6 April 1593 Will of William Pyke of St George the Martyr, Surrey, servant (proved 15 May 1593)

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In the name of god amen The sixt Daye of
Aprill 1593 And in the Five and thirteth yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth
by the grace of god Quene of England France and Ireland Defender of the faithe etc  I
William Pyke of the parishe of St George the martir in the Burroughe of
Southworke in the County of Surrey one of the Quenes Maties Ordinary Servants being
sick in bodye but neverthelesse of good and perfect memory Lawde and praese be given to Almighty
god Doe make and ordayne this my Last will and Testament in manner and forme following that is
to saye First and principally I commend my Sowle into thandes of Almighty god my maker and
Redemer in whome and by the meritts of whose most pretious Deathe and bloudshedding my full and
wholle trust is to be saved and to have free remission of my sinnes And my Bodye to be buryed in christian
buriall without any vaine pompe at the Descreacon of my Executrix and overseers hereunder named And
as concerning the Disposicon of suche worldly substannce as god hathe endued me withall I Doe give 
bequeathe and Dispose the same in manner and forme following viz First I will that my Executrix
shall give and paye to my overseers ymediatly after my decease the some of Forty shillings of Lawfull
money of England to be by them within one moneth after given and Distributed in my name to suche
poore howsekepers of the said parrishe of St George being not comon beggers as they shall thincke 
meete some to one and some to an other in equall partes Item I give to Henry Aldredd sometime my
servannt and nowe her maiesties servannt as a Remembrannce of my good will to him twenty shillings


Item I give to be spent amongest my Fellowes the Serieants and yeomen of the Vestrye of her Maiesties
Chappell the some of Twenty shillings to be paide to them to that intent by my saide executrix within one
moneth next after my Decease Item I give to Mr John Hewlett gentleman of her Maties Chappell my
best gowne Item I give to Mr Sampson one other of the gentlemen there my Litle Cupp of silver guilte 
Item to Mr Willm Hunis my greate Ringe Item to Thomas Woodsonne one other of the gentlemen of her
Maties Chappell my second best gowne and Tenne shillings in money Item I give to Edwarde Frudd my
servannt forty shillings in money and my second best Cloke Item I give to my servannt Awdrye Burges
Twenty shillings besides her wages Item I give to my boye James Bye Tenne shillings Item for as 
muche as Willm Randall my wives sonne last before this my present wyfe shall thinck I am mindefull of him
thoughe he have scarce Deserved it I give to him to the use of his children the value of Tenne poundes to be
paide and Delivered to him in money or in goodes by the oversighte of my saide overseers within one yeare next
after my decease uppon condicon that he be not troublesome to my Executrix And also uppon the Full
payment of this Legacye Doe make and seale to her a Lawfull acquittannce and Release generall for all
Demanndes not that I am any Waye indebted or Covennted to him but for that I woulde not have her 
troubled or molested by any meanes as per happe he dothe pretend Iten whereas one of my wives sonnes
John Towlson of London Sadler oweth me at this present three poundes in money Will is that if I Dye
before the same be repayed Then clearely to remitt and release him for the same Item I give and bequeathe 
to the saide JOhn Towlson a Fetherbedd striped with blacke with the bolster and one pillowe one blankett
a payre of good towen sheetes and my Worste tapestrye Covering Item I give to my Fower bearers that shall
beare my bodye to the Churche halfe a Crowne apeece Item I give and bequeathe to Father Crosse the 
Pounder of St Georges and his wyfe tenne shillings apeece And to him my Cloake being caped with
plushe All the Residue of my goodes chattells howseholdstuff plate Jewells money Creditts and Rightes what-
soever my debts paide and my Legacies and Funeralls Discharged I Doe wholly give and bequeathe unto
Alice my welbeloved wyfe whome I Doe nominate and make full and sole executrix of this my Last will and
Testament And I doe make and ordayne supervisors thereof to see every thing and Legacye Discharged and 
performed according to my true meaning my welbeloved Frendes and neighbors John Norton Channdeler 
and William ?teley Baker of the saide parrishe of St George To whome I Doe give and bequeathe in
consideracon of theire paynes herein to be taken thirtene shillings foure pence apeece And to eache of them
a Ringe of golde suche as I have most fitt for them neither of the best nor of the worste but of the middle sorte
And I clearely renounce and recall all former wills Legacies bequests executors and overseers by me at any
time heretofore made named willed or bequeathed And I will that this shall stande and be as my Last will
and none other nor otherwayes In Wittnesse whereof I have hereunto sett my hande and seale in the pnce 
of theis persons hereunder named The marke of the said William Pyke  Wittnesses hereunto Willm
Harris pub S?? Franncis Howghton The marke of William Barnett

Probatum fuit [this paragraph continues in Latin to grant probate on 15 May 1593]
Decimo quinto Die mensis May Anno Dni Millimo Quingentesimo
Nonagesimo Tertio
[to]
Anthonii Calton notarii publici procuratoris Alicie Pyke
Relicte 

Last Modified: Wednesday, 22-Apr-2020 11:22:22 NDT