Will of Cicely Long or Longe, Widow of London 1559

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

The Will of Cicely Long, widow of London was written on 8 September 1559 and proved in London, Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 6 October 1559.^[1]

Transcription conventions used in this text:

• Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
• Where present, ff has been rendered as F, and the old letter Thorn has been rendered as th.
• Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets].
• Additions and margin notes, where they occur, have been added where indicated in the text.
• Crossings through, where they occur, have been included Struck out.
• Illegible words or parts of words are marked [...]
• The image quality was good, and the handwriting mostly legible.

Persons mentioned:

• Cicely Long testatrix
• Robert Longe husband, deceased
• Henrie Vyner son in law, executor
  • Anne Vyner Henry's daughter
  • Henrie Vyner Henry's son
• Marie Vyner Henry's wife, daughter, executrix
• William Meredith son in law, executor
• Martha Meredith his wife, daughter, executrix
• Roger Sadler son in law, executor
• Magdalen Sadler his wife, daughter, executrix
• Christofer Dauntesey son in law
• Thomazin Dauntesey daughter
• Walter Copinger son
• William Jackson
• Thomas Long brother (in law?)
• Sir William Hollis
• Sir Thomas Hollis deceased
  • Ladie Hollis his widow
• John Southcote friend, overseer
• Johan Danyell cousin
• William Copinger kinsman
• Adam Sanckfforde servant
• Mistres Monnstowe
• Nicholas Hecker fishmonger
• Kitchin farmer
• John Gilma...? bailey
• Anne Long
• Witnesses: Thom[a]s Ridgewaie, Richarde Sharpe, John Bridge, Thomas Browne

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In the name of god amen the eight day of Septembre in the
yere of our lorde god a thowsand fyve hundreth fiftie and nyne. And in the firste yere of the Reigne of
our soveraigne ladie Elizabeth by the grace of god Quene of England France and Ireland defendo[r] of the
faith &c. I Cicely Long widowe late Wife of Robert Longe late Citezin and mercer of london deceased being
at this present sicke of bodie and yet of good and perfecte memorie laude and praise be unto allmyghtie
god doe make and ordeyne this my last Will and testament in maner and forme followinge that is to saye
First and principally I give and com[m]ende my soule to the mercie of allmightie the father the sonne and the
hollie gost the blessed virgin Marie and to all the holie companye of heaven verelie trusting and bely
ving that by and through the meritt[es] and death and passion of my savio[ur] and Redemer Jhesus Christe to
have remyssion and forgivenes of all my synnes. / And I will that my bodie be buried in saincte laurennce
Churche in tholde Jurie nighe unto the place where my late husbande Rob[er]t Longe was buried. And
as to tochinge the charg[es] of my buriall I referre that wholie to the distrec[i]on of myne executo[urs]
hereunder named. And I do ordeyne and make executo[urs] of this my last will and testament Henrie
Vyner my sonne in lawe and Marie his wife Will[ia]m Meredith my sonne in lawe and Martha his wife
and Roger Sadler my sonne in lawe and Magdalen his wife. And I will that my said executo[urs] w[i]thin
a convenient tyme aftre my decease shall make a tr[u]e iuste and p[er]fecte Inventarie of all my goods
Cattalls and debt[es] plate Juell[es] Redie money household stuffe and Implement[es] whatsoever w[hi]ch I have
either in London Wansworth Westhurricke^[2] or ells where, aswell w[i]thin the Realme as w[i]thout, And I will
that my goods and Cattall[es] after the said Inventarie so made shalbe indifferently praysed according
to the iuste value. And that no parte of the said goods and Cattall[es] shalbe omitted out of the saide
Inventarie unpraised. And I will that the hole lease of my house in saincte laurannce lane in London
wherin I lately dwelled and all the tenement[es] to the same adioyning and belonging with their app[ur]
ten[ann]c[es] shalbe solde by my saide executo[urs] to the most advantage./ And I will that Henrie Viner my sonne
in lawe and Marie my doughter his wife shall have the preferement of the saile thereof before anye
other, so that he will give as muche ^^for of the same as anye other within twentie pounds w[i]thout fraude
or covyn. I give and bequeath to Thomazin my wife Dauntesey my Daughter one hundreth pounds in
money to be paid furthwith after my decease /. Item I give unto Walter Copinger my sonne two hundreth
pounds in moneye to be paide unto him w[i]thin one halfeyere nexte after my decease, saving only twetie
m[a]rck[es] which I will the said Walter shall a bate and allowe to my saide executo[urs] in the payment of the
saide two hundreth poundes for a chayne of golde w[hi]ch he had of myne. Item whereas I purchased
certayne landes in Wannesworth in the countie of Surr[ey] to me and to myne heyres forever. I

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Will that myne executo[urs] of this my last will and testament or the s[ur]vivo[ors] of them shall sell the same
landes to the most advanntage for and towardes the perfourmannce of this my last will and testam[en]t
Item I will and give to xxiiij pore folkes whereof xij to be men, and other xij women eche of them a
freese gowne agaynst my buriall./ Item I give and bequeath to Marie Vyner my doughter tenne
pounds in money. Item to Martha Meredith my doughter twentie poundes Item to Magdalen
my doughter a spone of golde. Item to John Sadler my godsonne fyve poundes. Item I give &
bequeath to Anne Vyner Daughter to the saide Henrie Vyner my sonne in lawe fyve poundes
Item I bequeath to Henrie Vyner her brother the bill of twentie poundes, that I made at his
p[re]pe[n/r]yng. Item I will that myne executo[urs] duringe the space of tenne yeres nexte aftre my
decease shall give yerely at christmas to the pore people at Wansworth twentie shilling[es]. / Item
I give to Will[ia]m Jackson yerely duringe his liffe tenne shilling[es] to be paide by thandes of my exec[utors]
Item I give to the pore prisoners in newgate, the marshalsee the kingesbench and the two Compters
in London sixe poundes to be bestowed amongst them according to the distrec[i]on of my said Executors. Item
I give to the poore in the newe hospitall[es] lately erected in the said Citie of London tenne poundes./ Item I
give twentie poundes to be bestowed upon xl pore maidens mariages equally among[es] them, that is to say x^s
a peece./ Item I will twentie poundes to be given to pore schollers in the univ[er]sities Oxforde and Cambridge
accordinge to the good discrec[i]on of my said executo[urs]./ Item I give to my brother Thom[a]s Long a golde ringe of
xxvj^s viij^d. Where I have extended Sir William Hollis landes in [...ouff] I will myne execoto[urs] shall paie out of the
money com[m]yng by reason of the saide extent unto my Ladie Hollis widowe late wife of the said Sir Thomas Hollis
kinght deceased the some of tenne poundes yerely duringe her naturall life, if the said extent so long indure./
So that she do not by anye mane[r] of meanes vexe troble or molest my saide executors or anye of them aboute
the said landes extended or ance parte thereof./ And if the said Ladie hollys fortune to die the said extent
enduringe and beinge in force then I will that my said executors or the Survivors of them shall paie yerely
unto the children of the said Sir Thom[a]s Hollis the som[m]e of tenne poundes evenlie amonge them aftre the
decease of the said Ladie Hollis during suche tyme as the same extent shall declare and be in force if there
be anye such children of the said S^ir Thom[a]s Hollys then lyving to receave the same, w[hi]ch somes of money I give
unto her and them even of myne owne free will and of charitie, And the residue of the money that shalbe
received of the said extent I will shall goe toward[es] the perfomance of this my last will and testament./ It[em]
I bequeath to [Christ]ofer Dauntesey my sonne in lawe a golde ringe of xxvj^s viij^d./ Item I bequeath to my
frende John Southcote and to his wife either of them a blacke gowne and a ring of golde of xxvj^s viij^d
the peece / And to everie one of my children a blacke gowne, and to eche of my sonnes in lawe a blacke
gowne./ And to everie of the same my sonnes excepte Dauntesey whome I have before remembered a golde
ringe of the value of xxvj^s. viiij^d the peece and to everie of my servanntes aswell men as women a
Blacke gowne./. Item I give to my cosen Johan Danyell a black gowne. / It[e]m I bequeath to William
Copinger my kinsman a black gowne./. Item I give to my saide frende John Southcote for his paynes and
gentlenes that he hath shewed to me and my frendes, and for his paynes to be taken hereafter for my
said Executo[urs] aboute this my said last will and testament tenne poundes. Item I give to Adam Sanck
fforde my ser[va]nnte poundes./ Item I bequenth to M[ist]res Monnstowe a ringe of golde of the value of xx^s
and my kirtle of damaske. Item I bequeath to Anne Long nowe dwellinge with me my ringe of golde w[i]t[h] a
deathes head in it./ Item I bequeath to Nich[ol]as Hecker fisshemonger a ringe of golde of the value of
xxvj^s viij^d./ Item I bequeath to Kitchin my Farmor in Essex a blacke Cote./ Item I bequeath to John [Gilma...]
my bayly in Essex a blacke cote./ Item I will and bequeath to the Wardenes comynaltie and companye of
Fisshemongers of London one hundreth and fiftie poundes in money to thintent and upon condic[i]on that they
and their success[ors] shall from tyme to tyme for evermore lend and delyver the same Cl^£ in free Lone
unto sixe pore youngmen free of the same companye of Fisshemongers being of honest name and fame, that
as to say, everie of them to have xxv^£ for and duringe iij yeres nexte ensuying they shall receave the same
and wich young men shall and will put in sufficient suertie or paunde for the repayment thereof to the
wardens and company of Fisshemongers at thende of the said thre yeres. and also shall and will be founde
amonges them to paye yerely during the same iij yeres three poundes everie of the same vj younge men
to paie porc[i]on like thereof to the wardens and company of fisshemonges for the bying of Coles, whiche
Coles so bought I will shall yerely ayenst the feaste of [christ]emas be given to and among[es] suche poore and
nedie p[er]sons inhabyting within the citie of london as to the said wardens of the said companye of fisshe
mongers for the tyme beinge shalbe thought meete./ And after the said iij yeres ended & repayment
made of the said som[m]e of Cl^£ unto the saide companye of Fisshemongers I will that the same warde[n]s
and companye shall furthw[i]th delyver and paie the same Cl^£ unto other six poore yonge men of the
said companye of fisshemongers being of honest name and fame, by xxv^£. a peece: And they to have the
same for other iij yeres then next ensuynge which shall and will put in sufficient sureties pawnde for

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the repayment thereof unto the said Wardens and companye of Fishemongers at thende of the same thre
yeres and for the payment of three poundes yerely during thre yeres for the bying of Coles to thuse intent &
purpose aforesaid./. And this ordre to have co[n]tynuance in the said company of fisshmongers frome thre yeres
to thre yeres for ever ./. Provided allwaies that the said companye of Fisshmomgers shall make suche assura[n]ce
for the p[er]fourmannce ^^{of the money} aforesaid as to myne Executo[urs] or the survivo[rs] of them shalbe thought reasonable And
if they shall refuse to take the said money. and performe the condic[i]on aforesaid./. Then I will the said
hundred and fiftie poundes shalbe ordered lent and bestowed by my said Executors or the Survivo[rs] of them
upon anye six pore younge men of anye other companye w[i]thin the citie of London being of honest name and
fayme as to them shalbe thought meete to haue the same ratably amongst them for like space and in suche
other maner and forme in all thing and thing[es] as I have before devised lymyted and declared in this my
last will for the said companye of fisshmongers./ And this ordre likewise to have co[n]tynuannce w[i]thin the
said citie of London, frome sixe poore yonge men to other sixe pore young men for ever./ Item I give to the
said companye of fisshmongers for to make them a dynner w[i]t[h] fyve poundes./. Item I will that myne executors
shall paie the severall legacies som[m]es of money and other thing[es] expressed in a Codicill or bill in paper
sealed with my Seale to the severall p[er]sons therin named in maner and fourme as therin shalbe appointed
The residewe of all my good[es] Cattall[es] debt[es], Juell[es] mony plate household stuffe and thing[es] whatsoever aftre
my debt[es] paide my funerall expenc[es] done and thies my legacies conteyned in this my last will and testament
fulfilled I wholly give and bequeath unto the said Henrie Vyner Mary his wife William Meredith Martha
his wife, Roger Sadler and Magdalen his wife whome I have made myne Executo[rs] of this my last Will and
testament equally among[es] them to be devided to theire owen propre uses./. And make overseers of this my
last will and testament my said frend John Southcote./. In witnes of this my last will I have the said
Cicelie Longe have sett my seale the daie and yere first above written./. Witnes unto the same./. Theis
whose names be under written. Sealed published, and declared in the presence of Thom[a]s Ridgewaie
gent Richarde Sharpe and John Bridge of Wansworth housbondmen and of me Thom[a]s Browne writer
hereof by me Thom[a]s Ridgewaie./.

This is the Codicill or byll in paper expressed in the last
will and testament of mie Cicely Longe widowe mencionyng and
expressinge the severall legacies gift[es] and bequest[es] hereafter recyted [next line viz]
Firste I give to Thom[a]s Ridgewaie a ringe of golde of the value of xviij^s iiij^d Item to my kynsman
William Copinger fower poundes in money./. Item to S[ir] George Sharpe vicar of Wannesworth viij^s a
yere to be paide unto him quarterly ij^s a quarter for the terme of iiij yeres if he so longe do lyve./. Item
to Elizabeth my servannt nowe dwellinge w[i]th me xx^s in money./ Item to Rose dwellinge w[i]th my Doughter
Vynar x^s./. Item to my Doughter Vynars Nurse and my Daughters Sadlers nurre dwellinge with them
x^s a peere to either of them./. Item to John Webbe ^^{one of} my Fermers a blacke cote./. Item to Mary Muskett s[erva]nnt
to my Daughter Meredeth a blacke gowne. /. Henry Vynar Will[ia]m Meredith p[er] me Roger Sadler.

[Rough translation of Latin probate]
The aforesaid testament was proved before Master Walter Haddon, Doctor of Laws in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on the sixth day of October in the year one thousand five hundred and fifty-nine by the oath of Henry Vyner, William Meredeth, in the presence of Roger Sadler and Mary Vyner, Martha Meredith and Magdalene Sadler, in the person of the said Henry, William and Roger named as executors in this will, to whom it was granted to well and faithfully administer: and of exhibiting a full Inventory to be presented.

Sources

1. ↑ PROB 11/42B/502 Description: Will of Cicely Long or Longe, Widow of London Date: 06 October 1559 Held by: The National Archives, Kew
2. ↑ Possibly West Thurrock "Parishes: West Thurrock," in A History of the County of Essex: Volume 8, ed. W R Powell, Beryl A Board, Nancy Briggs, J L Fisher, Vanessa A Harding, Joan Hasler, Norma Knight and Margaret Parsons (London: Victoria County History, 1983), 57-74. British History Online, accessed January 2, 2024, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol8/pp57-74.