Ryves, Richard
Summary
Father: Richard RyvesMother: Dorothy Gold
Birth: c1617
Birth Source: Reliques of the Rives
Death:
Death Source:
Spouse1: Joyce (Jocosa) Lee
Narrative
From Reliques of the Rives:
Sir Richard Ryves is the only child of Richard Ryves, of Shaftesbury, recorded by Hutchins. He had not attained the age of 24 upon the making of his father's will (1633) by whom he is mentioned as "my eldest sonne Richard Rives." At that time he was apparently serving as an apprentice being destined for "the trade of merchandizing." Evidently proceeding soon after the death of his father to London, he is found on 27 Sept. 1644 making an indenture as "Richard Rives of London merchant" with Thomas Bulstrode of the Inner Temple, London, regarding the latter's tithes at Chalfort St. Peter's, co. Buckingham (Close Roll, 10 Chas. I, Part 8, No. 32). Le Neve mentions him as a "Spanish merchant" and as having been knighted at Whitehall. He attained to knighthood before 1663 when he is noted as one of the sheriffs of London and co. Middlesex (Cal. State Papers) and, upon his death, was an Alderman of the City of London, as appears from his will:
P. C. C. 107 Duke.
Dated 20 August 1671.
Proved 30 August 1671.
I, Sr Richard Ryves of Yately in the County of Southampton, knight, one of the Aldermen of the Cittie of London, being sick and weake in body but of . . . perfect memorie, Blessed be to God, but considering the variety of changes that mortal man is subject unto in this life. ... I give and bequeath my Soule into the hands of Almightie God, my Creator, trusting in and through the merits of Jesus Christ my Redeemer to receave it againe glorifyed my bodie ... to be decently interred in the Parish Church of Yately. . . . And for that outward estate which God of his mercie hath blessed mee withal. ... I give unto my deare and loving wife my customary Hallimot called Hall Place ... in Yately and keep of the manor of Crundall for the terme of her widowhood . . . (after which) I leave it ... to come unto my nephew John, onely sonne of my brother John Ryves late of Kensington in co. Middlesex, deceased and to his heires forever as being my heire at Law. . . . My deare and loving wife shall have the moitie or one half thereof (of my estate) according to the customs of the Cittie of London. And for the other moitie thereof ... I give to my nephew John Ryves the onely Sonne of my late Brother John Ryves. I give £500 to be deposited in the Chamber of London till he accomplish the age of 21 . . . and the interest thereof in the interim to be payd unto him for his maintenance at the universitie of Oxford or elsewhere and then the principall to be payd unto him. I give unto his two sisters Christian and Lettice the daughters of my said Brother to each of them £500 apeece. I give unto my sister Mrs. Elinor Staveley £300 ... to be payd into the Chamber of London and the interest thereof to be payd unto my said sister during her life and after her decease the principall money to be equally divided between Richard Staveley, Bridget wife of John Boucher citizen and draper of London, and Katherine wife of Thomas Bright of Finchamsted, co. Berks, clerke, son and daughters of my said sister Staveley. Alsoe I give unto the said Richard Staveley who is my Godsonn £400. I give unto Charles Staveley, youngest sonn of my said Sister Staveley £300 to be paid him when he shall become a Freeman of the Cittie of London. I give unto Joseph Staveley eldest sonn of my said sister Staveley $250. ... I give unto my kinsman Robert Seawell, sonn of Robert Seawell citizen and draper of London £200, unto the worshipfull Companie of drapers of the Cittie of London of which Companie I am a Freeman £20 to be bestowed upon a piece of Plate with my name to be inscribed upon it as my Gift unto them. Also I give unto my brother-in-Lawe Mr. Robert Seawell £10. ... I give unto Mrs. Warren my wife's sister . . . £10. ... I give unto Mrs. Anne Westcomb wife of Mr. Richard Wescombe citizen of London . . . £10. I give unto my loving Freind and neighbor Mrs. Sarah Bull of Yateley, widdow £20. ... I give unto the Inn Parish of Yateley and within that Tything . . . £50 to be layd out by the churchwardens and overseers for the poore upon a parcell of Land and the Rest thereof to be yearly divided among the Poor of the said Parish ... I give unto the Poore of the Parish of St. Peter in Shaftesbury the Countie of Dorset £10 to be divided by the Churchwardens and overseers of the Poore amongst the Poore of the Said Parish. I give unto Mr. John Waller Minister of Yateleye . . . £10 and doe desire him to preach my funeral sermon. And to each servant who shall be living with mee at the tyme of my decease I give 40 j. I leave (the residue of my estate) to me deare and loving wife whome I make Sole Executrix. . . . My desire is that my said wife according to her promise to mee will have a tender respect care and kyndnesse for my kindred out of that part of my estate which comes unto her by the custome of the Cittie of London of which I am confident shee will be mindfull. And I desire my loving friends William Salmon of London merchant, George Hill of London neare Temple Bar Gent, and John Tut of Mattingley in the Parish of Heckfield, co. Hants, gent, to be overseers of this my last will. ... In their paines I give to each of them £30 to buy them plate. . . .
Upon his death, which took place 22 August 1671 (Smith's Obit. quoted from Musgrave's Obit, in Harl. Soc. Pub., vol. 48), he left a very considerable fortune which, by reason of the absence of issue to him, fell largely to his nephew John Ryves, "onely Sonne of my late Brother Mr. John Ryves."
He married Joyce (Jocosa) Lee "daughter of Henry Lee Mercht of London trading to Spain. She turned Papist" (Le Neve), survived her husband, and left a will:
P. C. C. 121 King.
Dated 1677.
Proved 1679.
I, Dame Jocosa Ryves, widow of Sir Richard Ryves late of the City of London, alderman, to be privately interred with decency in the parish church of Yately in Hampshire as near as possible to my dear husband . . . my dear mother Mrs. Anne Lee £10 ... my sister Mrs. Westcomb ... my sister Mrs. Margaret Warren . . . my niece Anne Drake (there follow the names of many other relations but none of the name of Ryves).