John Chichester (died 1569)

Heraldic panel on monument to Sir John Chichester (died 1569) in Pilton Church, showing his children and their marriage alliances

A heraldic panel from high up on the right side of the monument to Sir John Chichester (died 1569) in Pilton Church shows his children and their marriage alliances. The first (leftmost, top row) representing the marriage of his eldest son and heir, shows Chichester impaling the Danish battle-axes of Denys of Holcombe Burnell. The remaining shields are all those of his daughters, with the arms of Chichester being impaled by the arms of the husband of each: l to r:

row 1

Denys, Fortescue, Basset

row 2

Bluett , Dillon, Hatch of Aller (Gules, two demi-lions passant guardant or[8])

row 3

Pollard, Trevelyan of Nettlecombe (Gules, the base barry wavy argent and azure, a demi-horse issuant of the second maned and hoofed or), (blank)

Monument in Eggesford Church of Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester of Carickfergus (1568–1648) and his wife Anne Copleston (1588–1616)

He had the following 7 sons:[9]

• Sir John Chichester, senior (died 31 March 1586), eldest son and heir,[10] of Raleigh, who married Ann Dennis, the eldest daughter of Sir Robert Dennis (died 1592), of Holcombe Burnell,[11] in Devon, by his wife Mary Blount who was one of the two daughters and co-heiresses of William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy (c. 1478–1534), KG,[12] and a first cousin of Queen Lady Jane Grey.[13]
• Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester of Belfast (1563-1624/5), 2nd son, who succeeded his brother Sir John as Governor of Carrickfergus.
• Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester (1568–1648), 3rd son, of Eggesford, Devon, whose recumbent effigy survives in Eggesford Church.
• Charles Chichester, 4th son, died childless.
• Sir John Chichester, junior, 5th son. He was Governor of Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Ireland, and was captured and beheaded by Randal MacSorley Macdonnell.[14] He died childless.
• Sir Thomas Chichester, 6th son
• Adrian Chichester, 7th son, died childless.

Hugh Fortescue (1544–1600) and his wife Elizabeth Chichester (died 1630), daughter of Sir John Chichester (died 1569), top row of 1638 Fortescue mural monument in Weare Giffard Church. On the side of the prie-dieu is an escutcheon showing the arms of Fortescue (Azure, a bend engrailled argent cotised or) impaling Chichester

Small chest tomb (foreground) in Atherington Church, Devon, of Sir Arthur Basset (1541–1586) of Umberleigh and his wife Eleanor Chichester, daughter of Sir John Chichester (died 1569) of Raleigh. Slate slab on top shows arms of Basset, Barry wavy of six or and gules, impaling Chichester

Mary Chichester (died 1613), wife of Richard Bluett Esq. (died 1614) of Holcombe Rogus. Detail from her effigy on the couple's monument in All Saints Church, Holcombe Rogus

Far right: 16th century escutcheon showing the quartered arms of Sir John Chichester (quarterly of 4: Chichester, Raleigh, Beaumont quartering Willington, Wise), impaling Courtenay quartering Redvers. Chimney-piece in Simonsbath House,[15] having been moved there in the early 20th century by the Fortescue family from their seat at Weare Giffard Hall.[16] Hugh Fortescue (1544–1600) of Weare Giffard married Elizabeth Chichester (died 1630), a daughter of Sir John Chichester by his wife Gertrude Courtenay

• Elizabeth Chichester (died 1630), married Hugh Fortescue (1544–1600), Sheriff of Devon in 1583,[17] eldest son of Richard Fortescue (c. 1517 – 1570) of Weare Giffard and of Filleigh, ancestor of the Earls Fortescue. Effigies of the couple facing each other kneeling can be seen on the top tier of the mural monument in Weare Giffard Church erected by their grandson Hugh Fortescue (1592–1661). A 16th century escutcheon showing the quartered arms of her father, John Chichester (quarterly of 4: Chichester, Raleigh, Beaumont quartering Willington, Wise), impaling Courtenay quartering Redvers, survives on a chimney-piece in Simonsbath House,[15] having been moved there in the early 20th century by the Fortescue family from their seat at Weare Giffard Hall.[16]
• Cecilia Chichester, married Thomas Hatch
• Eleanor Chichester (died 1585), married Sir Arthur Bassett (1541–1586), MP, of Umberleigh and Heanton Punchardon, MP for Barnstaple in 1563 and for Devon in 1572.[18] He was the son of John Basset (son of Sir John Bassett (1462–1529) Sheriff of Devon in 1524) by his wife Frances Plantagenet, one of the three daughters and co-heiresses of Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle (died 1542), an illegitimate son of King Edward IV. The couple's chest tomb with arms of Basset impaling Chichester on the slab-top exists in Atherington Church, in the parish of which is situated the manor of Umberleigh. The tomb was moved from the Basset Chapel which formerly existed next to Umberleigh House.
• Mary Chichester (died 1613), who married Richard Bluett (died 1614) of Holcombe Rogus, Devon, son of John Bluett of Holcombe Rogus by his wife Dorothy Blount (a first cousin of Lady Jane Grey), one of the two daughters and co-heiresses of William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy (c. 1478 – 1534), KG,[19] and his wife Dorothy Grey, daughter of Thomas Grey, 7th Baron Ferrers of Groby, 1st Earl of Huntingdon, 1st Marquess of Dorset (1455–1501), KG, father of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 3rd Marquess of Dorset (1517–1554), KG, and grandfather of Lady Jane Grey.[20] The couple are represented as effigies on their monument in the Bluett Chapel, All Saints Church, Holcombe Rogus.
• Grace Chichester, married Robert Dillon of Farthington, Northamptonshire, son and heir of Henry Dillon of Bratton Fleming by his wife Elizabeth Pollard, daughter of Sir Hugh Pollard of Kings Nympton.[21]
• Dorothy Chichester, married Sir Hugh Pollard of King's Nympton, son and heir of Sir Lewis II Pollard of Kings Nympton.[22]
• Urith Chichester, married John Trevelyan of Nettlecombe in Somerset.
• Bridget Chichester, married (as his first wife) Sir Edmund Prideaux, 1st Baronet (died 1628) of Netherton, Farway, Devon.[23]
• Susannah Chichester, who in 1584[24] married (as his 2nd wife) John Fortescue (d.1604), of Buckland Filleigh in Devon (3rd cousin of her sister's husband Hugh Fortescue (1545-1600) of Weare Gifford and Filleigh), by whom she had a son Sir Faithful Fortescue (1585-1666).[25][26] Faithful Fortescue followed his uncle Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester of Belfast, to Ireland, where he had a distinguished military career and where he founded his own branch of the Fortescue family, who in the 18th century were created Earls of Clermont in the Peerage of Ireland.

A highly ornate monument exists against the east wall of the Raleigh Chapel in the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Pilton. It is decorated profusely with strapwork, but includes no effigy. On a tablet placed in its centre is inscribed the following Latin text:

O.nus Johannes Chichester Eques obiit 30th (sic) [27] Novembris 1569. Gertrudis (Courtenay) uxor eius obiit 30th (sic) Aprilis 1566. Ambo in spem Resurrectionis hic quiescunt. Ad lectorem:
Vana salus hominis tumideque simillima bulle,
Quam cito bulla cadit tam cito vita perit,
Dum vivis tu vive [28] deo nam vivere mundo,
Mortis opus vita est vivere vera deo,
Celica [29] terrenis prepone eterna caducis,
Perpetuum nihil est quod crevis hora rapit,
Sit tua firma fides pretioso in sanguine Christi,
Non aliunde tibi certa petenda salus,
Pectore non ficto si spem tibi junxeris istam,
Perpetuo dabitur non peritura quies.

Which may be translated literally as:

"John Chichester, knight, died the 30th of November 1569. Gertrude Courtenay his wife died the 30th of April 1566. Both rest here in hope of the Resurrection. To the reader:
The health of man is most like an empty and swollen bubble,
As quickly as the bubble falls so quickly perishes life,
Whilst you are alive live you in God! for to live in the world,
Life is the work of death to live in God is true life,
Place eternal heavenly things before perishable earthly ones,
Nothing is forever, what you grow the hour snatches away,
Let your faith be strong in the precious blood of Christ,
It is not fitting for you to seek sure health elsewhere,
Not with a brave look if you shall join to yourself that hope,
Rest not about to perish shall be given in perpetuity".