c 1540

Born

 

1558

History

 

In the reign of Queen Mary he [Alexander Weller] was prosecuted for his religion by her Attorney-General Sir John Baker of Sisinhurst (his seat) near Cranbrook, and being very much pressed by Sir John to renounce those errors (as the times then called them) of being a Protestant, he had but a short time given him to consider of it; and because he would not comply with Sir John he was obliged to abscond, and was entertained by the Lord Bergaveny at his seat at Birling near Town Malling, in Kent, and under his protection, as a private gentleman; but, during the time of his absconding, lie being one day at Gravesend, heard there the news by some persons that came to that place from London by the tide, that Queen Mary was certainly dead, and that her sister the Princess Elizabeth was proclaimed Queen: which news he received with great joy, and immediately took his horse and rode home to Cranbrook, whence he sent his servant directly to Sir John Baker to acquaint him that he was come home, and had sent him a present of a capon and caponet of which he might take his choice, which the servant carried in a two-lidded basket; the servant was ordered to set the basket down and come away directly: upon delivering his message, Sir John said, "What, is Weller come home, then? What, is his stomach come down?" but the servant being gone as he was directed, he ordered his own servant to open the basket, and take out the present of the capon and caponet, which proved to be a great halter and a little halter; upon seeing which Sir John was in great passion, and immediately ordered his horses to be got ready to go to the town, useing threatening language against the rogue Weller, as he called him, with a resolution to use the utmost revenge against him; but as soon as he got to the town he heard the bells ringing, and upon inquiring the reason, was told that Queen Mary was dead, and that her sister was proclaimed Queen, which was the occasion of the bells ringing, and so happily his revenge and wicked designs were prevented, by the determination of his commission, which ceased by the death of Queen Mary.

5^th November 1565

Married

Elizabeth Dence at St Dunstan's Church in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

1566

Birth of a son

Dence in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

1567/68

Birth of a daughter

Agnes in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

1569

Birth of a son

John in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

 

1572

Birth of a son

Jervase in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

1574

Birth of a son

Richard in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

1576

Birth of a son

Stephen in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

1577/78

Birth of a daughter

Elizabeth in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

1579

Birth of a daughter

Catherine in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

1580

Birth of a son

Alexander in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

16^th June 1596

Will

In the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent; last will and testament

26^th June 1596

Died

In the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent; senior

Cranbrook Burial Registers
Tonbridge memorial

 

Brass plate in the south porch
Here lieth buried Alex^r: Weller, of Cranbrook, clothier, who married with Elizabeth Dence, daughter of Jervis Dence, and neece unto Alex^r: Dence, who had issue by her six sons and five daughters, and he deceased the six and twentieth day of June, Anno [1596 and rest of the inscription is destroyed]

28^th June 1596

Buried

At St Dunstan's Church in the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent

15^th July 1596

Probate

London; will proven

22^nd Jan 1649/50

Will

In the Parish of Cranbrook, Kent; last will and testament