2112–2113.  Robert Fitzpen was born in County Dorset, England, in—say—1555. His wife was Cicelie Jorden They were married in County Dorset on Sunday, September 18, 1580. She took the name Cicelie Fitzpen. He is the son of John Fitzpen. She is the daughter of Thomas Jordon. They had four children:

i. Owen Fitz-Pen was born in Melcomb, county Dorset, England, in 1582, and died in Lamorran, England, on March 17, 1636. He married Annie Coinie on July 3, 1603. He was captured by pirates in 1620 and escaped in 1627.
Per Fitzpen or Phippen ..., pages 13 and 14: "This relates to his rescuing himself and companions with great bravery after a seven years' bondage on board an Algerine corsair; the history of which exploit is engraved upon a monument or tablet erected to his memory by his brother George, in St. Mary's Church, ... Cornwall ...
To the pious and well-deserved memory of Owen Fitz-Pen, alias Phippen, who travelled over many parts of the world, and on the 24 Mar., 1620, was taken by the Turkes and made captive in Argier. He projected sundry plots for his libertie and on ye 17 of June 1627 with ten other Christian captives, Dutch and French [perswaded byhis counsel and courage] he began a cruel fight with sixty-five Turkes in their owne ship, which lasted three howers; in which five of his company were slaine, yet God made him conquer, and so he brought the ship into Cartagene, being 400 tons and 22 ord.

The King sent for him to Madrid to see him; he was proffered a captaines place and the King's favor if he would turne Pepiste, which he refused. He sold all for 6,000£ returned into England, and died at Lamorran 17 march 1636.
Melcombe in Dorset, was his place of birth
Age 54, and here lies earth to earth.
George Fitz-Pen alias Phippen ipsius frater et hujus eccelesiac rector H M P.
ii. David Phippen [#1056]: He was born in Weymouth (or Melcombe Regis), county Dorset, England, in 1585, and died in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1650.
iii. George Phippen, (Rev.):

Geo: Fitzpen GF
als (alias) Phippen
(Rev. Geo. Fitzpen, A.M.) died in 1650–1, will dated July 20, 1650, proved March, 1651; married (1) Joan Pie, daughter of Anthony and Constance Pie of St. Stephen, Eng.; married (2) June 20, 1648, Mary Penros, sister to John Penros. A Roger Phippen of Penny con quicke is mentioned in his will. The name "Pie" or "Pye" is said to derive from the Welsh Ap Hugh where "Hugh" was pronounced more like "high".
iv. Cicele Phippen was baptized in Melcomb on March 10, 1593. Her married name was Cicele Reynolds.

From Fitzpen or Phippen, ...: The signature of George, above, is taken from the Fitzpen or Phippen Arms and Pedigree, as furnished and certified to before the Clarenceux King of Arms at the Herald's Visitation of Cornwall in 1620 by the Rev. Geo. Phippen of Truro in said county. It was taken from page 3 of Fitzpen or Phippen and Allied Families. It shows that the transition from Fitzpen to Phippen went thru several generations where the family used both names. It also shows that even in the 1600s, the name was "Fitzpen", not "Fitz Pen".

The name "Phippen" is patronymic, and is a corruption of Fitz-pen or Fils-pen (Fitz or Fils from the Latin Filius meaning son), being a Norman prefix to an old British name. Camden says Pen, in British, signifies the head or top of anything, examples: the Pennine Alps and the Apennines, and Pennon's Hill in Devonshire. There is an old couplet still common [late 1800s] in Cornwall:

By Tre, Ros, Pol, Lan, Caer, and Pen
You may know the most of Cornish men.

The name "Pen" or "Penne" occurs frequently in early English records, such as the Hundred Rolls, the Patent Rolls, the Fine Rolls, etc., extending back from the Crusades even to the time of the Conquest; and is found in the Roll of Battel Abbey (Sussex).

As is typical of the times, the spelling of "Jorden" appears in several variations: "Jordon" and "Jordaine". In the source of this entry, the "Jorden" spelling is applied to Cicelie, while all of her male forebearers have "Jordon". Also, the name "Cicelie" appears as "Cecely" and "Cecelie".


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