Born circa 1500.

1524. John Kyngston of Bristol, merchant to Edward John, William Ballard, William Spratt, John Mayne and Richard Williams of Bristol of 2 tenements in St Thomas Street, St Stephen, Bristol. [Bristol Records Office. St S/D/11/4].

1526. William Ballard was a servant to Thomas Midnall (Mildenhall) ? - It appears from a certain note or memorandum in the custody of me Richard Hakluyt, taken out of an old ledger-book formerly belonging to Mr Nicholas Thorne senior, a respectable merchant of Bristol, written to his friend and factor Thomas Midnall and his servant William Ballard, at that time residing at San Lucar in Andalusia; that before the year 1526, one Thomas Tison an Englishman had found his way to the West Indies, and resided there as a secret factor for some English merchants, who traded thither in an underhand manner in those days. To this person Mr Nicholas Thorne appears to have sent armour and other articles which are specified in the memorandum or letter above mentioned--This Thomas Tison, so far as I can conjecture, appears to have been a secret factor for Mr Thorne and other English merchants, to transact for them in these remote parts; whence it is probable that some of our merchants carried on a kind of trade to the West Indies even in those ancient times; neither do I see any reason why the Spaniards should debar us from it now. [22: Hakluyt, III. 595.] note; Thomas Mildenhall family was of Marriage Hill/Ramsbury, Wiltshire. see; Marriage Hill/Ramsbury Wiltshire. Ballard's.

1530. It may have been Spanish control of Portugal which encouraged Bristol merchants to expand their trade with the Levant, the eastern end of the Mediterranean. As early as the 1530s, a company of Bristol merchants headed by Nicholas Thorne and William Ballard was set up to trade with Sicily and the Levant. The main commodity seems to have been wine, malmseys and muscatels, but it never developed into a regular trade. The civil war in France and the increasing difficulties with Spanish trade led other English merchants to turn their eyes to the Mediterranean and in 1581 the Levant Company was established in London and received a monopoly on the trade. Furious at their exclusion from an area of trade long regarded as particularly their own, Bristol merchants tried to obtain the concession from the Levant Company of the right to send two ships each year. They seem, either formally or informally, to have been successful, because in the1590s a few Bristol ships each year sailed for the eastern Mediterranean. [Bristol & The Wine Trade - Anne Crawford -1984].

1532. will of Robert Thorne. May 17th. — " humbly beseching almyghtie god and our Lady Saint marye and all the Sayntes of heuen to be intercessors for me." To be buried in some convenient church, and "at my buriyng to be said Masse and dirige as a cristen man' ought to haue." Testator refers to two chests " in the whiche ar 33 peccs blacke app'teynyng to Georgio Catanio more ij helles of Perles m'ked w* a Spectacles, in the which is cc peerles that ar also the said Georgio." To the children of sister Katharine Woselay £100 apiece. To sister Alice Jackman five hundred marks ; also to the said Alice and her children "all that Thomas Jackman hir husbonde dothe rest owyng me at this p'sent day whiche is ffive hundreth poundes and not certen dettes that hathe p'ceded of Oyle and Sheepe whiche dettes do app'teyne to me and not lrym. but oonly J becpuethe the ready money that he owethe me for rest of accompte. to his wife and Childerne to the Su'me of the said CCCCC poundes litle more or lesse." To Edmund Wythypoll £50 sterling ; and to Eliza- beth Wythipoull his sister "other il'yftye poundes." To the children of John Wythypoull of Maumsbury £50, to be " rep'ted among them after the discrecion of my Master Poule Wythipoll." To James and Thomas Thome, children of my uncle William Thorne deceased, £50 apiece ; and " asmuche more to the ij doughters of the said Willyam Thorne the oon maried in the Citie the other in Maydestone." Towards the making up of "the ifree Scole of Saint Bartholomeus in Bristowe" £300 sterling, "and more that my lorde Dalaware Ouethe as by his Obligacion Appercthe." To the relief of " the pore Co'mons of Bristowe" £300, to be "rep'ted after the discre- cion of ij of the best men of concyens that may be founde in eu'y p'isshc of the said Towne." Towards the redemption of the fee-farm and prisage of the said town of Bristowe £200, if "redemed w'in this iij yeres." To Agnes Amayne, and to her sister "tlierc maried in Bristowe," £30 apiece. To god- son Robert Thorne, son of brother Nicholas Thorne, £100. To son Vincent Thorne, being in Spain, £3000 sterling, "whiche J will that Carolo Catanio that hathe the kepyng of hym at this p'sent in Spayne shall reteyne of the goods of myne that the said Carlo Catanio ami his brother hathe to the vse it benefitt of my said Childe till he be of lawfull age and setting it at Seynt Georges in Jeane." If the said Vincent sliouhl die before he come to lawful age, his said legacy is to return to testator's heirs. To Anagaria (Anna (Ian-era), mother of t Ik- Baid V incent, £50, on condition of her renouncing all pretence of inheritance of the bequest of her said son. To the five almshouses in Hiistowc £100. To Thomas Lucar, William Ballarde, Francis Fowler, Thomas Cornell, John Shipman, John Messam, Thomas Tyson, Humphrey Coston, William Pyekeryng, William Harper, and John Woseloy, £10 apiece. To Emanuel Lucar £10. To Thomas Moll. It, ma fir in the ( liannnar School in Bristowe, Note.s of Bristol Wills. 181 £25. To Robert Moffett, his son, £10. The sum of £500 for poor house- holders in the twenty-five wards of the eity of London, " of whiche is p'te alreily delyu'ed. by Manuel Lucar to my Maister Poule Wythypoull." Tlie debts owing by the said Poule, and by William Dyott (?), of Bristowe, Ralph Onley, William Pepwall, and Benet Jaye, all " thise forsaid dettes J forgone And bequethe it to eu'y of them and wuld not it be axed." To sister Alice " late wife of Thomas Jackman for her. ij. Childerne. c. poundes Apece beside that bequest beforewrytten." To Manuel Lucar, testator's servant, £100 sterling in money " for to occupy for his owne behofe for the space of. v. yeres vpon his owne Obligacion w'out any Suerties." Towards the relief of prisoners in this city of London £50. Towards the " mariage of pore May dens " in London £50. To the relief of poor prisoners in Bristowe £50. For the marriage of poor maidens there £50. To the making of a place for merchants "in the Strete where it shalbe thought by my Executors" £100, on condition that it be made within three years after tes- tator's decease. To the reparation of the highways from Co'mer marsh to Bristowe £100; also " towardes the Rep'acyons Abowte bristowe of the highe ways. c. poundes." To Aldermary church in Watling-street £10. To St. Nicholas's church of Bristowe £20. The sum of £20 to each of the four orders of friars in Bristowe, the one half for the reparation of their churches and houses, and the other for their sustentation. To the four prisons about London, that is to say, Newgate, Ludgate, King's Bench, and Marshal- sea, £100, to be delivered by the executors, a noble every quarter of a year to every house in bread, till the said £100 be consumed and paid. To the prisons of Bristowe £100, to be bestowed in like manner. The sum of £300 to be " disposed " in the Chamber of Bristowe, " to thentent that yerely may be made p'vision of Corne And wudde for the Succor of the pore Com'ons a'd to be bought as muche Corne and wudde as that amounteth to. in tyme of best Chepe. And to be delyuered vntothem at that Price in tyme of best chepe. when it is wurthe more, So that always the said ceo poundes do con- tynue in the said Chambre." Testator also willed that £500 be " deposed in the said Chambre of bristowe" for the succor of young men minded to clothmaking in that town; so that "he that wulde bynde hymselfe and gene best Suertie and make in dede moost Clothe shall enyoye moost money w'out payng any intresses. but that he shall retornc the Money that he receavethe into the Chambre at thende of xij monethes After suche forme as my Executors shall devise." To Collyngs wife "of this Citie," daugh- ter to cousin William Thorne, £20. Brother Nicholas Thorne to "inherytt" all the rest of the goods, and " to rep'te it in good dedes of mercy to the relyef of the Comons of bristowe ;" the poor people to have £500 above the bequests aforesaid. The sum of £1000 to be "distributed and ordred As my Executors shall seme best for my Soule." The residue of all goods " Aswel onthisside the See as beyonde the see," to brother Nicholas Thorne. William Wy thy poule, " my Maister," and Emanuel Lucar to be executors, and have £20 apiece. Harry Hubberthorne overseer, to whom £20. Wit- nessed, May 18th, 1532, by Richard Reignolde, mercer, and Thomas Howson, William Macham, and Edward Bawne, clothworkers. Proved at London, Oct. 10th, 1532. A note states that William Shipman, Mayor of the town of Bristowe, and the Commonalty acknowledged the receipt of £500 at the hands of >- 2 182 Notks of Bristol Wills. Emanuel Lucar, executor of the will of Robert Thome, late of London, merchant tailor, Nov. 3rd, 25 Henry viii. ; and of £300 "by thendes" of Nicholas Thorne, Feb. 18th, 25 Henry viii. Then follow the "ordinances," to which reference has been made in the Introduction. The families of Thorne and Lucar were connected by marriage with the Wythipools ; as appears by the pedigree of Wythipool, entered at the visitation of Suffolk in 1561, and that of Lucar, entered at the visitation of Somerset in 1623.

1538. William Ballard affirmed a complaint of debt against a certain Hugh Pryste as follows: William Ballard of the town of Bristol merchant complains of Hugh Pryste of Hartland in the county of Devon merchant in a plea of debt on a demand of £50 sterling [AALT].

1541. William Ballard married Alice Welthe on the 17th of Apr 1541 at St Nicholas Church, Bristol.

1543. 20th May  Edward Jones, merchant to William Ballard and others, feoffees of ?a tenement on St James Back, St Stephen. [Bristol Records Office. St S/D/10/3].

1548.  Margaret Wudhouse. Sept. 24th. — "of the Citie of Bristowe widowe late the wif and executrix of the testament and last will of Nicolas Wudhouse late of the same Citie tanner deceaced." To be buried in the parish church of St. Peter there. To the high altar of the same, " for my teithes and oblacions negligentlie forgoten in discharge of my soule," v s . Agnes Wudhouse, daughter of the said Nicholas, to have £20 of lawful money, according to his will, and other £20 of the money owing by Robert Butler and others, "for dyuers considerations." But if the said Agnes and Richard Cawse " at any tynie herafter to vex (sic ) or troble " the executors before the day of pay- ment, the £20 due from Robert Butler is not to be paid to her. To the said Agnes " twoo Gownes of my owne wearing clothes wherof oon is lyned w* saie and thother is lyned w* chain blett ; " also three partlets, four smocks, &c. To Richard Cause, and the said Agnes, his wife, and their lawful heirs, the dwelling house of testatrix, " sett and liyng vpon the were in the Suburbies of the Citie of bristowe ; " and another house or messuage in the same part, lately purchased of Harry Brayne, esquire; also "a nother house or stable," set and lying in "saint Marye strete," purchased of Francis Stradling, esquire. In default of issue, rem. to William Cowper and his wife Margery and their lawful heirs. The executors to have the rents and profits of the property " vnto suche tyine that the said Richard Cawse com' and be of the full age of xix yeres," distributing the profits among the poor. To the said Richard and Agnes all the interest possessed by testatrix for a term of years in a certain garden adjoining her house; also "tenne dikcr of lether," &c. To the said Richard Cause " all the barke being in my house concernyng tanners crafte." When William Ballarde and others have paid their debts, the sum of £10 is to be bestowed for the reparation of highways beside Stokes Croft, co. Gloucester. To the " rep'acions and maynteynyng of saint Peters Plompe " X s . To Thomas son of William Cowper x s . To Giles Cowper and Agnes Cowper, " doughters " of the same William, xx s apiece, to be paid in money for the salt sold to the aforesaid Robert Butler. Legacies also to Elizabeth Willyams, Agnes Tomkyns, Edith Darbie, William Jones, the younger, and Eleanor, Margaret, and Joan, daughters of William Jones, John Jurden, tanner, servant Agnes Willyams, and late servant Joan Evan. The sum of £6 for expenses at the month's mind and burial. Forty shillings to be distributed at " the tyme of my dethe " to priests, clerks, and poor people. William Cowper and William Jones to be executors, and distribute the residue for the soul of testatrix and that of her husband " iu 184 Notes of Bristol Wills. wurkes of marcie pittie and eharytie." To the said executors £10. Hugh Jones overseer, to whom £5. Witnessed by Rouland Cowper, Philip Frier, shoemaker, William Knyght, Griffith Jones, and Thomas Lewys. Proved in the cathedral of the Holy and Undivided Trinity at Bristol, Oct. 31st, 2 Edward vi.

1554. Will of WILLIAM BALLARDE Merchant of St Stephen, Bristol.

April 12th. Testator, who was a "Cytisen and Merchant of Bristoll," describes Queen Mary as "of the Churches of Englande and Irelande ymmediatlye vnder Christe the supreme headde;" and desires to be buried in the church of St. Stephen, or elsewhere, as "yt shall please godd to appoyntte the same." The sum of £5 for poor householders of St. Stephen's parish, and other places ; and a like sum to be given " in co'mon almys" at the burial, or two days after, in bread or money. Ten shillings to every almshouse within the city and suburbs "not havying An'uall Rentes," To sister-in-law SYBLE BALLARDE vjii? xiijs iiijd in money, and all the " Cattle and other furnytures" in her custody at Hardwick, on condition that "she remayne wydowe," and keep nourish, and do honestly entreat, order, and quide testator's two sisters JANE and JOAN BALLARDE during their lives, "yf she do lyve so long as I trust in god she shall for their comforts," if the said SYBLE should marry during the lives of the two sisters, she is to have "but iiij? Only." To ANNE BOLARDINE widow, towards her marriage xiij? Vjs viijd ; also for her life, a tenament in "Redclyffe streate" inhabited by HUMPHREY JONES, shearman, of the value of forty shillings by the year : and a tenament "lying before saynt Stephyns Church dore," inhabited by JOHN POWER, cofferer ; rem. to ALICE BALARDYNE "one of my smalle goblets gylte and six spones," The sum of £20 to be delivered unto some honest man, who is to be bound "wth sucrtys" to pay JOHN CLUNE, mason, during his life xijd weekly, and to keep the said sum after after the death of the said JOHN CLUNE, until the marriage of the aforesaid ALICE BALARDINE. If ALICE should die before her marriage, the money is to be for her mother ; and if the latter be also dead, it is to be given "gevyn to the marriage of pore maydens." To ANNE HEM'YNG three tenements on Redcliffe hill, for her life ; reversion to THOMAS GOODALE and his heirs for ever. To godson WILLIAM HEMYNG, and to his lawfull issue, a tenement lying "in Wynestreatte," inhabited by JOHN OATTLEY, goldsmith ; in def., rem. to THOMAS GOODALE and his heirs. To servant KATHERINE SMYTHE £5 at her marriage ; but if she should die unmarried, the money is to be given to the marriage of "other pore Maidens within the Cytie," To the forenamed JOHN CLUNE " a gowne of myne Rattes color furryd with blake A fryse cote A marble cote Two shyrtes," &c. To ROBERT BUTLER, merchant, £50, and he to pay to "my sisters JANE and JOHAN BALLARDE during there lyfes" £4 by the year. o wife ALICE BALLARDE £100 in money, and all the plate " that I hadd with her," household stuff, &c. She also to have and enjoy during her life, testator's dwelling house, and all his other tenements ; also £20 by the year, to be paid quarterly by ROBERT BUTLER, merchant, to whom the sum of £200 is to be delivered ; the said money to be repaid at "the end of iiij or years next after the decease of my wife." To the said ROBERT, and after his decease, to his eldest son FRANCIS BUTLER, and to his heirs for ever, testator's dwelling house, with the appurtenances, "sett lying and being in Balland street." To the said ROBERT "my Ryng with a Rubye." To Mr THOMAS TISON " my gilte hanger with A Christall ballet." To Mastress TYSON a gown cloth "of my fine clothe." To GEORGE SNYGG "my Sword and a gowne clothe of my fine clothe," To the said GEORGE's wife a gown cloth of the same. To servants ROGER AFYLDE and WILLIAM TILER forty shillings apiece. To MAULBE "my women" twenty shillings, &c. "I will that my sister JANE or JOHAN' BALLARDE who doth possesse my howse and grouwnd therto belonging at Hardewyke in the countie of Harforde that they or either of them at the nexte cowrte holden in the Lordshippe do acknowledge and nomynate THOMAS GOODALE aforesaid or Kynsman' to be the nexte heire." ROBERT BUTLER merchant, to be sole executor, and have the residue of unbequeathed goods. He is to "make ij Ryngs of the value of xI? In golde," to be given for tokens to JAMES BAILYE and his wife. Legacies to ELIZABETH and BRIDGET BUTLER, daughters of the said ROBERT, to the aforesaid THOMAS GOODALE, and ALICE BOLARDYNE, Mr WILLIAM CARR, merchant, and THOMAS TYSON to be overseers, and have a gown apiece. 

Proved in the Cathedral Church of Bristol, April 24th 1554.

[BRISTOL WILLS "Wadley". 303 - WILLIAM BALLARDE "WILL"]. [Source, Great Orphan Books Of Bristol]. [ajb copy held]

1554. [Glouc]A. 12680. Counterpart of bargain and sale, 1 January, 4 Elizabeth, by Henry Sharington of Lacook, co. Wilts, esquire, brother and heir to Sir William Sharington, knight, to John Younge, of the city of Bristowe, esquire, in consideration of 113l. 6s. 8d. of (1) a tenement or storehouse 'upon the key' in the parish of St. Stevens, late in the tenure of William Shipman, now of William Carr, merchant, late parcel of the possessions of 'Cannynges Chauntery,' founded within the church of Ratclyff, between a storehouse late Henry Sharington's now Thomas Shipman's and a storehouse late William Tyndall's now occupied by William Aprice, extending from the key eastwards to the end of a tenement in Marshe Street, on the south side; (2) a 'tenement burgage or rent,' in the occupation of John Gorneye, merchant, in 'Balamstrete alias Baldwyn- strete,' in the parish of St. Leonardes, sometime belonging to the 'Chaunterie or service called Katheryn Jonnes service,' founded in the parish church of 'the Hollie Trinitie otherwise called Christes churche,' between the tenement late belonging to William Ballarde, merchant, deceased, now in the 'occupieng' of George Snyg, merchant, on the west, and a tenement in the 'occupieng' of Thomas Dixson, 'gonnar,' on the east, extending from the said street northward to the 'towne wall next to the marches there southward,' 'and in bredth from the orcharde grounde of James Baylies merchaunt estwarde unto the house and gardeine sometime in the tenure of Robert Butlares,' now of George Snygg, westward; which storehouse Sir William Sharington bought inter alia of Sir Myles Partridge knight, deceased, and Hughe Partridge, gentleman, Sir Myles' brother, as appears by indenture between them, dated 3 October, 2 Edward VI, and the tenement or burgage of the said Hughe Partridge, the survivor, as appears by indenture 24 December, 1 Mary. English. Signed John Yonge. Seal. ['Deeds: A.12601 - A.12700', A Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Deeds: Volume 5(1906), pp. 349-366.].

1572. Goodall v Combe - Plaintiffs, Alice Goodall and Elizabeth Goodall, heirs of William Ballard of Bristol, merchant [JFP]. title to land in the manor of Ersland or Gardisland in Hardwick. [National Archives, London, REQ 2/211/13]. note; Close to Letton, Eardisland is a village and civil parish on the River Arrow, about 5 miles west of the market town of Leominster, Herefordshire. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Upper Hardwick, Lower Hardwick).