John Clarke
John Clarke was baptised on 11 February 1541/2, the son of John Clarke of Finningham, a yeoman, and his wife Margaret. Finningham and Westhorpe are neighbouring parishes in the north of Suffolk, and he spent his life in both. His son Thomas later entered the baptism in the family Bible: "John Clarke, my father was baptised 11 : February 1541."
His father died when he was seventeen and was buried on 3 March 1558/9. The will made John the heir to "the tenement and all my lands both free and bond lying in ffiningham, Westhorpe, and Gislingham", but "he is not to enter until twenty-four years of age." Until then his mother and his brother Thomas, the executors, had the use and profit of the land. Free land was freehold. Bond land was held of the lord of the manor and passed through his court. The will also gave him a feather bed when he turned twenty-four.
He came of age in February 1566. In the lay subsidy of 1565/6, a tax voted by Parliament and assessed on each man's lands or goods, he was taxed at Finningham on lands worth £5 a year. His mother was taxed beside him as a widow, on lands worth 22 shillings.
On 12 October 1567 he married Katherine Cooke at Westhorpe. She was the eldest daughter of John Cooke alias Carewe, a Westhorpe man whose family went by both names. After his father-in-law died, some time after 1566 and probably before 1576, John lived mainly at Westhorpe.
They had seven children. John was born on St Mark's Day, 25 April 1569. Thomas followed on All Saints' Day 1570, then Carewe in 1572 and Christopher in 1574, both baptised at Westhorpe. Joan, Margaret and Mary were baptised at Finningham in 1578, 1579 and 1581. Carewe's name came from his mother's family.
Katherine died in the spring of 1598 and was buried at Finningham on 30 March. John was buried there nine days later. Their son Thomas wrote both into the Bible: "Katherine Kooke, my mother, was buried the : 30 of March : 1598. John Clarke, my father, was buried the : 7 April 1598."
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Cite: Heirology, "John Clarke (1541-1598)", https://heirology.com/ancestors/john-clarke-1541-1598-e3725a.