CONSTABLE OF FLAMBOROUGH FAMILY

- NORTH CLIFFE, EAST YORKSHIRE, BRANCH

This work includes a descent to Sarah Storke of Gt Driffield in East Yorkshire, and the summary of the results of a continuing 'family reconstruction' carried out in the Summer of 2001.  Here I have tried to seek further proof for family connections which had not so far become apparent.  The problem of the male line matches has not been solved, but this was not the purpose of the exercise. It must be remembered that kinship included a wider view of the family than might be usual in the 21st Century, cousins were mentioned in the Wills, as were aunts and uncles.  Dig deeper into the family and it becomes very interesting.  I still have work to do on the Etherington's,  but I found a descent to William Wilberforce, the Abolitionist from the Constables.

1. SIR ROBERT CONSTABLE of North Cliffe, Sergeant-at-Law. Sir Robert died on the 22 November 1501, Will dated 2 September 1501 and proved 13 Jan 1501/2, Inquisition Post Mortem 14 October 1502, and held land at North Cliffe, Sledmere, Newsham and Broughton. A son of Sir Robert Constable of Flamborough and Agnes Wentworth of Nettlestead in Suffolk, one of the daughters of Sir Roger Wentworth of Nettlestead and Margery, Lady De Ros, daughter and heiress of Sir Philip le Despencer of Nettlestead in Suffolk, and widow of John Baron de Ros. For further information about his maternal family see: The Visitation of Suffolk 1561, part 1, Harleian Society 1981.

In 'The Life and Times of Henry VII' by Neville Williams, (ed., Antonia Fraser, Weidenfield & Nicholson, 1973) our Robert gets a mention,

'After he had reigned for ten years, two sergeants-at-law, Robert Constable and Thomas Frowick, gave a series of lectures to benchers and students at the Inns of Court on the Royal Prerogative, showing in no sycophantic manner that Henry had been at pains to enforce to the full his feudal rights which his immediate predecessors had let slide'.

Sir Robert Constable married in 1490 (Licence 18 Aug 1490, Test. Ebor. III p 355) Beatrix Awtecliffe, Hawtcliffe or Hatcliffe, Lady Greystock, daughter of James Hatcliff of Grimthorpe in East Yorkshire and widow of Ralph Baron of Greystock who died in 1487 (1 June 1487, married by licence 20 September 1483 Test. Ebor III. p. 347, at Hinderskelf, his Will is in Test. Ebor. IV. 20.). She died in 1505 after taking a vow of chastity (Licence to veil, 12 April 1502, She had no children by Lord Greystock but had about six or seven children by her second husband. She took up membership of the Guild of Corpus Christi in York. Her family, though obscure, did become well connected. I have no information about her father than he is named in a modern source. Her brothers seems to include Sir William Hatcliffe who has many descendants and Richard Hatcliffe, Vicar of Nunburnholme who outlived his sister by over 40 years. She too left a Will made 12 April 1505 and proved 5 June 1505, Test. Ebor. IV p 236, buried at Sancton). She was a formidable character and must not have forgotten that she was once wed to a cousin of King's Edward IV and Richard III and of the mother of King Henry VII. She made sure that her daughter wed Henry Thwaites of Lund by abducting the young groom. I am happy that there is a connection with the Hatcliffe's as their descendants turn up in the kinsmen lists of Beatrix's descendants.

Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1502, 18 Henry VII, May 9 Westminster.

Grant to Beatrice, Lady Greystok, widow of Robert Constable, sergeant-at-law, of the lands of Edmund Thwaytes and Joan his wife, both deceased, during the minority of Henry, kinsman and heir of the said Edmund and Joan; to wit, son of Henry son of the said Edmund and Joan; and of the marriage of the said heir, though already married; and pardon to the said Beatrice for the abduction of the said Henry and the marrying him to Agnes daughter of the said Robert and Beatrice.

Pardon to Henry Thwaytes, kinsman and heir of Edmund Thwaytes, deceased, to wit son of Henry son of the said Edmund, for marrying without licence Agnes daughter of Robert Constable, late sergeant-at-law, and Beatrice his wife.

It is interesting to note that Edmund Thwaytes was a member of the Guild of Corpus Christi, like Beatrice and Robert.

The issue of Robert Constable and Beatrice were:

1.1 (2). MARMADUKE CONSTABLE of North Cliffe

1.2 Agnes Constable, dead by 1520 and married to Sir Henry Thwaite of Lund and left issue. He remarried Anne daughter of Sir John Savile of Thornhill and Elizabeth Paston, a member of the Norfolk family and maternally a Beaufort cousin of Henry VII Tudor.

1.21 Frances Thwaites, daughter of Sir Henry Thwaite and Agnes Constable.  She married Sir John Gresham.  Their daughter Elizabeth became the wife of Henry Neville of Bellinghere a member of the great House of Neville.  Descendants of this couple include the Earls Spencer and the later Dukes of Devonshire and Earls of Carlisle through the fabulous Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806).  Through her illegitimate daughter Eliza Courtney, her daughter by Earl Grey she is ancestor of Sarah Ferguson Duchess of York, mother of Princess Beatrice.  The Howards of Castle Howard are also descendants of Georgiana's and owners of the area the Greystock estate at Henderskelfe.  So Beatrice Hatcliffe may not have had Henderskelfe for her children but the lands eventually came to her descendants through the daughter and kidnapped bridegroom.

1.3 Elizabeth Constable, in Will of brother's Marmaduke Constable and Robert Constable of Hotham, also in the will of William Grimston, who married her niece.   It seems that she married a man called Dryland and had issue.  She was the Elizabeth Dryland of Hotham who made a Will on the 28th November 1569 which was proved on the 19 April 1570 at York.  Her mother had made provision for her to become a nun, but she had decided otherwise, a wise decision for someone who was to live through the 'Dissolution of the monasteries'.

1.4 Robert Constable of Hotham, Will 25 May 1564 and proved 23 Mar 1564/5. Married to Margaret Langthorne, a widow, who died in 1570 at North Cave, they had no issue. He named many in his family including Agnes Constable wife to Etherington, his great-niece, who it seems he was alienated from over the inheritance of his late great-niece Elizabeth Constable - see below.

1.5 Ann Constable,  Not mentioned in the Will of Robert Constable, 25 May 1564. 

1.6 Jane Constable.  Wife of Thomas Rokeby of Morthem in Richmond. Alive 25 May 1564 when her brother Robert's Will was made.  Their younger son Thomas inherited Hotham land from uncle Robert Constable and lived until 1590, married and had children, and left a Will.  There is a picture of Morthem Tower in Yorkshire from AD1000, (Longman, 1986, p98).

1.7 William Constable.  Not mentioned in any other family document.

2. MARMADUKE CONSTABLE of North Cliffe who was born probably in 1491 and died about 1525. His father's Inquisition Post Mortem declared his age as being 12 in October 1502. His will was made 30 August 1523. He married Elizabeth said to be daughter of James Metcalf of Nappa, who later married a man called Wright and was alive in the 1540's when her son James made his Will.  I do not know when Elizabeth remarried but in 1526 as 'Elizabeth Constable widow and James Coter (sic) yeoman, exors of Marmaduke Constable esq. late of Northcliff', let prior William Broughton manor with lands there and in Swinton late in the holding of Robert Baker late of Malton, for 7 years at £7.8.8 a year.

The problem is that though James Metcalf had a daughter called Elizabeth she could not have been this person. James Metcalf married relatively late, but it is thought that he made a first marriage to Elizabeth Scrope who brought him property in Sledmere. She was the daughter of Sir John Scrope 5th Baron Scrope according to some theories. Curiously James Metcalf's father was addressed by this Lord Scrope in one document as brother, and this was further evidence for their children being married. At the time if your child was married to someone else's child then you would address the other in-law as brother. A James and Elizabeth Metcalf were married members of the same Guild of Corpus Christi that Sir Robert Constable and Beatrice were members of in about 1490. They were probably the James and Elizabeth Metcalf who were involved in a land sale in 1488, the same land sale that Thomas Metcalfe and Elizabeth his wife was also involved in. James Metcalf had a father called Thomas and mother called Elizabeth who could have been living in 1488. One of Robert and Beatrice Constable's daughters were married to the granddaughter of another member of the Guild, it was obviously a place where people of like social status could meet. It is interesting that in the 'Dorso' of a legal document (Yorkshire Deeds, 8, p 47, YAS RS) dated 26 March 1539 one of the people mentioned is Robert Constable of Sledmere, James had a brother called Robert, who unfortunately did not leave a Will. This mention is very curious. More evidence will probably come to light in time. John, Lord Scrope married as his first wife in 1447 Joan Fitzhugh, secondly he married Elizabeth St John and thirdly in 1492, Anne Harling, Lady Chamberlayne and Wingfield who left a Will. Elizabeth St John was a member of Henry VII's family, descended from his maternal grandmother. She had a daughter Mary who was married to Sir William Conyers in 1479 and it would seem likely that this Elizabeth would be the mother of our Elizabeth, though in the absence of other evidence this connection cannot be anything but conjectural.

For further information see the 'Records of the family of Metcalfe, formerly of Nappa in Wensleydale, Walter C Metcalfe and Gilbert Metcalfe, London, 1891.

Guild of Corpus Christi: notes from Surtees Society Volume 7, 1871.

The religious guild of Corpus Christi was established at York in 1408 by certain chaplains and other worthy persons, both secular and regular: and dedicated to the 'praise and honour of the most sacred body of our Lord Jesus Christ'. The main task being to 'promote the decorous observance of the religious festival of Corpus Christi'. and to provide for the due performance of the ceremonies of the day. They were joined with the Hospital of St Thomas of Canterbury without Micklegate for a while. The Guild was dissolved in 1547. There are records of more than 16850 persons being members and the records are printed. Membership included several Archbishops of York, various Northern Bishops, various Abbots of York and in Yorkshire, Priors in Yorkshire, Richard Duke of Gloucester, (the only King as Richard III), Cecily Duchess of York, his mother, Francis Viscount Lovell and various Barons and Knights. The Hospital lasted until 1582/3, though the building lasted until 1862.

Issue:-

2.1 (3). JAMES CONSTABLE of North Cliffe

2.2 Robert Constable

2.3 Barbara Constable, married to William Grimston of Cottingham, a member of the family of Grimston Garth, Gentleman. William died in the 1560's and his Will has been found.  Barbara was alive when William made his will, though probably had died by 1577, and they left two daughters, age order not known:

2.31 Elizabeth (not Isabel, 1584/5 & 1612 Visitations), who had married twice, (not knighted) Ralph Brigham of Brigham (and had issue and they were armigerous) and secondly John Nicholson (and had further issue it seems)  Elizabeth had remarried Nicholson before her father's death.  Ralph Brigham was an ancestor of William Wilberforce MP - The Abolitionist.

2.32 Barbara, who married Thomas Elwood or Elioth of Cottingham and Midleton (ERY), Gentleman (who died between making his Will on the 29 December 1577 and it being proved on the 7 May 1579) and Elwood/Elioth appears in the 1584 Visitation recording, curiously one of their children might have married a Rokeby cousin. Thomas Elwood's Will even mentioned the Constables and their connections, including George Etherington and his wife. 

William Grimston, like Barbara, came from an armigerous family, his daughters were to become heraldic heiresses, each marrying at least once into an armigerous family.

He was probably the William Grymeston of Cottingham who took part in the 'Pilgrimage of Grace' with his brother-in-law James Constable.

Marmaduke was the nephew of 'Little Sir Marmaduke' Constable of Flamborough, who fought in the 1513 Scottish War and in his Will our Marmaduke mentions the people from his manors who joined  him in the Scottish War.  This is interesting as we have always known that Little Sir Marmaduke's sons were present at the Battle of Flodden in 1513, and it seems that our Marmaduke was there also.   Little Sir Marmaduke has a memorial in Flamborough Church.

3. JAMES CONSTABLE of North Cliffe (probably born around 1515-8 - but I have no evidence for this) who died in 1546 and left a Will. A gentleman farmer, he was granted on the 26 March, 30 Henry VIII [1539] lands at North Cliff, South Cliff and Sancton by Mungo Westerdayll. I suspect that he had just attained his 21st year.  

In reports of his involvement in the 'Pilgrimage of Grace' [1536-7] he is referred to as the 'heir of Cliffe' which would make me think that he was possibly under age at the time.   Although this is not proof in itself it does give me evidence for this to have been the case.  James survived the revolt without penalty.  This was very lucky as he lived in dangerous times and was close kin to some of the leaders of the revolt.

In 'The Pilgrimage of Grace, a study of the Rebel Armies of October 1536' by Michael Bush, (Manchester University Press, Manchester, 1996) our James gets a mention:

p.38. [The Stapulton Host] Moreover, it had at last recruited substantial gentry support,  now having, in all probability, two knights under oath - Sir Ralph Ellerker the younger and Sir Christopher Hilliard - as well as a number of esquires and plain gentlemen, notably Robert Hotham, Robert Rudston, Henry Newark, William Grymeston, Ralph Constable, John Wright, Richard Smytherly,  Philip Wardby and James Constable.  Yet most of these gentlemen had been made to participate and some (e.g. Hotham and Newark) had already fled.  After being captured they were sworn to support the uprising under pain of having their property attacked.

[note: The possible exceptions were Robert Ruston who appeared with Aske at Market Weighton on 12th October with his nephew, Nicholas and James Constable of North Cliffe and Philip Wardby, when Stapulton reported simply as coming in on 12th October]

^{p. 63. Except for the Stapultons, no other gentlemen became involved until 12th October, four days after the start of the uprising.  Then, within two days, Richard Smytherly of Brantingham, Robert Hotham of Scorborough, Sir Christopher Hilliard of Winestead, William Grymeston of Cottingham, Ralph Constable of Catfoss, John Wright of Danthorpe, Henry Neward of South Dalton, James Constable of Northcliffe, the Rudstons of Hayton and Philip Wardby were enlisted, largely under compulsion.}

^{I have not traced James's step-father 'Mr Wright' and wonder if the above John Wright was him or some connection of his.}  

James Constable married Bridget Middleton of Middleton Co. Westmorland.

She was stated to have been daughter of Sir Geoffrey Middleton of Middleton and such a connection does exist in the printed pedigree of the family, though Bridget is given as a granddaughter. I think the visitation pedigree is wrong as the dates make it more likely that Bridget was the daughter of Sir Geoffrey Middleton, knighted in France by Henry VIII at the 'Field of the Cloth of Gold'. Sir Geoffrey's Inquisition Post Mortem was proved 11 Henry VIII, Chancery Series II, Vol 34. The Visitation was written about 100 years after they lived. Another descendant of Sir Geoffrey was Fletcher Christian, the 'Bounty Mutineer'.  A Sir Geoffrey Middleton of Middleton was involved in the 'Pilgrimage of Grace' in 1536-7, which does not tally with an early death for Sir Geoffrey. 

They left six children at least, yet another minority in this family. He left an Inquisition Post Mortem dated 38 Henry VIII, Chancery Series, Vol 74, No 45, Exchequer series 242 No 2 and Court of Wards, Vol 31, No 117.

Issue:-

3.1 Marmaduke Constable of North Cliffe, who for one generation of this family must have lived into his seventies, as he died in 1614. He married Frances one of the legitimate heiresses of Sir Ralph Bulmer and left issue.  He may have married again in 1598 the widowed Margaret Warter, the widow of Francis Brigham his cousin.  Some of his issue is mentioned in the Will of Robert Constable of Hotham.   He was in 1573-4 High Sheriff of Yorkshire which appointment was subject to some mutterings about his 'low degree'.

3.2 John Constable

3.3 Robert Constable

3.4 Alice Constable, elder daughter, married to William Rasing of Malton (before 25 May 1564) who died after 1584 but before the 11 December 1590 when his will was proved as a Gentleman of Malton. He may have been some sort of cousin as he was the son of Richard Rasing of Malton and his wife Margaret Hawtcliffe. The Rasings were recorded in the 1584/5 and 1612 Heraldic Visitations. The Wills of William Rasing and John Heslerton have also been consulted. They left issue (all descendants of Alice and William in blue):-

3.41 Marmaduke Rasing, who married Margery Ellerker, daughter of Ralph Ellerker, and had issue:-

3.411 William Rasing, born about 1583.

3.412 James Rasing

3.413 Alice Rasing

3.42 Mary Rasing, died before 25 Jan 1631/2, married to John Heslerton of Weaverthorpe (died 1632) and left issue:-

3.421 Thomas Heslerton, born about 1592 and baptised at St Michael, Malton, 8 Jul 1592, died before 1631.

3.422 Mary Heslerton, married to Richard Coates of Swinton, 7 Jul 1607, Malton St Michael, and had issue:

3.4221 Richard Coates of Swinton.

3.4222 John Coates of Swinton.

3.4223 Arthur Coates of Swinton.

3.4224 Anne Coates of Swinton

3.4225 Ellen Coates, married to Henry Hartas at St Michael, Malton, 8 Jun 1629. Issue:

3.42251 Anne Hartas, bp. 19 Aug 1630 St Michael, Malton

3.4226 Marie Coates(?) married to William Smelte of Coxwold, schoolmaster.

3.423 Elizabeth Heslerton, married to William Towse of Garton, Malton St Michael, 13 Oct 1612 and had issue:

3.4231 Marie Towse.

3.4232 Ellen Towse.

3.4233 William Towse.

3.4234 John Towse.

3.4235 Bryan Towse

3.4236 Ellen Towse

3.43 Elizabeth Rasing, married to Richard Conyers of Cottingham, and had issue:

3.431 Margaret Conyers

3.432 James Conyers

3.44 James Rasing, married to ... and left issue:

3.441 Marmaduke Rasing

3.442 Philip Rasing

3.443 Awdray Rasing

3.444 Mary Rasing

3.45 Thomas Rasing

3.46 Barbara Rasing

3.47 Mary Rasing

3.5(4) AGNES CONSTABLE. 2nd daughter, See below.

3.6 Elizabeth Constable, 3rd daughter, (dead before 25 May 1564 - this mentioned in great-uncle Robert Constable of Hotham's Will).

4. AGNES CONSTABLE. probably born about 1540, in Will of father, and great uncle Robert in 1564, and in the 1577/9 Will of Thomas Eloth/Elwood of Midleton and Cottingham. She married before 25 May 1564 as she is married by the time that her great-uncle Robert made his will. Robert was a bit concerned about the claims that Agnes and her husband would make after his death over the inheritance of the diseased sister Elizabeth Constable.

Agnes married a gentleman from Great Driffield, George Etherington, a member of a minor landed family who produced an outlawed knight in the seventeenth century and a baronet in the eighteenth. His sister, Eleanor, married into the St Quintin family of Harpham. There are no dates available for him, though he was alive in 1577, according to Constable connected evidence, and the 1590's according to Etherington evidence. George Etherington was the son of William Etherington of Driffield and Holme, and possibly his wife Alice Skerne, daughter of Richard Skerne of Driffield. I suspect that Richard was a cadet of the family of Skerne of Howton as there is a person in that family who could have been the right Richard at the right time, and he had a sister called Alice. We have not found a Will for George but we have for three of his brothers and his brother-in-law St Quintin. There was a Sir George Etherington who died in the 1620's but I suspect that this was our George's nephew who also married and had issue. George and Agnes Etherington had issue:

4.1 (5). MARMADUKE ETHERINGTON

4.2 William Etherington, married and had two sons, William and Richard Etherington who were alive in 1638 and mentioned in their uncle Marmaduke's Will..

4.3 Alice Etherington, married by licence about 19 May 1598 as daughter of George Etherington of Driffield Gentleman, Thomas Hutchinson, Vicar of Frodingham at North Frodingham. He died before 20 Dec 1649 when he was buried.

4.4 Others

5. MARMADUKE ETHERINGTON, Gentleman of Great Driffield. Baptised in 1566/7 at Driffield (no parents stated - but there is other information to explain this connection). He was clearly named after his uncle Marmaduke Constable. Marmaduke was an old Constable name which survived in the family for hundreds of years. It is thought that it came into the family through a marriage. He was buried 30 October 1638 at Rillington and he left a Will. Marmaduke's family had connection's to Rillington and he was probably staying with relatives when he died. According to his wishes in his Will he was buried where he died. He married at Great Driffield 6 November 1593 Dorothy Rudstone of Great Driffield. Given that he would have made every effort to marry a social equal I am surprised that I have not been able to trace her family. They had many children who died in childhood. They may have also had a son George who suffered under the Puritans. Marmaduke left an heiress who inherited his possessions, presumably even the mansion where he lived in Great Driffield:-

6. KATHERINE ETHERINGTON, 1610-1678/9, see below.

6. KATHERINE ETHERINGTON, Baptised 3 Dec 1610 and died 1678/9, married to John Storke of Gt Driffield, a Miller, on the 3 February 1628/9 at Driffield. She was quite extraordinary for the times. She outlived her husband and died a great-grandmother in Driffield in a time when many women never lived long enough to be grandmothers. She mentioned many of her children and their children in her Will, including little great-grandson George Mennell of Malton who's heirs in the nineteenth century were solicitors at Malton who were friends of Charles Dickens. One of her daughter's, Mary, was wife of George Clifford of Malton, a Quaker. Katherine and John Storke had issue which included:-

6.1   Robert Storke, baptised, December 16, 1629 and buried July 2, 1651 Gt Driffield

6.2  Mary Storke, Baptised November 11, 1630 Gt Driffield and married George Clifford, a Quaker and Farmer Malton, and had issue.

6.3  John Storke, baptised December 14, 1631 and buried November 12, 1693 Gt Driffield, married to Ann Milner (m: 1665) who was born about 1643 and buried April 23, 1719 Gt Driffield.

6.4 (7) THOMAS STORKE, Yeoman of Great Driffield. (See below)

6.5  George Storke, baptised February 14, 1636/37 Gt Driffield

6.6  Sarah Storke, baptised April 19, 1640 Gt Driffield and died 1661.  Married George Etherington on May 29, 1660 in Driffield.

6.7  Katherine Storke, baptised, April 12, 1642 Gt Driffield, married Robert Boyes of New Malton on December 31, 1661 in Gt Driffield

6.8  Richard Storke, baptised October 8, 1648 Gt Driffield, married Martha and had issue.

6.9  Robert? Storke, baptised July 2, 1651 Great Driffield

6.10 Marmaduke Storke, died young.

7. THOMAS STORKE, A Yeoman of Gt Driffield, who left a Will. He was baptised at Gt Driffield 16 August 1633 and was buried on the 29th August 1715. He married Elizabeth Gray of Langtoft in York at St Denys Church in the Walmgate area. She was born in 1642 and was buried on the 20 June 1689.  It seems that she was the daughter of Richard Gray a farmer and Elizabeth Milner. They had issue:-

7.1 Katherine Storke, baptised 15 February 1666/7 at Gt Driffield and married Timothy Gray and had issue.

7.2 Sarah Storke, baptised 21 November 1669 at Gt Driffield and married at Langtoft 7 June 1691 Samuel Hellard of Langtoft, yeoman. See Hellard family page. They were ancestors of Tim Owston.

7.3 Jane Storke, baptised 17 March 1671/2 and buried 24 Jun 1672 at Gt Driffield.

7.4 Dorothy Storke, baptised 22 April 1673 and buried 23 April 1673 at Gt Driffield.

7.5 Thomas Storke, baptised 12 July 1674 and buried 20 August 1704 at Gt Driffield.

7.6 Mary Storke, baptised 9 August 1682 at Gt Driffield.

Written March 1999/November 2003 Ongoing family reconstruction