Simon Dodsworth

Simon Dodsworth, (c1511 - March 1588) was a yeoman, of Settrington, East Riding of Yorkshire, who fought at the Battle of Musselburgh on September 10, 1547 .

Farming
He was probably born in Masham, Yorkshire, the son of Peter Dodsworth from Masham and Catherine Burgh .

Simon was farming in the lordship of Settrington from before 1539, when he paid a feu rent of £5 6s. 8d. for the lands seized by the Crown at the attainder of Sir Francis Bigod of Settrington, one of the leaders of the Pilgrimage of Grace .

On July 12, 1544 the superiority of these Settrington lands was granted to Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox and his wife Margaret Douglas . Simon later feued this land from Margaret, Duchess of Lennox (d. 1578), whom he mentions in his Will. 'Symonde Doddesworthe' is also mentioned in the Duchess's will as one of the persons who had custody of her 800 sheep in Settrington .

In 1568, he bought a cottage and lands in Settrington from Thomas Taylor and Johanna his wife .

In 1584, he seems to have been involved in a legal dispute about some of the lands in Settrington with George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, although the leases must have continued because he left many of them in his Will to his son James.

Marriage

Simon Dodsworth married Agnes née Harrison, also from Settrington, c1540 and they had the following children:

* George Dodsworth of Settrington (c1542 - October 1603), married Agnes née Ward from Hurworth-on-Tees, county Durham on June 15, 1568.
* Matthew Dodsworth (c1544 - 1631) Bachelor of Laws, Admiralty Judge, and Chancellor to Tobias Matthew, Archbishop of York, married Eleanor née Sandwith on September 15, 1578, in Oswaldkirk, Yorkshire; they were parents of Roger Dodsworth, the noted antiquary (1585 - 1654).
*Christopher Dodsworth (c1545 - 1589) married a lady whose Christian name was Isabel.
*James Dodsworth (about 1546 - ) married Mary née Bigod from Malton.
*Cecily Dodsworth (about 1547 - September 1598) married at Settrington, John Swinburne, from Settrington.
*Emma Dodsworth (about 1549 - ) married Edward Fawcett from Settrington.
*Margaret Dodsworth (about 1551 - ) married Richard Wood.
*Maria Dosworth (c1559 - c1597) married August 8, 1587 at Settrington, Simon Bigod, from Settrington.
*Edmund Dodsworth (October 1562 - December 1637) married October 1, 1618 at Thirsk, North Yorkshire, a lady whose Christian name was Charity.

Death
Simon Dodsworth, yeoman of Settrington, made his Will on June 8, 1586, desiring to be buried in the parish church of Settrington and leaving bequests to his wife and children, to his son-in-laws, John Swinburne, Richard Wood and Edward Fawcett, and to the curate of Settrington, Sir William Calem, and the poor people of Settrington. Witnesses were: Edward Fawcett, George Dodsworth, Christopher Dodsworth, James Dodsworth and William Calem, clerk. His will was proved at York on March 27, 1588.

Simon Dodsworth was duly buried in the parish church of All Saints, Settrington, on March 8, 1588.

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