Gilbert Paige

Origins

No record of his birth survives nor any record of a person named Paige in Barnstaple in the late 16th century. However, in 1590 a certain Ulalia Paige was brought to Barnstaple from Plymouth to be executed for murder, so it is possible that she was pregnant or brought her child with her, possibly Gilbert. The story of her crime is thought to have formed the subject of a lost play called "The Lamentable Tragedie of Pagge of Plemoth" by Ben Jonson and Thomas Dekker. It also forms the subject of a tract entitled "A true discourse of a cruel and inhumaine murder committed vpon M. Padge of Plymouth the 11. Day of February last, 1591, by the consent of his owne wife, and sundry other", being the second of two tracts in "Sundrye strange and inhumaine Murthers, lately committed", published in 1591. It also forms the subject of three old ballads published in the "Roxburghe Ballads" (1874) and is related by Morris in her Tales of Old Devon (1991). The story is as follows: Ulalia had fallen in love with a soldier named George Strangwidge but her father did not approve and forced her to marry an older man named William Paige. She and George then plotted together and murdered William. Shortly afterwards Ulalia confessed her crime to the Mayor of Plymouth and together with George was taken to Barnstaple where they were both tried, convicted and burned at the stake. The first Parish record for Barnstaple which mentions Gilbert is in 1606, namely the birth of his first child William and in this record his name is spelt "Payge", the same spelling used in the record of Ulalia’s execution.

Martin Blake, kinsman

His will dated 1640 bequeathed to his "kinsman Master Martin Blacke the summe of two and twentie shillings, the residue of all my goods and chattailes whatsoever not before given and bequeathed". This appears to be Rev. Martin Blake (d.1673), Vicar of Barnstaple, who in 1634 erected a monument in St Peter's Church to his nine-year-old son and other children, but "as much in allusion to his own position and sufferings", described by Chanter as "perhaps the most noteworthy and interesting monument in the church", "not only a work of art, but of allegorical literature and imagination, telling its tale as fully in its medallions, cartouches and sculptured mottoes as if written - an actual instance of 'sermons in stone'". "The eventful history of the Rev. Martin Blake has been often written in public history and local annals" and his biography is included in John Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy (1714). This "learned and noted man" was born in Plymouth, and suffered much during the Civil War and Commonwealth for his adherence to the Royalist cause. During the Siege of Plymouth he wrote a letter to that town's mayor Philip Francis urging him to stay loyal to the king, and he was suspected of the mainly Parliamentarian townspeople of Barnstaple as having been instrumental in its capture by Royalists. He was thrice dispossessed of the living of Barnstaple, and was on one occasion dragged from his pulpit during a sermon. A letter dated 12 October 1646 was sent by the mayor (Richard Ferris) and aldermen of Barnstaple to Sir John Bampfield on behalf of Blake. During the Civil War he rebuilt "at his own great charge" the Vicarage House at Barnstaple, which largely survives today, at the entrance of Barnstaple Priory (demolished), originally erected on that site in 1311 by the Prior and Convent.

Elizabeth Paige, sister-in-law

His sister-in-law was Elizabeth Horwood (d.1657) ("Mrs Paige") married to one of his brothers of name unknown. She was the founder of "Paige's Almshouses" in Church Lane, Barnstaple, comprising four dwellings of two rooms each, housing eight poor persons. They are situated in Church Lane next to the almshouses known as "Horwood's Almshouses" founded by her brother Thomas Horwood (1600-1658), twice Mayor of Barnstaple, in 1640 and 1653, themselves next to "Horwood's School", a school founded in 1659 by his widow Alice Horwood for "twenty poor maids". As revealed by her last will and testament one of the four was built during her lifetime and she left £100 for the building of a further three, all on the site of a more ancient almshouse.

Landholdings

As revealed by his will he owned or leased the following properties:

A house in Crock Street (now Cross Street), Barnstaple, his residence, much favoured by the wealthy merchants of the town, and forming the route from the port and quay to the old guildhall and high cross, both situated on the high street. He bequeathed it to his wife for the term of 50 years.

A house at the high cross, Barnstaple, in the high street at the top of Crock Street, leased to Robert Leyman.

A "Tenement at Rookebeare in the parish of Ffremington", which as stated in his will he had bought from his brother. This is the farmhouse now known as "Higher Rookabeare", in which survives the ornamental plaster overmantel with date 1630 showing the arms of the Spanish Company and the initials "GP", with "S" below to the left and "WP" to the right.

Garden in Green Lane

Garden and tenement in Bel Meadow.

Marriage

Paige married Sara Cade (born 1583), a daughter of Roger Cade (d.1618) of Barnstaple, Mayor of Barnstaple in 1591. Roger Cade's Uncle Robert Cade was Mayor of Barnstaple in 1570 and Roger's mother was Agnes Salisburie, a daughter of William Salisburie, Mayor of Barnstaple in 1558. Her brother was Samuel Cade (1578-1649) of Fremington, near Barnstaple, and her sister was Catherine Cade (born 1577), the wife of Richard Beaple (1563-1645), of Barnstaple, a substantial merchant, ship owner and member of the Spanish Company who served thrice as Mayor of Barnstaple, in 1607, 1621 and 1635 and whose elaborate mural monument survives in St Peter's Church, Barnstaple. Richard Beaple was responsible for the building and establishment of "Penrose's Almshouses" in Litchdon Steeet, Barnstaple, by far the largest of such institutions in or near the town, as directed in the will of his fellow merchant and fellow Mayor John Penrose (d.1624), and to which Beaple himself made a substantial financial contribution.

Progeny

His progeny by his wife Sara Cade included:

Gilbert II Paige (d. 28 March 1669), whose mural monument survives in St Peter's Church, Barnstaple. In his will his father left him his clothes, both linen and woolen, his armour and swords, the sum of £200, payable within one year after his decease, a garden in Green Lane then in the occupation of Alexander Geadent(?) and a garden and tenement in Bel Meadow, subject to his mother's 50 year interest. He married Mary Tucker (d.1674), daughter of Walter Tucker (d.1653), Mayor of Barnstaple in 1639, by his wife Sara Harris, daughter of Richard Harris, twice Mayor of Barnstaple, in 1626 and 1648, who erected "Harris's Almshouses" in Church Lane, next to "Paige's Almshouses" erected by Elizabeth Horwood, the sister-in-law of Gilbert I Paige. He left a son:

William Paige (1666-1724), of Fremington, who married a certain Elizabeth (d.1693). His mural monument survives in Fremington Church, next to the pulpit.

Roger Paige, whom his father left the sum of £100 to be paid at the end of one year after his death, his house at the High Cross in Barnstaple (subject to his mother's 50 year interest), all the household goods within it and his scarlett gown and best black gown.

John Paige, whom his father left the sum of £100 to be paid at the end of six months after his death, and all his printed books.

Agnes Paige, his daughter, the wife of Thomas Dennys, whom he bequeathed 40 shillings to buy "a peece of plate and to keep it in remembrance of me".

Monument to son

The mural monument to Gilbert II Paige (d.1669) survives in St Peter's Church, Barnstaple, on the south wall of the chancel, although partially obscured by a display case containing a clerical vestment and other furniture. The Latin inscription is as follows:

"Memoriae sacrum Gilberti Paige mercatoris natu nec non moribus vere generosi viri egregiae pietatis erga Deum, fidelitatis erga principem, probitatis erga omnes, qui obiit 28 die Martii 1669, cui parti sunt a Maria uxore charissima (filia Gualteri Tucher mercatoris et Sara uxore eius) Gulielmus et Sara adhuc superstites. Gualterus, Gilbertus, Johannes, Gualterus, Johannes, Richardus, Maria, hoc tumulo adjacente inhumati omnes meritis salvatoris Jesu Christi spe laetae Resurrectionis conquiescentes". (Translated as: "Sacred to the memory of Gilbert Paige, merchant, by birth and indeed by demeanour truly honourable, a man of outstanding piety towards God, of outstanding fidelity to his Prince, of outstanding probity towards all, who died the 28 day of March 1669, to whom were born by Mary his dearest wife (the daughter of Walter Tucker, merchant, and Sara his wife) William and Sara still surviving. Walter, Gilbert, John, Walter, John, Richard, Mary, buried in this mound adjoining, all at peace together in hope of a joyful Resurrection by the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ".)

On top are shown the arms of Paige (Argent, on a bend sable three eaglets displayed or) impaling Tucker (Barry wavy argent and azure, a chevron raguly or charged with five gouttes de poix between three sea-horses passant sable maned and finned of the third), apparently a reference to the arms of the Spanish Company of which many leading Barnstaple merchants were members, with crest of Paige above: A demi-phoenix displayed.

Death and charitable legacies

A copy of his will dated 2 January 1642 and proved 20 May 1647, is preserved in the National Archives, under reference PROB 11/200/411 [3] (Full text on Wikisource s:Will of Gilbert I Paige (d.1647) of Barnstaple). He made the following charitable bequests:

£5 "to be distributed amongst the poore people of the buroughe and parish of Barnestaple at the time of my ffunerall or shortlie after at the discretion of mine executrix and overseers".

40 shillings "to be distributed amongst the poor people of the parish of Ffremington in the said countie of Devon shortlie after my ffunerall by the discretion of my executrix and overseers".

£5 "to the poore people of Master John Penrose's Almshouses (ffive poundes) to be imployed towardes the buyeing of sea coales for the poore of that howse for ever".