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John Wyndham (knight)
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Brass rubbing of monumental brass of Sir John Wyndham and his wife Elizabeth Sydenham (d.1571) on their chest tomb, St Decuman's Church, Watchet

Sir John Wyndham (died c. 1580) was a member of the gentry of Somerset.

Contents

1 Origins
2 Marriage
3 Progeny
4 Monumental brass
5 Sources
6 References

Origins
Arms of Wyndham: Azure, a chevron between three lion's heads erased or

He was the second [1] son of Sir Thomas Wyndham (d.1521)of Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk, by his first wife Alianore Scrope (c.1470-1505), daughter and heiress of Richard Scrope of Upsall, Yorkshire. Sir Thomas was knighted in 1512 by Sir Edward Howard, Admiral of the Fleet. His will was dated at Felbrigg 22 October 1521 and he was buried in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Norwich Cathedral, from which his body was later moved to the Jesus Chapel. He was the son and heir of Sir John Wyndham (d.1503) by his first wife Lady Margaret Howard, 4th daughter of Sir John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk. Sir John the father was knighted by King Henry VII in 1489 at the Battle of Stoke, but after having turned against that king was beheaded in 1503 as a traitor, together with James Tyrrell. He was buried at Austin Friars, London.
Marriage

Sir John Wyndham married Elizabeth Sydenham, the daughter and co-heiress of Sir John Sydenham of Orchard, Somerset, within the parish of Watchet. Through his wife he inherited the manor of Orchard, which later became known as Orchard Wyndham, which estate is occupied today by his descendants.
Progeny

By his wife Elizabeth Sydenham he had the following children:

Sir John Wyndham, of Orchard, who married Florence Wadham (1538–1597) (a pair of monumental brasses depicting the couple exists at Watchet Church) and had issue one son only:
Sir John Wyndham (1558–1645), of Orchard Wyndham.
Edmund Wyndham, Esq. (d.1616), married Margery Chamberlayne. His monumental brass can be seen in the floor before the altar at Watchet Church.

Monumental brass
Monumental brasses of Sir John Wyndham and his wife Elizabeth Sydenham (d.1571) on their chest tomb, St Decuman's Church, Watchet, looking west
Arms of Sir John Wyndham sculpted on west end of his chest-tomb: Azure, a chevron between three lion's heads erased or a crescent for difference. The arms show a crescent (super-imposed on the chevron) as the heraldic difference of a second son

Most of what is known of the life of Sir John Wyndham (d. c.1580) is derived from the text accompanying his monumental brass on his chest-tomb in St Decuman's Church, Watchet. The text under the figure of Sir John is as follows:[2]

"Although a man be never so posseste
With all the gyftes that fortune can bestowe.
And thoughe his mynde be bewtified and bleste
With everye grace that from the Heavens do flowe,
Yet at the laste, this fickle life we owe,
Perforce must fele the stroke of fatal knyfe,
Suche is the frayltie of our present lyfe.
A perfeight patterne to approve the fame,
Lo here the corps of Syr John Wyndham knight,
Whose faultles lyfe hathe purchaste such a fame,
As deathe with all his darts shall never frighte.
The sonne itself shall soner lose his lighte,
Then he shall want his well-deserved praise,
Suche were the deedes of his forepasled dales.
This worthie Knight of knightlie parentage
In Norfolk borne the midle sonne of thre.
Who when he was but yet of fornige age,
Put forthe such buddes of proofe what he wolde be,
As being stirred with zeale to hear and see
The worlde whereby himselfe he mighte advaunce,
He paste the seas to serve the King of Fraunce.
Where entertaynde in place of good accompte,
Here to the Prince in favour lyved still,
Till care of countrey soil (which doth fui...)unte)
Did drawe him home, where bending witie at will.
To feates of armes and other warlike skill.
His liege in lieu of loyal service done
Advaunste him to the seat of knightlie rome.
Thus happele led this worthie knighte his life.
And died in faith by Chrift of future joye.
How good and virtuous Ladye to his wyfe
He had, what seed, hir epitaphe doth showe.
To us behinde thereby this fruyte dothe growe,
First in his deathe, Godes power and praise is knowne.
Then by his life we learn to mende our owne."

The text below the figure of his wife reads as follows:

"An Epitaphe upon the deathe of the Ladye Elizabeth Wyndham.
That goodly grafte which earste in Orchard grewe,
Drawn by discente from worthie Sydnam's race,
Looe here yt lyes by aime of outwarde vewe,
Wrapte in the webbe of thrice unhappy case.
But yet indeede (through undeserved grace)
Is planted nowe in such a pleasant soyle.
As springs for aye, and yet requires no toyle.
What cause hir deathe dothe offer to lamente,
None knowes so well as Sir John Wyndham, knight.
Withe whome twise two and forty yeres she spentc.
In blissfull state of bothe theire hartes delyghte.
To whom hir frutefull wombe brought unto lighte
A race of children fittinge hir degree.
Of daughtere sixe, her sonnes were fower and three.
Those goodly gyftes that did hir mind possesse.
As zealous love to God and to his lawes,
Hir awnswringe lyfe to that shie did professe,
Hir redye hande to helpe the porest cause.
Since fame resounds my sillie penne shall pawse,
And praie to God, that we whiche here abyde.
May treade the stepps of such a parfight guyde.
Obiit primo die Januarii, 1571."
(i.e. "she died on the first day of January, 1571")

Sources

Collinson's History of Somerset, Vol.3, pp.486-496
Blomefield, Francis, An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk, Vol.8, pp107-119, Felbrigg

References

See his arms sculpted on his tomb showing a crescent, heraldic difference for a second son
Collinson's History of Somerset, Vol.3, pp.493-4