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]