One of my ancestor’s was John Woolton (1535-1594), who was Bishop of Exeter in 1579-1594. I’m looking for information on his first wife and her parents. I do not know her name, or have any dates except that their eldest son was born in 1565. I know where John Woolton was in the years 1563-94, and have checked the relevant registers, but can find no marriage or burials that might fit his wife. I do have bits of information about her father’s job and position, but I do not know his name or any clear dates or locations.
What I know is that in April 1585 certain charges were brought against John Woolton, Bishop of Exeter, including accusations of nepotism. The details of the father-in-law in the accusation were;
1. He was the father of John Woolton’s first wife
2. He was made a minister by Woolton after John married his daughter
3. He was cater to the Duke of Somerset
4. He was unlearned
5. He did not understand Latin
John Woolton wrote a reply to all the accusations on 29th April 1585,in which he wrote about his father-in-law;
1. He did not get his benefice from John Woolton
2. He became a minister 10 years before John Woolton became a Bishop
3. His parish is not under the Bishop of Exeter’s jurisdiction
4. He has a good character, and is “a grave, honest, and godly old man.”
From these statements I can work out these things about John Woolton’s father-in-law;
1. His daughter was John Woolton’s first wife (married bef. 1565)
2. He is still alive in April 1585
3. He is an old man, from John’s point of view
4. He probably didn’t receive a high level of education
5. He was cater to the Duke of Somerset (the cater was in charge of the household food supplies and hospitality. The Duke of Somerset was either Henry Fitzroy, the illegitimate son of Henry VII who was Duke of Richmond and Somerset in 1525-1536, or more probably Edward Seymour, Lord Protector of England, who was made Duke in 1547 and was executed in 1553, with the title falling into abeyance until 1613).
6. He became a minister in about 1569 (John Woolton became Bishop in 1579)
7. He is still a practising minister in April 1585
8. His current parish is not within the jurisdiction of Exeter, but might be close enough to it for people to think it could be
Does anyone have any suggestion about how I could find out who this man was? Are there household records for the Duke of Somerset that might reveal his name? Or lists of ministers who were ordained in certain years? Where do I go from here?
