Source: TNA, PROB 11/55
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In the name of god amen I William Chester of the citie of Bristow whitta?e doe make this my last will and testament the v th of December 1572 First I give & bequeath my soule to allmightie god by whome I trust by his precious death that he suffred upon the Crosse for me and all mankinde that he will have mercie upon me and forgive me my synnes and my bodie to the earthe and lyeing neare unto my father and brothers wch lieth there before First I give and bequeath to William Chester my eldest sone all that landes that my Father gave me which is three Tenements I nowe dwell in and two tenements at the Corner of St James back that goodwief Mathew dothe nowe dwell in and a brewer in the other and three tenements by the barres and three tenement that the goodwief More meade one of before St Stevens Churche Dore And the three tenements that I dwell in my selfe my will is that John my wief shall have the occupieng of them to her selfe duringe her widowes estate with all the appurtenncs & implements belonging to the same And the saied Johan my wief shall paie to William Chester my sonne xx s a yere as longe as she is widowe And when she doth marie then I give him the three howses that she dwell in with all the ymplements that was my Fathers that is the backe parlor wth wainscott and a Faier folden table and in the fore parlor hanged with saies and borders and the Chambers above wth stained Clothes and the standinge bed that I did lie in wth certaine coffers that was my Fathers and other tiselinge ymplements which I do not remember And further my will is that William Chester my sone shall paie to Johan my wief xl s by the yere duringe hir lief wch shalbe as an anuytie oute of his lande And if he die then I will his heires to se hir contented and paied oute of the same houses more I give him xx l in money to be paied halfe a year after my decease Item I give to Harrie my sonne and Johan my wief all my house and houses that I nowe holde in Barton hundred wch I boughte For Lives of Sr Morris Dennys and thenn I bought of my brother Thomas to Harry my sone and to his heires of his bodie lawfullie begotten And if Harrie Chester die wthout yssue then to remaine to Walter Chester and to the heires of his bodie lawfullie begotten and if Walter Chester die without yssue as god forbide he shoulde then I give to James Chester and to the yssues of his bodie lawfullie begotten And if James Chester die wthout yssue Then I will that Thomas Chester and to the yssues of his bodie lawfullie begoten And then if Thomas Chester die wthout yssue then to remaine to William Chester my eldest sonne and to the heires of his bodie lawfullie begotten And if Willm die wthout yssue Then to remaine to Elizabeth Chester my Daughter and to the heires of hir bodie lawfullie begotten And if Elizabeth die & have no yssue then to remaine to Marie Chester and to the yssue of hir bodie lawfullie begotten And if she die without yssue then I will the land to remaine to my brother Thomas Chester and to his Successours for ever Item I give James my sone twoe of my tenements at Broade meade ende and the other two tenements to Thomas Chester my sone and the garden to them and to their heires equallie betwene them both to be devyded Item I give to Harrie my sonne x l in money And I give to Walter my sonne x l in money Item I give to James my sonne xx l in money Item I give to Thomas my sonne xx l in money Item I give to Elizabeth my Daughter vi l xiii s iiii d in money Item I give to Marie my daughter xxx l in money All the saied moneys to be paied to them wthin viii monethes after my decease Also I give to Willm Chester my sone one of my best gobletts of plate gilted Item I give to Harry my sonne a goblett gilte next my best goblett Item I give to Walter my sonne my third goblett gilte Item I give to James my Sonne one of my best ale pots gilts Item I give unto Thomas my sonne another of my best ale potts Item I give to Eliz my daughter the little Crewse covered wth silver Item I give to Marie my Daughter my Second Saulte wth the Cover All wch plate I will to be delivered them three daies after my decease Item I give to Elizabeth my daughter over and above given xxx s in money Item I give to y poore iii l Item I give my brother Thomas my best ringe for a token I give to my brother Domenicke twoe olde angells To my Sister Robart one olde anngellet It I give to Walter my Sone my Twoe Tenements with their appurtenncs nowe in the tenure or occupacon William Yeatt and of Eliz Cradock widowe To have and to holde to him and to his heires For ever provided allwaies that I devise give and bequeath unto Johane my wief dewring hir lief xl s yerlie to be levied and receyved oute of the saied twoe tenements Item I do give unto my srvnts of my house to be ?? amongest them by the discrecon of my executours one Fries All the Rest of my goods moveable and unmoveable I give to my wief whome I make my Sole executrix in witnes of the trothe witnesse herof Thomas Chester ?? Robert Smithes Willm Pill John Harte John Jacob xpofer Burckhead and others Debts due to me Stanbacke widowe iii l iiiis s Chrofer Benson iii l iii s John B??deshone l s Bennett Minfeld v l Mr Raffe Spratt of London vii l viii s Thomas Smyth marchannte ?iii s iii d Willm Hodgeson of Lichefeld vi l viii s John Langley Fishemonger xxx l Mr Carde of Barstable iii l iii s John Field and Willm Butler iii l xviii s viii d Richard Blewbie of Salisburie xxx s Edward Chester oweth of olde iii l for ??? hundreth lether vi l and the accompt of other ??? hundreth lether John ???ell oweth an accompte of two hundreth of whit lether sent by him to the sea Probatum fuit [this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 7 March 1572] vii die mensis martii Anno dni 1572 [to] Johanne Chester relict
Last Modified: Saturday, 26-Sep-2020 15:12:27 NDT