12 November 1598 Will of Thomas Aldworth of Bristol, alderman and merchant (proved 5 March 1598)

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In the name of god amen the vvii th day 
of November one thowsande five hundred nintie eight I Thomas Aldworthe of the
Cittie of Bristoll Alderman and marchannte beinge of good and perfect memorie doe 
ordaine and make this my laste will and testament in manner and forme followinge
Firste I comende my sowle unto the Almightie god my onlie Creator and Redemer 
And my bodie to be buried in the Ganntes Churche in St Augustines greene 
Item I give unto a preacher or preachers two pound for fower Sermons to be made 
within the saide Church within one yeare after my decease Item I give towerd the re-
paracion of the Church of Sainte Warboroughe and to the newe works adioininge to 
the same fower poundes Item I bequeathe unto my welbeloved wife Margerie 
Aldworthe twoe hundreth poundes to be paide her by my executor within one yeare 
after my decease Item more I give unto my saide wife three hundred ownces of my
plate Item more I give her one hundred poundes to be paide unto her yearelie du-
ringe her naturall life by my Executor and Robert Aldworthe as by theire twoe 
bondes to that effect maie appere Item I give unto my saide wife and to her heires 
forever the Fee Farme of Mr Kemis howse that was which I bought of the Maior 
and Cominaltie with all groundes gardaines and Tennamentes and possessions there
unto belonginge to dispose of the same at her will and pleasure Item my will is that
my saide wife shall dwell and remaine in my nowe dwellinge howse duringe her naturall life 
and to have and to use the saide howse and all the implements therein as beddinge and
brasse pewter and all other furniture belonginge to the saide howse as by an Inventary
of the same shalbe taken imediatlie after my death As allso my gardaine and lodge 
uppon Michell hill payenge the Rente duringe her naturall life Item I give unto
my brother Richard Aldworthe of London twentie poundes Item I give unto my
Cosen Robert Aldworthe my brother Richard Aldworthe his sonne twoe hundrethe 
poundes in monie And three tankerdes of silver and gilte for a remembrannce Item 
I give unto John Aldworthe my brother Richard Aldworthe his sonne twoe hundred 
poundes And to his two Daughters Margerie and Elizabeth tenn poundes to eache of 
them yf they shalbe livinge at the daie of theire marriage Item I give unto Eliza
beth Aldworthe daughter of my brother Richard Aldworthe in monie twentie 
poundes Item I give unto Richard Tobye tenn poundes besides twentie poundes he 
oweth me alreddie as PER his bill Item I give unto Thomas Aldworthe of Wantinge in Barks
Tanner the some of Fortie poundes Item I give unto Thomas Wright my god
sonne thirtie poundes to be paide him at the age of twentie three yeares Item I give 
unto Robert Younge the youngest Childe of John Younge deceased the some of twe-
ntie and five poundes Item I give unto my brother in lawe Mr John Webb tenne
ounces of plate Item I give unto John Collimore draper in monie Five pounds 
Item I give unto my Frende Jeromie Ham Towneclarke tenn ounces of plate Itm
I give unto my frende Robert Redwood tenn ounces of plate Item I give unto every
one of my godchildren that ar livinge three shilinges fower pence Item I give unto 
Thomas Saltron the younger my godsonne Five poundes Item I give unto Thomas
Aldworth vicar of Congresbury twentie five poundes Item I give unto my cosen
Joan Harris of Oxford tenn pounds And unto her two brethren tenn poundes
betwene them Item I give unto my Cosen Mark Smithe in Barkesheire five 
poundes And to his twoe sisters betwene them Tenn poundes Item I give unto
Thomas Aldworthe whooper tenn poundes Item I bequeathe twelve poundes to be 
given by my executor unot all the Almes howses within this Cittie of Bristoll by
Fower severall times within the yeare Item I bequeathe to poore maides mariags
tenn poundes to be given them at the discretion of my executor and Overssers Item 
I give unto the poore prisoners of Newgate tenn poundes to be given them in bread
quarterly untill the same be out Item I give unto the hospitall of Queene


Elizabethe in Sainte Augustines Greene Fiftie poundes condicionallie that 
the Maior and Cominaltie doe not sell anie more of the landes of the mannor of Congresburie in
Fee simple or in Fee Farme or in Fee tale from the hospitall That then my saide gifte 
to remaine unto the hospitall and otherwise to retorne to my Executor Item I give 
unto the howse of Correction tenn poundes towerdes the buyinge of beddes and Coverletts
and likewise the writings of the newe house and gardaine thereunto adioininge Item 
I    bequeathe towerdes the reparracion of the highe waies in kingeswood and 
from the Spittle of Redcliffe hill unto Bridebowe tenn poundes Item I bequeath 
unto the Church wardens and Overseers of the Towne of Wantinge in Barkes 
thirtene poundes with twentie and seaven poundes I have alreddie lente them which
maketh up Fortie poundes to be imploied in woll for a stock to be spunne into yarne 
to sett the poore on worke which stock shalbe delivered unto honest men of good fame 
and name for fower yeares puttinge in good assurannce for the performannce 
thereof unto my Cosen Thomas Aldworth of Wantinge in Barcks And yf the 
saide stock shall not be PERformed as before specified Then my will is that the said 
Stock shalbe imploied in lande or howses and the same to remaine to the Almes 
howss of Wanginge forever Item I give unto Robert Sheward my servannt 
tenn poundes Item I give unto Elizabeth Hill my servannt twentie poundes 
Item I give unto my other twoe maide servanntes Fortie shillinges to eache 
of them Item I give unto Elizabeth Puddy daughter of William Puddye
Five poundes at her daie of marriage yf she shall then be livinge Item I gie 
unto Anne Write widowe And to Margerie her daughter tenn poundes to
eche of them 
  Item unto Thomas and Nicholas
  Warden tenn poundes to eche 
  of them
     Item my will is  yf anie of the Leagators herebefore mencioned 
shall happen to die before the age of one and twentie yeares or before the time 
within mencioned That then such leagacies that were bequeathed them to remaine 
unto my Executor except my wife Robert Aldworth and John Aldworth Item 
I doe ordaine and make my beloved Thomas Aldworth als Darbridg who espoused 
Marie the daughter of Walter Williams draper of this Cittie of Bristoll
deceased my full and whole executor of this my laste will and testament to see all
my debtes and leagacies trulie and iustlie paide as he will annswere at the laste 
dreadfull daie I meane to see all my debtes and leagacies paide within one yere 
after my decease or at the times herein appointed for the same Item more I give
unto the saide Thomas Aldworthe als Durbridge my saide named executor 
the Fee farme of my nowe dwellinge howse in Smale streate as allso the Fee
Farme of a Tennament adioininge to my saide howse wherein Walter Philpott 
now dwelleth to him the saide Thomas Aldworth als Durbridge and to the heirs 
males of his bodie lawfllie begotten forever Item more I give unto the aforesaid 
Thomas Aldworth als Durbridge all my howsholde stuffe with beddinge brasse 
pewter plate and all thinges belonginge unto my saide dwellinge house provided 
allwaies that Margerie my wife shall have the use of all the aforesaide howse
hold stuffe duringe her naturall life And to enioye the one quarter PARte thereof 
  at her will and pleasure Item I doe desier my welbeloved brother in lawe 
John Webb my Cosen Robert Aldworthe and John Aldworth marchanntes and 
Mr Doctor Frannces James to be my Overseers of this my last will and testamt 
desieringe them that if it shall happen that anie matter of doubte shall arise in 
this my laste will and testament that they or some one of them will determine 
the cawse without goinge to lawe And I give to eache of them five poundes for
a token of remembrannce Moreover my will and meaninge is that my nowe 
dwellinge howse shall remaine as aforesaide unto Thomas Aldworth alias 
Durbridge and to the heires males of his bodie lawfullie begotten forever And
for defalte of such yssue to Robert Aldworthe and his heires males of his bodie 
lawfully begotten And for defalte of such issue unto John Aldworth and his 


heires males of his bodie lawfullie begotten And for defalte of such heires then to 
the generall heires &c Sealed and delivered in the pnce of Thomas Aldeworthe 
Frannces James Robert Aldworthe John Aldworthe 

Probatum fuit ...
Apud London ...
[this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 5 March 1598]
Quinto die 
mensis Martii Anno domini ... millimo 
Quingeno nonagesiom octavo
[to]
Thome White nory pu? procuris Thome 
Aldworth als Durbridge executoris 

Last Modified: Sunday, 31-Jan-2021 12:49:54 NST