Ancestors of Captain Arthur Fenner

Edward Fenner

Edward Fenner, son of John Fenner and Eleanor Goring of Ifield, was born ca. 1536 in Sussex, England. Like his brothers George and Thomas, and cousin William, he entered the British Navy and earned esteem as a sea captain. A lifelong mariner, he is not known to have been married or have had children. He was named in the will of his godfather, Edward Shirley (or Shurley), written 4 Aug. 1557, receiving a small inheritance of 5 pounds and a gelding. One of his earliest expeditions was with his older brother George, to Cape Verde Islands and the Azores, in 1564. His career took greater notice by 1584–85, when he was involved with John Challice (or Callys) and his cousin William Fenner in allegedly plundering Portuguese shipping vessels. As one prominent historian described it, “In March 1585, both [Edward and William] were suspected of cruising piratically in the Galleon Fenner under Don Antonio’s colours.”[1] This does not appear to have derailed his career, because at the outset of the campaign against the Spanish armada in 1588, he was listed as Rear Admiral of the British Navy fleet under Francis Drake, commanding the Swiftsure.

His will was written 2 Sept. 1608 at Chichester, Sussex, England. He was a witness to his brother Edward the Elder’s first will in 1612. He died in April 1614 and the will was probated on 15 April 1614. He left no heirs of his own, instead willing his income from rental property to the children of his brothers Edward the Elder and Thomas. He asked to be buried in the Cathedral Church of Chichester next to his mother.

Sources:
1. Julian S. Corbett, Papers Relating to the Navy During the Spanish War, 1585–1587 (1898), p. 298: Archive.org; see also Calendar of State Papers (1865), vol. 2, p. 233: HathiTrust
2. Information from the work of Jen Blyth on Ancestry.com.
3. England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384–1858; PROB 11: Will Registers; Piece 123: Lawe, Quire Numbers 1–66 (1614): PDF

Will of Edward Fenner the Younger
Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/123

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I Edward Fenner of the Citie of Chichester in the Countie of Sussex gent[leman], beying sicke in bodye but of perfect memorye thankes be given unto God do make and ordayne this my last will and testament in manner and forme folowinge. First I bequeath my soule to Almightie God hoping to be saved by the meritts deathe and passion of oure Savyoure Jesus Christe. My bodye I will to be buryed in the Cathedrall churche of Chichester next unto the place where my mother was buryed. And I will and bequeathe the yerelie rent that shall arise of the Farme of Bosham for the whole yeres yet unexpired which is nowe in the occupation of William Grigg of Bosham to be yerelie distributed to the severall children of my brother in fine[*] Fenner in manner and forme folowing. I will and bequeathe the first yeres profitt that shall arise of the Rent of ye saied Farme and malthouse next after my decease to be given and payed unto my neiphue George Fenner the younger sonne of my saied Brother yf he so longe live. The second yeres rent and profitt of the saied Farme and malthouse I will to be payed unto my Neece Elizabeth Fenner yf she so longe shall live. I meane my saied Brothers eldest daughter which is unmarried. The third yeres Rent that shall arise of the saied Farme and malthouse I will to be payed unto my saied Brothers youngest daughter Mary Fenner as I take yt yf she so longe live. The fourthe yeres Rent that shall arise of the saied Farme and malthouse I will and bequeathe to my Neece Anne Saye my saied Brothers eldest daughter. The fyveth yeres profit that shall arise of the sayed Farme and malthouse I will and bequeath to my Neece Franncis Waler my saied Brothers daughter. And yf it should happen as God forbid that my neiphue George Fenner afore sayed or Elizabeth his Sister or my Neece Mary his sister or either of them should decease before theire daye of marriage or before the saied Legaceys shalbe due unto them. Then my will and desire ys that portion which should be due unto either of them at the dayes and tymes afores sayed to be gyven unto my neiphue Edward Fenners eldest daughter yf she so longe live, otherwise I will the same to be equallie distributed unto those that shalbe the longest liver I meant of the saied George Elizabeth and Mary. Allso I will and bequeathe unto my neiphue Robert Fenner my saied Brothers second sonne all the Rents and profitts that shall arise for the tyme or terme of the yeres yet to come of the Prebend of Southwood Coorsom[?] Bosham wife the gleabe Land therunto belonging. And allso one feilde called Eyethf[–]le which I hould from the Lorde of Barkley for yeres yet to come which Thomas Michborne of Bosham hath a promise of beyng let unto hymn with the saied Gleabe Land for the yeres yet to come by promise onlie and not by Lease. And when the first yeres of the Farme of Bosham and malthouse shalbe expired whereof I have disposed as aforesayed then for the yeres that shall remayne which I take to be fower[?] my will is that yf should be equallie devided yerelie I meane the Rent of the Farme and malthouse aforesayed unto my Neiphue Robert Fenner and George Fenner his brother wife Elizabeth his sister and Mary his sister or to so many of them as then shall live. Allso I will and bequeath unto my brother Thomas Fenners daughter which he had by his firste wife which nowe liveth tenne poundes currant money to be payed her within one yere after my decease. Allso I will and bequeathe unto my saied brothers daughter which he had by his second wife tenne poundes to be payed her at the daye of her marriage or at her age of Sixteene yeres. Allso I will and bequeathe unto every one of my Neiphue Edward Fenners children I meane of Auborne tenne poundes to be payed them three yeres after my decease to so many of them as nowe are livinge. And yf any of them shall happen to decease before the tyme appoynted for the payment then the saied money to be payed to the longest livers of them. Allso I will and bequeathe to Elizabeth Elliott my Neiphue Elliotts wife of Tynberden twentie poundes to be payed three yeres after my decease. Allso I will and bequeathe unto goodwise Ball and Christian unkell my servannts fyve poundes currant money I meane unto eache of them so much as allso to eache of them one payer of sheets to be payed within sixe monthes after my decease. Allso I will and bequeathe unto the poore in Chichester to be payed them at my buryall or within one monthe after I meane unto those which have greatest want with the advise of the Overseers of every parishe within the walles of Chichester. And I will and // bequeathe the Lease of the Coppiehould which I boughte of Sr. William Bowyer at Fishborne nere Chichester as allso the Lease I boughte of my Cosin [vives?] and his daughter for the tearme of theire lives unto my neiphue William Fenner of Chichester as allso all the title and interesst which I have in the Prebend of Funtington nowe in the occupation of William Lember of Rosham as allso the Lease and tearme of yeres which I have of certaine Landes from the Lorde Barkley viz: Mill meades in Bavannt in the occupation of Forbench in Plash[]field in Bosham in the occupation of William Grigg as allso Long meade in Bosham and one other feild with a small cappis thereunto adjoyning in the occupation of Thomas Michborne as allso the Lease which I have of Sr William Bowyer at Weeke: For all the rest of my goodes and chattells whatsoever my debts and Legaceys beyng payed and my Funeralls discharged. I will and bequeathe therunto my sayed neiphue William Fenner of Chichester whome I doe make whole and sole executor of this my last will and Testament. In witnesse whereof I have written this my will with my hand and have hereunto set my hande and seale to every leafe the second daye of September one thousand five hundred and eighte. Edward Fenner.

Probatum . . . decimoquinto die mensis Aprilis Anno Dm millesimo Sextentesimo Decimoquarto [15 April 1614]: Iuramento William Fenner nepotis ex fratre [By the oath of William Fenner, descendant of the brother] . . .

[*In fine: meaning “to the end,” or “in the end,” almost certainly referring to George, his sole surviving brother.]