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James Gonneld
Gonneld's name is one of the 97 in the Stationers' Company's charter of 1557. He was an important figure in the Company (as a Warden for four years between 1565 and 1576 and as Master for three years between 1579 and 1586), but he was neither a printer nor a publisher. In 1563, Robert Sysaye (see below) appointed Gonneld one of the supervisors of his will. Numerous references to him occur in the Stationers' Register. Duff (pp. 57-58) cites Gonneld's
On 16 November 1594, "Iames Gonnelde Citizen and Stacioner of London being at this present sicke in my bodye" made his will (P.R.O., Prob. 11. 84/Dixy 85). He mentions his wife Katherine (whom he names sole executrix), his son Benjamin Gonneld (whom Duff notes as being in holy orders), and his four daughters—Dorothy Baker, Katherine Gonneld, Sara Gonneld, and Dorcas Gonneld. (His three younger daughters were under 21 and unmarried at the time.) According to his will, Gonneld held the reversion of certain property in Chick Lane near Smithfield pens, in the parish of St. Sepulchre, London, and he lived in his mansion house near Smithfield Bars, London. He declares himself free of the Company of Stationers, to whom he leaves 40s. to make merry, and he leaves the same amount each to the poor of Christ's Hospital in London and to the poor of his own parish (St. Sepulchre's). He also makes bequests to his servant Nicholas Byfonte, his maidservant Alice Harris, and his cousin Epham Westis, wife of Thomas Westis. As overseers, he designates Mathew Marten and one Mattingley; witnesses to the will included Mathew Marten, George Needler, Richard Cooper, Brian Garvie, and Alice Rolfe (the last two signing by marks). Catherine Gonneld (through a notary public) probated the will on 10 December 1594.
Gonneld's son Benjamin (also called Gunnell and Goonald) matriculated at Cambridge from St. John's College in 1581, received his B.A. in 1584/5 and his M.A. in 1588, and was vicar of Takeley, Essex, from 1598 until his death in 1629.[5] The Stationers' Register records payments to him from 1586 to 1595, including money for delivering sermons before the Company. On 26 June 1589, he was admitted to the freedom of the Company, "per patrimonium" (Arber, I, 514, 519, 525, 533, 554, 566, 575; II, 705).
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