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Will detail

Will of William Bishop of Sedlescombe

Date signed: 20 Jan 1553, Probate date: 02 May 1553

In Dei nomine amen the twentieth day of January in the sixth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord Edward the Sixth by the grace of God .. (NOTE1) And in the year of our Lord God a thousand five hundred and fifty three I William Bysshopp in the parish of Selscum within the diocese of Chichester being sick of body and good of remembrance thanks be given to God do make this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following First I bequeath my soul to the loving Lord there to be partaker of his heavenly kingdom and my body to be buried in the church of Selscum aforesaid Item I will to be bestowed by my Executrix at my burying to the poor five pounds And in likewise at my months mind (NOTE2) four pounds to be bestowed by my Executrix as is aforesaid Item I will to my brother Richard Bysshopp all my stock of leather both wet and dry as well all manner hides and skins tanned as untanned with all manner of vats tubs instruments to the occupation of a tanner belonging or appertaining / and also all my knives and he to put them to such uses as hereafter follows that is to say First I will that immediately after my death that my said brother take twenty dicker (NOTE3) of leather with all my knives and all other manner of instruments belonging to the occupation of a tanner and put it to use and profit of John my son until he come to the age of XXI years / And if it fortune the said John my son to die before he comes to the age of XXI years then I will the same twenty dicker of leather with all my knives and all other manner of instruments belonging to the occupation of a tanner to Mighell my son to be delivered by my said brother when he comes to the age of XXI years And if it fortune Mighell my son to die before he comes to the age of XXI years then I will the said twenty dicker of leather all my knives with all manner instruments belonging to a tanner as is aforesaid to Richard my son to be delivered to him by my said brother Richard Bysshopp when he comes to the age of XXI years / Item I will that my brother Richard shall sell all the rest of my ….. leather hides and skins as well tanned as untanned of the which money I will to my brother John Bysshopp four pounds and the residue of the money coming I will to Mighell my son to be delivered to be ……. (NOTE 4) to him by my said brother Richard Bysshopp when he comes to the age of XXI years Item I will to my daughter Johane twenty pounds to be paid her at the day of marriage or if she fortune not to marry before she comes to the age of XX years then she to be paid by my executrix when she comes to the age of XX years Item I will to every one of my children that is to say John Richard Mighell and Johane an old ryal and an old angel to be paid to either of them (NOTE 5) Item I will to my brother John Bysshopp my trotting bay gelding Item I will to my brother Richard Bysshopp my great ambling mare Item I will to every one of my servants ..s 8d (NOTE6) to be paid within one half year next after my death by my Executrix I will to Tamsyn Philpott 6s 8d Item I will my sister Raygatt a dicker of ox leather Item I will to Richard Raygatt a dicker of cuir (NOTE7) leather Item I will to John my son and his heirs the cupboard in the parlour the joined bed in the guests (NOTE8) chamber with a feather bed and a mattress with all things belonging to bed Item I will to John my son a horn garnished with silver that was my fathers The residue of all my goods my debts paid this my last performed I give and bequeath to Johane my wife whom I make my sole executrix witnessed Roger Bryan John Morebred John Bysshopp Richard Bysshopp This is the last Will of me the said William Bysshopp dated the day and year above written First I will Johane my wife the house that I dwell in not happening until my son John comes to the age of XXI years (except my tanhouses) with free going and coming caring and …. to my said tanhouses close and gardens where my said tan vats do stand and all other sluices as well in the said close and gardens for the standing and being of my tan vats limes grains and all watering places in the river running by my said tanhouse And also for the free going to a certain well in my lands called ….hin where I have been accustomed to water my barks All the which said places I will my brother Richard shall have to be put for the to the use and profit of John my son with the twenty dicker of leather and all my knives until he comes to the age of XXI years And if it fortune John my son to die before he comes to the age of XXI years Then I will all the said places with the twenty dicker of leather and all my knives to Mighell my son in manner and form as I willed in my testament above written Item I will to Johane my wife my house and lands lying and being at Durramford in the parish of Whatlington until my son John Bysshopp comes to the age of XXI years And I will by the licence of the lord unto Johan my wife all my copyhold lands holden of Sir Anthony Browne knight of his manor of Battel until my said son comes to the age of XXI years Item I will by the licence of the lord as well my said lands both copy and free to remain to John my son and his heirs forever And if it fortune John my son to die before he comes to the age of XXI years Then I will all the said houses and lands with the appurtenances to remain to the heirs of the said John my son at such time as the said John should have had it if he had lived Item I will my house and garden with the appurtenances sometime Peter Hubbards called Gunnes to John my son and his heirs forever And I will that my said brother Richard shall put out the said house and garden with the appurtenances to the use of my said son John until he comes to the age of XXI years I will to Mighell my son and to his heirs forever one annuity or yearly rent of £4 6s 8d going out of certain lands lying and being in the parish of Cranebroke in the county of Kent some time Edward Wellers to be received after my decease by the hands of Richard Bysshopp my brother And for lack of payment of such annuity or yearly rent I will my brother Richard to enter unto the said lands according to a deed made by the said Edward unto the use of Mighell my son and to his heirs until he comes to the age of XXI years And if Alexander Dins his heirs or assigns who have the said lands whereof the said annuity or yearly rent comes out of do pay or cause to be paid four score pounds of usual money of England at one …. payment for the redemption of the said lands and annuity Then I will my said brother Richard Bysshopp to receive it to the use of Mighell my son and he to deliver it to Mighell my son or his heirs when he comes to the age of XXI years then I will to Richard my son and to his heirs forever all my lands called Herstmones and Hornne being in the parish of Selscum and Ewhurst and the profits thereof to be received immediately after my decease by the hands of Richard Bysshopp my brother and he to pay it to Richard my son or to his heirs when he comes to the age of XXI years under this condition following that if it fortune I do die without a surrender be made of all my copyhold lands to the use of John my son That then the said Richard my son and his heirs when he cometh to full age do make a surrender of all my copyhold lands to the use of John my son and his heirs forever And if John my son or his heirs do vex for or trouble Richard my son of his heirs for any of my lands called Herstmones or Hornne Then I will Richard my son and his heirs shall have all my freehold house and lands lying at Durramford in the parish of Whatlington forever Item I will that when John my son comes to the age of XXI years then I will Johane my wife shall have during her natural life in the name of her donor five pounds to be paid as hereafter follows that is to say out of my son Johns lands fifty shillings and out of my son Richards lands fifty shillings Also my will is that if my three sons fortune to die without heirs male That then all my lands called Herst Horne and moneys shall remain to John Bysshopp my brother and to his heirs forever Witnessed Roger Bryan John Morebred John Bysshopp Richard Bysshopp

Transcribed by:

Bob Trease.

Precis supplied by transcriber:

Goods

To the poor :- At burial £5 At month’s mind £4 To brother Richard: - All my stock of leather and tanning equipment to be used as follows:- 1. 20 dicker of leather and equipment to be used for benefit of son John until he reaches 21 Or should John die before 21 for benefit of son Michael Or should Michael die before 21 for benefit of son Richard 2. The rest to be sold with proceeds going to Michael when he is 21 Great ambling mare To daughter Joan: - £20 at age 20 or when she marries whichever comes first To brother John Bishop :- Trotting bay gelding £4 To each child, John, Richard, Michael, and Joan An old Angel and an old Ryal To each servant: - ..s 8d to be paid within 6 months To Tamsin Philpott: - 6s 8d To sister Raygatt A dicker of Ox leather To Richard Raygatt A dicker of Cuir leather To son John Bed & bedding in guest’s chamber Horn garnished with silver To wife Joan The residue of all goods

Property

To wife Joan: - House I live in until John is 21 To brother Richard: - The tan houses, close where vats, tubs, limes, grains stand access to river running by tan houses and well in property known as …. for watering barks:- To be used for benefit of son John until he reaches 21 and then become John’s Or should John die before 21, for benefit of son Michael To wife Joan: - House @ Durhamford until John is 21 Copyhold lands holden of Sir Anthony Brown knight of Battle manor until John is 21 When John is 21 lands to pass to him and his heirs forever If John dies before 21 then lands to pass to his heirs anyway To son John when he reaches 21:- Land called Guns and once occupied by Peter Hubbard (prior to 21 brother Richard to manage it for John’s benefit) To son Michael:- An annuity of £4 6s 8d from property in Cranbrook Kent once occupied by Edward Wellers In default brother Richard should enter the lands If Alexander Dins (who has the land) pays £80 to redeem the lands then brother Richard should pay the money to son Michael when he is 21 To son Richard: - The income form the lands called Herst and Horn in Sedlescombe and Ewhurst to be paid over by brother Richard when son Richard reaches 21 unless William the testator dies without a surrender made of the copyhold lands to son John then son Richard when he is 21 to surrender all copyhold lands to son John If John troubles son Richard for Herst and Horn then Richard shall have Durhamford for ever To wife Joan:- When John is 21, she is to receive £5 a year half from son John & half from son Richard If all three sons die without male heirs: - Properties called Herst & Horn plus all moneys to pass to brother John and his heirs for ever

Executrix:- wife Joan

Witnesses:- Roger Bryan, John Morebred, John Bishop, Richard Bishop

Notes about this will:

The will was transcribed from a scanned PCC copy will by Bob Trease on 11 July 2006 using modern English spelling to aid comprehension. All names of villages and people retain the original spelling in the will.

NOTE 1 The two letters here probably represent either “etc” or “viz”

NOTE 3 Dicker In the will this is spelt “dyker”. A dicker is an old unit of quantity signifying 10 hides.

NOTE 4 The word here is quite clearly deliv*ed where the asterisk represents a curved contraction mark linked to an upward stroke from the letter v. The contraction mark probably indicates that letters “er” are omitted. If so, the phrase “to be delivered” has been erroneously repeated.

NOTE 5 Angel & Ryal These were both denominations of English gold coins

NOTE 6 £..s..d English currency was denominated in terms of Pounds (abbreviation “li” or “£”) Shillings (abbreviation “s”) Pence (abbreviation “d”) There were 12 pence to the shilling and 20 shillings to the pound.

NOTE 7 Cuir The word in the will is “Cuir” spelt with a capital C. Cuir is the French word for leather. “Cuir bouille” a French expression for hardened leather seems to have been referred in 16th century English as “curbule” and is unlikely to have been abbreviated to Cuir. It is possible that Cuir was a local expression used to refer to the type of leather produced for export to France.

NOTE 8 Guests The word in the will is “gestyn”. In Oxford English Dictionary the old English word “guesten” is given the meaning “reserved for guests” – it only appears in association with words chamber or hall.

Source:

Unknown.

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