Generation VII
William Isham
1427–1510
Life
William Isham of Pytchley, esquire, son and heir of Robert Isham,1 was born about 1427 and succeeded his father about 1475.? An inquisition post mortem taken at Kettering on 2 October 1510 recites that Robert Isham, whose heir William was, had been seised of messuages and lands in Pytchley, Scaldwell, Knuston, Irchester, Irthlingborough, Barton Seagrave, Thorpe Malsor, Broughton and Kettering, and had enfeoffed John Thorp, Robert Isham, John Shelby and Robert Bodington, clerks, Richard Isham and John Isham, gentlemen, and others, to the use of himself, his heirs and assigns.? At William's instance the feoffees by their deed of 11 May 1485 granted the lands in Knuston and Irchester to Thomas Isham, son and heir of William, and to Ellen his wife and the heirs of their bodies.? William died, as the same inquisition finds, on 13 June 1510.2
He married Elizabeth, the widow of Thomas Branspeth of Glooston in Leicestershire.3 An inquisition after her death, taken at Leicester on 24 April 1480, traces the manor of Glooston through the Harrington family to Thomas Branspeth, who died without issue; Elizabeth had the profits of the manor for life under his will.3 She died on 20 September 1478, leaving a son and heir, Thomas Isham.3 Besides Thomas, William's children included Richard, Alice, John, and a younger son William.4
In the plea rolls of the Court of Common Pleas William appears as a gentleman of the county of Northampton and, by the turn of the century, as William Isham of Pytchley, esquire.5,6 From 1487 he sued Richard Langton, a London draper, for sixteen pounds, appointing Thomas Mountegu and later William Bryan as his attorneys; the suit was still being pressed in 1498 and 1499.7,8,9 Between 1501 and 1503 he sued John Loviley (also called Lumley or Lumney) of Harleston, esquire, for forty pounds on a writing obligatory that Lumley had sealed at Pytchley on 20 November 1493 in a hundred marks, of which William claimed the unpaid residue.6,10,11
Within months of his death his younger son William Isham of Broughton, gentleman, was named in the Common Pleas as son of William Isham late of Pytchley, esquire, deceased.2,12 In Michaelmas term 1510 Henry Wekeley and others recovered against that son three messuages, two cottages, seventy acres of land, twelve of meadow and thirty of pasture in Pytchley and Broughton, by common recovery with Thomas Fysshe as vouchee — the same conveyancing pattern later used by Thomas and by Euseby Isham.2,13 William should not be confused with a contemporary William Isham of London, gentleman, nor with an uncertain William Isham of Boughton next Geddington who appears in 1469.?
- CP 40/776: Robert Isham of Pytchley, esquire, recognizance conditioned on William his son and heir, Margaret his wife, and younger sons Richard, Robert and John
- Recovery of three messuages in Pytchley and Broughton against William Isham of Broughton, son of William late of Pytchley, esquire, deceased, Common Pleas CP 40/993 (1510)
- Branspache, Elizabeth, who was the wife of Thomas, and formerly of William Isham Leics
- Deed of 21 November 1499
- CP 40/900: William Isham alias Ysham of Northamptonshire, gentleman, continues against Langton; exigent ordered
- William Isham of Pytchley, esquire, v. John Lumley of Harleston on a bond sealed at Pytchley, Common Pleas CP 40/963 (1503)
- William Isham of Northamptonshire, gentleman, v. Richard Langton of London, draper, debt of £16, Common Pleas CP 40/900 (1487)
- William Isham of Northamptonshire, gentleman, appoints attorney against Richard Langton, Common Pleas CP 40/947 (1499)
- William Isham of Northamptonshire, gentleman, v. Richard Langton of London, draper, debt of £16, Common Pleas CP 40/946 (1498), image 1464
- William Isham of Pytchley, esquire, v. John Loviley of Harleston, esquire, debt of £40, Common Pleas CP 40/959 (1502)
- William Isham, esquire, v. John Loviley of Harleston, esquire, debt of £40, Common Pleas CP 40/956 (1501)
- Attorneys entered: Henry Wekeley v. William Isham of Broughton, son of William Isham late of Pytchley, esquire, deceased, Common Pleas CP 40/993 (1510), image 1482
- VCH Northants. iv, Pytchley: Isham descent, Engaynes, Staffords, Sir Euseby
? marks 4 statements for which no attached source was found.
Life sketch as written on the FamilySearch Family Tree. Footnotes link each statement to the attached source that supports it; they were matched by machine against the source summaries and should be read as a guide, not a verification.
Records
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1325
The descent of the Ishams of Pytchley has alreadybeen dealt with in the genealogical volume for Northamptonshire. (fn. 67) Henry de Isham of Northampton, towhom a debt of £200 was owing in 1325, (fn. 68) may havebeen identical with the Henry de Isham who in 1309 (fn. 69) was bailiff of Richard son of Roger son of Hen…
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1451
On 5 February this term Robert Isham of Pytchley in Northamptonshire, esquire, acknowledged himself bound to Thomas Palmer and Thomas Langeton, esquires, in 333 pounds 6s. 8d. Condition: if William Isham, son and heir of the said Robert, have and peaceably possess after the death of Robert and Margaret wife of the same…
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1451
Per V.C.H. Northamptonshire iv, Pytchley (fn. 72): Robert (great-grandson of Henry de Isham) settled lands in Pytchley on his son William Isham; the cited record is Exchequer Inq. p.m. file 676, no. 6.
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1470
William Isham acts as executor of John Langton of Hanborough, esquire, in Common Pleas debt process, c.1470.
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1474
Margaret who was the wife of Robert Isham, and Robert [Isham] clerk, William Isham, Richard Isham and John Isham, son of the said Robert Isham son of Robert son of Robert son of Henry Isham, executors of the testament of Robert Isham son of Robert Isham son of Robert son of Henry Isham, by attorney offered themselves a…
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1480
William Isham married Elizabeth the relict (widow) of Thomas Branspeth of Glooston in Leicestershire. By this inquest taken after her death 24 April 1480 at Leicester, it was returned that Philip of Paunton granted the manor of Glooston to John Harington and Maude his wife and the heirs of their bodies, who had issue R…
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1486
On the membrane naming Robert Isham clerk, William, Richard and John Isham as executors of Robert Isham (son of Robert son of Robert son of Henry) against Richard Langton, citizen and draper of London, the entry also reads toward 'Henricum Isham' in the same Langton process. Taken with the dossier as evidence of a poss…
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1487
William Isham otherwise William Ysham of Northamptonshire, gentleman, by Thomas Mountegn his attorney, against Richard Langton, London draper, for £16; not found; exigent to outlawry ordered.
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1487
Warrant of attorney: William Isham, alias William Ysham of the county of Northampton, appoints Thomas Mountegu against Richard Langton, late of London, draper, in a plea of debt. Machine transcription; readings should be checked against the image.
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1487
William Isham, alias William Ysham of the county of Northampton, gentleman, by Thomas Mountegu his attorney, against Richard Langton of London, draper, for £16. Langton does not come; exigent is ordered so that he be outlawed if he does not appear. Machine transcription; readings should be checked against the image.
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1497
Edmund Hasylwode by attorney offered himself against Thomas Isham late of Pytchley in Northamptonshire, gentleman, for 10 marks. Capias; not found; exigent ordered. (Repeated on the next image.)
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1498
William Isham of the county of Northampton, gentleman, by attorney, against Richard Langton late of London, draper, for £16. Capias to the octave of Martinmas. Machine transcription; readings should be checked against the image.
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1498
William Isham of the county of Northampton, gentleman, by attorney, against Richard Langton late of London (continued on image 1464). Overlapping photograph of the start of the entry. Machine transcription; readings should be checked against the image.
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1499
Lists "Thomas Isham of Pychley, John Isham his brother, and John Lumley and Thomas Lumeley sonnes to Andrew Lomley."
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1499
Warrant of attorney: William Asham (Isham) of the county aforesaid, gentleman, appoints William Bryan against Richard Langton late of London, draper. Machine transcription; readings should be checked against the image.
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1499
William Isham of the county of Northampton, gentleman, against Richard Langton late of London, draper, for £16. Capias renewed to the Purification. Machine transcription; readings should be checked against the image.
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1501
John Loviley late of Harleston, Northamptonshire, esquire, alias John Lumney of Harleston, is in mercy for defaults. He was summoned to answer William Isham, esquire, for £40. Both appear by attorney; a day is given to the octave of Trinity, then Loviley defaults and is distrained to Michaelmas. This is the same Lumley…
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1502
William Isham of Pytesley, esquire, by attorney, against John Lovildy late of Harleston, Northamptonshire, esquire, alias John Lumney of Harleston, esquire, for £40. Loviley is distrained by goods worth 8d and mainprised; further process ordered. Machine transcription; readings should be checked against the image.
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1503
John Lomley (Lumley) of Harleston, esquire, was summoned to answer William Isham of Pynesley (Pytchley), esquire, for £40. William, by William Bryan his attorney, declares that on 20 November 9 Henry VII (1493) at Pytchley Lumley bound himself by writing obligatory in a hundred marks; William claims the unpaid residue …
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1510
Warrants of attorney in a plea of land: Henry Wekeley appoints against William Isham of Broughton, Northamptonshire, gentleman, son of William Isham late of Pyghtesley, esquire, deceased; and William of Broughton appoints against the demandants. Continued on images 1483 and 0255. Machine transcription; readings should …
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1510
Overlapping photograph of the same warrants: William Isham of Broughton, gentleman, son of William Isham late of Pyghtesley, esquire, deceased, in a plea of land. Machine transcription; readings should be checked against the image.
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1510
Common recovery: Gerard Danent, John Mulsho, esquire, Henry Durrant, Thomas Walesse, Humphrey Barrard, clerk, Richard [—] and Henry Wekeley, by John Copcote, demand against William Isham of Broughton, gentleman, son of William Isham late of Pightesley, esquire, deceased, three messuages, two cottages, two curtilages, 7…
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1555
VCH Pytchley narrates: Gregory purchased Engaynes (fine of 1555 with Giles); Giles held a brief manor called Ishams of Robert Isham clerk as of Staffords; Staffords then to Gregory's son Euseby of Braunston; fines/recoveries 1580 (⅓ Geynes & Ishams), 1587 (Pytchley & Bassets), 1606 (Pytchley & Braunston) as Sir Euseby …
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1741