Page 22 - DLN Dec2013-977

death warrant) back in April DLN. I said his daughter Ann married Robert
Sprignell, son of Anne Delaune, thus grandson of Gideon the Apothecary.

However, there is more of a family connection and it goes back to Sir Michael
Sondes’ (of Throwley) children Sir Richard and Ann. Sir Richard's daughter
Ann married Abraham Delaune and Richard's sister Ann married Gabriel
Livesey. Ann and Gabriel's son, the infamous Michael, had a daughter Ann
who married Robert Sprignell, whose mother was Ann (nee Delaune) Sprignell,
sister of Abraham. Thus Ann (Sondes) Delaune and her brother George
Sondes were cousins of Sir Michael Livesey.

So whilst Abraham could not help his connection, by marriage, to the
infamous Michael, Robert Sprignell, his nephew, could have avoided it by
not marrying Michael's daughter Ann. It must have been quite a problem
for the Delaune family, already having a family connection to the infamous
Michael and then Robert making it worse by marrying Ann Livesey. Thus it is
my conclusion that Gideon expressed his wrath by excluding Robert from his
will. (see April DLN)

These must have been very troubled times for the Delaune family, especially
poor old Gideon (the apothecary) now in his nineties. His granddaughter
having her husband George murdered by his own brother (Freeman) and
Gideon’s grandson Robert Sprignell marrying a regicide’s daughter, whose
infamous father was already related by marriage through his son Abraham,
both occurring around the same time ((1655). What scandals to surround a
respectable family.

Ann daughter of Abraham married cousin, once removed, George
Sondes, and they were cousins, once removed, of Ann Livesey and Abraham’s
sister Ann’s son Robert Sprignell (married to Ann Livesey), was also a cousin
once removed.

Confused? I am!
Also Sir Michael Livesey was one of the magistrates at Freeman’s trial, his
cousin once removed.

As Lesley said to me ‘it really is a pure soap opera’.

Next month, back to the Delaunes in Ireland.
22