Wills of Bridgett Broome Blount Stanley, 1636, 1637

 

Contributed by

 

Gillian Palmer

 

 

Will of Bridgett Stanley, 1636 (taken from manuscript in Worcester County Record Office, County Hall, Worcester, England; Crown Copyright)

 

In the name of God Amen the Sixte daye of March in the year of our Lord god 1636 and in the twefth yeare of the raigne of our Sovraigne Lord Charles by the grace of god Kinge of England and of Fran: & Ireland Defender of the Faith, etc. I, Bridgett Stanley the wife of William Stanley Esquire of the parish of Astley in the county of Worcestershire being in good and perfect health, mynde and memory prayse god taking to mynde the uncerteyntie… of this mortell life doe for the quietening of my mynde and for the settling and disposing of such reall and personall estate as it hath pleased god to bless me withall in this life to the benefitt as much as in me lyeth of my … as to other and charitable uses, make and ordaine this my last will & testament in manner and forme following, And first I commit and commend my soule into the hands of god that gave it, trusting confidently that he of his infinite mercy in the precious bloud shedding of Jesus Christ his only son and my alone saviour and redeemer will receive the same after this life.  Indeed, into his glory and place the same in the company of his heavenly Angells and blessed Saints for evermore.  And I commit my body unto the earth from whence it came to be decently interred in the North Chancell in the parish church of Astley; and whereas the said William Stanley by reason of his marriage with me was possessed of diverse goodes & chattels and implements of household were the prop goodes and chattels of Thomas Blount, Esquire, my former husband, deceased, and certayne other goods and chattels were gotten by me in the tyme of my widowhood, And to the intent and purpose of the said goodes and chattels & implements of householde might be reserved used and imployed according to such interest right and title as I had there to before, & at the tyme of my inter marriage with the said William Stanley, he the said William Stanley by his deede of Indenture bearinge date the 23rd daie of March in the year of the Raigne of our Sovraigne Lord king Charles the nowe is our England and hath given granted, bargained, sold, delivered unto William Cliffe and Laucelott Arden gent the said goodes chattels & implements of household of the watsoevr condition nature or qualitie the same be to the end and purpose before disposed together with other domiciles, granntes & ap-es of Astley my landes and premisses as in and by the said Indenture more at large it doth and may appeare and furthermore to the intent and purpose that I may desire and dispose of this personal estate by my last will and testament the said William Stanley hath given his licence under his hand and seale bearing date the fifth daie of Januarie the yeare aforesaid as also of all other goods & chattels that I shall be possessed of at the tyme of my decease. And as souch right the said estate I dispose and desire the same as followeth, viz: First I give and bequeathe the some of five pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid unto the minister and the church wardens of the parish of Astley aforesaid within five months after my decease with some of 6(?) li.  my will is shall perpetually remain in the hands of the minister or church wardens for the tyme being which shall be best approved of, by the generall consent of the chiefest (?)inhabitants and parishioners of the said parish and the profitt or interest of the said 6 li yearly for ever to be paid unto sixe poore widdowes, or other impotent persons of the said parish at the discretion of the minister & church wardens for the time being alwaies upon good Friday.  Item, I give to the poore of Shrawley ten shillings to be distributed at the discretion of the overseers there and myne executors.  Item, I give and bequeathe unto my husband  William Stanley Esquire one peerse of gold of twenty shillings, and to each one of my sonnes and daughters five shillings apeece, and to my sonn in law James Blount gent five shillings.  Item, I give and bequesathe the some of five pounds of lawfull English money to be paid to Mathias Meysey, Esquire, which my will is shall be distributed unto such poore distressed Catholikes as he in his discretion shall think fitt.

 

 

Will of Bridgett Stanley, 1637, Worcester CRO, as before.

 

Introduction in Latin.  Names mentioned are:

Jacobus Littleton

Wood (N?)orton,? Astley

Lubbington Rector?

Crawley

Walton

Rbt – do Astley – Wigorn Executor

Francis Blount

prio die July Anno dm 1637 William and Mary

 

Item I give and bequeathe unto Thomas Bowyer my grandchilde the sonne of Nicholas Bowyer aforesaid the some of fiftee pounds of lawfull money of England to be given to a Malster for the … of him apprentice to some trade at the discretion of my executors and if my Executors shall refuse to putt him apprentice then my will is that the said 50 li shall be paid unto him within one year next after my decease.  Item I give and bequeath unto Rowland Hill twenty shillings.  Item I give and bequeath unto my old servant Thomas Ball twenty shillings.  Item I give and bequeath unto my Executors the sume of twenty pounds to be raised out of my … goods and chattels,  … twenty pounds my will shall be for … up my sundrall Expenses will all to buy afaise fond to be laid over me in the North chantry in the said church of Astley where I be said to be buried and to be thus … … … my name, and the daughter of Sir Christopher Broome, Knight, and the former wife of Thomas Blount, Esq.  Item I give and bequeath unto … servant that shall be dwelling with me at my decease the … of ten shillings appeece.  Item All the rest and residue of my goods and chattels and … moveable and unmoveable … and grain growing upon the grounds, my funeral expenses being discharged by debts paid and these my legacies paid and this my will fully accomplished according to my true intent and understanding I give and bequeath unto Robert Wittering of the church of Astley aforesaid whom I make sole executor of this my last will and … and … of the … I nominate and appoint John Yarranton and John Hill the elder both of the church of Astley aforesaid and for their pains taking … I give and … them ten shillings apiece to buy each of them a Ring and I … … and admit all other and former Willes and legacies and giftes and bequests executors … by me before this tyme made, given willes and bequeathes.  In Witness … last testament this two sheets of paper putt my hand and seale the day and year first above written

 

Sealed and subscribed                                                  Bridgett Stanley

acknowledged in the

presence of

William Tomes. Esq.,

Richard Hill, Sevt.

 

The condition and this obligation is … that the above … Francis Blount and Christopher Blount the … and lawfull sonnes of Briodgett Stanley late of the parish of Astley in the county and diocese of Worcester … and … with the will … And the goods and chattels of the said Bridgett Stanley deceased Doe and shall and truly profess this will in payment for debts and legacies … … … at the goods and chattels … … and be the law will … and due make our … to be made by law and …

 

 

Indenture of 1637, Worcester CRO, as before.

 

An indenture of such goods and chattels as Bridgett Stanley deceased late of Astley in the dioces of Worcestershire being the wife of William Stanley, esquire, had in her possession at the tyme of her decease taken and prised the 29th daye of Julye Ano Dom 1637 by the persons whose names are published.

 

 

                                                                                                     li         sh       d

Item primary her wearing apparel &                                            10          0       0

        money in her purse

Item one feather bed …bolster                                                      2         10      0

Item

Item  (DAMAGE)

Item  yarn                                                                                     1         10      0

Item  hemp dre-   … handles(?)                                                    0         3        4

Item  a trey to dresse corne                                                           0         5        0

Item  hoopes of the ..                                                                    0         6        8

Item  sanded boards and plankes                                                  2         0        0

It.      a frying pan a dripping pan and a plate a)                             0         11      6

         possett a skimmer a flesh forke and a     )

         basting ladle & a spit                              )

Item  an iron plate a paire of tongues a paire of   )                          0         3        0

         bellowes & a fire shovel                             )

Item  a grid iron                                                                            0         1        0

Item   three barrels ij coulds ij pailes trenchers)                              0         14      0

          cuppes & glasses                                 )

Item   an old haire cloth                                                                 0         3        4

It        a perry mill with the apptenance                                          2         10      0

Item   carte, ploue cribbes harrows and other)                               2         10      4

          implements of husbandry                  )

Item  grayne(?)                                                                             3         10      0

Item  three horses                                                                         7         0        0

Item  fagotte of wood and other fire wood                                     3         0        0

It       horse geeres a pannell and drey bridles                                1         0        0

It       hay and strawe                                                                    1         10      0

It       muck                                                                                   0         10      0

It       hempe and flax                                                                    0         10      0

It       rye, barley, pease and oates                                               60         6        0

Item  tooles of husbandrie and huswiferie                                       0         10      0

         with things not formerly prised

                                                                                                     li         sh       d

Summa                                                                                     105         8        2

          Humphrey Chamberlaine

Christopher     Robert Witering

Blount            John Stretch, Esq.           udke(?) prised

          Richarde Flunt, sev

 

          Extn 11o August 1637

         + 3 more lines in Latin