![AmyasBampfyldeNT352375](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/AmyasBampfyldeNT352375.jpg)
Sir Amyas Bampfylde (''alias'' "Amias Bampfield" etc.) (1560 – 9 February 1626) of
Poltimore
Poltimore is a village, civil parish and former manor in the East Devon district, in the county of Devon, England. It lies approximately northeast of Exeter. The parish consisted of 122 households and a population of 297 people during the 2 ...
and
North Molton
North Molton is a village, parish and former manor in North Devon, England. The population of the parish in 2001 was 1,047, decreasing to 721 in the 2011 census. An electoral ward with the same name also exists. The ward population at the ce ...
in Devon, England, was a Member of Parliament for
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
in 1597.
Origins
Bampfylde was the son of
Richard Bampfield (1526–1594),
[Vivian, p.39] of
Poltimore
Poltimore is a village, civil parish and former manor in the East Devon district, in the county of Devon, England. It lies approximately northeast of Exeter. The parish consisted of 122 households and a population of 297 people during the 2 ...
and Bampfylde House in Exeter, Devon,
Sheriff of Devon
The High Sheriff of Devon is the Queen's representative for the County of Devon, a territory known as his/her bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, they hold the office for one year. They have judicial, ceremonial and administrative f ...
in 1576,
(whose monument survives in Poltimore Church) by his wife Elizabeth Sydenham (died 1599), daughter of Sir John Sydenham of
Brympton d'Evercy
Brympton d'Evercy (alternatively Brympton House), a grade I listed manor house near Yeovil in the county of Somerset, England, has been called the most beautiful in England. In 1927 the British magazine '' Country Life'' devoted three articles ...
, Somerset.
[ History of Parliament Online – Amias Bampfield]
/ref>
Career
He matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College (in full: The Rector and Scholars of Exeter College in the University of Oxford) is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth-oldest college of the un ...
on 3 December 1575, aged 15. He studied law at the Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn an ...
in 1576.[ 'Alumni Oxonienses, 1500–1714: Baal-Barrow', Alumni Oxonienses 1500–1714: Abannan-Kyte (1891), pp. 51–78. Date accessed: 20 November 2011]
/ref> He succeeded to the manor of Poltimore on the death of his father in 1594. He was JP for Devon from 1596. In 1597, he was elected Member of Parliament for Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
. He was knighted at Windsor on 9 July 1603. He was Sheriff of Devon
The High Sheriff of Devon is the Queen's representative for the County of Devon, a territory known as his/her bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, they hold the office for one year. They have judicial, ceremonial and administrative f ...
from 1603 to 1604. In 1616 he was Deputy Lieutenant.[
]
Marriage and children
In 1576 Bampfylde married Elizabeth Clifton, a daughter of Sir John Clifton (died 1593) of Barrington Court, Somerset, by his wife Anne Stanley, daughter of Thomas Stanley, 2nd Baron Monteagle
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
(1507–1560). Sir John Clifton's father was a London merchant, Sir William Clifton (died 1564), who had purchased the manor of Barrington from Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 3rd Marquess of Dorset (17 January 151723 February 1554), was an English courtier and nobleman of the Tudor period. He was the father of Lady Jane Grey, known as "the Nine Days' Queen".
Origins
He was born on ...
. Elizabeth Clifton's brother was Gervase Clifton, 1st Baron Clifton
Gervase Clifton, 1st Baron Clifton (c. 1570 – 14 October 1618) was an English nobleman.
Origins
Clifton was a son of Sir John Clifton (d.1593) of Barrington Court, Somerset, by his wife Anne Stanley, daughter of Thomas Stanley, 2nd Baron Mo ...
(c. 1570 – 1618).
Her portrait ''circa'' 1640, in the style of Anthony van Dyck
Sir Anthony van Dyck (, many variant spellings; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Brabantian Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Southern Netherlands and Italy.
The seventh c ...
, survives in the collection of Antony House
Antony House is the name of an early 18th-century house, which today is in the ownership of the National Trust. It is located between the town of Torpoint and the village of Antony in the county of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is a Gra ...
, Cornwall and her stone-sculpted effigy sits in mourning next to the recumbent one of her husband in North Molton Church, on which monument are depicted the arms of Bampfylde impaling
Impalement, as a method of torture and execution, is the penetration of a human by an object such as a stake, pole, spear, or hook, often by the complete or partial perforation of the torso. It was particularly used in response to "crimes aga ...
Clifton: ''Argent semée of cinquefoils pierced gules, a lion rampant of the last''.
By his wife he had six sons and four daughters as follows:
Sons
* John Bampfylde (c. 1586 – c. 1657), eldest son and heir, of Poltimore and North Molton, MP for Tiverton (1621) and Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
(1628–9). In 1602 Sir Amyas Bampfylde and Thomas Drake, brother and heir of Admiral Sir Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake ( – 28 January 1596) was an English explorer, sea captain, privateer, slave trader, naval officer, and politician. Drake is best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, from 1577 to 1580 (t ...
, made a double marriage settlement
A marriage settlement in England was a historic arrangement whereby, most commonly and in its simplest form, a trust of land or other assets was established jointly by the parents of a bride and bridegroom. The trustees were established as legal ow ...
for Bampfylde's eldest son John Bampfylde, then aged 14, and his daughter Jane Bampfield, then aged 16, who were to marry Drake's daughter and son, with each parent settling £660 on the other's daughter.[
* Richard Bampfield, second son, died without children.]
* William Bampfield, third son.
* Amyas Bampfield, fourth son, of Weston Bampfield.
* Edward Bampfield, fifth son, of Stoke Canon.
* James Bampfield (died 1664), sixth son, Rector of Black Torrington
Black Torrington is a village and civil parish in mid Devon, England, situated between the towns of Holsworthy and Hatherleigh. It is located on and named after the River Torridge.
Within the village is a small but well maintained 15th-centu ...
.
Daughters
* Dorothy Bampfield (died 1614), wife successively of Edward Hancock (died 1603), MP, lord
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or ar ...
of the manor of Combe Martin
The Manor of Combe Martin was a Middle ages, medieval manorialism, manor estate in Combe Martin, Devon, England.
Descent William de Falaise
The Domesday Book of 1086 lists ''Cumbe'' as the first of 17 holdings ''in capite'' of William de Falaise: ...
, Devon, and later wife of Sir John Doddridge
Sir John Doddridge (akas: Doderidge or Dodderidge; 1555–1628) was an English lawyer, appointed Justice of the King's Bench in 1612 and served as Member of Parliament for Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency), Barnstaple in 1589 and for Horsham ...
(1555–1628), of Bremridge, near North Molton, Justice of the King's Bench.
* Jane Bampfield, wife of Francis Drake, son of francis Drake of Buckland. In 1602 Sir Amyas Bampfylde and Thomas Drake, brother and heir of Admiral Sir Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake ( – 28 January 1596) was an English explorer, sea captain, privateer, slave trader, naval officer, and politician. Drake is best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, from 1577 to 1580 (t ...
, made a double marriage settlement
A marriage settlement in England was a historic arrangement whereby, most commonly and in its simplest form, a trust of land or other assets was established jointly by the parents of a bride and bridegroom. The trustees were established as legal ow ...
for Bampfylde's eldest son John Bampfylde, then aged 14, and a daughter, then aged 16, who were to marry Drake's daughter and son, with each parent settling £660 on the other's daughter.[
* Anne Bampfield, died without children.]
* Elizabeth Bampfield, died without children.
Monument to daughter
A monument survives in the Lady Chapel
A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British term for a chapel dedicated to "Our Lady", Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church. The chapels are also known as a Mary chapel or a Marian chapel, an ...
of Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral, properly known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon, in South West England. The present building was complete by about 140 ...
to his daughter Dorothy Bampfield (died 1614), wife successively of Edward Hancock (died 1603), MP, lord
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or ar ...
of the manor of Combe Martin
The Manor of Combe Martin was a Middle ages, medieval manorialism, manor estate in Combe Martin, Devon, England.
Descent William de Falaise
The Domesday Book of 1086 lists ''Cumbe'' as the first of 17 holdings ''in capite'' of William de Falaise: ...
, Devon, and later wife of Sir John Doddridge
Sir John Doddridge (akas: Doderidge or Dodderidge; 1555–1628) was an English lawyer, appointed Justice of the King's Bench in 1612 and served as Member of Parliament for Barnstaple (UK Parliament constituency), Barnstaple in 1589 and for Horsham ...
(1555–1628), of Bremridge, near North Molton, Justice of the King's Bench, whose effigy is situated adjacent. The Latin inscription on a tablet within a strapwork
In the history of art and design, strapwork is the use of stylised representations in ornament of ribbon-like forms. These may loosely imitate leather straps, parchment or metal cut into elaborate shapes, with piercings, and often interwoven in ...
surround is as follows:
:''"Hic jacet d(omi)na Dorothea uxor Johannis Dioderidge militis unius justiciarioru(m) d(omi)ni regis as placita coram rege tenenda assignati et filia Amisii Bampfield militis quae obiit primo Martii Anno Dom(ini) 1614"'' ("Here lies Dorothy the wife of John Doderidge, knight, one of the Justices of the Lord King assigned at the Pleas held before the King, and daughter of Amisus ''(Latinised form)'' Bampfield, knight, who died on the first of March in the Year of Our Lord 1614").
Death and burial
Bampfield died at Cottonheath on 9 February 1625 at the age of 65 and stated in his will his wish to be "buried in North Molton church with his parents".[ It might seem however that his parents were buried in Poltimore Church, where a grand monument with their effigies survives, erected by Amias in 1604, with Latin inscription above: ''Hic tremibunda boni requiescunt membra Rich(ard)i Bampfildi...'' ("Here rest the trembling limbs of the worthy Richard Bampfield..."). A grand monument to Amias with effigy survives in the Bampfield Chapel of North Molton Church.
]
Monument at North Molton
A fine stone monument to his memory exists against the south wall of the south aisle chapel ("Bampfylde Chapel") in North Molton Church. On the wall to its right is affixed a stone tablet inscribed with the following lines:
"Stand passenger gaze such was he
As thou tremble such shalt thou be
He dy'd to live so live to dye
Depart muse
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...
on eternity"
''Ameae Bamfylde equiti aurato patri suo charissimo ex antiqua Bamfydeorum (sic) de Poltimore familia patre Richardo Bamfyde (sic) armigero matre Elizabetha Clifton de Barrington per 45 annos conjugato ex qua 12 filios 5 filias suscepit prudenti sed pio animoso sed affabili provido sed hospitali et benigno de suis de patria bene merito ex hac miseriarum valle anno aetatis suae 67 ad immortalitatem commigranti et sui reliquias his in terris quas post diuturna litigia et graves expensas sui posteritati foeliciter recuperavit in spem resurrectionis requiescere volenti Johannes Bamfylde filius et haeres qui etiam ex Elizabeth Drake de Buckland 8 filios et 7 filias ante patris obitum habuit anno Christi 1626 regis Caroli 2 hoc monumentum pietatis ergo posuit quas terras mea cura meis non-parva redemit hae mea jure sinu molliter ossa fovent''.
Translated literally into English thus:
"To Amyas Bampfylde, knight bachelor, most dear to his father, from the ancient family of the Bampfyldes of Poltimore
Poltimore is a village, civil parish and former manor in the East Devon district, in the county of Devon, England. It lies approximately northeast of Exeter. The parish consisted of 122 households and a population of 297 people during the 2 ...
from Richard Bampfylde, esquire, his father, from Elizabeth Sydenham of Brympton his mother; with Elizabeth Clifton of Barrington having been married during 45 years from whom he received 12 sons, 5 daughters. Prudent but with a pious spirit but easily spoken to; forward-looking but hospitable and benign, well-merited from his country. From this vale of miseries he migrated towards immortality in the 67th year of his age and having wished the remains of him to rest in hope of resurrection in these lands which after long-lasting dispute and heavy expenses happily he regained for his posterity. John Bampfylde his son and heir, who also from Elizabeth Drake of Buckland had before the decease of his father 8 sons and 7 daughters, in the year of Christ 1626, 2nd. of King Charles, therefore of piety placed this monument that these bones might gently warm the lands he redeemed not with small care".
Heraldic quarterings
An escutcheon with 30 quarterings survives above the monument to Sir Amyas Bampfylde in North Molton Church, as follows:[Similar 30 quarterings visible on funeral hatchment in Poltimore Church to Sir Coplestone Bampfylde, 2nd Baronet (died 1691). For identification of arms depicted see: Summers, Peter & Titterton, John, (eds.), Hatchments in Britain, Vol.7: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Somerset; Phillimore Press, Chichester, Sussex, 1988, pp. 29–30, ''Poltimore''. Quarterings at North Molton, per Summers and Titterton Poltimore Church blazons amended for errors and from observation of North Molton quarterings (Pauncefoot, Galloway and Pole arms apparently not shown at North Molton); See also quarterings listed in Wotton, Thomas, The English Baronetage, Vol 2, London, 1741, p.195, Arms of Bampfylde of Poltimor]
/ref>
* 1: ''Or, on a bend gules three mullets argent'' (Bampfield)
* 2: ''Or, a maunch gules'' (Hastings)
* 3: ''Argent, a lion rampant sable'' (Huxham)
* 4: ''Argent, on a fess sable three cross crosslets or a bordure azure charged with twelve bezants'' (Faber)
* 5: ''Gules, on a chevron or three eagles displayed sable'' (Cobham)
* 6: ''Gules, a lion passant argent holding in the front paws a baton''(?)
* 7: ''Argent, on a chevron sable between three torteaux three bezants'' (Bolhay)
* 8: ''Argent, a bend gules between three lion's heads erased and ducally crowned sable'' (Pederton)
* 9: ''Argent fretty gules, over all a fess azure'' (Cann)
* 10: ''Argent, an annulet between three escallops gules'' (Tourney)
* 11: ''Argent, two chevrons gules a label of three points vert'' (St Maur)
* 12: ''Gules, a saltire vairy'' (Willington)
* 13: ''Gules, ten bezants, four, three, two and one'' (Zouch)
* 14: ''Gules, seven mascles or, three, three and one'' (de Quincy)
* 15: ''Gules, a cinquefoil pierced ermine'' (Leicester)
* 16: ''Gules, a pale or'' (Grandmeisnil)
* 17: ''Sable, a lion rampant between eight cinquefoils argent'' (Clifton)
* 18: ''Argent, a human heart within a double tressure flory counter-flory gules'' (David, Prince of Scotland)
* 19: ''Argent, a lion rampant gules a chief of the last'' (?)
* 20: ''Azure, three garbs argent'' (Peverell)
* 21: ''Azure, a wolf's head erased argent'' (Lupus, Earl of Chester)
* 22: ''Azure, six lions rampant or'' (Longespee)
* 23: ''Or crusilly....., a lion rampant azure'' (Lovell)
* 24: ''Argent, a bend sable a label of three points gules'' (St Lo)
* 25: ''Azure, a cross flory argent'' (Paveley)
* 26: ''Argent, three lions rampant sable'' (Cheverell)
* 27: ''Gules, three escallops within a bordure engrailed argent'' (de Erleigh)
* 28: ''Azure, a chevron between three swans argent'' (Charlton)
* 29: ''Or, three piles azure'' (Brian)
* 30: ''Azure, an eagle with two heads displayed argent charged with a coronet or'' (Leofric, Earl of Mercia)
References
;Sources
* John Lambrick Vivian, Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) ''The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620'', Exeter, 1895, pp. 38–41, pedigree of ''Bamfield of Poltimore''
External links
Bampfylde House, Exeter
destroyed by bombing WW II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bampfield, Amias
1560 births
1626 deaths
People from North Devon (district)
English MPs 1597–1598
Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford
Members of the Middle Temple
Members of the Parliament of England (pre-1707) for Devon
17th-century English MPs
High Sheriffs of Devon