Jim Fisher's Genealogy and Family History Pages

Mabell in Leicestershire, England

Introduction

This page is devoted to the MABELL ancestors of my father - the origins of the name, who they were and where and when they lived.

Origins of the name

The surname MABELL is the diminutive or popular form of Amabel, itself derived from the Latin for loving or lovable.

Variants of the name

In addition to the obvious variants of Mabel and Mable, the Amias Mabell discussed below was apparently sometimes called Able or Abel.

My great great great great great great great great great grandmother Joanne Mabell came from Stoke Golding, Leicestershire, where she married the curate Humphrey Jasper. She died in 1653 in South Cerney, Gloucestershire, where her husband was then the vicar.

Amias Mabell

Amias Mabell, sometimes referred to as Abell, was the father of Joanne. He seems to have been quite a notorious character! Records of the time show that on 4th March 1597 he was suspected of "fornication with Ann Carte, as fame has it". He was ordered to "purge himself six-handed by his neighbours", and Ann Carte was excommunicated. On 11th March he appeared again, but "produced no compurgators, therefore penance was laid upon him". On 11th November 1601 he was again ordered "to purge himself six-handed", this time for being suspected of fornication with Agnes Carte. He claimed that an insufficient bill of detection was made against him, and further that the relationship was honest as he intended to marry the woman. He was ordered to marry her before the next feast of St. Andrew, and to certify the marriage at the next court. He failed to do so, and both parties were excommunicated on 9th December 1601. On 23rd November 1611 he appeared in the Archdeacon's court at Leicester accused of usury. His defence was that he had only £30, which by reason of his age he could not "employ in stock", so he lent it out at 10% per annum "otherwise he could not tell how to lyve" - the case was dismissed.

He seems to have reformed his character at a late date, since his 1618 will "remitts his body to be buried in the chancell of the Churche of Stoake", and he left 40 shillings "to the towne of Stoake to be put forth to the said benefit by the Church Wardens for the time being, to procure, by the sum of fower shillings, a Sermon to be preached yearly in the Church of Stoak on the feast day of Saint Andrew the apostle, for ever."