22 March 1555 Will of William Croston of Bristol (proved 14 June 1555)

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In the name of god Amen I Willyam Croston of the Citie of Bristowe being
sicke of bodye but yet of PERfyte memorie (thankes be to Almightie god) Considering the certeyntie of dethe
and the uncertayntie of the tyme therof make my testament and Last will in maner and forme followinge 
First I comende my soule to Almightie god and my bodye to be buried in Cristian buryall fethfully beleving
and suerlye hopinge by his infynite mercie and goodnes throughe the merits of the bitter passion of his blessed
sonne or lorde & Saviour Jhus Christe very god and man to be saved as one of the nomber of his elect people
and to possesse the eternall kingdome of glorie prepared for the same from the begynnyng of the worlde And 
my will is that Johane my wief shalhave and enyoie my landes and tenements lyeing and beinge in the towne
of Ludlowe in the Countie of Salop whiche my mother Elizabeth Croston otherwise called Bradshawe
dyd give to me in preferment of mariage accordinge to a Joynture therof by me to her made for terme of her 
Liffe Saving that my will ys is that my saide mother shall have her dwelling house whiche she now
dwellith in duringe her lief wtoute interupcon or contradiccon of my saide wief or of any other ??? her and wtoute
paying any rent or other thinge for the same And yf it shall happen my said mother to overlyve my said wief 
Then I will that my said mother shall have and enyoie all my said Lands and herdts to her her heires and 
assignes for ever as free and clearly as she dyd give the same before unto me and myne heires for ??ver
And as Concernynge my goods First I will that fyve poundes of money be put into the boxe or chest in Saint
Nicolas Churche in Bristowe prepared for the relief of the poore within one moneth after my decease by myne
Executrix And that the same be distributed and desposed within fyve monethes then next folowing by the vicar
and proctors of the same churche for the tyme being and by the oversight and consent of my Executrix to the 
bedreden and other most Impotent poore and nedye people of the saide sainte Nicolas PARishe where they shall
then be by their discreccon the same to be best best???? And also I will that ?? d in bred wekely during the terme 
of twentie weeks next folowing after my decease be geven to the poore ?????r people in the ????howse?????
Bedmyster and vi d wekely during the said term ????????? people of the Almeshowse ?????? And xii d 
in bred wekely during the said terme to the poore prisoners in newgate ?????????? shalbe geven 
by my said Executrix by the oversight of the said vicar and proctors And I give and bequeth to my said 


mother for a token of Remembrannce one greate standing Cupp gilt wt a Cover whiche she did give me to my marriage 
Also I give unto my sister Margarete h????? Children iii l Also I bequethe to Marie white my wiefs 
daughter in money Twentie Marks whiche I will to be delyvered to the said Mary White the day of her mariage
yf she be ruled therein by her said mother my wief or els not  And whereas an obligacon was made to Willm
Shipman and Nicholas Thorne to the use of my saide wief for the assurannce of her Joyntoure of Twentie pounds 
by the yere wherof I made assurannce unto her of dyverse Landes and tents in Ludlowe not Amounting to that 
some and the residue of the same Joyntour is yet unperformed for dyvrs reasonable causes whiche my said wief 
knoweth my will thefore ys in that behalf that my said wief shall enjoie the said landes and tents in Ludlowe 
According to her said assurance therein in all things saving that she shall suffer my saide mother to occupie & enyoie 
at her pleasure during the lief of my said mother the dwelling howse whihe she dwelleth in with thappurtenncs
Or els to delyver to my mother Thirtie poundes in money in recompense for the same  And further I give and 
bequeath to my saide wief one hundreth marks in mone to purchase so moche landes as shall make up all her said 
Joyntour or els to retayne the same money in recompence therof as she shall thinke moste expedient Notwtstan
dinge the said obligation made of the saide Willyam Shipman and Nicholas Thorne is clerelie released and 
discharged by two severall dedes of release  And I will that fourtie shillings be delyvred to the executours of 
Nicholas Fy??on yf they may be convenientlye knowen in recompence of a gelding which I borowyd of hym
And yf not then the same to be given to the poore by the discrecion of my said Executrix  Also I give and bequeathe
to my saide mother a blacke gowen and to my brother Jones a blacke gowne and in money Twentie shillings And 
to my Sister Jones a blacke gowne  And to my Sister Pykes a blacke gowne  And to Mr John White a blacke 
gowne  And to my brother Pykes a blacke gowne  And to John Dye my Clarke the money whiche ys due unto me 
by Mr Sheriffes the some wherof I have made unto them a bill  Item I give to my srvante Thomas Rogers 
yf he contynew with my wief during his yeres his hole yeres wages and a lynerie Cote and for a further reward 
Tenne shillings in money  Item I bequeathe to my srvante Margery Whittingham above her wages for a reward 
xi s viii d to bey her a petycote The residue of all my goods not bequeathed as is aforesaid my funerall expencs 
and debtes paide and this my will trulye PERformyd I give and bequeathe to the said Johane my wief whome I 
ordeyne and make to be sole Executrix of this my last will and testament requiring her in goddes name according 
to my speciall trust put in her trulye to parforme the same by thadvyse and counsell of my loving mother 
aforesaid and of my saide brother Jones whome I make ovrseers of this my saide will  In witnes wherof I have 
subscribed my name and putt my seale to this presents The xxii daye of Mar in the yere of our lord god A
Thousande fyve hundreth fiftie and fyve  And in the first and seconde yeres of the Reignes of or sovraigne
Lorde and ladye Phillip and Mary by the grace of god kinge and quene of England Frannce Naples 
Jerusalem and Ireland Defenders of the faithe Princes of Spayne and Cecill Archedukes of Austria Dukes of 
Myllayne Burgone and Brabant Co??t?esses of haspurge Flannders and Tyroll  Willm Croston 
PER me Roger Jones  by me John White  PER me Johann Rastell vicarm dni Nicholan  PER me Water Roberts 
and further my will ys that my said brother Jones shall have full power and Authoritie to sue my said 
brother Pykes yf nede shall so requyer of for and concernyng one obligacon wherein my said brother Pykes 
stande bounde to me for the good goverment and ordering of my said Sister Pykes his wief  and with no other 
thinge concernyng this my will  Willyam Croston  per me Roger Jones  by me John White by me Giles 
White by me Jo L???? PER by Johannen Die s??????? Willm Croston

Probatum fuit testamentum apud London ...
[this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 14 June 1555]
xiiii die Mensis Junii Anno dni Millmo quingentesimo 
quinquagesimo quinto 
[to]
Johanne Relicte et Executricis 

Last Modified: Monday, 21-Sep-2020 17:03:05 NDT