Sir Edmund Bedingfeld

     Edmund was born in 1443 in Oxborough, County Norfolk, England. Being that his father has died and he being 10 years old at that time, Alice Dutchess of Suffolk, by her deed, dated 1st of December in the 33d of Henry VI. [1454], grants the custody and wardship, to his great uncle, Sir Thomas Tudenham. Edmund married Alice Shelton in 1467. Edmund and Alice had one daughter, Margaret [1668-3/24/1504] [m. 1483 Edward Jerningham]. Edmund's wife, Alice, died in 1468 in Oxborough, County Norfolk, England, leaving him a widower. Edmund married Margaret Scott circa 1469. .At the death of his grandmother, Margaret, Edmund inherited her estate which included the Oxoborough Manor and 22 other manors. He then decided to move the family seat to Oxoborough. On 3 July 1482, Edmund received a patent from King Edward IV to build a manor house at Oxoborough. He built a splendid building of brick with the entrance to it is over a bridge of brick, with three great arches, and embattled with free stone, through a grand majestick tower, the arch whereof is about 22 feet long and 13 broad; to this tower adjoin four turrets, one at each corner, of the same materials with the tower, brick, coped also and embattled with free-stone, projecting and octangular; the two in front are about 80 feet or more from the foundation in the moat to the summit, and about 10 feet above the great tower. On the day of the coronation of King Richard III, [6 July 1483] Emund was created Kight of the Bath. Edmund was in such favor with the royals that Richard's successor, Henry VII visited his manor in Norfolk. The Room he stayed in became known as the "Kings Room" and the room of the Queen, directly above the King's room, became known as the "Queens Room." Edmund made his will on 12 October 1496.

In the name of God Amen. I Sir Edmund Bedingfeld knight hole of mynde being the xiith of October the yere of our Lord God m cccc lxxxxvj at Calst make my last will and testament in maner and forme following First I bequeath my soule to Almighte God my Maker and Redeamer of alle the worlde to our blessed ladye and to alle the holy companye of heaven my body to be buried in the chirch of Oxborgh afore the Holy Trinitie there. Also I bequeath to the high auter there in recompense of my tithes to the same neglegentlye forgotten xx s. Item to the repcaons of the same chirch x moare. Item to eche of the chirches of Bedingfeld Saint Petir of Eviswett and Mch Bettinggs vi s. viii d. Item to the high awter of the chirch of Eviswitt xx s. Item I will and especially require myne executours here after named as they will answere by fore my said maker at the dreadful day of judgement that alle my injurious and wrongis by me heretofore committed or doon hereafter evindently proved been my said executours satisfied and recompensed. And all my dettis hereafter proved be all so by my said executours truly cotent and payd. Item I will that the issues and profittes of alle my purchased and free simple lands in Oxbourgh Calcate Fowledown Shyngeham and Cley in the shire of Norff be immediately after my deth retained by myne executours. And x mare of the same yerely profits yerely a good and an honest preste be hired to singe and pray in the said chirch of Oxbourgh during the time of vij years next after my deth and burying there and he praying there for my soule and the soules of myne anncestours and frendes and alle exten soules And especially thoo soules that I am bounde to do prayy fore. Item I will that my saide executours of the said issues and profittes of my said londes geve to the ledinge of the chirch of Sulcote x pounds. Item I will and specially require my said executours to see and provide alle my grandmothers last will bee hooly performed in evy point inasmuch as they may and as hastely as conveniently may be. Item I will that my wife have hooly her jointure whiche I have before given to hir or else promised hir without intrupacon of myne exeutours or any of my children whom I charge upon my blessing to suffer the same. Item I will that my wife whom I trust above all creatures keep herself hole and unmarried as she hath of her owne offer promised me to do thenne she to be oon of myne executours having the chief reule of all my lands goodes and cattallis to dispose according to this my will and the reule and governance of alle of my children and hirs and if she broke her promise and be married thenne I will she be none of myne executours ne have any reule or disposition of any of my goodes or cattall nor of any of my lands or tenements other thenne hir jointure. Item I will that of the revenues issues and proffitts of my purchased lands in the shires of Norff and Suff eche of my daughters now unmarried have tro hir marriage ccc mare if they be married by the advice of my said wife and ather of my friendes if it may be borne considering the greate charges of the world. Item I will that my wife and my other executours rewarde eche of my servants as they think reasonable after ther cotynuance and good service and as it may be conveniently borne. Item I will that myne said wife have holy the possession and reule of alle my lands as wele lands tailed as fee simple and of theim take the issues and profits and also of my goodes and catallis to the intent to Pay therewith my dettis and recompence my injuryes and wronges yf any be proved and to perform this my last will and also the same debts so paid my said injuryes and wronges recompensed and this my last will performed she to have the same londes during her life to thentent that she shall find my said children and hers wele and conveniently to scolys for their learning or other wise as it shalbe thoghte by hir and other of my friends for them profitable and nedefull tylle they come to the age of xxi yeres except that as such tyme as my said sonne and heirs shall come to the age of xxi yeres. Or els be married she shall leve and deliver to him such lands as she and other of my friends shall thinke reasonable. And furthermore I will that alle suche tyme as any of my other sonnes fortune to be married by the advise of my said wife and my said other friends thenne she to them with suche lands as shalbe by hir and my said friends reasonable. And after the decease of my said wife and this my last will performed I will that alle my said lands tailed in aney of the said sherys or else where in Ingeland and my fee simple londes in Oxbourgh Caswell Calcote Shyngham Fuldon and Cley remayne to my said sonne & heire and to the heires of his bodye lawfully coming. And for defaute of such yssue the remainder thereof to the heires of my body lawfully begotten and for defaute of such yssue the remainder thereof to my right heires for ever upon condition that he or they shall see and provide that the ptes service serving the parish church of Calcot shalbe worth unto the same preste viij marc yerely and also that he ner they shall not interrupt this my last will in noo part nor myne executours executing the same and if he or they soo do thenne I will that the same fee simple lands be by myne executours sold to the performing of this my last will. Item I will that if the same my saide sonne or his heires or any others by his or theire commandment interrupt by entre or otherwise Nicholas Bokenham of my lands and tenements in Rendham or any parcel thereof or any other parsone which hereafter shalhave the said lands and tenenments according to my graunt and agreement thereof made that thenne I will that he or they shall lose my said fee simple londs in Feldon and Cley and thenne the same lands in Fuldon and Cley to remayne to the said Nicholas Bokenham and other according to the use and intent an trewe meaning of my covenntes of the said londes in Rendam. Item I will and upon blessing straitly charge my said sonne and heire that in consideration of my said simple lands which I have assigned to him that he his heires and his assignes shall with part of the profits thereof fynde an honest able secular preste to singe Dunne sermon and to pray for the soule of me and my wife and the soules of my fader and moder and the soules of my grandmoder and of Sir Thomas Tuddenham knighte myne unkle in a chapel within the chauncell of the parish chirch of Oxbourgh which chapel I will there be bilded by myne executours with such goodes and profits of my lands as hereafter I shall assigne to my executours. And over this upon my said blessing I strattely charge my said sonn and heire that he at such time as myne executor shall require him that he doo and suffer to be doon alle things that shalbe advised by counsel learned for the performance and making sure of the same according to this my will. Item I will that alle suche dettis and promises which I owe for lands purchased in Denham Longstreatton or else where be truly content and paied according to my covenntes and agreements therof. Item I will that after the decease of my said wife that Edmunde my said sonne have the mannor of Denham and Flemor with appurtennes to hold to him and to the heires of his body lawfully begotten. And if it fortune the said Edmunde my sonne to decease without issue of his body lawfully begotten that thenne the said maner shall remayne to Robert my sonne if he be noo prest and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten. And yf the said Robert decease without issue to his body lawfully begotten that thenne I will the said maner shall remayne to my sonne Petre and the heires of his body lawfully begottin. And if it fortune the said Petre to decease without issue his body lawfully begotten thenne the said maner to remayne to my sonne Thomas and the the heirs of his body lawfully begotten and if he decease without issue of his body lawfully begotten then the said maner to remayne to me the said Sir Edmund Bedingfeld myne executours and myne assignes as wele to the performing of this my last will as to the other charitable dedis for the welfare of my soule after the discreacon of myne executours and there executours. Item I will that my sonne Robert have the maner of Abyngdon after the decease of my said wife to holde to him and to his assignes for terme of his life to find him to scole yf he intende to be a preste and after the decease of my said sonne Robert the said maner to remayne to my sonne and heire and to the heires of his body lawfully begotten. And yf the said Robert be married thenne I will he have the sayd maner to him and to the heires of his body lawfully begotten. And if so be he decease without issue of his body lawfully begotten thenne I will the sayde maner remayne to my sonne and heir as is aforesaid. Item I will that my sayd sonne Petir have the maner of Sonyddenham and alle my lands in Illyngton late purchased of oon Seerle to have to him and to the heires of his body lawfully begotten and yf he decesse without issue of his bodye lawfully begotten thenne I will after the decease of my wife that my sonne Robert have the said lande to him to the heires of his body lawfully begotten and for the defaute of issue of his body lawfully begotten thenne I will that the said londe remayne to my sonne Edmunde and to the heires of his body lawfully begottin then I will that the said lande remayne to my sonne and heire and the heires of his body lawfully begotten and for the defaute of suche issue the remainder thereof to myne executours aforesaid to dispose after the discretion for the welth of my soule and all cristen soules. Item I will that the manors of Seche and Westilton whiche be to me fees simple be atte the disposition of my said wife and myne other executours to dispose to my sonnes as my said wife and they thinke reasonable. Item I will that yf it fortune my said wife to dye or be married ageyne before this will performed of or els before that my said sonnes comyn to the age of xxi yeres thenne I will that the residue of myne executours have like possession and ruele of alle my said londes and goods as I have lymitted my wife to the same effect and entent as I have herebefore expressed and shewed. Item I will and require my feoffees that stoned infeoffed in any of my lands shall make astate from them to suche parsons as my executours shall name to the performing of this my last will. Item I will that my said wife have and enjoye to hir and to hir heires forever my purchased londes in Hegley to dispose after hir will and pleasure paying therefore the residue of the money due for the same purchase. The residue of alle my goods catailles londes and tenements herebefore in this my will not expressed nor rehersed I comitte to my loving wife Margarete Bedingfeld and Nicholas Bokenham theym to dispose after their discretion and wisedoms whom I name and will to be myne executours of this my last will and Sir Edward Ponyng knight and Sir William Scott knight to take upon them the same yevin the day and yere abovesaid.⁴

Edmund departed this life on Thursday, 15 October 1496 in Oxborough at age 53 years. He was buried there in the church of St. John the Evangelist. His will was probated on 28 January 1497.