powland are suffered & permitted to abide as work men to the said William Brewer in the above said parish of Bradford in ye County of Wiltshire. Now if the said William Brewer - his executors, administrators & assignees or any or other of them off and from All & all manner of Charges with the said Parish of Bradford shall be put into or charged to pay two or four the said Wolfe Gregorius & Jone ….. or any or other of them for or by reason of poverty, sickness or Impotence or the poverty , sickness, lameness or impotence of their any or other of their wife, .., child or children or any other of these at any time or times hereafter that then this present obligation… & of none affect or else it
Remain And be in full Strength & virtue.
Sealed and Delivered in the presence of
Jos. Seymour, John Thynne, jnr. Henry Shrapnell, William Brewer

With the introduction of a change in the manufacture of cloth, which exercised for many years afterwards a great influence on the trade, and consequently the prosperity of our town. Hitherto only a coarse kind of cloth,—a sort of drugget,—had been made in Bradford, but in 1659, Paul Methwin, the leading clothier of the time, obtained from Holland some 'spinners,' as they are termed, for the purpose of obtaining, through them, the secrets of manufacturing the finer kinds of cloth. Before, however, the foreigners had been long in Bradford, the parochial officers required a bond of indemnity in the sum of £100 to be entered into by Paul Methwin, lest they might become chargeable to the parish. The deed recites, that— "whereas Paul Methwin for his own proper gain and benefit did fetch, or was at charge to fetch or bring, out of Amsterdam in Holland into the parish of Bradford, one Eichard Jonson, otherwise Derricke Jonson, t spinner, with Hectrie his wife and several small children,"—that, therefore, lest such persons, as it is intimated, was not unlikely, should become a burden on the inhabitants of the parish, the churchwardens and overseers for the time being.1 thought it right to require security from Paul Methwin in the sum above-mentioned, that he would— " from time to time, and at all times hereafter clearly acquit, save harmless, defend and keep the inhabitants of the said parish for ever free, and discharged from all manner of trouble, expense, costs, charges, and damages whatsoever that they may be put unto, or charged with, by the said Eichard Jonson,
Churchwardens were John Smith and Walter Perry; the Overseers John Crooke, Augustine Perry, and Richard Baylie.
f [The name of Derrick survives in Bradford.]
&c., f°r an^ towards the maintenance and breeding up of them or any of them."1
The name of the place in which these men from Holland lived, is still called the " Dutch Barton : " it is situated at the west end of Church street, on the right hand side of the passage leading to the Abbey yard. The house at the corner and the large adjoining malthouse occupy the site on which stood, formerly, some of the cottages in which the foreigners lived. Memorials of their residence amongst us are often found in those Flemish or Nuremburg Tokens, as they are called, a kind of spurious coin, which they brought with them from their native country, and specimens of which are very abundant.
Mr. Wm. Brewer his bond of £100 to save harmless the Parish of Bradford against the Dutchmen."—The deed recites that " whereas att the desire and request of the said William Brewer of Trowbridge, and for his benefitt and profit in his trade of a clothier, throe straungers called by the names of Adolfe, Gregorms, and Jone, Dutchmen by nation, or of Powland, are suffered and permitted to abide in the parish of Bradford as workmen to the said William Brewer," &c., that, therefore, a bond has been taken from him to hold the parish harmless in the event of any of them or their families becoming " for or by reason of poverty, sickness, lameness, or impotenoie " chargeable to it. The 'William Brewer,' above alluded to, is spoken of by Aubrey (' Natural History of Wilts,' p. ii. oh. xii.)—" Now (temp. Jacobi ii.) Mr. Brewer of Trowbridge driveth the greatest trade for medleys of any cloathier in England."


1668
1688
In the name of God Amen the last will & testament of Henry Shrapnell of Bradford in the County of Wilts, Cooper made & signed the 19th day of April A.D. 1688 in manner & form following .That is to say I having first of all made null & void all form & other wills by me made what form. do give my soul unto almighty god having assuredly enjoy eternal life through the only movity of ye dear Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ who loved me & died for my ...against for my justification and my body I commit to the dust from whence I was taken to be buried at the discretion of my executors. And as .. My worldly estate my will is that it shall be disposed of as follows Imprimus unto Ann my dear & loving wife I give & bequeath all the goods & various stuff that was hers before our Marriage and brought to Bradford and unto her also I give & bequeath the sum of £150 of gold & lawful money of England I give . What Interest shall remain due to me from any person that has or shall have the same in interest at the day of my decease, on this condition never the less that my said wife at the bequest of my son Zachariah Shrapnel & Noah Shrapnell that .. For ever all her jointure and dower whatsoever that she may have or may challenge to have out of any of my lands ,houses or tenements whatsoever .. And .. Void all be .. My said wife & my children I do hereby .. That what money is owed my wife at Taunton . I never had nor hath any thing to do herewith nor it the 25 of 15 if on band in Bradford 10 of on a mortgage in Melksham for with for shall not be accountable any person or persons whatsoever nor yet for any thing I do give delivered unto her always to be under stood that theses bonds in my name or Hobards name of any person or persons with in 5 miles of Bradford for 25 are to be amounted part of the £180 of good & lawful money of England. Also unto my said wife I give and bequeath all such provision I shall have in my house towards house keeping at the day of my decease together with all wood for .. For the fine and my will is further that so long by me after my decease as my wife shall continue in Bradford she shall have the use of any of my household goods as are fitting for her house keeping leaving the same to my son Noah at her marriage or from thence unto my son Zachariah to give and bequeath my ground called Puddocks for all my therein paying out of the same pounds of lawful money of England unto the first child that my daughter Elizabeth shall have he attain the age of one & twenty years and he or his executors shall not then pay the same ten pounds to such child then in my will that child shall from thence forth have & to hold ground for at for me then to thereon item unto my daughter Elizabeth I give and bequeath one broad piece of gold and unto my daughter in law .. Buckthought I give & bequeath a gunny and unto her brother Robert's two children I give & bequeath ten shillings a piece and unto a widower viz, Ann Batchellor Mary Ruth Mary Rogers & Alice Holbrook I give & bequeath five shillings a piece my son Noah Shrapnell I give & bequeath all the rest & residue of my personal estate not for in before given or bequeathed and my said son Noah & the said Ann my wife I do hereby make & ordain to be unto & executive of this my last will & testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and given full above written Signed sealed & published to be the last will & testament of the said Henry Shrapnell

1670
Be it remembered that the within named Paul Methuen and Henry Shrapnell did on the twentieth day of September on the three and twenty year of the Reign of King Charles the second over England and did enter into the Cottage within written and granted and took peaceably and quiet possession and seizure of the same in the name of the lands and premises in this ….contained and after fair possession and .. for … and taken the said Paul Methuen and Henry Shrapnell the day and year aforesaid Did deliver the like peacable possession and division of the said cottage in the name of the lands and premises within specified unto the within named Anthony Druce to make and to hold the same and his asignes for .. Intent and meaning in written in the presence of us.
Richard Shrapnell Paul Methuen
the mark of John Davis Hen. Shrapnell


Indenture dated 28 August 23 Charles II. 1671. John s. & h. of Paul Methwin of Bradford, clothier, dec'd.. for £160 paid in his life time to Paul Methwin. grants to Anthony Druce, of Bradford, clothier, a cott. in Bradford, late ill poss. of Elizabeth Trueman wid. and now of William Gran, a mess. and one yard land, 12a., in Winsley, P. Bradford, in occ. of Thomas Showerne, together with two closes, one called Oake Way , Sa., and the other Lytle Lyes, 4a., in Winsley and of late were parcell of the lands of Budbury Farm and now in occ. of Anthony Druce, and John Methuen appoints his loving friends Paul Methuen, clothier and Henry Shrapnell the younger, his Attorneys. Sig. and seal, John Methwen. Wits. Elizabeth Ashe, William Methwin, William G. Collman his mark. Endorsement that Paul Methwin and Henry Shrapnell on 20 Sept. 23 ; Charles II. entered in peaceable possession of the premises. Sigs. Paul Methwen. Hen. Shrapnell, Attorneys. Wits. Richard Shrapnell, William Chanler, jun., the marke of John Z Dallis.