Thomas Twysell (abt. 1480 - bef. 1544)

Born about 1480 in England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died before 9 Dec 1544 before about age 64 in England

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Biography

Thomas had a distinguished career as an auditor, and worked with the most famous of all auditors, Thomas Cromwell. The dissolution of the monasteries which this generation of auditors performed was an important turning point in English history.

1513, May 18: "Confirmation of a grant by the bishop to Thomas Twesell of the office of auditor of all accounts of receivers, bailiffs, &c., of all lordships, manors and possessions of the see of Bath and Wells, to hold to him for life, and to be exercised by himself or his sufficient deputy, with the accustomed fee and with all due emoluments as fully as Thomas Hobson, late auditor, held it."^[1]

Thomas Cromwell: Servant to Henry VIII, by David Loades mentions Thomas Twesell writing to Thomas Cromwell in 1522, when Cromwell was still a businessman amongst other things.^[2]

1528, in Henry VIII correspondence.

"5089. T. TWESELL to CROMWELL.

Requests him "to take some pain in preferring of my patent unto my lord's Grace; wherein ye shall have my hearty thanks, and part of such as God hath lent me." If it can be obtained, he may deliver it to John Baydon in Dystaff Lane, to be sent to Winchester in the audit time, which will begin 19 Nov. Assures him "that all petitions extraordinary shall have none effect at my hands at this audit," unless he have a special warrant signed by my lord's Grace."^[3]

C 1/618/11. Date: 1529-1532. Short title: Cadarne v The Mayor of London. Plaintiffs: Henry Cadarne, esquire, late receiver in these counties to Henry, earl of Northumberland. Subject: Actions of account by the said earl upon bonds extorted from complainant at Laugharne castle by Thomas Twisell, auditor to the said earl. Certiorari. Carmarthen, Pembroke

E 321/40/82 Description: Walter Wadlond v. Thomas Twesell Answer: office of auditor to the earl of Northumberland in the south of England.^[4]

The auditor to the Earl is mentioned in The Tudor Nobility, edited by G. W. Bernard, in an article about the fall of the house of Percy (Northumberland). This Thomas Twesell is described as the Earl's auditor in the south west, who was dismissed in 1532, having "evidentally engaged in too much plain speaking".^[5]

A link can be made between the auditor of the Earl, and the auditor of the Queen, and the correspondent of Cromwell, because 24 November 1531 there was a note from a Thomas Twesell to Cromwell: "As Tamworth, the auditor, is sore sick at Sion, I beg I may be one of the King's auditors, as you promised me. What I have now is not 50l. a year, for I had 20l. of my lord of Northumberland, and now I have nothing, as the possessions are dispersed."^[6]

In 1533 there was a case brought by a Thomas Twesell in Gloucestershire, against a George, son of a Robert Twesell in Gloucestershire. See also the AALT website for indexing to a scan of one original record.

In 1535, Cromwell received a complaint about a "Doctor" named Hanedon, one of the Friars Minors of Worcester, "Hanedon and other friars lay in wait to have murdered one Thomas Twesell, who had threatened to report Hanedon's vicious living. The day after Hanedon told Nicholas Mokoke of the "Cardinal's Hat" in Worcester, they would have murdered Twesell with his own dagger if he had not been accompanied by his servant."'^[7]

In 1537, Thomas Twesell was granted by the king an annuity of 10 pound out of the possessions of George Twesell, deceased, in co. Glouc., during the minority of Edward Twesell, son and heir of the said George; with the wardship and marriage of the said heir.^[8] (Possibly Margaret had died also by then?)

In 1538, Thomas Twesell "in consideration of his services to the late Queen Consort Jane" was assigned to "be auditor of the duchy of York on this side Trent and of the said late Queen's lands; with fees of 10l. a year and other allowances as enjoyed by the said Thomas or Thomas Combez or any other in that office".^[9]

In 1540 Edward took livery of lands "as son and heir of Geo. Twysell, deceased, and kinsman and heir of John Twysell of Stanley Regis, Glouc., and Joan, late his wife, likewise deceased, viz., son and heir of the said George, son of Edw. Twesell, son and heir of the said John and Joan; viz., of a third part of one messuage and one virgate of land in Stanley Regis, Glouc., whereof the said John died seized (which third part has been in the King's hand from 23 Aug. 11 Edw. IV., for the assignation of the said Joan's dower); and of all the possessions of the said George or John."^[10] This implies two different generations of Edwards: john->Edward->George->Edward. See more below.

In Wicked Women of Tudor England: Queens, Aristocrats, Commoners, by Retha M. Warnicke, it is mentioned (p.64) that Katherine Howard's receiver general was named John Smith, while Thomas Twesell was her auditor.^[11] One such record is from 1540.^[12]

In 1541, a Thomas Twesell was a tax payer in St Botulph's parish in London.^[13]

John Smith had a PCC will made 10 May 1543, died on the 4 Aug. 1544, and was buried at Blackmore. Thomas Twysell was a witness. This will has been partly transcribed on the Blackmore history website^[14], and abstracted in the Smyth book by Copinger,^[15] because it is an interesting and detailed will. It shows a concern that someone had to find a good husband for his young daughters Frances and Dorothy, and that they be brought up honestly and virtuously. It mentions property in Gloucester, which had in recent times been used to maintain "Elizabeth my late wife's mother ... who is right heir to the same after the decease of Thomas Twysell and Elizabeth his wife". From this it seems reasonably clear that John had an earlier wife apart from Dorothy his widow, who had been heir to Thomas and Elizabeth, and it seems her name was Elizabeth.

In the 36th year of Henry VIII (1544/45) a Twesell (maybe Edward?) who was a son of a deceased George Twesell of King's Stanley became an freeman of London, having served his apprenticeship as a haberdasher.

9 December 1544, Henry VIII Letters and Papers. Thomas is mentioned as "late".

Thomas Twissell's will is a PCC will proved 1545, made 1544. There is also a sentence passed about the execution, in the PCC files. The documents make clear that this Thomas had a wife Elizabeth, and that there was nephew named Edward Twisell, who is especially mentioned in the sentence. He also mentions a brother-in-law named William Walker, dwelling in an alley at the sign of the Harrowe in Granon's street in London.

That Thomas who worked for the queen was dead by 1546, and especially connected to this John Smith, "late the queen's receiver", who was also dead by then, seems clear from a reference in the King's letters and papers.^[16]

Elizabeth Twesell of Kings Stanley died as a widow and had a PCC will proved 1545. It left items to Master Clement Smyth, who would be her executor, mistress Smyth his wife, and William, Giles, Frances and Dorathe Smyth among many others. The will does not mention relationships.

C 4/36/57. Date of document after 1544 Date: 1545 Jan 1 - 1600 Dec 31 Description: Clement Smyth, executor of Elizabeth Twysell, executrix of Thomas Twisell v. Edward Twesell: answer and replication

(Clement was brother to John.)

C 4/36/58. Date of document after 1544. Date: 1545 Jan 1 - 1600 Dec 31 Description: Edward Twyell v. Clement Smyth, executor of Elizabeth Twysell, executrix of Thomas Twisell: answer, replication and rejoinder

C 1/1164/55-56. Date: 1544 April 22 - 1547 Feb 15. Short title: Twysell v Twysell. Note: Mutilated. Plaintiffs: Edward TWYSELL. Defendants: Elizabeth, executrix and late the wife of Thomas TWYSELL, his uncle, Richard and William HALYDAIE, and William BENYTT. Subject: Debts of the three last defendants assigned by the said Thomas for the re-building of his house at King's Stanley. Gloucestershire

C 1/1157/30. Date: 1544 April 22 - 1547 Feb 15. Short title: Smyth v Twisell. Note: See C78/4/13. Plaintiffs: Clement SMYTH, executor of Elizabeth, executrix and late the wife of Thomas Twisell. Defendants: Edward TWISELL, nephew of the said Thomas. Subject: Purloining goods and bonds of deceased at King's Stanley. Gloucestershire

C 78/4/13. Date of chancery decree: 22 June 1 Edw VI. Date: 1547 June 22. Short title: Smyth v Twesell. This one is online at the AALT website (wiki, scan). Plaintiffs: Clement Smyth. Defendants: Edward Twesell. Subject of decree: will and legacies of Thomas Twesell, deceased, whose widow was plaintiff's wife.

In 1552 Clement Smith died. In his PCC will he arranges for money inherited from the Twysells to go to "Dorothy daughter of my brother John Smyth deceased", "my said niece to have paid to her at her marriage, &c, the money which the said Thomas Twysell her grandfather bequeathed to her by his last will and testament and a ring with a turcas". Clement describes this Thomas as an auditor.

Note that both John and Clement had second wives after their first Twysell wives died. So these first wives, mother and daughter were not noticed by researchers of the family. Furthermore Copinger misled generations of researchers by proclaiming that Twysell was a misspelling of another more famous surname, Trussell, something he was only guessing, but which he presented as a researched fact. (Copinger was strongly criticized by contemporaries such as Round, but not this particular point.^[17] Probably Copinger was encouraged by the appearance of the distorted spelling "Trymnell" in the Essex visitation pedigree for the Smith family.^[18])

Research notes

His ancestry can be more or less identified as follows...

Legal documents describe his relationship with Edward, the son of George the son of Robert Twysell, as that of uncle and nephew. However, the IPM of Robert mentions two sons, but no Thomas. Uncle and nephew are of course words which are not always used in an exact way.

Concerning the family, the VCH for King's Stanley says that:

"William Marshal granted the estate in 1369 to Hugh Twissell (Cal. Pat. 1367-70, 272.) (d. 1381). (C 136/34(4)/76.) John Twissell died seised of the estate in 1454, (C 139/152/2) and it then passed to successive sons John (d. 1471), (C 140/36/19.) Robert (d. 1501), (Cal. Inq. p.m. Hen. VII, ii, p. 318.) and George (d. 1534). (C 142/56/21.) George's son Edward (L. & P. Hen. VIII, xv, p. 169, which gives Edward's grandfather as Edward instead of Robert. [see below]) in 1548 made a grant of the estate, said to comprise a capital messuage and 60 a. to the lessee, Thomas Winston of Randwick, but was later disputing it with Winston."^[19]

So there seems to be some minor doubt as to whether the father of Thomas was Robert or Edward, although the existence of the IPM in 1501 makes it reasonably sure that at least George's father was Robert. Confirmation is given on a legal record from 1527/8 concerning a debt George owed to Thomas. Although it does not describe their relationship, the scribe has recorded that George was son and heir of Robert de Twysell.^[20]

That IPM of Robert does mention George but not Thomas. Instead it does name a younger brother of George, named Payn.^[21]

Also see VCH article for Standish, where we find the same family:^[22]

In 1435 Hugh Twissell and his wife Joan settled an estate partly in Standish of Joan's inheritance; (C.P. 25(1)/79/89/54; cf. 89/74.) in 1461 John Twissell and his wife Joan settled ah estate in Colethrop that included a pasture called the Haye. (Glos. R.O., D 214/T 27.) The grouping of deeds relating to the Twissells' estate suggests that it was derived from that of William of Colethrop. (Ibid. T 23–30, T 30A.) In 1500 or 1501 Robert Twissell died having settled an estate including 300 a. of pasture called the Haye, 200 a. of meadow in Standish, and 40 a. of arable in Colethrop. His widow Margaret and his son and heir George (Cal. Inq. p.m. Hen. VII, ii, pp. 318–19.) further settled the estate in 1503. (Glos. R.O., D 214/T 29–30; T 30A/14.) George Twissell died holding land in Standish in 1534, (C 142/56/21.) and in 1539 Edward Twissell held an estate called THE HAYES, (Glos. R.O., D 214/T 31.) for which he paid an assized rent to Standish manor. (S.C. 6/Hen. VIII/1248 rot. 13.)

Notice that this gives us a Hugh in 1435, after the first Hugh died. Another record to consider: Close Rolls July 1392, "Order to give John Twysel, son and heir of Hugh Twysel, seisin of his father's lands; as he proved".

A George son of Robert (and his wife Margaret) is also mentioned in some Gloucestershire records of 1503, showing a connection to King's Stanley.^[23] George's mother seems to be a Margaret in the records above but there is also a Joyce Twesyll whose 1524 Gloucestershire will mentions both Kings Stanley, and her son George.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.british-history.ac.uk/wells-mss/vol2/pp231-237
2. ↑ http://books.google.be/books?id=pDWIAwAAQBAJ
3. ↑ 'Henry VIII: December 1528, 26-31', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 4, 1524-1530, ed. J S Brewer (London, 1875), pp. 2208-2254 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol4/pp2208-2254 [accessed 5 December 2015].
4. ↑ http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C8102219
5. ↑ http://books.google.be/books?id=0GS7AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA183
6. ↑ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=77499
7. ↑ Henry VIII: Miscellaneous, 1535', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 9, August-December 1535, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1886), pp. 367-402 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol9/pp367-402 [accessed 29 November 2015].
8. ↑ 'Henry VIII: April 1537, 26-30', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 12 Part 1, January-May 1537, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1890), pp. 477-516 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol12/no1/pp477-516 [accessed 3 December 2015].
9. ↑ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=75803
10. ↑ https://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol15/pp150-181
11. ↑ http://books.google.be/books?id=2Q7IAAAAQBAJ
12. ↑ 'Henry VIII: January 1540, 1-10', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 15, 1540, ed. James Gairdner and R H Brodie (London, 1896), pp. 1-19 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol15/pp1-19 [accessed 2 December 2015].
13. ↑ https://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-record-soc/vol29/pp1-9#mt5-44
14. ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20161202101444/http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/blackmore_john_smyth_will.html
15. ↑ Walter Copinger, "History and records of the Smith-Carington family" Available online here.
16. ↑ 'Henry VIII: July 1546, 1-5', in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 21 Part 1, January-August 1546, ed. James Gairdner and R H Brodie (London, 1908), pp. 582-606. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol21/no1/pp582-606 [accessed 17 August 2016].
17. ↑ See "The Great Carrington Imposture" https://archive.org/stream/cu31924102029414#page/n541/mode/2up
18. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/visitationsofess1314metc#page/174/mode/2up
19. ↑ Kathleen Morgan and Brian S Smith, 'King's Stanley: Manors and other estates', in A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 10, Westbury and Whitstone Hundreds, ed. C R Elrington, N M Herbert and R B Pugh (London, 1972), pp. 245-250 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol10/pp245-250 [accessed 2 December 2015].
20. ↑ CP40 1055 dorses image 10, fourth entry.[1]
21. ↑ The source which gives the "wrong?" name for George's father is Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 15, 1540. It describes Edward as son and heir of George Twysell, deceased, and kinsman and heir of John Twysell of Stanley Regis, Glouc., and Joan, late his wife, then specifies that George was son of another Edward, who was son of John and Joan. It looks like they simply repeated Edward's name.
22. ↑ Kathleen Morgan and Brian S Smith, 'Standish: Manors and other estates', in A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 10, Westbury and Whitstone Hundreds, ed. C R Elrington, N M Herbert and R B Pugh (London, 1972), pp. 233-236. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol10/pp233-236 [accessed 23 June 2020].
23. ↑ Gloucestershire records: 1, 2, 3, 4.

• See the webpage of Andrew Lancaster, who first worked out the Twysell link to the Smyths.