William Bordley

William Bordley (?-1610) was born in Cockley Bank, Rathmell, West Yorkshire before 1579.  His father was John Bordley (?-1579) who is buried at Long Preston.  The identity of his mother is unknown.

William Bordley (?-1610) was the eldest son. William’s father John remarried presumably after the death of William’s mother.  John Bordley’s second marriage was to Margaret and they had three sons and one daughter.  The relationship of William to his half siblings and step-mother is unknown.  William had an aunt Jane.

William’s paternal grandparents were William Bordley of Wigglesworth (?-1547) and Margaret.  The grandfather left money for the town of Rathmell which is 3.8 miles away from Wigglesworth. It appears that these early generations of Bordleys had enough property to have wills and they are located at Borthwick Institute, York University.

The Bordley family originated in Bordley, in Craven, West Yorkshire.  According to the Doomsday Book, a Bordley lived in Wigglesworth before 1379 as that is the year the Johannes de Bordelay & uxor paid a poll tax there.

The name of the village is believed to have originated in Saxon times: ‘wicel’, the name of a person, or ‘wincel’ meaning ‘of the child’ forming the first part, with the last part ‘worth’ deriving from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘wory’, pronounced ‘worth’.

Wigglesworth village is mentioned in Domesday Book (1086) when about 120 acres of it (one caracute) was in the Manor of Long Preston and about 150 acres (ten oxgangs) was in Rathmell.  Later, the Manor belonged to the monks of Fountains Abbey to whom it had been given by William, son of Godfrey de Neversheim.

William Bordley (?-1610) married Elizabeth Foster (1588-?) on February 18, 1600 at Giggleswick.  Records suggest that she was born on March 29, 1588 and she was the daughter of Rich? Foster and Isabella Browne. She would have been only 13 as a new mother.  They had John Bordley (1601-1630); Thomas of Cockcram and Thornman, Lanes; and William Bordley (1605-?).

William and Elizabeth had three sons:

William Bordley died after only ten years of marriage.  His children were minors and his will made provisions for them.  It is striking that in year 1610 he requests that two of “my trusty and best beloved and approved good friends” watch over his wife and sons. Elizabeth Foster became his sole executor of William’s will.

The will of WILLIAM BORDLEY 1610 Borthwick exists!

In the name of God Amen the 12th day of November 1610  I, William Bordley of Cockley Bancke in Rathmell in the county of York yeoman being sick in body but whole in mind praised be god do proceed to the making of this my last will and testament in manner and form following hereby revoking all former and other wills whatsoever heretofore by me made. And first and principally I give and bequeath my soul to the almighty god my maker and redeemer with full and assured hope of redemption through the merits death and passion of Christ Jesus my saviour and redeemer and my body to be buried in the parish church yard of Giggleswick in the county aforesaid.

Chapel at Giggleswick in honor of Saint Alkelda “healing spring”

And touching all my worldly estate I will they be disposed in manner following First my will and mind is and I do hereby give and bequeath all that my messuage and tenement at Cockley Banck and the Gayle whatsoever now in my occupation or possession unto Elizabeth my wife for and during the minority and until such time as John Bordley my eldest son shall accomplish the age of one and twenty years in respect of her dower and upon condition that she educate and bring up him the said John and Thomas Bordley my youngest son during their minorities well and sufficiently the reversion and remainder thereof I give and bequeath unto my said son John Bordley and his heirs forever never-the-less upon condition that he permit Elizabeth my said wife quietly to have and enjoy a full third part thereof during her life natural if she survive his said minority.

And also upon condition that he the said John Bordley my eldest son satisfy and pay unto Thomas Bordley my youngest son the sum of fourteen pounds of lawful English money within four years next after his said full age and time of entry to the said messuage and lands and premises. And if he the said John Bordley refuse to perform the said conditions or either of them or that he die before he accomplish his full age then my will and mind is that Thomas Bordley my youngest son shall have the said messuage and tenement before mentioned and to him his heirs and assigns for ever.

Also I give and bequeath to William Nowell of Caplesyde gentleman and Henry Wiglesworth of Wiglesworth both within Craven and in the county of York my trusty and best beloved and approved good friends all that my messuage land and tenements and other appurtenances whatsoever to me belonging or in any wise appertaining within the Lordship and manor of Wiglesworth within the said county of York and all my right estate title and interest thereof and thereunto to have hold and enjoy the same jointly to them the said William Nowell and Henry Wiglesworth their heirs and assigns forever.

And it is my will and mind that if they sell alien or discontinue the same to any person or persons the said bargain and sale to stand and continue perfect and feasible against any my heirs and assigns and all others claiming or pleading any title from me or them or any of us so as the same be done by both their mutual consents acts and agreement.

And it is my will and mind that they the said William Nowell and Henry Wiglesworth their executors or assigns shall in regard and recompense thereof educate and maintain William Bordley my second son with meat drink and clothing sufficient at their discretion during his minority. And further satisfy and pay unto him the said William Bordley my said second son the sum of 100 pounds of lawful English money at such time as he shall accomplish the age of 21 years.

And if it fortune my said son William to depart this life in his minority and before such time as he shall accomplish the said age of 21 years then it is my will and mind that they the said William Nowell and Henry Wiglesworth their executors and assigns shall at such time as the said William might or should have accomplished his said age of 21 years content satisfy and pay the said sum of one hundred pounds unto John Bordley and Thomas Bordley my said two sons if they be or either of them be living.

And if all my said sons die before the said time in which my said son William Bordley might have accomplished his said full age of 21 years then my will and mind is that they the said William Nowell and Henry Wiglesworth their executors and assigns shall pay or cause to be paid unto Elizabeth my now wife her executors or assigns the sum of 100 pounds at the said time in which my said son William should have accomplished his said age of one and twenty years. And for all my goods chattels and debts my will and mind is that my debts shall be paid out of my whole goods and then one third part of the remainder to be to my wife for her widow right and one other part to my children equally in lieu of their child’s parts and filial portions of my goods.

And the other third part commonly called the deaths part I will that the same be equally divided between Elizabeth my wife and Thomas Bordley my youngest son. And I make Elizabeth my wife my sole executor of this my last will and testament.

 Witnesses hereof Allan Car Francis Foster Giles Houghton John Kay John Carr.

 Giglesweeke

Wigglesworth

William Bordley (?-1610) was buried in the parish graveyard at Giggleswick, leaving a young widow age 22 and small children.   Elizabeth’s date of her death and burial location remains unknown.

References

North Craven Historical Research

YORKSHIRE: Subsidy Rolls (Poll Tax) for the year 1379 — Wyglesworth

18 Feb Willelmus Bordley & Elizabetha Foster; Book: 1600; Collection: Yorkshire: Giggleswick – Parish Registers (Christenings, Marriages & Burials), 1558-1668

Bordley Pedigree compiled by Bryden Bordley Hyde

The first record of Bordleys is in Bordley and then in Wigglesworth 19.8 miles away.  The Bordleys continued to be found there until 1579.  By that time, William Bordley (?-1610) married in Giggleswick (6.6 miles from Wigglesworth) and later lived in Cockley Bank, Rathmell, West Yorkshire (3.8 miles between Giggleswick and Rathwell).

A. is Giggleswick, North Yorkshire, B. is Rathmell, and C. Wigglesworth.  These areas now lie within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.