TOWSE, William (1551-1634), of Bassingbourne Hall, Takeley; Witham, Essex and the Inner Temple, London; later of Serjeants’ Inn, Fleet Street, London.

Family and Education

bap. 2 Aug. 1551, Soc. Gen. Henham par. reg. 2nd s. of William Towse (d.1559) of Henham Hall, Essex and ?Agnes. Essex Wills: Bp. of London’s Commissary Ct. 1558-69 ed. F.G. Emmison, 149. educ. Christ’s, Camb. 1567, Clifford’s Inn, I. Temple 1572, called by 1584. Al Cant.; I. Temple admiss. database; Cat. of Mss in I. Temple ed. J. Conway Davies, iii. 1323. I. Temple Admiss. incorrectly describes him as being of ‘Hingham, Norf.’ and omits the information concerning Clifford’s Inn. m. (1) (?with £400) by 1587, Feet of Fines for Essex, vi. 1581-1603 ed. F.G. Emmison, 51. Joan, da. of John French of Maidstone, Kent, bencher of the I. Temple, 1s. d.v.p. 3da.; Vis. Essex (Harl. Soc. xiii), 505. (2) by 1623, Katherine (d. 3 Mar. 1633), da. of Thomas Banks, surgeon of London, wid. of Bartholomew Soame (d.1595), Girdler of London and Sir Thomas Barnardiston (d.1610) of Witham, s.p. E. Anglian, n.s. iii. 210. d. 22 Oct. 1634. C142/525/121(2). The date given in Les Reportes de Sir William Jones (1675), p. 350, is incorrect. sig. Will[ia]m Towse.

Offices Held

J.p. Essex by 1593–d., Cal. Assize Recs. Essex Indictments, Eliz. ed. J.S. Cockburn, 393; T. Rymer, Foedera, viii. pt. 2, p. 8; HMC 10th Rep. iv. 505. Saffron Walden, Essex by 1602–d.; C181/1, ff. 35v, 231; 181/4, f. 174. commr. subsidy, Essex 1593 – 94, 1597 – 99, 1604, 1606 – 10, 1622, 1624, Colchester, Essex 1624; Eg. 2644, f. 171; SP14/31/1; Essex RO, D/DSh O.4; E115/19/83; 115/29/31, 43; 115/56/13; 115/60/38; C212/22/21, 23. trustee, High Roding g.s., Essex 1597–d.; Essex RO, D/DU 886/51. commr. gaol delivery, Havering-atte-Bower, Essex 1601–31, C181/1, f. 10; 181/4, ff. 81v, 86v. Colchester 1618–d., C181/2, f. 329v; 181/4, f. 153v. charitable uses, Essex 1601, 1604, 1607, 1610 – 14, 1620, 1629, C93/1/12; 93/3/3, 12; 93/4/4, 9; 93/5/7, 16; 93/6/6; 93/8/5; 192/1, unfol. oyer and terminer, Home circ. by 1602-at least 1626, C181/1, f. 15; 181/3, f. 208v. Essex 1629, C181/4, f. 1v. sewers, Dunmow to Maldon, Essex 1607, Dengie Hundred etc., Essex 1607, Havering and Dagenham levels, Essex 1622, Rainham bridge to Mucking mill 1627, C181/2, ff. 32, 33; 181/3, ff. 43, 234. depopulations, Hunts. and Beds. 1607, C205/5/1, 3. piracy, Essex 1608, HCA 14/39/217. aid 1609, SP14/43/107. seize goods and property of Edmund Hamond of Debden, Essex 1610, E178/3792. highways’ repair, Essex 1622, survey Tiptree Heath, Essex 1623. C181/3, ff. 68v, 95.

Auditor (jt.), treas.’s accts. I. Temple 1586, 1588, 1593, 1596, 1600, 1604, steward’s accts. 1595, 1583, 1591, 1601, steward (jt.), reader’s dinner 1592, bencher 1595 – 1614, reader’s attendant 1596, summer reader 1597, CITR, i. 326, 340, 354, 376, 382, 385, 403, 408, 412, 415, 417–18, 435, 444. treas. 1607 – 08, Lent reader 1610; sjt.-at-law 1614; Order of Sjts.-at-Law, 179. recorder, Saffron Walden by 1615–d., C181/2, f. 231; 181/4, f. 174. town clerk, Colchester 1618–?d. C181/2, f. 329v.

Parlimentarian

TOWSE, William (1551-1634), of Bassingbourne Hall, Takeley; Witham, Essex and the Inner Temple, London; later of Serjeants’ Inn, Fleet Street, London.

Main residences: Bassingbourne Hall, Takeley and Witham, Essex and the Inner Temple, London; Serjeants' Inn, Fleet Street, London.

Author

A.D.T.

Volume

Commons 1604-1629

Web Title

TOWSE, William (1551-1634)

Will

Estates

Oxford 1644

Addresses

Religion

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