View source for John Spencer of Cople

His son and heir was:
#[[Thomas Spencer of Cople]], born May 20, 1514, d 1547

John's will was dated 16 Jan 1530/1 and proved 15 Feb 1532/3

==Primary Sources==
*[http://books.google.com/books?id=yygEAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA141&vq=cople Visitations of Bedfordshire], made in 1566, 1582 and 1634..., edited by Frederic Augustus Blaydes. London (1884).  Page 141, "Spencer of Cople"

==Secondary Sources==
*Thanks to David Cooper for providing details from the will.

*"The first mention of the family who give their name to the manor of BRYTVILLES or BIRCHFIELD is in 1166, when Hugh de Bryteville held one knight's fee in Bedfordshire. (fn. 44) Hugh's son William was seised of the property in 1197, (fn. 45) and one of the same name held it in the latter part of the 13th century for half a knight's fee and one-thirteenth part of a knight's fee. (fn. 46) In 1275 John was seised of it, (fn. 47) and by 1286 it had passed to Hugh de Bryteville. (fn. 48) By 1316 it was the property of Hugh's son William, (fn. 49) who held it in 1330–1. (fn. 50) By 1342 Hugh de Bryteville was in possession. (fn. 51) The family continued resident in this parish till the 15th century, William Bryteville, the last member of whom mention has been found, holding there in 1439. (fn. 52) Brytvilles Manor was subsequently alienated to John Spencer of Cople, his son Robert dying seised of the manor in 1521. (fn. 53) The descent of the manor now follows that of Rowlands in Cople (q.v.) (fn. 54)"[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42412 URL]. Date accessed: 25 February 2007."

*"The first mention of it [Rowlands] as a manor is found in 1531, when John Spencer made a settlement of it. His father Robert's name occurs a few years earlier as holding land in Cople. Thomas son of John Spencer died seised in 1547. He was succeeded by his son Robert, who was followed by his son Nicholas, who died about 1625. His son, another Nicholas, married Mary daughter of Sir Edward Gostwick of Willington, and died in 1643.  William Spencer, son and heir of Nicholas, was living and in possession of Rowlands in 1691. From: 'Parishes: Cople', A History of the County of Bedford: Volume 3 (1912), pp. 238-42. [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42423 URL]. Date accessed: 24 February 2007."