Ref: NEHG Vol. LXXX P. 313-327

THE MOODY LINE

RICHARD MOODY, of Moulton, Co. Suffolk, yeoman, the testator of 14 Jan. and 2 Feb 1672/3, is the earliest Moody from whom the descent of the New England settler has been proved. He died 28, Apr. 1574, and was buried at Moulton on the same day. He married ANNE______ who survived him and married secondly, at Moulton, 6 Sept. 1574, Edward Coult, Gentleman. She was buried at Moulton 14 Mar. 1576/7, and Edward Coult married again at Moulton, 20, Aug. 1579, Mary Maris.

RICHARD MOODY was dealing with a tenement in Moulton in the autumn of 1558, and purchased lands there in 1562 and lands in Moulton and Gazeley, a parish two miles east from Moulton, in 1572. (Cf. Copinger's Calendar of Feet of Fines, Supra.) In or after 1558 he brought a suit in Chancery against Thomas Burgeant to recover the title deeds relating to a leasehold house and lands in Moulton, called Lanwades. (Vide supra.) He evidently acquired a considerable landed estate in western Suffolk, chiefly by purchase. He lived in a house called Fryett. Besides his lands in Moulton and Gazeley, he had leasehold and other land in Cavenham and Kentford, Co. Suffolk, a flock of four hundred sheep at Isleham, Huntingdon. The only lands held by him in chief of the Crown seem to have been twenty acres in Millwayefelde, in Moulton (vide supra, Inquisitions Post Mortem), which were apparently the lands mentioned in the Chancery suit, for they were acquired from ______Burgeant, Gentleman.

RICHARD MOODY made two wills, one on 14 Jan. and the other on 2 Feb 1672/3. In his anxiety to provide for the virtuous upbringing of his children in the fear of God and good learning and education, he distributed the care of his younger sons, with their lands among various friends. Under both wills the house called Fryettes was to go to Anne, his wife, but under the second will she was to have it for life only, with remainder to the eldest son, George. This son was also to have other lands in Moulton and certain stock, farm produce, etc. On Sunday 25, Apr 1574, only three days before his death, Richard Moody added -- to the earlier will, strangely enough -- a codicil; and on 30 April 1574, two days after the death of the testator, the executors named in the first will, by their procurator, proved it, together with the codicil. In June 1574, however, Anne Moody, the widow brought forward the second will, in which Thomas Smythe of Ashley (one of the executors of the first will) and Roger Tompson of Clare were appointed executors, and the Court gave judgement, 10 June, in favor of this will. The executors refusing to act, administration on the estate was granted to the widow, 16 June 1574.

Children (order of births somewhat uncertain):

1. Thomasine, eldest daughter, under 18 on 14 Jan. 1572/3; m. at Moulton 23 Jan. 1575/6 Henry Smith.

2. GEORGE, eldest son, b. about Sept. 1559 (vide supra, Inquisitions Post Mortem)

3. Grace, living 14 Jan 1572/3

4. Ann, m. at Moulton, 18, Oct. 1585, Albert Ramont.

5. Robert Bapt. at Moulton, 20 Mar. 1563. He was to have by his father's will, lands in Co. Huntingdon.

6. John, Third son. His father left to him lands in Cavenham. He was dealing with lands in Moulton in 1587.

7. Margaret, bapt. at Moulton 1 Nov. 1568; m. at Moulton, 9 May 1589, Christopher Hagget

8. Edmund, youngest son, bapt. at Moulton 24 June 1570; m. at Wood Ditton, Co. Cambridge, 26 May 1595, Agnes Clarke. His father left to him houses and lands in Gazeley. Children bapt. in Gazely 1. Anne, Bapt. 23 Sept. 1599. 2. Margaret, bapt. 18 Oct. 1615. 3. Margaret bapt. 18 Oct. 1615. Probably others.

9. Mary bapt. at Moulton 22 Sept. 1572; m. there, 1 Oct. 1593, Mr. John Browne, minister.

10. Judith (postumous) Bapt. at Moulton 31, July 1574; m. there 5 Apr 1602, Edmund Fowler.

GEORGE MOODY (son of Richard) of Moulton, Co. Suffolk, yeoman, the testator of 5 Aug. 1607, called "eldest sonne" in his father's wills, was born about Sept. 1559 (vide supra, Inquisitions Post Mortem), and was buried at Moulton 23 Aug. 1607. He married first Margaret _______, who was buried at Moulton 25 Jan. 1602/3, on the day of the baptism of their daughter Mary; and secondly, at Moulton, 5 Sept. 1604, Christian Cramp, who was living 5 Aug. 1607.

(Note: A George Moody and Margery Bacon were married at All Saints, Sudbury, Co. Suffolk, 19 Jan 1600/1. If this George Moody is identical with George Moody (no. 2) of the pedigree, then all of the latter's children except Mary, the ninth and youngest child, were children by an earlier wife, whose name is unknown, who died between the birth of the eighth child, Anne (baptized 5 Sept. 1599), and 19 Jan 1600/1. In that case, the Margaret (or Margery), wife of George Moodye, who was buried at Moulton 25, Jan. 1602, was his second wife and mother of the ninth child only, and Chrisian Cramp, whom he married 5 Sept. 1604, was his third wife.) Editor.

According to the second will of his father, George Moody was to be brought up by the father's friend, Mr. Taylor who was possibly the George Taylor who was one of the two exceptors of Roger Fryett from whom Richard Moody had bought his house at Moulton. This Mr. Taylor may have been a godfather to George Moody. The youth must have been brought up either in the Taylor family or by his stepfather, Edward Coult, and he took livery of his father's lands at Moulton, including Fryettes, in 24 Elizabeth (1581-82). (Davy's Suffolk Pedigrees). According to what the contributor of this article believes to be the correct reading of Candler's pedigree, George Moody was "famous for his housekeeping and honest and plain dealing."

There is no indication that George Moody's lands extended beyond Moulton. His father's outlying estates had been distributed among a large family; and George Moody, in his will of 5 Aug. 1607, left Fryettes to his Eldest son, George and various other tenements in Moulton were to be held for eleven years, with remainder to the son George. The executor would thus be enabled to pay certain lump sums to the other children when they reached the ages specified in the will (from 21 to 24 year).

Children:

1. Elizabeth bapt. 2 Oct 1582; m. in the parish of St. James

2. FRANCES, Bapt. 11, Oct. 1584; m. at Moulton 5, Sept. 1604,

Thomas Kilbourn (or Kilborne) of Wood Ditton, Co. Cambridge, yeoman, who was executor of her father's will, which he proved 20 Nov. 1607. They had a daughter Anne, who was mentioned in her grandfather's will.

3. George

4. Sarah

5. Samuel

6. John

7. Margaret

8. Anne

9. Mary