Person:Clement Lanier (3)

Gentleman of the King's Chamber" to both James I and Charles I.Initially on the sackbut, but is known as a musician and master of the recorder (musical instrument similar to a clarinet. It is from Clement Lanier and Hannah, his wife, that the Laniers of Virginia (John) and the Barbados (Robert) descend.

The Lanier family of Greenwich, Kent, lost most of their money through lack of employment during the Civil War while Oliver Cromwell was in power as Lord Protector. In his Will of 1657, Clement's brother, Jerome, speaks of his "poore little estate." Clement, in his Will of 1658, instructs his daughter, Hannah, to sell with all convenient speed his personal estate, house, and household stuff in order to fulfill the small legacies he hoped to leave his children. His sons, Nicholas, John, and Robert were to receive bequests if they came in person to claim them. Clement was buried November 6, 1661 in Greenwich, as recorded in the burial register of St. Alfege Church. His will was proved December 3, 1661 and registered May 20,1662.

WILL OF CLEMENT LANIERE

In the name of God Amen The Second day of ffebruary In the yeare of our Lord God, One Thousand Sixe Hundred ffiftie and Eight I Clement Laniere of East Greenwich in the countye of Kent Gentleman beinge sicke and weake of Bodie, Butt of perfect mynde and Memory Praise bee given to Almightie God doe make and Ordaine my last Will and Testament in writeinge ffolloweinge: That is to say ffirst I commend my Soule to Almightie God my maker and Redeemer hopeinge by and through the merritts of my Saviour Jesus Christ after this life End[..] to Enjoye Eternall life and Salvac[i]on Amen And As for my bodie I commend itt to the Earth to bee decentlie buried And for my Worldlie goodes I bequeath As ffolloweth: And ffirst I give and bequeath unto my affectionate and Well deservenige Hannah Lainere my Eldest Daughter whose care and Indulgent Travell, obedient Regard Expressed to mee, and Tender Respecte To my little and Smale children, her brothers and Sisters hath beene so indefatigable, P[....] and good to them and mee, That her merritts might challenge my prayers to the Kinge of Glory, that hee will bee pleased to conferre and Shower downe blessinges upon her: in this world and in the world to come Eternall Glory, And unto whom if I should give and bestowe All I have were too little to bestowe and give unto her, I say to my deserveinge daughter Hannah doe I give All, my howsehold stuffe goodes and Personall Estate, whatsoever, And to my sayed daughter Han[n]ah Lainere doe I devise also the Howse wherein I nowe Live in East Greenwich, Together with the Garden, backe yard and Stable, with the Appurtenances to the said Howse belonginge and which late was in the Possession and Occupac[i]on of Widdow Stimpson, and now in the Tenure and Occupac[i]on of mee the said Clement Lainere Laniere To her the said Hannah Lainere doe I give the said Howse and Howsehold Stuffe with the Appurtenances to her and her heyres for Ever, Chargeinge her And desireinge her, and requestinge her the said Hannah That with all Convenient Speed that she possibly cann To make sale and Sell the said Per[sonall] Goods and Howse with the Appurtenances to the same belongings the better To Enable her to pay the Legacies and Porc[i]ons hereafter specified and Intended And by the sale of them haveinge obtained and Raised Moneys I give out of the said Moneys soe Raised upon the sale of the Goodes Howse and Howse hold stuffe ffourtie Poundes to bee paied to my said Daughter Hannah, And To my Sonne Nicholas Lainere I give ffive poundes if in his owne person hee shall come to demand the same of my Executrix, And give Acquittance for the Receipt thereof, And To my daughter Elizabeth Lainere I give Tenne Poundes, And To my daughter Susann Lainere I give Tenne poundes to be paied them att theire Ages of One and Twentie yeares or dayes which shall first happen, And to my Sonne John Lainere I give ffive poundes if hee come in person to demand the same of my Executrixe, and give a Receipt under his hand and Seale for the same, And To my Sonne Roberte ffive poundes if hee in person hee come to demand the same and give an acquit tance under his hand and Seale for the same. And to my Sonne Lionell Lainere I give ffive Poundes in case hee serve his Master M E Thomas Mabb The ffull tyme of his Apprentishipp, which he is bound to serve, and he demeane himselfe Towards him soe that hee make him a freeman of London otherwise I give him but Twelve pence, And I give Also to my Sonne William Laniere ffive poundes, And to my Daughter ffrances Lainere I give Tenne poundes, And if in case God shall please to take out of this world any of my aforesaid Sonnes or daughters before that they shall Attaine To the age of One and Twentie yeares (beinge not married that then such porc[i]on soe devised and Allotted to them to bee divided Amongst the Surviveinge Daughters Onely, And if in case upon the said Goodes and howsehold stuffe And Howse with the Appurtenances soe much moneyes cannot be raised as will performe and pay the said Legacies soe bequeathed as aforesaid Then my Will and meaneinge is That every of the Legatees my children Shall proporc[i]onably bate Accordinge to itts proporc[i]on, And if in case any controversie doe Arise amonge my children about the abatement of theire proporc[i]ons, or about any other matter That is comprehended in the Will I desire my Assured ffriend Lanncelott Symmonds Esquire and Thomas Candland Gentleman may determine the same without Commenceinge and suite in Lawe, whom I desire to bee Overseers of this my Last Will and Testament And Intreate them to bee aydeinge and Assistinge to my Daughter Hannah in the Sale of the Personall Estate The Goodes, and Land, And I make my said Daughter Hannah Lainere my Sole and Onely Executrix not doubtinge her consienable care in performinge and Executeing the Trust by mee Reposed in her, And I doe hereby Renounce Revoake and call backe All former and other Wills by mee heretofore made In Witnes whereof to this my last Will and Testament I the said Clem Lainere have hereunto sett my hande and Seale the day and yeare ffirst above written: / Clement Laniere / Sealed and Delivered in the pr[esen]ce of Lan Symonds, Ann Dixon William Pill no marke: /

TNA:PCC PROB/11/306

(Transcribed by Sidney Holdrege 2014)

Note: All royal musicians were afforded the title of “Gentleman.” In this context, the word did not convey the usual meaning of a man possessing a coat of arms or an income from property that eliminated the need to work for his livelihood.

1.   Ancestry Family Trees. (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.)
   Ancestry Family Trees.

   http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=16306054&pid=416530806

2. ↑ Burial Register, in St. Alfege Church, Greenwich.
3. ↑ The birth year of Clement Lanier is unknown. It is thought to have been in the early 1580s, as the governing policy for a court appointment was that a recipient be at least in his 20's and Clement received his appointment in 1604.