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AYSHFORDS OF AYSHFORD |
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Henry, the eldest son of Roger and Elizabeth, was born around 1576. In April of 1594 he was admitted to the Middle Temple in the usual way of the time, not with any intention of a career in Law, that was for younger sons, but to give him sufficient legal knowledge to defend his estates in later life. These were exciting times for a young man in London. Rebellion in Ireland, Raleigh sailed in search of El Dorado and plays by a new young writer were all the rage at Court and South of the river. On a sartorial note, this period also produced the first heels on shoes! Henry would no doubt have taken note. By 1599 he was back in Devon where, with his parents, he entered into a marriage agreement with Amy Bluett and her parents. They were married 12th August of the same year in the bride's parish of Holcombe Rogus. They produced 4 sons and 3 daughters and were together for 50 years. We know a lot more about Henry than other members of the family because of the survival of many letters he wrote to his "friend and cousin", John Willoughby of Payhembury, whose own correspondence is preserved in the Somerset Record Office. Henry also surfaces in official documents of the period so we can begin to gauge what kind of a man he was. Even before his father's death he was beginning an accumulation of properties, "rounding off" the home estates. For example, in 1604 he bought the Prebend of Uffculme from Alice Fursdon, widow. This meant he took the profits from the Church lands of Uffculme and became liable to both choose and pay the curate of the day. The wage would of course be a lot smaller than the income. In 1616 his brother, Thomas, leased the tithes of Burlescombe church in the same way and for the same purpose, for 99 years. In November 1617, Henry writes to Willoughby about "cousin Ware" dragging his feet over the sale of Burlescombe manor. The sale went ahead in June 1618. All of these purchases must have strained the family finances, the Burlescombe purchase alone costing £3,400. Whatever his reason for such expenditure, Henry was now approaching his personal "glory years". His eldest son Arthur married Elizabeth Wilmot, daughter of Charles Wilmot, Viscount Athlone, P.C., and general of the Kings forces in Ireland. In 1632 Henry was selected as Sheriff of Devon, was a Lt. Col. In Colonel Francis Courtnays Regiment in 1633, and Deputy Lt. of the County in 1638/9. All seemed to be going well but national events were getting out of control. In 1637, King Charles attempted to impose the Church of England liturgy on the Scots and was faced with a rebellion that it took an army to contain. The Scottish Puritans drew up a Covenant of religious rights, well aware that the King would never accept it, and prepared for war. In 1639 another Scottish war caused the King to call an English Parliament for the following year in order to be granted funds to pursue his rights. The parliament, confident of having the whip hand, demanded the abolition of various Royal rights and impositions as its price for aid but went too far when it forced the trial and eventual execution of Strafford, the King's councillor. Moderate opponents of the King were appalled and gravitated to the King's side. After failing to arrest the ring-leaders of the Parliamentary coup, Charles left London for Oxford where he set up a rival Parliament with the MPs who were with him. By 1642 both sides were preparing for war. In that year Henry Ayshford was named as a Commissioner of Array, under the Earl of Bath, to raise militia forces in the King's name in Devon. He had little success and withdrew from any possible field command to become a Royal Commissioner dealing with the needs of the King's army. He joined the King when Charles was on campaign and signed, with others, the letter of 12.9.1644 to the war council, which was opened by the King when he reached Exeter on 17.9.1644. From the spring of 1645 Henry took up residence in Exeter itself, survived the ensuing siege and was present at the city's surrender to Fairfax at Poltimore House in April of 1646. He compounded for his estates with the victorious Parliamentarians; that is to say that he was heavily fined for his support of the King, but allowed to keep his lands. He was pardoned for his "delinquency" by Letters Patent in November of 1647 having just made the first of his two wills. We find, in this document, that his son Arthur is dead leaving a young son, another Henry. From this date on all Henry senior's efforts are devoted to the protection of his grandson and heir. He arranges for a group of trustees including the boy's other grandfather, Sir George Chudleigh, to administer the estates. His payment of the Parliamentary fine of £1,150 in 1649 may have hastened his death, certainly his final will followed and he was buried in his chapel at Ayshford on 6 March 1650 a little over a year after the execution of his King. The House of Commons Journal Volume 5: 25 May 1647 records that "It is Resolved, &c. That this House doth accept of the Sum of Eleven hundred and Fifty Pounds, of Henry Ashford in the County of Devon, Esquire, for a Fine for his Delinquency: His Offence is, That he was a Commissioner of Array for the King, and assisted in raising Arms against the Parliament: His Estate, in old Rents, in Fee, per Annum, is One hundred and Nineteen Pounds Three Shillings and Two-pence per Annum; in dry Rents, per Annum, Four Pounds Three Shillings One Peny; for Two Lives, per Annum, Ninety-four Pounds and Ten Shillings; in Fee, per Annum, One hundred and Sixty Pounds; in Debts and Goods, Eight hundred Twentyeight Pounds; out of which issues Six Pounds per Annum, for ever. An Ordinance for granting a Pardon unto Henry Ashford, of Ashford in the County of Devon, Esquire, for his Delinquency, and for Discharge of the Sequestration of his Estate, was this Day read; and, upon the Question, passed: and ordered to be sent unto the Lords for their Concurrence." The House of Lords Journal Volume 9: 15 October 1647 records that "Whereas Henry Ashford, in the County of Devon, Esquire, hath by both Houses of Parliament been admitted to his Fine of Eleven Hundred and Fifty Pounds, he having adhered to the Forces raised against the Parliament: The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament do hereby authorize and appoint His Majesty's Solicitor General to prepare a Pardon to the said Henry Ashford, for his said Offence, in such Form as is agreed by both Houses for like Offenders, together with a Grant of, and Restitution to him, his Heirs and Assigns, of all his Lands, Goods, and Chattels, and other Estate for which the said Fine was accepted, according to a Particular thereof made, and entered with the Committee at Gouldsmiths Hall, and of all Mean Profits thereof, to the said Henry Ashford, from the Day of Payment of his said Fine, with an Exception of the Right or Estate of the said Henry Ashford in and to all Advowsons, Presentations, and Right of Patronage, to any Church or Chapel; which said Pardon, so prepared, the Commissioners for the Great Seal of England for the Time being are hereby authorized to pass under the Great Seal accordingly: Provided always, That this Ordinance, or the said Pardon thereon to be passed, shall not extend to free the said Henry Ashford from any further Composition, for any other Lands, Goods, or Chattels, than what are contained in the Particular aforesaid; and that, in case the said Lands mentioned in the said Particular were of greater Yearly Values than are therein expressed during Three Years before the Year of our Lord 1640, then the said Henry Ashford shall pay such further Fine, by Way of Composition, as both Houses of Parliament shall appoint." For his Delinquency, Henry was fined three years income of his estate. Gentry who supported the King usually got off with a fine of two years value of their estate as it was before the Civil War, but it could be up to five or even eight years value.
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