Will of Anthony Ashe, Gentleman of Islington, Middlesex 1624

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

This is a transcription of the register version of the will of Anthony Ashe Gentleman of Islington, Middlesex.^[1][2]
The will was written on 19 May 1624 and proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 24 June 1624.

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the register copy. Capital F is rendered as F rather than ff. Abbreviations are expanded in [square brackets]. Paragraph breaks and bold text for names are my own for ease of reading.

Persons named

• Elizabeth Ashe formerly Bickley, his wife
• Anne Stallon, daughter of Thomas Stallon my brother in law: Thomas Stallon was married to Elizabeth's sister Dorothy. By the wording of the will, it appears that Anne resided with the Ashes, and had been brought up by them since childhood.
• Margaret Bickley daughter of my brother Robert Bickley Robert was brother to Elizabeth Ashe. Margaret was unmarried and under 21 years of age.
• her brother William Bickley : brother to Margaret. Under the age of 24 years and still an apprentice.
• Amy Cofford daughter of my brother John Cofford John Cofford was married to Margaret Bickley, Elizabeth Ashe's sister. She was unmarried and under the age of 21 years.
• everie one of my wives five bretheren and two sisters
  • Robert Bickely
  • John Bickley
  • Francis Bickley
  • Richard Bickley
  • Thomas Bickley
  • Dorothy the wife of Thomas Stallon
  • Margaret the wife of John Cofford
• my kinswoman Alice Mainwaring widowe
• every one of my godchildren
  • Anthonie Leete
  • Anthonie Coles
  • Anthonie Beelesham
  • Anthonye Atkinson: a Richard Atkinson is a witness to the will - is he a relative of this godson?
  • Anthonie Ingram
• Livery of the companie of Butchers in London: possibly his trade body.
• my uncle William Ashe his sonnes or sonnes sonnes who lived at "Boxsteed, six or seven miles from Colchester" This is Boxsted on the North Essex border with Suffolk.
• Witnesses
  • Fra[ncis] Martyn
  • Alex[ander] Charley
  • Richard Atkinson - possibly the father of Anthony Atkinson, a godson

---

In the name of God Amen
I Anthonie Ashe of Islington in the County of Midd[lesex] gentleman being sick and weake in bodie but of sound and
perfect ^{mynde &} memory (praysed be god for it doe ordaine and make my last will and testament in manner and forme
following First I bequeath my soule into the hands of almightie god my creator assuring myselfe constantly
by the meritts of Christ Jesus my saviour to have a ioyful resurrection and to be made a livelie member
in his heavenly kingdome And I committ my bodie to the earth wherof it was made, in decent manner
to be buried in the parish Church of Islington aforesaid at the discretion of my executrix hereafter
named And for my worldlie goodes wherewith it has pleased god to blesse me I give and bequeath ^them in
manner and forme following, that is to saie

first I give devise and bequeath unto my Loving wife
Elizabethe Ashe all that my freeholde messuage with all and singular thappurtenances scituate
lying and being at Strowde greene in the parishe of Islington aforesaid and one feilde lying on the
backside therof to the said messuage next adioyning conteyning by estimation eight acres more or
lesse for tearine of her life without impeachment of aine manner of wast, and after her decease I give
devise and bequeathe the same messuage and feild with ^theire appurtenances to my kinswoman Anne
Stallon, daughter of Thomas Stallon my Brother in Lawe Whome I have brought up from her
childhood and to the heires of her bodie lawfullie to be begotten And for defaulte of such issue to my
foresaid wife Elizabeth Ashe and her heires forever Nevertherless my meaning is That this my guifte
and devise to Anne Stallon as aforesaid shalbee upon this condition That if she happen to marry
in the lifetime of my said wife without the liking and consent of ^hir my said wife That then the said
estate herein given and bequeathed unto the said Anne Stallon as aforesaid shalbe absolutelie
voyde And then my mynde is that my said wife Elizabeth Ashe shall have the same messuage and feilde
with thappurtenances absolutelie to her and her heires forever

Item I give devise and bequeath
unto my said wife Elizabeth Ashe and to her heires forever one feilde called or known by the
name of Cowleys being freeholde conteyning by estimation fifteene acres more or less with the
appurtenances lying and beinge in the foresaid parishe of Islington.

Item I give devise and bequeath
to my said loving wife Elizabeth and to her heires forever one feild being coppieholde, parcell of
the mannor of Newington Barrowe called or knowne by the name of Gandersdowne conteyning
by estimation tenn acres more or lesse with all and singular there appurtenances The which feilde
called Gandersdowne I have surrendered into the handes of the most Illustrious Prince Charles
being Lord of the ^said Mannor to the use of my Last will All which Lands before mentioned I doe give
and bequeath unto my said wife in manner and forme above expressed Nevertheless my desire is that
shee in her life time, by her deed or els by her last will and testament in writing doe dispose of the
same after her decease amongst her Kinred ^[3], and not to suffer one onlie of them to have the same

Item I give and bequeathe unto the poore of the parishe of Islington aforesaid five pounds to
be distributed at the time of my funerall by the Churchwardens of the same parishe Item I give

[page two]
and bequeath unto Margaret Bickley daughter of my brother Robert Bickley twentie pounds to be
paied unto her at her daie of marriage or when she shall come to the full age of one and twentie yeres
Which shall first happen,

Item I give unto her brother William Bickley tenn poundes to be paid
unto him when hee shall come to the age of fowre and twenty yeares, or when hee shall come out of
his apprentiship which shall first happen,

Item I give and bequeathe unto Amy Cofford daughter of
my brother John Cofford five pounds to bee paied unto her at her daie of marriage or when she shall
come to the full age of one and twentie yeares which shall first hapen

Item I give and bequeathe for
a remembrance of my love, unto everie one of my wives five bretheren and two sisters. That is to saie
Robert Bickely John Bickley Francis Bickley Richard Bickley Thomas Bickley Dorothy the wife of'
Thomas Stallon and Margaret the wife of John Cofford the summe of fortie shillings apeece to bee
paied unto them within six monthes after my decease

Item I give unto my kinswoman Alice Mainwaring
widowe the summe of fortie shillings yearlie during her naturall life to bee paied unto her by my
executrix quarterlie at the most usuall feastes of the yeare

Item I give unto every one of my godchildren
(that is to saie Anthonie Leete Anthonie Coles Anthonie Beelesham ^Anthonye Atkinson and Anthonie Ingram
one Ewe and a Lambe apeece or tenn shillings in monie apeece at the discretion of my executrix to be
delivered or paied unto them within one quarter of a yeare next after my decease

Item I give unto
the Livery of the companie of Butchers in London in token of my good will unto them the summe of
five poundes

Item my will is that if there be anie of my uncle ^William Ashe his sonnes or sonnes sonnes (who long since
dwelled within six or seaven miles of Colechester in Essex at a place there called (as I take it) Boxsteed and
be of honest conversation Then my will and meaninge is that my executrix shall paie unto them the summe
of twentie poundes amongst them soe that they doe iustlie prove themselves ^{unto my wyfe} to be of that stock and lynage
within one yeare after my decease The rest of my goodes and Chattells whatsoever my debts being
paied and my funerall expences discharged I give and bequeath unto my said Loving Wife Elizabeth
Ashe whome I doe ordaine and make my full and sole executrix of this my last will or testament
hoping she will see the same truely performed acording to my true intent and meaninge And hereby
revoking all former wills by me made I doe publishe and declare this to be my last will and testament
under my hand and seale the ninetenth daie of Maye Anno D[omi]ni 1624 Anthony Ashe / Signed
sealed and published in the presence of me Fra: Martyn Alex: Charley Richard Atkinson. /

Probate [in Latin] granted at London on 24 June AD 1624 to Elizabeth Ashe the widow of the deceased the executrix named in the testament.

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Anthony Ashe, Gentleman of Islington, Middlesex Reference: PROB 11/143/739 Description: Will of Anthony Ashe, Gentleman of Islington, Middlesex Date: 24 June 1624 Held by: The National Archives, Kew Legal status: Public Record(s) Closure status: Open Document, Open Description The National Archives online. Accessed 10 September 2021.
2. ↑ ANCESTRY LINK: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/5111/images/40611_310870-00234?usePUB=true&_phsrc=ULN642&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=826845
3. ↑ kindred