Ancestors of Captain Arthur Fenner

John Fenner

John Fenner of Ifield (or Crawley), Sussex, was born in 1507 and died at West Hoathly, Sussex, in 1553. He was the son of Thomas and Jo Anne Fenner. He m Eleanor Gorynge (or Goring) [ca. 1506/8–1579], daughter of Sir William Gorynge and Elizabeth Covert, in the 19th year of Henry VIII (1528). Her ancestry was included in William Berry’s Pedigrees of the Families in the County of Sussex (1830). In the British Library Harley MS 1562, it says John Fenner married a daughter of John Goring. The resolution of this apparent discrepancy is unclear. In his will, John asked to be buried by the parish church of West Hoathly.

Eleanor moved to Chichester after the death of John to be near her seafaring sons. She wrote her own will, dated 7 Jan. 1577. In it, she asked to be buried at the Chichester Cathedral, and in Edward the Younger’s will he confirmed his mother was buried there and he wanted to be buried there too. She made her daughter Katherine sole executor of the will. Her will was proved on 23 Nov. 1579.

1. John [b 1529; d bef 1579] of Ifield, m daughter of Edward Boughton.

2. George [b ca. 1530; d 26 Oct. 1618 at Charterhouse, Surrey, England], sea captain, British Navy.

3. William.

4. Edward the Elder [b ca. 1535; d 1614] of Hayes, judge.

5. Edward the Younger [b ca. 1536; d 1614], sea captain, British Navy.

6. Thomas [b ca. 1544; d 1596], Vice Admiral, British Navy.

7. Katherine [b —; d aft 1579].

8. Daughter (Elizabeth?), m — Elliott.

9. Daughter, m — Boffe[?].

Lineage:
John | Thomas | John | Thomas | John

Sources:
1. Information from the work of Jen Blyth on Ancestry.com. Note: Blyth refers to William Fenner [1531–1589], rear admiral in the British Navy, as brother to captains Thomas, George, and Edward, but Thomas Fenner referred to William as his cousin. See State Papers Relating to the Defeat of the Spanish Armada (1894), p. 172; also Papers Relating to the Navy During the Spanish War, 1585–1587 (1898), p. 299.
2. Thomas Benolt, et al., The Visitations of the County of Sussex (London: 1905), p. 107: Archive.org
3. William Berry, County Genealogies: Pedigrees of the Families in the County of Sussex (London: Sherwood, Gilbert & Piper, 1830), pp. 138–139: HathiTrust

Will of Eleanor Fenner
Prerogative Court of Canterbury

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN The Seaventh Day of January, in the yere of oure Lorde one Thousand five hundred Seaventy Seaven, I Elenor Fenner, the unprofitable [servante] of God, beinge weake in bodye not withstandinge stronge in mynde doe ordaine and make this my Last will and Testament in maner and forme followinge. And doe willinglye and with a free harte render and give againe into the handes of my Lorde and God my spirite, w[hi]ch he of his fatherly goodnes gave unto me, when he fashioned this my bodye in my mothers wombe, and by this meanes

makinge me A living creature, nothinge doubtinge but that my Lorde God for his mercies sake sett forthe in his precious blood of his deerelie beloved sonne Christe Jesue, oure alone Savioure and redemer, will receave my soule into his glorie, and place it in the Company of the heavenlie Angells and blessed saintes And as concerninge my bodye even with a good will and free harte I geve it ov[er], comendinge it unto the earthe whereof it came, nothinge doubtinge but that accordinge to the Article of oure faithe at the greate daye of the gen[er]all resurrection, when we shall all appeare before the judgement seate of Christe. I shall receave it againe by the mightie power of God wherewith he is hable to subdue all thinges unto him [], not A Corruptible mortall weake and vile bodie, but an uncorruptible, Immortall, stronge, p[er]fecte in all points like unto the glorious bodie of my Lorde and Savioure Jesue Christe. And as concerninge the temporall goods w[hi]ch my Lorde God hath hether to lent me. I will and bequeathe unto the mother Churche of the Cittie of Chichester Tenne shillinges where in I will my bodie to be buried. Also I will and bequeath to everye parishe with in the saide Citie of Chichester six shillinges eighte pence to be bestowed amongest poore of the saide parishes. Also I will and bequeathe unto eache of the Children of my Daughter Elliott nowe livinge three poundes six shillinges eight pence. Item. I geve and bequeathe unto every one of the Children nowe livinge of my daughter Borffe Three poundes six shillinges eighte pence. Item. I will and bequeathe unto my [Servante] Belchamber Three poundes six shillings eight pence, with somes so bequeathed unto my daughters children. I will it to be paide within one yeare after my departure. The reasidue of my goods and Chattells not bequeathed my debtes paide and funeralls dischardged. I geve and bequeathe unto my Daughter Katherine whome I ordaine and make her the sole Executrix of this my Last will and Testament, desiringe and requiringe all the reste of my children to be ayders and helpers unto her. And I doe further desier and requier my sonnes, as George Fenner, William Fenner, Edwarde Fenner th’elder, Edwarde Fenner the younger, and Thomas Fenner to be the overseers of this my Last Will and Testament, Requiring them as they will annswere before God to see this my Last will and Testament truly p[er]formed accordinge to my meaninge, as I have noe doubte of theire fidelities therein. Witnesses unto this my Last will and Testament thees names followinge: Edwarde Vimes[?], George Fenner th’elder, Edward Fenner the younger, George Fenner the younger, John Belchamber, Arnolde Laclote.

PROBATUM . . . Vicesimo tertio die mensis Novembris Anno D[omi]ni millenio, Quingentesimo, Septuagesimo nono.