Location: Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England

Surname/tag: caldwall
I William Caldwall of Burton uppon Trente clothier make my last will and Testament in the name of the eternall lyvinge god the father, the sonne, and the holy ghoste, in whose name I was baptised, The fiftenthe of December in the yere of oure lorde god one thousande fyve hundred eightie one.
Firste I bequeathe my sowle to god allmightie maker of heaven and earthe my father, through the onelie meritts of my savioure Jhesus Christ by whose deathe and passioun I beeleve to have full remissioun of all my synnes. And my boddye to the earthe wheare it shall please god.
I geve and bequeathe to Alice my wife duringe her naturall liefe for and liewe of her Joyncture and thirde parte of my lands whiche shee mighte clayme by lawe. And for all advantages that mighte be taken by lawe againste me for any forfayture of bonde or covenants broken of my parte mentioned in a paire of Indentures made betwixte me of thone parte, and Thomas Busbye of Meaforde in the countye of Stafforde gentleman And Richard Holland of Barton under Nedewood in the saide countie yeoman of thother parte. Towchinge and concerninge my wyves Joyncture and disposition of other thinges therein mentioned bearinge date the Twelfe Daie of Maye in the fowrthe and fifthe yeares of the raigne of Kinge Phillippe and Queene Marye, the howse that William Caldwall my sonne dwellethe in as he nowe hathe it withe the seelinge in the hall and benches withe a Drawinge boarde in the same and a standing bedsteede withe a greate cheste in the chamber duringe the tyme she dwelleth in the same howse. But if it please god to take her, or she departe from it by anye other waie, my will is she leave theise things in the howse to remayne to the same.
I geve also and bequeathe in liewe aforesaide to my saide wiffe the Tenemente in the Bondende which I tooke for terme of her life to thende she maye mayntayne her self the better, withe the sixe oxen, five kyne, sixe yerelinge calves, and all my sheepe left at my dpture withe a blacke mare and a grey nagge to drawe before the oxen, with twoe waines, yokes, ploughes and harrowes and all thinges whiche I have necessarie and belonginge to the same.
Item I geve and bequeathe in liewe aforesaide to my saide wyfe, the barne lyenge on the northe syde of the Gatestreete withe the close on the backesyde thereunto adioyninge which I had of Roberte Watson, duringe her naturall lyfe, And fyve markes yerelie duringe her lyfe, to be paide by my sonne William Caldwall and his heires owte of the howse I nowe dwell in. And the Thirde parte of all my howshould stuffe by this my last will not bequeathed, except the Cupbords, tables boardes and seelinge in the hall, and paroloure next to the hall commonlye called the Dyinge parloure, And all my wooll, clothe and yearne in my howse, and the stuffe in the greate parloure over the Taverne, and the furniture as it standeth and remayneth.
Item I geve also unto my saide wiffe in liewe aforesaid my best salte a white sylver boll my best guilte cuppe and a beere pott covered withe sylver and twelve sylver spoones and the monneye of halfe my maulte in my howse, to be soulde at my departure.
Provided alwaies that if my saide wife will not be contented to take this my bequeaste in liewe of her Joincture and thirde, and other covenants and Dueties due to her and hers, making uppon the receipte and acceptance of the same a generall acquittance to my executors for discharge of all things that advantage maie be taken against me my heires executors or assignees by reason of any convenante or grante made by me heretofore to that ende or other waies, Then my will is, that the Lande, rente and gooddes before to her bequeathed shall be and remayne to my executors to discharge her Joincture or thirde parte and for to satisfie the forfeyture of bonde and breache of Covenants (if any suche shalbe founde) and not otherwise.
Item I geve and bequeathe unto my sonne Robert Caldwall and his heires of his bodye lawfullie begotten All my Landes tenements and hereditaments in Morrey Anslowe and Roleston in the Countie of Stafford. Provided alwayes that if may said sonne dye or shall deceasse without heires of his bodye lawfullye begotten, That then all the landes Tenements and hereditaments by me in theise presents to the saide Roberte and his heires bequeathed shall remaine comme and be to William Caldwall my sonne and the heires males of his bodye Lawfullie begotten. And for defaulte of suche issue to my sonne Edward Caldwall and his heires males of his bodye lawfullie begottenne. And for defaulte of suche issue to my sonne John Caldwall and his heires males of his bodye lawfullie begottenne. And for defaulte of suche issue to my sonne Joseph Caldwall and his heires males of his bodye lawfullie begottenne. And for defaulte of suche issue to the righte heires of me the saide William Caldwall forever.
Item I geve unto my saide sonne Roberte Caldwall fyve marks yerelie to be paide owte of the howse I dwell in duringe his life by my sonne William and his heires, if the sayde Roberte overlyve my saide wiffe to whome I have given the same.
Item I geve unto my sonne William Caldwall and the heires males of his bodye lawfullie begottenne, the howse I nowe dwell in And the Resydue of all my Landes Tenements and hereditaments lyinge in Burton uppon Trente aforesaide, not by me before bequeathed and geven. And for want of suche issue I will that the saide Landes & Tenements shall comme and remayne to my sonne Roberte Caldwall and his heires males of his bodye lawfullie begottenne. And for wante of suche issue of the saide Roberte to Edwarde Caldwall my sonne and the heires males of his bodye lawfullie begotten. And for wante of suche issue to reste remayne and comme to my other Sonnes and the heires males of theire bodyes lawfullie begotten successyvelie in suche forme and manner as is before expressed and declared for the Descente of the Lands Tenements and hereditaments bequeathed to my sonne Roberte.
Item I geve and bequeathe to my sonne William Caldwall my Lease of thee Tenements that Robert Sikes and Thomas Holden doe nowe dwell in with all the Lomes and geares that is myne in Burton withe all my Leades fates and ymplements in my Dyehowse, and the somme of Threescore sixe poundes thirtene shillinges fower pence of currante monney of England to be levied of my Debtes in my shoppe booke mentioned which he hathe in his owne hands.
Item I geve and bequeth unto my sonne William Caldwall the Lease of Lawrence Haye gyvinge unto my wife Alice Caldwall yearlie for her fier eighte Loades of wood and to my sonne John Hawkes fower loades of wood and to my Daughter Moodwyne Wightman three Loades of wood yearlie.
Item I geve and bequeathe unto my saide sonne William Caldwall the Lease of the cloase withe other lande therein contayned commonlie called the broade cloase lyinge on the northe syde of Cattstreete in Burton uppon Trente aforesaide.
Item I geve and bequeathe unto my sonne Roberte Caldwall the somme of tenne pounds of currante monneye of Englande, withe the bed and furniture in the newe buildinge.
Item I geve and bequeathe unto my sonne Edwarde Caldwall twentie sixe pounds thirtene shillings and fower pence of currant money of England and the Advowson of the Personage of Aplebye whiche I had of the guifte of the Ladye Stanley, uppon this condition that he will enter into the ministrie and be contente to be parson of the saide Rectorye. But if he doe not enter thee ministerie Then my will is that Gilberte Wightman be by the vertue of the sayde advowson presented to the saide Rectorie. And for the perfourmaunce thereof accordinge to my mynde I will that the Advowson remayne in the custodye of my sonne in lawe William Walkenden nowe parson of Clifton, to whom I geve an olde royall remayninge in my pursse for a remembraunce of me.
Item I geve and bequeathe unto my sonne John Caldwall Tenne poundes of currante monney of England and my bere gilte cuppe of silv.
Item I geve and bequeathe unto my sonne Josephe Caldwall Twentie pounds of curraunte monneye of Englande.
Item I geve and bequeathe unto my sonne in lawe Hughe Turner Tenne pounds in monneye and my beste gowne.
And to Elizabethe Chomeleye daughter to Mary Chomeley a guilte cuppe.
Item I geve and bequeathe to the children of my daughter Johan Walkenden to be devided amongst theme Tenne pounds of currante monney of Englande.
Item I geve & bequeathe unto my daughter Mudwyn Wyghtmanne and to her children the somme of fourtie poundes to be by her devided to theme at the discretion of William Walkenden clerk and Robert Caldwall.
Item I geve and bequeath to my sonne in lawe John Hawkes and his wife Anne my daughter twentie poundes of currant moneye of Englande which he hathe in his owne handes of myne.
Item I geve and bequeath to my sonne in lawe John Saunders and my daughter Elizabeth his wife the somme of twentie poundes to be bestowed uppon their children.
Item I geve and bequeath to Robert Caldwall my sonne to be paide and bestowed as to him shall seme good upon my daughter Alice Morgan and hir children fourtie pounds in monneye.
Item I geve and bequeathe unto Jerome Horobyn the somme of twentie shillinges.
Item I geve and bequethe to my lovinge brother Richard Caldwall Doctor of Phisick a neaste of gobletts withe a cover opercell guilte.
Item I geve and bequeathe to my gosshopp Anne Hawkes wife to William Hawkes of Burton uppon Trent twenties shillinges.
Item I geve to my sister Princepp fortie shillinges, And to my sister Hobson Twentie shillinges.
Item I geve and bequeathe to John Clerk my wyves sonne Tenne poundes of currant money of Englande.
Item I geve unto Nicholas Robinson my manne twentie sixe shillinges eighte pence.
Item I geve unto Roger Hudson my man twentie sixe shillinges eighte pence.
Item I geve unto John Shepperd my manne Thirtene shillinges fower pence And to Christopher Condithe sixe shillings eighte pence.
Item I geve unto my cosen Nicholas Caldwall dwellinge in Twycknall ten shillings And to my cossen the widdowe Snapp dwellinge in Rollestone tenne shillinges.
Item I geve unto Robert Sale my manne tenne shillings.
Item I geve and bequeathe to the poore of the parishe of Burton uppon Trente the somme of eighte poundes to be distributed at theire howses by the discretion of my executors.
For the better perfourmaunce and execution of this my laste will and testament I will that all my goods movable unmovable not before bequeathed shalbe sould And that thee overplus, if there be anye lefte, my debts beinge paide my bequest performed and my funerall discharged my will is that my brother Richard Caldwall Robert Caldwall and William Caldwall my sonnes shall have the bestowinge of it to suche of my children as theie shall thincke needefull, whiche saide brother with my twoe sonnes Robert Caldwall and William Caldwall I have appointed my executors for perfourmaunce and fullfillinge of this my last will and Testamente.
And for the more assurance hereof I have sette my seale and subscribed my name the daie and yere above written. In the presence of theise persons hereunder written beinge witnesses to the same.
William Caldwall. Sealed and delyvered in the presence of us Hugh Turner Henrie Horobyn John Davys
Probatum fuit suprascriptum testamentum apud London coram venerabili Mro Willimo Drury legum doctore etc. Octavo die mensis Martij Anno Domini (..) millesimo quingentesimo octogesimo primo. Juramento Willmi Babham notarij publici procuratoris executorum etc.
Transcribed by Stephen Heathcote from
"England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 64
Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #919080 (accessed 7 September 2023)
Will of Willmi Caldwall, granted probate on 8 Mar 1581. Died about 1581 in Burton uppon Trente.
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