Ffolcard Family
Contents
Ffolcard Family
In the history of Sprowston, from the time of human habitation, its land has been owned by many families. But in the the late 14th century the land in Sprowston was segmented and had several owners, the Parish Church through the Bishop of Norwich had many acres, and neighbouring landowning gentry and the currant Lords of the two manor`s held the rest. With these rich gentry, the acres of land that they owned, was occasionally transferred to other landowning gentry through marriage. One of these families was the Ffolcard family of Sparham, who had landholdings in Beeston St. Andrew & Sprowston. A family that through marriage connected to the Coke family.
Sir Edward Coke
Sir Edward Coke SL PC ("cook"), 1st February 1552 – 3rd September 1634) was an English barrister, judge and politician, considered to be the greatest jurist of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Born into a middle-class family, Coke was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge before leaving to study at the Inner Temple, where he was called to the Bar on 20 April 1578. As a barrister he took part in several notable cases, including Slade's Case, before earning enough political favour to be elected to Parliament, where he served first as Solicitor General and then as Speaker of the House of Commons. Following a promotion to Attorney General he led the prosecution in several notable cases, including those against Robert Devereux, Sir Walter Raleigh and the Gunpowder Plot conspirators. As a reward for his services he was first knighted and then made Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. As Chief Justice, Coke restricted the use of the ex officio (Star Chamber) oath and, in the Case of Proclamations and Dr. Bonham's Case, declared the king to be subject to the law, and the laws of Parliament to be void if in violation of "common right and reason". These actions eventually led to his transfer to the Chief Justiceship of the King's Bench, where it was felt he could do less damage. Coke then successively restricted the definition of treason and declared a royal letter illegal, leading to his dismissal from the bench on 14 November 1616. With no chance of regaining his judicial posts, he instead returned to Parliament, where he swiftly became a leading member of the opposition. During his time as a Member of Parliament he wrote and campaigned for the Statute of Monopolies, which substantially restricted the ability of the monarch to grant patents, and authored and was instrumental in the passage of the Petition of Right, a document considered one of the three crucial constitutional documents of England, along with the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights 1689. With the passage of the Petition of Right in 1628, Coke retired to his estates, where he revised and finished his Reports and the Institutes of the Laws of England before dying on 3rd September 1634. Coke is best known in modern times for his Institutes, described by John Rutledge as "almost the foundations of our law", and his Reports, which have been called "perhaps the single most influential series of named reports". Historically, he was a highly influential judge; within England and Wales, his statements and works were used to justify the right to silence, while the Statute of Monopolies is considered to be one of the first actions in the conflict between Parliament and monarch that led to the English Civil War. In America, Coke's decision in Dr. Bonham's Case was used to justify the voiding of both the Stamp Act 1765 and writs of assistance, which led to the American War of Independence; after the establishment of the United States his decisions and writings profoundly influenced the Third and Fourth amendments to the United States Constitution while necessitating the Sixteenth.
John Ffoucher (ffolcard)
As early as 1351 John ffoucher was Rector of Sparham, leaving it for the Rectory of Kirkelyham, Norfolk. In 1378 he was inducted as John ffouke (pronounced ffouker) to the Rectory of Newton, Norfolk, where it is believed that he died in 1390. As a priest he could not have founded the family line of Sparham. Thomas ffolkard of Horstead, Norfolk, is mentioned as Thomas filffuch, who paid a subsidy of 18 pence in Horstead. This Thomas was most likely the son of Ralph ffolcard of Eye, Suffolk. In the year 1435, Thomas Styward of Beston St. Andrew and Alicia his wife, William Taverham and John fflolcard versus John Redell of Salhouse and his wife Cecilia in Beeston. Beeston (Beeston St. Andrew) is close to Crostwick next Norwich, the almost certain birthplace of John de ffolcard. A John ffolcard, tailor, in Norwich date 1485, a John ffulke of the same trade was granted the freedom of Norwich in 1525. Will of John ffolcard of Crostwick by Norwich. 10th November 1512. To be buried in the churchyard of “Crostwick aforesaid”. To High Alter there 6 shillings 8 pence and 20 shillings to paint the porch of the church. To Margaret his daughter 7 acres of land in Horstead for ever and 40 shillings in money. To Alys his wife, all his other lands and tenements in Crostwick and other towns adjacent for ever. All other lands to be sold to make an estate for his said wife,and all other goods and debts to her. She and Edward Empsom executors. The last to have 20 shillings for his labour. Proved a Norwich by executors 16th August 1513.
Will of Alyce ffolcarde of Crostwick next Norwich. To be buried in churchyard there by John ffolcarde late my husband. To High Alter there 3s 4d, and 13s 4d to buy an ornement for said church. To Edward Empsom, her son in law her tenement called “Caltis”, with all my free land a copy land lying in Crostwick, Horstead, Stannyngale a Spixworth for ever. He residuiary legatee and sole exor. 8th October 1514. Proved at Norwich 8th November 1514. A few additional remarks may be made as to the arms borne by this branch of the family. As has been written, it seems to have tinctured the cups Argent instead of Or.
Ye first ffolcard, Lord of the Manor of Sparham, bore arms Sable a Chevron Or. intr. 3. covd. cuppes Argent.
Earls of Leicester Tree.
Earls of Leicester Tree.
Earls of Leicester Tree.
Aslake, ffolcard and Paston
(Note one of the Paston families enemies was the Aslake Family who owned one of the Manors of Sprowston. A lordship in Sprowston was acquired by Johyn Aslake of Bromholm, 14th year of Richard II, and seems to have continued some time in that family. Walter Aslake of Sprowston had the protection in the 10th year of Henry VI, being in France in the retinue of John, Duke of Bedford.)
It is interesting that the correspondence known as “The Paston Letters” was contemporary with John ffolcard`s residence at Sparham. Most of the letters were written by Margaret Paston, who had been a Mauteby of the Manor of Mauteby`s Hall, in Sparham, to her husband. Throughout these the name ffolcard does not occur in its true spelling. Throughout these the name ffolcard does not occur in its true spelling. The nearest approach is one of 25th November 1455.
Further more, as for the matre that my son wrote to me for the box whereon written Falce Carte Sproute (Sprowston) that I should enquire of William Wurcestre where it were, the said William was not at home sen I had his letter.
Possibly Mrs Paston`s amanuensis wrote thus for `Folcard, Sprowston`, it being within two miles from Crostwick next Norwich, John ffolcard probably had lands there, as in 1543 a Thomas ffolcard, a presumed connection, paid a subsidy of 50 shillings on goods in Sprowston valued at £15.00. But though the name in its purity is absent from the Paston Letters, we meet with it several times under the corruptions of ffulchier and ffoke (pronounced ffoker) in reference to residents of Sparham.
It would be beyond belief that three distinct families of these equivalent names were simultaneousely living in such a small place, so it may be concluded the reference in the following extracts referred to our John and a probable brother, or cousin, Roger son of Sparham. The Paston`s later became connected with the Folkard family through the marriage of Lord Chief Justice Coke to Bridget Paston, a family of good standing in Suffolk, Sir Robert Paston was created Earl of Yarmouth by Charles II, a title which became extinct by his son`s failure of male heirs.
1408 - John ffolcard, Spicer given the freedom of Norwich. 1453 – William ffolcard, son of John, given the freedom of Norwich. 1453 – John ffolcard, son of John, was apprenticed to John ffolcard, Citizen and Alderman. 1467 – John ffolcard, Grocer given the freedom of Norwich. In 1435 he was party to the fine respecting lands at Beeston St. Andrew; in 1447 he witnessed a singular deed which is endorsed: Process to absolve, Sir John Hawteyn, Priest, from the Habit, Rules, and Order of Carmelite Friar, where his parents had forced him to take upon him in the house of that order by London before he was 14 years old. Sentence was pronounced for him in Heigham Church (where Thomas ffolcard was Rector) ye last day of March 1447, by John, Abbot of Holm, the Pope`s delegate. After a lengthy interval without mention (apart from the Paston Letters), in 1461 John and his wife executed the deed quoted below, granting power of attorney over the manor`s of Stukehall and Sparham. One of the attorneys was the Galfrid (Geoffrey) Smyth named in the wills both of himself and his brother Thomas. The year 1461, Thomas ffolcard of Heigham, Norfolk. (Rector of that parish.) To be buried in the chancel of the church of that place. For the reparation of the church 20s 8d, and to the Mendicant Friars of Norwich 4 pence. Other charitable legacies. To John ffolcard, his brother, 6s 8d, and one part of his best linen. To the Prior of the Cathedral church at Norwich and his community, for his soul, 6s 8d. To Galfryd Smyth one part of his linen. A third part to Margaret, wife of Thomas Barthelmy. To the church at Sparham, Norfolk, 20 pence. To the High Altar at Norwich 12 pence. Several other legacies to churches in Norwich. Robert Sharyngton, chaplain, and William Amyott, chaplain, exors. Dated 8th September 1461. Proved at Norwich "the penultimate " day of September 1461. 1463. John ffolcard, "Citizen and Alderman of Norwich," 20th September 1463.
