20 July 1591 Will of Robert Pyke of Uphaven, Wiltshire, yeoman (proved 28 October 1591)

Also, if you are a male Pike/Pyke (or you know one) who may be willing to do a genealogical DNA test, then please check out the Pike DNA Project for which I am a volunteer coordinator. There are several Pike/Pyke families that are not yet represented in the project, and for whom participants are wanted.

In the name of god amen the Sixte and 


Twentithe daye of Julye in three and thirtithe yere of the Raigne of or soveraigne Ladie Elizabethe by ye
grace of god of England Frannce and Irelande Quene Defender of the faithe &c I Robert Pyke
of Uphaven in the countie of Wiltes yeoman being sicke in Bodie but whole in mynde and 
of perfect memorye Do make and ordeyne this my last will and testamente in manner and 
forme followinge First I committ my Soule into the handes of ye Almightie god my maker and 
Redemer and my bodie to be buried within the churche of Uphaven to which Churche I geve in con-
sideracon of my buriall I give Sixe shillinges eighte pence Item I give to oure Ladie churche 
in Sarum twelve pence Item I give to the poore people of Uphaven thirteene shillinges foure 
pence Item I give to my god sonne Robert Pyke the sonne of Maurice Pyke twentie shillinges 
Item I give to Robert Langford the sonne of John Langford of Fresford Fyve shillinges Item 
I give to Robert Pyke the sonne of Edmond Pyke fyve shillinges Allso I give to my sonne Edmd
Pyke the Sylte scone standinge in the yeald house Item I give and bequeathe to my sonne
George Pyke the somme of one hundred markes of good and lawfull money of England to be
paied within the space of one halfe yere next after the Daye of his marriage Provided alwayes 
that yf the saied George Pyke do die before he shalbe marryed then I will that the one halfe of 
the saide hundred markes shalbe Devided equallie betwene his twoe Sisters viz Margaret Pyke
and Jane Pyke Item I give grannte and bequeathe to Margery Pyke my nowe wife all my free
Lande and tenementes called Bambers to have and to houlde to the saied Margery for and 
Duringe the tearme of her naturall life And from and after her Decease to the sole only and 
propper use of the saied George Pyke my saied sonne To have and to hould to hym the saied 
George my saied sonne and to the heires of his bodie lawfullie begotten or to be begotten in fee
for ever And my will is that yf my saied sonne George shall fortune to dye without heire or
heires of his bodie begotten as aforesaied or do not otherwise alien or sell the same before his
Deathe Then my Will is that the saied Lande and tenementes shalbe and remayne to the 
only use of Maurice Pyke my sonne and to the heires of his bodie lawfully begotten or to 
be begotten And for defaulte of suche heires to the righte heires of the saied George Pyke for
evermore Item I give and bequeathe to Margery my Wife all that tenement and certeyn
Lande lying in Uphaven called Essixe To have and to houlde to her for tearme of her life 
And from and after her decease the Righte title interest lease and tearme of yeres then to come and
unexpired of and in the saied lande called Essixe To have and to houlde to the onlie propper 
use and behoofe of the saied George Pyke my saied sonne and to his executors and assignes in 
as large and ample manner as I nowe have maye mighte or oughte to have the same 
Item I freelie give and bequeathe to my saied sonne George Pyke all those Landes called
Langfordes landes lyinge in Freshforde, Hylperton and Blanforde within the countie
of Wilteshire Somerset and Dorset in any of them As allso all the Righte use power 
truste interest and Aucthoritie which I nowe have aswell by force of a certeyne feoffment 
and other writinges as allso by force of other conveyennce in the Lawe therof to me made
To have and to houlde to the saied George my saied sonne in as large ample and beneficiall
manner as I may mighte or oughte to have and to enioye the same by any manner of 
meanes whatsoever Allso I give and bequeathe to my daughter Margaret Pyke forty
markes of lawfull englishe money And to my Daughter Jane Pyke fortie markes of 
like lawfull money to be paied to them within one halfe yere next after theire marriages 
yf either of my saied Daughters shall fortune to dye before she shalbe marryed then I will
that ther parte and porcon so Dyinge shalbe and remayne to the other sister survivinge 
And further my will and meaninge herein ys that neither of my saied Daughters 
Margaret nor Jane shall from the Date hereof contract neither espouse them selves or
one of them shall not contracte nor espouse in marriage or matrimonye to any man
without the knowledge and condiscent of Margery my wife George Lecester John
Langford and Stephen Mangridge my sonnes in Lawe yf anyone of them my saied 
Daughters shall contract them selfes contrary to the true meaninge of this my last will
That then the saied porcons and Legaceys severallie so to them bequeathed shall remayne 
to the other of my saied Daughters that shall observe performe fullfill and keepe my


saied will and true meaninge therof And yf bothe my saied Daughters shall refuse to fullfill
the same or yf it fortune my saied Daughters to dye before the Dayes of theire mariages 
Then I will that theire saied porcons shall remayne and be to the saied George my sonne
and his executors Item all the rest and residue of my goodes chattells ymplementes and 
houshould beinge moveable and unmoveable whatsoever (my funerall expences 
paied and my debtes Dischardged I give and bequeath unto Margery my wife whom
I make my full and sole executrix of this my laste testamente And for that the 
same Margery my saied executrix shall iustlye and dulie see the same in all poyntes 
performed And for the better preservacon wherof I do heare bye will that George 
Lecister John Langford and Stephen Moggridge my sonnes in Lawe be my overseers 
of this my last will and testamente And for theire paynes I give to every of them
fyve shillinges of lawfull englishe money And allso for the better Advanncement and 
profitt of my saied sonne George Margaret and Jane my daughters the Legacys
aforesaied given and bequeathed unto them shall remayne in the Custodie of my saied 
Executrix and my saied overseers to be ymployed and put forthe unto the best profit 
uses and behoofes of my saied children to be Delyvered with theire stockes in manner 
and forme aforesaied and not for any other use and the same to be equallie Devided 
amongest them the saied George Margaret and Jane in suche sorte and after the 
Rate and value of every porcon so as to every and eache of them before ys gyven In
Witnesse wherof I have to this my present last will and testamente uppon good
Deliberacon putte my hand and Seale the Daye and yere first above written in the 
presence of edmond Baylie Roger Wrighte and John Allen

Probatum fuit [this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 28 October 1591]
vicesimo octavo die mensis Octorbris Anno Dni
millesimo quingentesimo nonagesimo primo
[to]
Anthonii Calton Notarii
publici procuraboris Margerie Relicte et executrics

Last Modified: Thursday, 23-Apr-2020 20:17:29 NDT