Biography of Richard Freston Cofferer 1500-1558
Around 1500 Richard Freston Cofferer was born.
In 1543 [his future brother-in-law] Robert Coke (age 30) and Winifred Knightley (age 13) were married.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 03 Aug 1557. The iij day of August my lade Anne of Cleyff (deceased), sumtyme wyff unto kyng Henry the viijth cam from Chelsey to be [buried] unto Westmynster, with all the chylderyn of Westmynster and [many] prest and clarkes, and then the gray ames of Powlles and iij crosses, and the monkes of Westmynster, and my lord bysshope of Lo[ndon] (age 57) and my lord abbott of Westmynster (age 42) rod together next the monkes, and then the ij sekturs [executors] ser Edmond Peckham (age 62) and ser (Robert) Freston (age 57), cofferer to the quen of England; and then my lord admerall (age 47), my (lord) Darce of Essex (age 60), and mony knyghts and gentyllmen; and a-for her servandes, and after her baner of armes; and then her gentyllmen and here hed offesers; and then here charett with viij baners of armes of dyvers armes, and iiij baners of emages of whytt taffata, wroght with fyne gold and her armes; and so by sant James, and so to Charyingcrosse [Map], with a C. torchys bornyng, her servandes beyrying them, and the xij bed-men of Westmynster had new blake gownes; and they had xij torchys bornyng, and iiij whyt branchys with armes; and then ladies and gentyll-women all in blake, and horsses; and a viij haroldes of armes in blake, and ther horses; and armes sad a-bowt the herse behynd and be-for; and iiij haroldes barying the iiij whyt baners; and at (the) chyrche dore all dyd a-lyght and ther dyd reseyvyd the good lade my lord of London (age 57) and my lord abbott (age 42) in ther myteres and copes, sensyng her, and ther men dyd bere her with a canepe of blake welvett, with iiij blake stayffes, and so browth in-to the herse and ther tared durge, and so ther all nyght with lyght bornyng.
Note. Ibid. Funeral of the lady Anne of Cleves. A very particular narrative of this solemnity, from MSS. in the College of Arms, will be found in the Excerpta Historica, 1831, together with the Will of the deceased. The body of the queen was buried, as Stowe says, "at the head of king Sebert," where "she lyeth in a tomb not yet finished." Engravings of what was erected of this tomb will be found in the Vetusta Monumenta, vol. ii. pl. 35, as well as in Dart and the other histories of Westminster Abbey. In p. 145, for sir Robert Freston read Richard; and in p. 146, for William duke of Cleves read John.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 19 Aug 1557. The xviiij day of August was the hers for the kyng of Denmarke fenysshed, with wax, the wyche was never sen shyche on [seen such a one] in England of that fassyon, of sqware tapurs, and xxj baners and baners rolles of all ther leneges and mareges in baner-rolles. The sam nyght was the durge, my lord tresorer cheyff morner; and after that my lord Darcy (age 60), ser Robart Uxinbryge (age 49), ser Edmond Peckam (age 62), ser [Robert] Freston (age 57), cofferer to the quen (age 41), and ser Recherd Sowthwell (age 54), ser Arthur Darcy (age 62), and mony nobull men and gentyllmen alle in blake; and my lord of London (age 57) begane the durge, with ys myter [on] alle the durge wylle; and after the durge alle the haroldes and the lordes whent to the bysshope of London('s) plasse and dronke; and iiij goodly whytt branchys, and vj dosen torchys, and the qwer hangyd with blake and armes; and vj pilers covered with velvet, and a goodly hers-cloth of tensell, the crosse of cloth of selver; and the morow masse, and a goodly sermon, and after to my lord('s) of London to dener for the kyng of Denmarke('s) obseque and fenerall, and a mageste and valans fryng of gold, and x dosen pensels, and x dosen skochyns of armes.
Before 25 Dec 1557 Richard Freston Cofferer (age 57) and Anne Coke (age 42) were married.
Before 25 Dec 1557 [his wife] Anne Coke (age 42) died.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 25 Dec 1557. The xxv day of Desember was bered [the lady] [his wife] Freston (age 42), the wyff of ser Recherd Freston (age 57) knyght, and cofferer unto quen Mare (age 41)-the iiij and v of the [king and queen's reign] of England,-in Suffoke.
Before 16 Jan 1558 Richard Freston Cofferer (age 58) died.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 16 Jan 1558. The xvj day of January was bered in Suffoke ser Recherd Freston (age 58) knyght, and cofferer unto the quen Mare (age 41)-the iiij and v of King Philip and Quen Mare-with a standard, a penon of armes, cote-armur, elmet, target, and the sword and mantyll, and iiij dosen of skochyons.
Note. P. 163. Funeral of sir Richard Freston. He was interred at Mendham in Suffolk, where his monument remains. (See the Topographer, 1848, vol. ii. p. 239.) Dame [his former wife] Anne his wife, who died shortly before him (see p. 161), was a Coke.