Person:Edward Stradling (41)

Letter CLXXXVIII - Traherne, page 239

                  Sir Edward Stradling's will.
                                
     Sir  Edward died in his 80th year, May 15th 1609.    His will

was proved in the prerogative court of Canterbury on the 19th of October following. He desired to be buried in the chapel of St Mary, built by his father adjoining the parish church of St Donats, betwixt his Great Grandfather and Grandmother on the north side and his father on the south side. To his loving cousin Sir John Stradling he gives his signet or ring of gold, which he used as seal withal and that of silver with his whole arms and crest: and his armour and all manner of double bases, single bases, muskets, calivers, pistols etc, pikes, steel saddles, jacks, bows and arrows and other provision and furniture touching and for wars: and all his library of books and writings: -

    "except fifty copies of Dr John David Rhy's  Welsh Grammar and
    his Roman and ancient coins.    He leaves £600 to the children
    of his cousin Lamrock Stradling to be taken and had in his own
    chest where his ready money doth remain.  To this he gives his
    yeoman servants coat clothes of broad black cloth and the rest
    to  have  as well - boys as men, black clothes of frieze  that
    shall be good.   The women servants to have gowns of the same.
    His  body  to  be carried within twenty-four hours  after  his
    decease without pomp or great preparation."

No common dole to be dealt for him but £23 to be doled for him shortly after amongst the poor people within such parishes only where he has lands except Llangynor - where he was reared, twenty- six parishes in Glamorganshire are enumerated and five in Somersetshire. He gives to Sir John Stradling his interest in a bond for six thousand pounds from the late Earl of Pembroke and the Lord Lisle concerning my lady, his wife's jointure not doubting that but he will see himself and his heirs discharged of the trust put in me. To the poor prisoners in Cardiff gaol and the poor people of the almshouse there two bolls and six bushels of wheat. He recommends that his widow should continue to reside in the castle and gives to her and to Sir John Stradling the use of the stock, furniture, implements etc. The will contains many small bequests to various persons. He appoints his beloved wife Dame Agnes Stradling executrix and John Lord Lumley executor. His wife Agnes, daughter of Sir Edward Gage of Firle in Sussex was born in 1547, married in 1566 and was buried at St Donats February 1st 1624.

Sir Edward's mother was a Gamage and in consequence of this relationship was supposed to have a voice in the disposal of the hand of his niece. Barbara Gamage, the only child and heiress of Sir Thomas Gamage of Coity. The 'Stradling Correspondence' has a curious letter from the father of one of Barbara's suitors, entreating the good offices of Sir Edward and Lady in his son's behalf.

Letter CXXXVII from Traherne page 163

     Young  Mr  Johns did not succeed in his "suete"  despite  the

interest which was made for him by his father. Barbara, perhaps, was wilful and had a mind of her own, for on the 23rd of September 1584 she was married at St Donats Castle to Sir Robert Sydney, afterwards to become Earl of Leicester in the presence of Sir Edward Stradling, enry Earl of Pembroke and doubtless a goodly assembly of county notables. In the midst of such magnificence she must have left Glamorganshire and with this scene, disappeared from our local history altogether; and her name and lineage has now altogether vanished except from the mouth of tradition.

1. ↑ St. Donat's Burials, in Glamorgan Parish Registers.