Robert Smythe Gent (1567 - abt. 1600)

Born 1567 in City of London, England

Ancestors

Husband of Ann (Lynford) Vaughan — married about 1596 in London, England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about Dec 1600 at about age 33 in City of London, England [uncertain]

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Biography

Robert Smythe, Gentleman, of Highgate, Middlesex, and Langport [Canterbury], Kent

Robert Smythe was the 6th son (5th surviving son) of Thomas Smythe and Alice Judde.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

In the 1963 edition of the 1568 Visitation of London^[2] he was noted as 7 months old at the time of the Visitation on 01 May 1568.

His probable baptism was that of Robert Smith on 07 Oct 1567 at All Hallows, Lombard Street, City of London.^[7]

Portraits of Robert Smythe, his brothers, sisters and parents, were painted by Cornelis Ketel in 1579-1580^[8][9][10] and most (including the one of Robert) are now owned by the Skinners' Company of the City of London.

Robert was not recorded in the will of his father, Thomas Smythe Esq., the will made on 22 May 1591 and proved on 29 October 1591.^[11] However, Robert did inherit the Manor of Barton alias Longport (Canterbury, Kent) from his father.^[12]

Robert was a beneficiary and co-Executor of the will of his mother, Alice (Judde) Smythe, the will made on 10 Jul 1592, with a Codicil of 22 May 1593, and proved 11 May 1598.^[13]

In the Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe^[14] he was described as Robert Smythe of Highgate, London.

Marriage and Children

Robert Smythe married Ann Lynford, daughter of William Lynford of London.^[5]

Children:

• John Smythe^[15][16] (baptised on 17 May 1597 at All Hallows, Bread Street, City of London, the parish of his wife, Ann Lynford. The entry included the note "John ... son of Mr Robart Smythe who married the daughter of Mr William Lymford of this parish")^[17]
• Thomas Smythe^[16]

Robert, his wife Ann and their son John Smith were recorded in the will of his father in law William Lynford, the will dated 24 May 1598, published and declared 16 Jun 1599 and proved 06 Jul 1599.^[15]

Death

The exact date of death of Robert is unknown, but it was in either Dec 1600 or Jan 1600/1601 (see his will below). He most likely died either in London, Highgate, Middlesex, or Canterbury, Kent.

His place of burial is unknown.

In the will of his eldest brother Sir John Smythe, the will made on 16 Mar 1607/1608 and proved in 1609^[18], he was noted as "Robert Smyth of Langpoorte neere Canterbury deceased".

In the will of his brother Sir Thomas Smythe, the will made in Jan 1621/1622 and proved 1625^[19], Robert was noted as being deceased.

Summary of the Will of Robert Smythe 1601

In his will made on 01 Dec 1600 and proved on 28 Jan 1600/1601^[16] he was recorded as Roberte Smithe of London, gentleman.

He willed that his wife Anne who had inherited certain coppiehold lands in Middlesex (part in possession and part in reversion after the decease of her mother) should surrender these to his youngest son, Thomas Smithe.

Within one month of the coppiehold lands being surrendered, along with the lease of his house in Phillippe Lane within the City of London in which the Testator was then dwelling, Anne would receive £300. His younger son Thomas Smithe was also willed £300, and his portions were to be managed on his behalf by the Executors of the Testator until Thomas was 21 years of age.

The residue of his estate he bequeathed to his eldest son John Smithe. The Testator's lands, tenements and hereditaments within the County of Kent or elsewhere within the Realm of England were to be managed by his Executors until his son, John, was 21 years of age. The will mentioned the wardship of his eldest son but did not record who had been appointed.

He made bequests to: his mother in law; each of his brothers John Smithe, Thomas Smithe, Richard Smithe and Henry Smithe; each of his sisters Davie, Butler, Jone Fanshawe, 'My Ladye' Scott, Harrys and Elizabeth Fanshawe; his cousin Elizabeth daughter to his brother John Smithe being his goddaughter; Mr Napper the Apothecary; Lettis; and Mr Roberte Cranmer.

He also bequeathed all his Italian and French books to Sir John Scott; all his maps and map books to his brother John Smithe Esq; his sword and twenty marks to his brother Richard Smithe Esq to buy him a gelding; and lastly to his son Thomas Smithe the sum of ten pounds yearly during his mother's life (at the discretion of his Executors).

He appointed as his Executors his brother in law Sir John Scott, his brother John Smithe Esq., and his brother Richard Smith Esq.

Sources

1. ↑ Visitation of London 1568. Publications of the Harleian Society. Edited by Howard and Armytage. 1869. Smythe Pedigree p 69 Internet Archive.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Visitation of London, 1568: With Additional Pedigrees, 1569-90, the Arms of the City Companies, and a London Subsidy Roll, 1589. Publications of the Harleian Society. Vols 109-110. London H S and Rawlins S W. 1963. Smyth Pedigree pp 17-18.
3. ↑ Visitation of London 1633, 1634 and 1635. Vol. II. Publications of the Harleian Society. Edited by Joseph Jackson Howard. 1883, p 245 Smyth Pedigree Internet Archive.
4. ↑ Wiltshire Visitation Pedigrees 1623. With additional pedigrees and arms collected by Thomas Lyte of Lyte's Cary, Co. Somerset 1628. The Publications of the Harleian Society. Vol LV and LVI. Edited by G D Squibb. 1954, pp 180-181.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Stocker, J J. Pedigrees of Smythes of Ostenhangar; Kent; of Smythes of Bidborough and Sutton-at-Hone; and of the Smythes of Viscount Strangford, of Dromore, Ireland. Archæologia Cantiana, being Transactions of the Kent Archæological Society. Vol. XX, 1893, pp 76-81 pdf.
6. ↑ Buckler, Benjamin. Stemmata Chicheleana. Oxford Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1765. See No. 1 Internet Archive.
7. ↑ All Hallows Lombard Street, City of London. Register. Accessed via Ancestry.
8. ↑ Hearn K (1995) Dynasties : painting in Tudor and Jacobean England 1530-1630. Tate Publishing.
9. ↑ Treasures of the Royal Courts. Tudors, Stuarts & the Russian Tsars. Dmitrieva O and Murdoch T (Eds). V&A Publishing, 2013.
10. ↑ A Set of Portraits of the Family of Thomas 'Customer' Smythe by Cornelis Ketel. Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest. Expert's Statement. Arts Council, abt 2015.
11. ↑ Will of Thomas Smythe of London. 29 Oct 1591. PROB 11/78/226. The National Archives, Kew.
12. ↑ Lowe, L L S. Mr Customer Smythe. B Litt Diss. Oxford University. Ref: D70-72. 1950.
13. ↑ Will of Alice Smythe, Widow of London. 11 May 1598. PROB 11/91/377. The National Archives, Kew.
14. ↑ Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe. By Lady Fanshaw. Published by Colburne and Bentley, London, 1830.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Will of Willyam Lindford or Lindeford, Merchant Tailor of London. 06 July 1599. PROB 11/94/138. The National Archives, Kew.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2} Will of Robert Smithe, Gentleman of London. 1601. PROB 11/97/37. The National Archives, Kew.
17. ↑ The Registers of All Hallows, Bread Street, and of St John the Evangelist, Friday Street, London. Bannerman W B (Ed.). Publications of the Harleian Society, Registers - Vol XLIII, 1913.
18. ↑ Will of Sir John Smyth of Ashford Kent. 25 May 1609. PROB 11/113/462. The National Archives, Kew.
19. ↑ Will of Sir Thomas Smithe of London. 1625. PROB 11/147/84. The National Archives, Kew.

• Buckler, Benjamin. Stemmata Chicheleana (Oxford Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1765).