20 April 1584 Will of Thomas Rowland of Bristol, merchant (proved 21 April 1586)

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In the name of god amen The xxth of Aprill in the yeare 
of our Lorde godd a 1584 I Thomas Rowlands of the citty of Bristoll merchannt being
at this present god I prayse for it of godde and perfect mynde and memorye doe ordayne
and dispose this mye last will and testament in manner and forrme followinge First I 
bequeath my sowle unto almightye godd our heavenly father commitinge mye selffe wholly
to his mercy beleevinge and censeinge assuredlye through the death and pretious bloude 
sheddinge of his most deere beloved sonne Jhesus Chryste mye only Savior and redeemer to bee
saved to whome with the hollye goste th??e persons and one god coequall and coeternall be
all prayse honoue and glorye nowe and ever worlde without ende Amen Alsoe I bequeath
mye bodye to the earth in sure hope to be pertaker at the generall daye of Judgment of the
fantes of Chrystes resurrection with the iuste and to be buried in mye parishe churche
and such obsequies to be done for mee as unto a good Christian appertayneth Item I give 
towardes the reparecons of the said church and unto the newe woorke twentye shil
linges Alsoe I give unto twelve almes houses to be distributed amongest the poore 
people of every of the said almeshouses within this Cittye tenne groates to every house 
to be given presentlye at mye death Alsoe I give to the mayor and Commonaltye of 
the Citye of Bristoll towardes the reparacions ofthe same Citye Five poundes to be 
payde to the Chamberlayne for that use aforesayde Item I bequeath and give unto
mye eldest daughter Joyce Rowland two hundred marke I say 133 l 13 s 4 d with one of mye 


best goblettes and the cover guilte more I give her mye second best fetherbed with the seconde coveringe
sheetes blanketts and all furniture to a bedde appertayninge with one of mye biggest yland chestes 
and one of the least and twoe baxborne chaires and a crooke Caudron and a panne that was 
her Grandmothers and one garnishe of pewter vessell Item I give and bequeath unto
Margery Rowlande mye second daughter one hundreth marke I saye thre skore sixe poundes 
thirteene shillinges foure pence more I give her a lease that I houlde of marbwryes which I
bought of John Sandyforde of Lo I have as yett a twentye eight yeres to comme or there 
aboutes more I give her one of mye best guilte bowles and one gre?? yland chest and twoe
crenzes with guilte covers Item I give and bequeath unto mary Rowland mye third daughtr
foure score poundes I saye 80 l and mye seconde best dozen of silver spoones and one crewse with a
guilte cover more a tablecloth of holland with a dozen of napkins and twoe towells wroughte
with blewe threade and one ylande chest of the middle sorte and one laxborne chayre and halfe 
a dozen of stooles Item I give aunto Anne Rowland my fourth daughter twentye poundes I 
say xx l more I give her for her naturall lyffe to be the first in a lease that I bought of the 
chamb of Bristoll in reversion of oulde mother stockes more I give her a playne whyte
bowle of silver Alsoe I give and bequeath unto Katheryne Rowland mye fiveth daughter 
one hudnreth merke I sayd lxvi l xiii s iiii d more I geve her one of mye guilte tankerdes of
silver and one yland chest with haullffe a garnishe of pewter vessell and twoe pottes of 
pewter Alsoe I give and bequeath unto Alice Rowland my sixt daugher one hundred markes
I saye lxvi l xiii s iii d and my seconde saulte seller of silver and guilte and one ylande
chest and a lupborne chayre Alsoe I give unto Elizabeth Rowland mye seaventh daughter fiftye 
poundes I saye l l and one boule of silver and guilte and one yland chest and twoe payer of holland 
sheetes Alsoe I give unto Jilian I saye Jilian Rowlande my yongest dauthter fourtye pounds
I say xl l and mye best dozen of silver spoones of the guilte Apostells Alsoe I give and beqth
unto the chylde mye wyffe goeth withall beinge mye nynthe chylde that I have nowe livinge 
thirtye poundes I saye xxx l and one of my best guilte tankerdes All which legacies 
geven to my daughters as foresayde I woulde shoulde be paide to everye of them at the daye of 
their Lawfull marriages or at the yeres of xxiiii yeares and their porcions to remayne with 
suche personns as they shalbe appointed to be withall by the consente of my wyffe Elizabeth 
Rowlande they puttinge in sufficient suerties for the same to the mayor and Comnltye of 
Bristoll And yf in case anye of them deceas before they be married or come of the age of four
and twentye yeares that then suche porcion of theirs soe diseased to goe libra per swelld 
amongest the reste of the Survivors equally to be distributed amongest them that lyv?? in
equall porcions Alsoe I give unto all my Apprentices that nowe bee fourtye shillinges a
piece of them Alsoe I give unto Ellin mye maide servannte that hath bene with mee
longe foure poundes I saye foure poundes Alsoe I give unto Thomas Rowland mye godsonne 
five marke I saye three poundes sixe shillinges eight pence Item I give more unto my
godsonne and sonne in lawe Richard Langforde twentye markes I saye thirteene poundes
sixe shillinges eight pence Alsoe mye will is that all mye firste wyves landes in wales 
shall goe amongest mye seaven daughters and hers as their inheritannce to be devyded 
equally by the rents oras best may be devised by learned Counsell that they have noe stryfe 
but agree lyke lovinge sisters Also my will is that all my landes in to??e remayne to mye 
wyffe Elizabeth Rowland duringe her lyffe and after to our heires betweene us begotten 
and in defaute of such issue to mye heires generall accordinge to a deede of feoffement made 
and past by mee to that intent Item I give and bequeath unto mye welbeloved wyffe Eliza
eth Rowland five hundred marke I say thre hundred ?????? poundes sixe shillinges eight pence whom
I doe ordaine and appointe to be mye full and whole executrix of this mye last will and
testament requiringe her to see mye debts paide and to recover all suche debtes and goodes due
unto mee as well beyonde the Seas as here within the lande but mye will is that she troble
noe person for anye debt due unto mee that is not able nor of powre to paye the same but 


suche I freelye forgive as I hope and beleve to be forgiven thorough the tender mercy of our Savioure 
Jhesus Chryste unto whose ???con and mercy I commend my sowle for ever withoute ende made in
Bristol Firmed with my owne hande And sealled with my sealle in manner as I have above 
devised by mee Thomas Rowlande ???r per me mich??? Hill

Probatum fuit ... apud London
[this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 21 April 1586]
vicesimo pmo
die mensis Aprilis Anno dni millimo Quingentesimo octogesimo Sexto
[to]
Elizabethe relce et executrics

Last Modified: Saturday, 12-Sep-2020 10:41:54 NDT