Will of Robert Blount of Astley, 1573
 

Contributed by Gillian Palmer

 

Probatum fuit Testamentumfor ...................... Willino....
......................and London ditmo.......................
................bonisgo Deteney adiquintada Elizabeth fuet

In the name of Godd amen. The third day of Aprill in the yeare of o’ Lord Godd att onsande fyve hundreth threescore and thirtine and in the xvith yeare of the raigne of o’ sovraigne Ladye Elizabeth by the grace of Godd quene of England, France and Ireland I Roberte Blounte of Asteleye in the com of Worcestr esquire visited in the sickness of boddeye but wheale and of perfecte remembrance thanks be to almightie godd make this my laste will and Testament in manner and forme following Firste I commyte and bequeathe my soule to the mercye of Christ my savr and readeamer by whom I truste assuredly to be of the members of his ellecte and my boddeye to be buried in The parrish church of Asteley aforesaid at the discretion of my executors and administrators hereafter named And concerning the disposition of all my Landes goodes catell and debts moveable and immoveable with my meaning ys to have imployed and bestowed faithfully for the preferment of my wife and children and the payment of my debts and other charges hereafter conteyned in this my will Firste I give grannte bequeathe and devise by this my present Laste will and testament to Francis Blounte esquire my brother and James Young of Hartilburye for the payement of all such my debts as I owe hereafter mentioned and performance of certaine bequeasts and Legace by me hereafter bequeathed and granted in the said will and testament all that thestyte of the Manno’ or farme of Whitstone in the com of Worcester and all the rents Licences and proffitts of the same and the yffects and proffitts yssuinge and going oute of all those farms(?)---- is of salte water in Droitwiche in the saide com which I owned(?)onlie of the bishoppr of Worcesto for certaine yeares yet under use and alsoe iij quarters of one other Butlerye of saulte water in Droitwich aforesaid and paid my --- grantes and terming yeares yette--- unexpired in that woodde called Shrawley woodde and the profitts there. And further(?) I doe give bequeathe and grannte In this my Laste will and testament my saide Brother Francis Blounte and James Young all that yeareleye rente of xj li xj sh ys yssuinge and going out of all such Landes Tennaments and heredytaments as Walter James nowe hearethor lasteley did houlde yn the Manno’ of Astley in the saide countie And alsoe at the several yearely rent of xxx liij sh, xx li x sh, xxlij j sh ---xxvij sh sviij d, xxj sh vj d, xx sh ij d, xxiij sh iiij d, xx sh ij d, xiij sh xjd, xxxij sh xviij d, xvj sh iij d, and xiij sh viij d yssuing and going oute g and such Landes rente and heredyttarnents in all Thomas Bath John Farclere John Hanbury William Brooke Willim Yarranton of Larford William Yarrington of Yarranton Thomas Smythe(?)John Stone Thomas Beate of Berrington John Wintor Robert Brooke John Honemine(?) And Walter Winford doe rente(?) Yearley-- or late did herewith houlde of the Mannor of Asteley to have and to houlde the said Smthis of the said Manno’ or farme of Whitstone and att the Lease and proffitt of the same and -- alL the yssuing and going out of the said same bill In Droitwich aforesaid and-- aforesaid to acquiring one other Buttlerye of saulte water and otherwise aforesaid and also all my saide--- and tearming of yeares ye come in the said woodd called Shrawley woodd and all other the premisses -- and after the tyme of my deathe for and during the tearme of xxji years from these nexte --- and fully to be complete and ended yealding and paying therefore yeareleye during the said tearmes the several yearleye rent out of the-- my fee and enye of--- the--- and intent that the aforesaid Francis and James Shall discharge and paye receive legace (hereafter lymytted and appointed to be paid by the said Francis and James in and by this my laste will and Testament and also shall discharge and paie all suche my debts (re hereafter and--- and thereof shall acquire discharge or save honestly my Executors here east---and--- of the mind the heart is executors and administrators of them and either of them and to none other use or intente and in consideration that Anne my wife shall L:ymytte and suffer the saide Francis and James and the survyvor of them quietliye to perceive and take all the comnmody the band profitte to them divised by this my said will and by the same commytted to theire truste according to thintente and true meaning of this my said will without anye deniall or contradiction of my said wife or any other by her rement agreement And at the same tyme to tyme at theire reste and charge shall in her name permytte and suffer the said Francis and James the survyvor of them together upp and receyve all such debts at the tyme of my deathe shall be coming unto me and shall mainteyne (jtefie?) ratefye confirme and allowe as -- h --- in her ys or shall be all and enye reasonible acte and actes thinge and things contehininge the perfonnance of my several truste reposed in them the saide Francis and James by this my laste will and testamente I do give and bequeathe unto the said Anne my wife all my intereste and -- of yeares yette come-- in and to two meadowes nere unto Severside called the homme meadowes Linge and being in the parrisshe of Astleleye aforesaide and also all my intereste and tearme of yeares which I have yette come unexpired in viij Butlaries of salte water or satte in which in the tearmeand -- of Guy Harmeyes and Thomas Parrishe which were her owne before her marriage Provided nevertheless and my true intente and meaning ys that of my saide wife shall not at her charge doe what in her lie at the requeste of the saide Francis and James or the survyvor of them and his executors for the-- of all and sigler Debts and Dintyes by lawe to me dewe and after the -- of the same if she suffer not the said Francis and James and the survyvor of them and his executors quietly and peacablye to have and reaceyve the said debts and dewties so received or yf my said wife of her executors or anye clayming by or under her doe makest trouble or disquiete the possessione and occupation of the said Francis and James or the Survyvor of them or his executors of-- and in anyi Lands or profitte to them by this laste will and testament by mytted and appointed that then all and enye legacye and devise unto her or her assignies by this my laste will miye--- shall cease and be determined and that then my said wife shall noe longer be executor of this my laste will But that then and from thereforthe all the legaces and profitts unto her by this my laste will Divised shall prowe and be unto all the residewe of my childrene lawfully begotten for and duringe all such Interest as my said wife had in them And that then my sonne Thomas shall be soale executor of this my laste will uppon like condition and conditions as before my saide wife standeth charged with all and yf he shall not performe the said condition then I will that his executorshippe shall cease and that the saide Francis and James shall be soule executors of this my Laste will and testamente aforesaid Item I give and bequeathe to my said wife the one halfe of all my corne cattell ymplements of husbandrye and househoulde stuffe exept one white Hiyfare two ewes and lambes and fouretye strike of rye and thother halfe of my saide corn cattell ympliaments of husbandrye and householde stuffe exept before exepted I give and bequeathe to Thomas Blounte my eldest sonne Nevertheless my will intente and full meaninge ys that Anne my said wife shall have and take the use and occupation thereof until my said wifes sonne shall accomplishe the full aige of xxj yeares uf she will become bounden in the debts value Thereof to my overseers for the detinge of the same to my said sonne when be shall atteigne his full age of xxj ne yeares or the true value Thereof as they shall be praysed by indifferent men. Item I give and bequeathe to the said Thomas Blounte my sonne all my intereste and tearmes of yeares yett come unexpired in the meadowe called Redstone meadowe yet nevertheless my will and meaning is that my saide wife shall have and innoye the use and occupation thereof untill my saide sonne shall accomplishe his full age of xxj yeares. Item I give and be queathe unto Walter Blounte my seconde sonne in monneye the somme of five hundreth Marks to be paid by my said brother Francis Blounte and James Young or the Survyvor of them unto the said landes or Rente and Renntinges to them before bequeathed at his age of xxji yeares finden I give and bequeathe to Elizabeth Blounte my daughter in monneye the somme of five hyundreth Markes to be paid unto her at the aige of xxj yeares by the said Francis and James or the Survyvor opf them once of the said land and other the preamises to them as before devised Item I give and bequeathe to such childe as my said wife is nowe greate withal whether yt be man childe or woman childe in money ___ * Ii to be determined and paid by the said Francis and James or the Survyvor of them to my said wife of the money that shal be raysed oute of my said landes and other the premisses to them before devised after my debts be paide and my funerall discharged And yf yt happenage if my saide children we’ to dye before theye or any of them shall be at the full aige to receyve there said legace then his or her parte shall all whoaeleye remaine to the other lyvinge by equall dyvysions to be made by my executors and overseers and the syurvyvor of then Item I give to Richarde Blounte gent, my brother Iiij sh iii d out of the house and landes in Claynes within he nowe occupythe during his life yf he shall lyve to thende of his said lease thereof Item I give and bequeathe to Arthure the sonne of Anni Dalliye in memorye xx Ii to be paide unto hym at the age of xxj yeares oute of the said landes Rente and Riammes devised to my overseers Item I give and bequeathe to William Hill my servante in money x Ii to be paide by the said Francis and James or the Survyvo’ of them oute of the said ----to them devysed Item I give to Frances the daughter of Elinor Tolliver? xx li---to be paid by the said Francis Blount and James Young or the Survuvir of them out of the said landes and other the premisses to them devised as before at her aige of xxj yeares Item to Edward Wynford in money iiij li to be paid by the said Francis and James and the Survyvor of them out of the said premisses to them before devised Item to Francis Williams one white heyfare two yewes and two lambs to be paide by my executors Item I give to Katherine Silvester and John Nott my servant x sh a peice over and beside their money to be paide by the saide Francis and James and the Survyvor of them out of the premisses to them before devised Item I give and bequeathe to Lewes Broughton x Ii a yeare to be paide by the said Francis and James and the Survyvor of them oute of the Landes and tennements to them devised during the saide tearmes (yf he soe longe be soe) Item I give and bequeathe to Edwarde Thomas and Andreye childrene of my brother Francis Blounte xx sh a peice and to Walter Blounte sonne of my brother Richarde Blounte xx sh Item I give to Elinor the daughter of Elizabeth Heycocke vj li xiij sh iij d to be paide by the said Francis and James and the Survyvor of them oute of the saide premisses to them devysed Item I give and bequenthe to Frances Raynouldes daughter of my sister Hall by her first husband Hugh Raynouldes xx li and to Elizabeth Hall and Marye Hall daughters of my said sister by her nowe husband xx li a piece to be paid by the said Francis and James and the Survyvo' of them oute of the said premisses to them devised Item I give and bequeath to Astley church iij sh iij d Item I give to Mr Sheppard parsonne of Astley vj sh vijj d to the poore people of Astley aforesaid xx th strike of rye Item I give and bequeathe to Francis Blounte my brother xx Ii and also to James Younge xx ii for their travayle and paines to be takene in and aboute the execution of the truste repayed in them to in hewige my landes leases debts rente and revenue devysed to them towards the payment of my debts and performancee of my legace aforesaid over and besides their ordinary charges to be borne also my will ys that my said overseers shall be striane x li in and aboute the making of Two Tombes in the churche of Astley aforesaid the one for Walter Blounte esquire father of me the said Roberte Blounte and Isabell his wife and thother for my selfe and Ann my wife or me at the discretion of my saide overseers Memorandum the overseers to make an attempt at thend of theire teams to the executors or the survyvor of them or his executors of the surplassage takeing to give Reasonable regarde Item I give to John the sonne of Anne Houseman x li to be paide by the saide Francis and James and the Survyvo’ of them oute of the Landes and tenements and other the premisses before devysed Moreover I will and devise by this my Testament that my brother John Sissohan? shall have and enoye to hym and hys Assignes two severall pastures called Eiglas and oxleafe and certaine arrable lands called Losiments forlonge being pte and ptell of Whitstonnes farme for and during the tearme of xxxiij yeares from Michaelmas last paste yealding and payinng to my executors and benefices yearleye vij li vij sh viij d at two tearms in the yeare equall portions Item I devise the one halfe of black poole unto Thomas Sillies for xxxj yeares to begyne at the end of the Lease granted by Francis Blounte to Thomas Brenone and his assignes paying vij li yearley at two tearmes by equal portions The reste of all my gooddes unbequeathed my debts legace and funeralle discharged I give to Anne my wife and Thomas my sonne whom I make my executors and I ordaigne and make my said welbeloved brother Francis Blounte esquire and the aforesaid James Young my faithfull overseers to doe and performe all that I have committed to their truste and charge. This being witnessed Richarde Hill, William Hill and John Sheppard clarke. Debts owing by me the said Robert Blounte Imprimis Ann Williams xx li Richarde Kent xx li John Swyre xx li Walter James xxj li Malster William Eonorenly Edward Winforde ij Ii John Parton li John Lyttleton ? li Item my brother Standforde xiij Ii vj sh xij d.

[Prerogative Court of Canterbury]