Wills: 1649-60

Calendar of Wills Proved and Enrolled in the Court of Husting, London: Part 2, 1358-1688. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1890.

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'Wills: 1649-60', in Calendar of Wills Proved and Enrolled in the Court of Husting, London: Part 2, 1358-1688, (London, 1890) pp. 766-772. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/court-husting-wills/vol2/pp766-772 [accessed 26 April 2024]

In this section

ANNO DOMINI 1649

Monday next before F. of Nativity of S. John Baptist [24 June]..

Yeend (Abraham), of the parish of S. Magnus near London Bridge, "Marchaunttaillor."—To be buried with his wife in the church of S. Magnus aforesaid. Bequests to Christ's Hospital, S. Thomas's, and S. Bartholomew's, poor prisoners in the two compters, the Ludgate and Fleete, the King's Bench, Marshalsea and Compter in Southwark, the poor in the parish of S. Magnus, &c.; also to the wife and children of his late brother John, and others. To the Company of Marchanttailors in London he leaves one hundred pounds, in trust to lend to two young men of the company using the trade of a linen or woollen draper, fifty pounds apiece for five years gratis, and so from five years to five years for ever. The "cornemonie" (fn. 1) which the company owe him he leaves to six of the poorest women of the said company who have failed to obtain a sister's house at Tower Hill. The residue of his goods, after discharge of specific bequests, he leaves to the children of his three brothers, Richard, William, and James. His lands and tenements in or near Northumberland Alley in the City of London to be sold, and the proceeds added to his personal estate. His doubtful and desperate debts (fn. 2) to be compounded by his executors. Date wanting. (fn. 3)

By codicil he makes a devise to the sons of his brother James in successive tail male, and among other bequests leaves to his said brother all wearing apparel, both silk and stuff, linen and woollen, with certain exceptions. Dated 6 September, A.D. 1648.

By a second codicil he revokes a portion of a bequest made to Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Yeend, and leaves ten pounds to the poor of Ashchurche (fn. 4) parish, where he was born. Dated 28 December, A.D. 1648.
Roll 324 (20).

ANNO DOMINI 1650.

Monday next before the Feast of SS. Philip and James[1 May]

Dryhurst (Francis), merchant tailor.—To Alice his wife a messuage in Burchinlane for life; remainder to his kinsman Hugh Clough and Jane, wife of the same. To his kinsmen Nathaniel and Thomas Wicks the lease of his dwelling-house in the parish of S. Olave, Hartestreete. Dated 10 March, A.D. 1641.
Roll 325 (6).

[Rolls 326 and 327 contain no enrolment of wills.]

ANNO DOMINI 1653.

Monday next after the Feast of S. Barnabas [11 June].

Morecroft (John), apothecary.—To be buried in the church of S. Dunstan in the West, as near as may be to the place where his wife lies buried. To Richard his son his dwelling-house and other messuages in Fleetstreete in the parish of S. Dunstan, and the sum of three thousand pounds. To John his son two thousand pounds. To William his son two messuages in Fleetstreete in the parish of S. Dunstan aforesaid. Various bequests of money to friends, relatives, and servants. Dated 9 March, A.D. 1652.
Roll 328 (10).

ANNO DOMINI 1653.

Monday next after the Feast of S. Scolastica, Virgin [10 Feb.]

Handson (Raphe), ironmonger.—To the Master and Keepers or Wardens and Commonalty of the Mistery of Ironmongers, London, and to their successors, his messuages and gardens in Croched Fryers in the parish of S. Olave, Hart Street, (fn. 5) in trust to pay certain annuities to the three daughters of Nicholas Leate, ironmonger, and others; and further to pay yearly to the master of the free school in the parish of S. Saviour in Southwark twenty shillings; to the usher ten shillings; to the churchwardens of the parish for poor widows and orphans five pounds; for a sermon to be preached in the church of All Hallows Stayning on S. Mark's Day twenty shillings, and a like sum to the churchwardens of the said parish to distribute in bread to the poor on the same day yearly; to the clerk and sexton five shillings; to the churchwardens fifty shillings for a yearly dinner on the same day; also to twenty poor ancient widows or others of the said mistery five pounds yearly, to wit, five shillings apiece; to the wardens of the livery forty shillings yearly; to the two rent-gatherers twenty shillings; to the clerk of the mistery annually forty shillings, and to the upper beadle ten shillings; to the wardens of the yeomanry of the said mistery forty shillings for two suppers yearly; to the four poor almsfolk of the company in Breadstreet twenty shillings apiece annually; and to Christ's Hospital, S. Bartholomew's, Bridewell, and S. Thomas's forty shillings apiece yearly. (fn. 6) The residue of the rents and profits to be bestowed by the master, wardens, &c., yearly at their good discretion for relief of the poor, reparations, and such other necessaries as they may think fit. (fn. 7) Dated 9 January, A.D. 1653.
Roll 329 (4).

ANNO DOMINI 1654.

Monday next after the Feast of S. Benedict, Abbot [21 March].

Greendon (Roger), of the parish of S. Bride, cutler.—Memorandum that he died about the 23rd of December, A.D. 1650, in the parish of S. Martin in the Fields, and upon or about the 11th day of December aforesaid he did in a serious manner declare that he would and did give to Mary his wife all the estate he had in the world. Whereupon his wife said to him these or the like words, "Sweetheart you have often sayd you would give yor sister Draset twenty pounds, and somethinge to her children," and likewise something to the girl that he had brought up and kept, and also reminded him of his kinsman Henry Greendon, a watchmaker, and [blank] Greendon, a cutler; to which the said Roger replied that he would have his wife give his sister "Drosett" twenty pounds, and to her children five pounds apiece, and to Henry Greendon the watchmaker forty shillings, and to his cousin Greendon, cutler in Cheapside, his free land in Harpe Alley in Shoe Lane after the decease of his wife, and to Susan, the girl he had brought up, twenty pounds. All which words or the very like in effect he the said Roger did utter and declare with an intent they should stand for his last will and testament in the presence of witnesses.
Roll 329 (26).

Monday next before the Feast of S. Andrew, Apostle [30 Nov.].

Speeringe (John), esquire.—To Anne his wife his messuages in Redcrossestreete in the parish of S. Giles without Criplegate, and his copyhold land held of the manor of Muckinge. To Mary his sister ten pounds and a suit of diaper linen. To his good father-in-law Captain Silverlocke a ring of twenty shillings value. His wife to satisfy his debts, which he conceives not to exceed two hundred pounds. Dated 22 November, A.D. 1654.
Roll 329 (36).

Fox (Ralfe), of High Holborne, co. Middlesex, gentleman.— To Daniel Fox his son and Christopher Randall, gentleman, his son-in-law, he leaves certain messuages called "the Maydenhead and Plough" and "the Nags Head and Rainebowe," in the parish of "Saint All-Hallowes" in Honylane in or near Cheapside, and other messuages in Whitecrossestreete in the parish of S. Giles without Criplegate, for a term of five years in trust to rebuild the messuages in Honylane; remainder to George and John his sons in several tail; remainder to the aforesaid Daniel in tail; remainder over. Also to the said Daniel he leaves the manor of Brookehale or Brockehale in co. Essex, his manor of Bowerhall, the site and capital messuage of the manor of Rewsalls, and his other messuages whatsoever, in co. Essex or elsewhere, in tail; remainder to John his son in tail; remainder over. Also to the said Daniel his leasehold lands called "Hoppinges" and the Lastall (fn. 8) called "Isslington," charged with an annuity to Mary Randall his daughter, and the payment of twenty pounds a year to Anne his daughter until her marriage. His wife to enjoy a life interest in his leasehold dwelling-house, with furniture, plate, &c., on condition she bar herself of her dower or thirds of his real estate; remainder to his children, share and share alike. Bequests of four pounds to the poor of the parish of S. Andrew in Holborn above the Barres, and a like sum to the poor of the same parish below the Barres. Dated 6 January, A.D. 1638.

By codicil he revokes the above devise to Daniel his son and Christopher Randall for term of years, and leaves the aforesaid messuages to Daniel alone for the same term. To his daughter Grace Turner he gives a legacy of ten pounds. Dated 12 January, A.D. 1638.
Roll 329 (37).

[Roll 330 contains no enrolment of wills.].

ANNO DOMINI 1656.

Monday next after the Feast of S. Edmund, King [20 Nov.].

Hawkins (Sir Stephen), Knt.—To Mary, wife of Priam Davies, the issues and profits (not otherwise disposed of) of his tenements in Bishopps Court in the Old Baily in the parish of S. Sepulchre for life after the decease of her husband. To Mary, wife of Robert Birkhead, an annuity of thirty pounds after the decease of her husband. To Edward Sackvill an annual rent-charge of twenty pounds for life; and to Edward Panton, to whom the above tenements are left in trust, a like bequest and all his personal estate. Dated 25 May, A.D. 1655.
Roll 331 (28).

Monday next before the Feast of S. Lucia, Virgin [13 Dec.].

Clarke (William), of Barkhamsted St. Peter, co. Herts.—To Samuel his son messuages in the parish of S. Andrew in or near the Great Wardropp, charged with annuities to his four daughters, viz., Mary Shermantine, Lydia Lawrence, Sarah Humphrey, and Anne Hollins; also a messuage called "the Christopher" and others in the same parish, so that the said Samuel pay to William his son half the yearly rent for the space of ten years. To Elizabeth his wife his dwelling-house, &c., in Barkhamsted St. Peter aforesaid for life; remainder to his daughter Martha. Dated 29 April, A.D. 1647.
Roll 331 (31).

ANNO DOMINI 1657.

Monday next before the Feast of S. Wulstan, Bishop [19 Jan.]

Day (John), of Fulham, co. Middlesex, gentleman.—Pecuniary bequests to John and James his sons, Elizabeth and Anne his daughters. To Mary his wife all his lands and tenements held of the lord of the manor of Stepney, alias Stebenheath, co. Middlesex, and elsewhere, for her to sell and dispose of the same as she shall please for the better maintenance of herself and children. Dated 15 September, A.D. 1657.
Roll 332 (34).

[Rolls 333, 334, and 335 contain no enrolment of wills.]

Footnotes

  • 1. 1 On occasions of threatened famine in the City of London it was customary for the Mayor to raise a sum of money for the purchase of corn by assessment upon the several livery companies, the corn so provided being stored in the granaries of the Bridgehouse, which were let to the companies for the purpose by the Mayor and Aldermen. During the Civil War the companies suffered so much from forced loans that many were compelled to sell or pawn their plate, and, otherwise raise money. The testator, no doubt, had advanced money to his own company to enable them to provide their quota of corn (see Herbert's 'Livery Companies,' i. 132-150).
  • 2. 2 I.e., money owing to the testator.
  • 3. 3 The Roll is imperfect, the ends of nearly every membrane having apparently been eaten away by rats or mice.
  • 4. 4 Co. Gloucester.
  • 5. 1 The property consisted of extensive warehouses, in which the interest of the East India Company was purchased by the East and West India Dock Company, who pay the Ironmongers' Company annually the rent of 300l., deducting property tax (Mr. Hare's Report on the Company's charities, 1861, printed in Appendix to Report Livery Comp, Com., 1884, vol. iv. p. 537).
  • 6. 1 The several perpetual annuities belonging to the charity, amounting to the sum of 35l. 15s., were redeemed by the Company in 1876, pursuant to an order of the Charity Commissioners, by the transfer of a sum of 1,200l. Consols to the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds.
  • 7. 2 The Company, whilst regarding the residue as being, by the terms of the devise, at their own absolute disposal, have nevertheless been in the habit of appropriating considerable sums out of it annually in aid of other charities whose funds may from time to time prove insufficient, e.g. Betton's charity.
  • 8. 1 Laystall.