2 September 1558 Will of William Chester of Bristol (proved 8 November 1559)

The original document can be obtained online from The National Archives.

Source: TNA, PROB 11/42B

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In the name of god Amen the seconde daye of September in the yere
of our lorde god a thowsande fyve hundreth fiftye and eight I willm Chester als Chestro
Alderman of the Cyttie of Brystoll beynge sycke in my bodye but thankes be gyven to Almighty
god hole and perfytt in memory Doe make this my Testament contayninge therein my laste
will in maner and forme followynge In primis I gyve and bequeth my sowle to ???
lorde Jhes?? Christe my Savyour and Redemer trustynge in his mercy and by his passyon
to come to the lyffe everlastynge and I doe bequeath my bodye unto Chrystiyan buryall
Item I gyve and bequeathe unto mawde my wyffe my ??de golde that she hathe of myne and
all her owne plate and her Jewells and allmaner of Apparerell that she hathe and her
howsholde stuffe yt is in my howse Also I gyve her sixe hundreth marks in money of good
and lawfull money of englande that ys to saye two hundreth markes of good and lawfull
money of englande to be delyvered unto her wthin ?? moneth after my departyure and
another hundreth markes of good and lawfull money of englande to be payde unto her at
Saynte James tyde next after followyinge and a hundreth markes a Chrystmas followinge
And a hundreth at St James tyde next after followynge and at Chrystmas next followinge
a hundreth markes Also I give and bequeth to my wyffe durynge her naturall lyffe my
three houses that I nowe dwell in wthall & syngler thapprtennces wch is worthe ffyve markes a
yere And I gyve unto her two howses uppon St James is Backe wch is worthe ffyve mrkes
and better a yere Also I gyve her fyve markes to be payde her yearely to her by my
Sonne Domynick Chester owte of the landes of the blacke Fryars in Brystoll and fyve
markes more yerely to be payde unto her by my Sonnes James and Thomas owt of
my landes at westerley in Gloucester sheire and also my great Orcheyarde at the



Fryars with the lytle garden where the Cloyster there was And also the use of the two kyne
there beyinge duringe her naturall lyffe And after her deceasse I gyve the same greate
Orcheyarde and the same two kyne unto my sonne James Chester Item I gyve & bequeath
unto my sonne James Chester and to his heires males forevr all my howse landes and tenemente
that I have called Rodforde in the PARishe of westerley whiche I bought of Mr Nicholas
Paines as it apperythe by my Evydence of the same Resvynge to Thomas Chester and his
heyres males hayatte and the grounde abought the howse within the hedge and within ye
highe waye and Sheperdes feilde and xiii ?? acres and two acres of Arable lande and all the
resydue unto James and to his heires whiche I do gyve unto them forevr Also I gyve unto my sayde
sonne James and his heyres males all the howses and landes called the blacke ffryars of Brystoll
Resvynge a lease to be made to my sonne Domynicke and his heires males upon the same(except
the Bowlynge Alley and the lyttle orcharde wch I gyve unto James Chester and his heires
forever) for the tearme of lxxxix ?? yeres yf they so longe do lyve Payenge therefore yerely to
my sonne James and his heires for the rent of the same x ? yerely And after the Deathe of
my saide wyffe mawde That then Domynicke Chester my saide sonne and his heires shall
paye xx ? a yere and to Quytt lorde and lvnge and to payde unto vi poore people sixe pence
every wek for ever whiche Almes howse as apon Sainte James backe and for lacke of
payement accordingly Then the maior Sergeannte to strayne in any howse or howses or goode
beynge wthin the lybertie thereof to whome soever it appertayneth as a ??yte rent due unto
them of that Almes howse for ever and that vi poore people be putt in by hym yt dothe
enioye the lande and paye them poore people of the Almeshowse and to kepe the repacyons
of yt accordyngly And if the heire of Domynicke Chester be not of thage of xx? yeres
That then I will yt James Chester or ells theldeste of my sonnes then lyvinge shall have holde
enioye occupye and kepe the howses and landes of the blacke ffryars and to paye and kepe
all thinge accordynglye untyll the sonne and heire of Domynicke be of the age of xx? yeres
And to answere and paye to the Chylde or heyre v? a yere ????? to hym that hathe the
Chylde in kepinge untill he be of the Age aforesaide And also the ???s?? to be made
more formallye by learned connsayle accordynge to myne entent and meaninge Also I
gyve unto my sayde Sonne James and his heyres males A lodge and two gardens at mychell
hall behynde the whyte ffryars that I bought of my Lorde Hussey and soe lacke heyres males
to remayne to theldeste of bloode and theire heyres males and for lacke of such heires to
remayne to the next of kynne?? or bloode beyinge of that Stocke or name for ever And so
lacks of heires males of the stocke or name is god forbydde to remayne to the heyre genrall
Item I gyve and bequeathe to my sonne william Chester and to his heires males forever
my three howses and gardens that I dwell in and two howses apon Sainte James ??
backe that I purchased of Sr myles pertridge knight Also three howses and theire
gardens in kinges Streate and a howse before Sainte Stephens Churche D???? I
bought of my lorde Hussey withall the Drapery hangings Chestes Coffers Tabulles
Bedstedes that were ?y?ff????ysses and ffawtes wythe ???er ???all thinges necessarye
to the occupacyon Resvinge unto my sayde wyffe the use and occupyenge of my saide
three howses wherein I dwell wth the gardens hanginges Drapery and other the
premysses durynge her saide naturall lyffe Item I gyve and bequeathe unto
John Robartes and Mary my daughter the lease and yeares of the howses & gardens
in Sainte Phelippes PARishe whiche that John Barber holdyth Item I gyve &
bequeath unto James my Sonne three standynge gylte Cuppes wth a Cover gylte
wayenge threscore and ffyftene ounces and a half and a Dosen of Spones wth p???ll
heades wayeng xxi ounces and my skarlett gowne furred withe ff???es and my
skarlett Cloke furred wth graye ffur?? Item I gyve and bequeath unto
Edwarde his sonne my Ale C??wes wayeng    ounces and to Thomas his sonne
my beste hoope of golde and a Chayne of sylver and gylte Item I gyve and
bequeath to Thomas my sonne my best ??aste of goblete wayenge a hundreth and
tenne ounces and a lytle hoope of golde A skarlett gowne lyned wth Da??????
and my best pewk gown And to william his sonne A spysse Dyshe sylver
and gylt wayenge twelve ounces Item I gyve and bequeath unto william my
sonne my three best Ale Cuppes withe a Cover gylt wayenge ffortye ounces
and sixe sp??es with lyons or knappes and a salte wth a Cover persell silke
wayenge xvii ounces and a spysse dyshe of sylver and gylte wayenge twelve
ounces with a golde Rynge and one of my best gownes And to william hys sonne
A goblett of gylt wayenge xi ounces Item I gyve and bequeathe unto my
sonne Domynicke a standinge Cuppe wth a Cover parssell gylte wayenge f???e
and ffyftie ounces and a Salte sth a Cover perssell gylte wayenge Eleven



ounces and a golde Rynge with a blew fafyer and one of my best gownes wth three new Ale
potte of gylte wayenge fortye ounces and ??? Item I gyve and bequeathe unto John
Robartes and Marye my Daughter my two best gylte saltes wth a Cover wayenge one and
ffyftie ounces and a Dy??son gyrdle of her mothers and a golde Rynge Item I gyve
unto John Robertes herr sonne a standynge gylte Cuppe wthout a Cover wayenge
thirtene ounces Item I gyve and bequeathe to the poore howsholders and poore
people tenne poundes to be Dystrybuted by my executors And I doe gyve ffortye shillings
towardes the repayvinge of the highe waye to westerley Item I gyve and bequeath
unto the PARishe Churche of Sainte James A Chesable of grene velvett and a clothe
of Tyssue Item I gyve unto the parryshe preist sixe shillinges eight pence The
Residue of all my goodes above not bequeathed I gyve and bequeathe unto James
Chester and Thomas Chester my sonnes whome I doe name ordayne constytute and
apointe my full and hole executors of this my laste will and Testament and theye
to Dystrybute a parte of my howsholde stuffe to my Chyldren accordynge to theire
wyll and pleasure And I do appoynte mr william Pepwall of the Cyttie of Brystoll
meior to be myne overseer to see this my laste will and Testament Reformed I give
unto hym fower markes towardes  gowne clothe and a golde Rynge And I doe appointe mr
william Pepwall and mawde my wyffe to sett in order all thinge wthoute contradiccon
or varyance And ffurther I will that all former wylles and testamentes
heretofore made be utterly voyde and of none effecte In wytnes hereof mr willm
Pepwall maior of Brystoll and Hughe Jones preiste and notarye publique wth
willm Chester the younger and others By me william Pepwall maior
me hug??e Jones ???? testem??????ssavocat

Probatum fuit [this paragraph continues in Latin and appears to grant probate 
on 8 November 1559] 
octavo die novembris Anno Dni millimo Quingentesimo quinquagesimo nono
[to] Jacobi Chester



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Last Modified: Wednesday, 10-Aug-2011 16:44:10 NDT