Will of Christopher Webbe

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: London, England
Surname/tag: Webbe, wills

Will of Christopher Webbe
This is a transcription of the register copy of the Will of Christopher Webbe, Salter of London. It was written on 6 January 1591/2 and proved at London on 21 January 1591/2. ^[1]

Transcription conventions:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included struck out
Paragraph breaks at change of bequest, and bold text are my own for ease of reading.
Where present, the obsolete letter Thorn has been rendered as th, and ff has been rendered as F.
Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets]
Non standard spelling as per usual for this time period, which has been transcribed verbatim.

Persons mentioned

• Chr[isto]fer Webbe, Citizen and Salter of London, Testator
• the parrishe of Saincte Dunstane in y^t Easte of London
• Abbottes Langley in the countye of Hertforde
• Saincte Laurence parishe in Readinge in the countie of Berkes
• the Master and wardens and companye of Salters of London
• Mr Norwood, parson of this parishe churche of Saincte Dunstane
• my cosin Roger Webbe sonne of my vncle John Webbe of Readinge nowe lyvinge
• my cosin John Webbe, sonne of my vncle John Webbe deceased
• hys foure daughters Mary Alice Bennet and Elizabethe
• my cosin Amye Syme?
• William Laude, my cosin
• William Robinson, my cosin
• my vnkle William Lawde
• my father in Lawe Mr Richard thorneley
• my Aunte Dame Anne
• my Aunte Thorneley son??
• my sister Mrs Offley
• my Aunte Gardener
• William Russell
• my cosen the wife of Richard Bowles
• my cosin Syme (no first name given)
• the Right honorable my father William Webbe Lord Maior of the Cittie of London
• the Lady my mother
• my lovinge wife Elizabethe
• my children
• Andrewe Turner Notarye
• William Russell Owen?
• Gamon my fathers servante
• my Cosin Bartholmewe Wormell
• his sonne John Wormell
• the childe that my wife goethe with
• John Brickett
• Chr[ist]ian
• Chr[ist]ofer Robinson
• Bartholmewe Wormell
• Agnes hys wife

Transcription

[Page one]
T. Chr[ist]oferi
Webbe

In the name of god Amen the Sixte
Daie of January Anno Domini a thousand fyve hundred nyntie one and in the xxxiiij^th yere ^[a]
of the Raigne of oure soveraigne Ladie Elizabethe by the grace of god Quene of England
Frannce and Irelande Defender of the faithe ?? I Chr[isto]fer Webbe Citizen and Salter of
London feelinge my selfe somewhat sickelye disposed in my Bodie but nevertheless of good
and perfect minde and memorye all praise be therfore given to Almightie god Do make
viz.t First I bequeathe my soule into the handes of Almightie god my only Creator
and Savyoure most assuredly trustinge and believinge to be saued by the Death and
passion of Jesus Christe my Redemer and by no other meanes and I will my bodie to be buried
in suche place and in suche order as yt shall please my executor hereafter named to appoynt
And as towchinge all suche goodes and chattells as yt hath pleased god to lende me in this wourlde I
give and dispose the same in manner and forme followinge vizt. First I give vnto folkes? suche

[Page two] as to my executor shalbe thoughte meete in the parishes of Saincte Dunstane in y^t Easte of London: Abbottes
Langley in the countye of Hertforde and Saincte Laurence parishe in Readinge in the countie of Berkes[hir]e
Fifteene markes viz to the poore of everye of the saied parishes fyve markes to be paied as to my saied
executor shalbe thoughte meete

Item I give and bequeathe vnto the Master and wardens and companye of
Salters of London whereof I am free tenne poundes to make them a dynner with at theire pleasures.

Item
I give to Mr Norwood parson of this parishe churche of Saincte Dunstane aforesaied fortie shillinges
requiringe hym to preache on the daye of my Buriall (yf my executor shall so thinke good.

Item I giue and bequeathe vnto my cosin Roger Webbe sonne of my vncle John Webbe of Readinge nowe lyvinge
Fortie poundes, to be paied to hym as to my Executor shalbe thoughte meete and convenient and as my
Debtes shall come in.

Item I give to my cosin John Webbe nowe lyvinge sonne of my vncle John Webbe
deceased fortie poundes. And to hys foure Daughters Mary Alice Bennet and Elizabethe three score
poundes amongest them equally to be devided. the saied fortie poundes to be paied to my saied cosen
John Webbe at his age of one and twentie yeres, and the saied three score poundes to be paied to the
saied fouer Daughters at theire ages of one and twentie yeres or at theire Dayes of marriage which first shall happen.

And I will that yf any of the saied fyve children dye before theire saied ages
or marriages that then the survivors of the saied children shall haue the parte of the childe or
children so dyinge to be equallye devided amongest them.

Item I give to my cosin Amye Symes?
wife of Thomas Symes? Fyve poundes.

Item I giue to William Lawde and William Robinson my
cosins twenty markes viz.t to?ther of them Sixe pounde thirteene shillinges fower pence.

Item
I forgive and remitt to my vnkle William Lawde the Debte which he oweth to me.

Item I
give to my father in Lawe Mr Richard Thorneley and to my Awnte Dame Anne Dixe, my Awnte
Thornelin?son, my sister M^rs Offley and my Awnte Gardener clothe for mourning apparell
suche as to my executor shalbe thoughte meete for theire funerall estates and callinges. And
to all other of my kinne Folkes and Frendes suche as to my executor shalbe thoughte meete
and which I nowe remember not cloath for mourninge apparell. And I give William Russell
twentie poundes to be paied and allowed hym vppon a true accompte to be gyuen by hym to my
Executor of suche stocke and dealinge as y^t betwene hym and me.

item I give to my cosin
Syme fyve poundes
Item I give my cosen the wife of Richard Bowles Fyve poundes

Item
I give to the Right honorable my father William Webbe Lord Maior of the Cittie of London
and to the Lady my mother to each of them a Ringe of goulde of such value as to them
shalbe thought meete. And my Will and meaninge ys that before any Legacy by me before
bequeathed be paied that my Debtes shalbe paied or order taken that they may be paied with all
convenient speede. And that then a true Inventarye shalbe made and taken of all and Sing[u]l[a]^r
my goods and chattells ^ shalbe divided into three equall partes accordinge to the anncyent
and landable Custome of the Cittie of London the first thirde parte whereof I leave and
appointe to my lovinge wife Elizabethe for so muche due to her by the saied landable
Custome. The seconde thirde parte whereof I leave and appointe to my children to them all so
Due by the saied custome. And the last third parte thereof I reserve to my selfe accordinge to
the saied custome out of which my saied thirde parte I will the saied funerall Legacys above
mencyoned shalbe paied. And allso I give to the five children of William Russell aforesaied
Tenne poundes vizt to either of them fyve poundes and to Andrews Turner Notarye three
poundes. And I forgive to Richard Atkyn all suche Debtes as he owethe to me.

--- ^ I and that the saide my goods
and chattelles ---

Item I give
to euery of my servantes fortie shillinges, and allso suche mourninge apparrell as my
Executor shall thinke meete. And to William Russell Owen? and Gamon my fathers servannts
every of them a mourninge cloake to Stephen Milles a mourning cloake. Allso I give to my
Cosin Bartholmewe Wormell twentie poundes to be paied to hym vppon the payinge and
Cleeringe? of the Accompte betwene hym and me. Allso I give to his sonne John Wormell
the third parte of the gaynes of my parte of thadventure which is or shalbe gotten in this
voyage yf he retourne home into Englande. And i give vnto my saied wife Elizabethe
ouer and above her saied thirde parte and port[i]on abovemencyoned the somme of twoe hundred
poundes. And allso I give to the childe that my saied wife goethe with all twoe hundred poundes.
The residue of my saied third parte remayninge of all other my goodes not beuqeathed my

[Page three]
Debtes and funeralls discharged I leave giue and Devise to my saied lovinge father to use and
dispose at his free will and pleasure. And I constitute and ordeyne the saied honorable and my
saied lovinge father william webbe nowe Lord Mayor of the Cittie of London Executor of this
my present testament. And I give vnto John Brickett and Chr[ist]ian Forest tenne poundes viz
to either of them Fyve poundes.

Item I give to Chr[ist]ofer Robinson Sixe poundes thirteene shillinges
fower pence to be paied to hym at my executors discret[i]on.

Item I give and bequeathe and devise
to the saied honorable and my saied lovinge father william webbe Lord Mayor as aforesaied
all those my landes tenementes and hereditaments with thappurten[a]nces which I late p[ur]chased?
of the saied Bartholmewe Wormell and Agnes hys wife or either of them lying and beinge
in the countie of NorF To have and to hould to the saied William Webbe and to his heires and assignes for euer
In witnesse whereof I have hereunto put my hande and seale the daye
and yeres abouesaied theise? beinge witnesses / Chr[ist]ofer Webbe / This present
Testament and last will was subscribed sealed and Delyvered as the Deede of the saied Chr[ist]ofer
Webbe the Daye and yeres abovesaied in the presence of me Andrewe Turner Notarye.
Byme Nicholas Atkins per me Johannem Ryder

Probatum fuit Testamentum
suprascriptum apud London coram venerabili viro Mag[ist]ro Willmo Lewin legum D[i]c[t]ore
ad ex..riendum officium Mag[ist]ri Custodis sine Comissarij Curie Prerogative Cantuarien....
... deputat vicesimo primodie Mensis Januarij Anno Domini Millesimo quincentesimo
nonagesimo primo ............ Juramento Alexandri
.... Notarij publici procuratoris willimi webbe ... Maioris Civitatis London Ex....
in ... testamento nominat Cui commissa fuit Administrato... bonorum Juri... et creditor
... defuncti de bene et fideliter administrand ad sancta dei Evangelia Jurat.

21 January 1591

Research Notes

• ^[a] xxxiiij^th = 34th (year in the reign of Elizabeth I)
• William Norwood, Rector of St Dunstan in the East (1588–1596)^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Christopher Webbe (accessed 8 March 2023)

   Reference: PROB 11/79/25

   Description: Will of Christopher Webbe, Salter of Saint Dunstan in the East, City of London

   Date: 21 January 1592

   Held by: The National Archive, Kew

2. ↑ William Norwood (CCEd Person ID 39127), The Clergy of the Church of England Database 1540–1835, accessed 9 March 2023.