Will of Elizabeth (Street) Offley 1667

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Offley Street

This is a transcription of a register copy of the Will of Elizabeth Streete of St Giles in the Fields dated 24 June 1667 and proved 27 August 1668 (Prerogative Court of Canterbury) and available at the National Archives, Kew, London.

Note that the Will was later challenged in court.^[1]

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The condition of this copy Will was very average with blurring and considerable ink loss particularly on the third and fourth pages.

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]. Words or letters that are illegible are marked with asterisks. L, s and d represent pounds, shillings and pence respectively. Bold text are for ease of reading in the absence of full stops.

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Persons mentioned in Elizabeth's Will:

• Elizabeth (Street) Offley, testator
• Martha Offley, daughter in law and wife of Robert Offley deceased
• Robert Offley, son, deceased
• David Offley, son
• David Offley's wife
• Elizabeth Warren, daughter
• Elizabeth Ferne, granddaughter, now wife of Mr Middleton and daughter of son Humphrey
• Andrew Middleton, Elizabeth Ferne's husband
• Mary Hamon, granddaughter and daughter of son Humphrey
• Humphrey Offley, son, deceased
• Thomas Offley of Lamberhurst, Kent, grandson, eldest son of Humphrey, sole executor
• Thomas's wife
• Robert Offley, grandson, second son of Humphrey
• Ellinor Lye, granddaughter
• Ellinor's husband, Mr Robert Lye, baker
• Leah Herbert, granddaughter
• Elizabeth Herbert, granddaughter
• Robert Spring, grandson
• Elizabeth Spring, granddaughter
• Mary Spring, granddaughter
• Bazill Hutchinson, her rent gatherer and his wfie
• Mary Cheeseman, servant to daughter Elizabeth Warren and witness of the testator's codicil
• Marie Offley, granddaughter, daughter of son David
• Sarah Godfrey, granddaughter
• Moses Atkinson, son of testator's sister Leah Atkinson
• Stephen Offley
• Francis Offley, cousin
• Elizabeth Ayres, cousin
• William Broyster, cousin
• Elizabeth Broyster, cousin and sister of William
• Rev Gillpin, some time minister of the church of Knowle, Warwickshire
• Rev George Griffin, some time minister of the Charterhouse, London
• Rev William Jenkin, some time minister of Christchurch, London
• Rev Henchman, now minister of Christchurch, London
• William Tibbes, scrivener of London, trustee and witness
• The Governors of Christ's Hospital, London
• The Parson and churchwardens of the parish of Harwich, Essex
• The Parson and churchwardens of the parish of Putney, Surrey
• The Parson and churchwardens of the parish of Waldern, Sussex
• Francis Cole of Boxford, Suffolk, previous owner of the Unicorn
• Anne Barnes, kinswoman
• Leah Spring, daughter, deceased
• Christopher Gardner, from whom the testator and her husband purchased properties in Kent Street and Long Lane in Southwark, Surrey
• John Borley, tenant of Helmet Court
• Humphrey Street, late father
• Charles Doyley, trustee
• John Mascall, trustee
• Joshua Pordage, trustee
• son Robert Offley's four daughters
• Robert Offley, grandson, son of Robert
• John Howell, friend and witness
• Alexander Hatchett, Broker, John Seale and George Halman from whom the testator purchased property in New Market, St Clements Danes
• Mary Taylor, witness
• Issac Babington, witness
• John Arden, witness
• Barnaby Edmunde, witness
• Thomas Plumb, witness
• Elizabeth Lye, witness
• Godman Atwood, witness
• Elizabeth Copley, witness
• Henry Nye, witness and servant to William Tibbes

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folio 368 recto

In the name of God Amen
the foure and twentieth day of June Anno Dom[ini] 1667 In the Nineteenth
yeare of the Raigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles the second by
the grace of God King of England & Scotland France and Ireland defender
of the faith &c I Elizabeth Offley of the Parish of St Giles in the feilds
in the countie of Middx widdow being aged (yet blessed bee God in health
of bodie and in good and perfect mind and memorie and calling
to mind the uncertaintie of this Transitorie life doe make and declare
my last will and testament in manner and forme following That is
to say First I freelie render my soule into the hands of Almightie
God my creator hoping to obtaine full and free remission of all my
synnes and to enioy eternall rest and happines in his heavenlie
Kingdome through the onlie merritt death and passion of my onlie
Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ; My bodie I remitt to the Earth
to bee decentlie interred at the discretion of my Executor hereafter
named there to remaine in hope of a Joyfull resurrection And
as concerning my temporall estate wherewith God hath intrusted
mee I dispose thereof as followeth Viz First I doe give and
bequeath unto my daughter Marth[a] Offley late[ly] wife of my sonne Robert
Offley deceased ten pounds to provide mourning for her aganst my
funerall Item I give unto my sonne David Offley and his wife twenty
pounds to provide mourning for them at my funerall And I give unto
my daughter Elizabeth Warren tenn pounds for mourning Item I
doe give unto Elizabeth Ferne now wife of Mr Midleton and Mary
Hamon daughters of my sonne Humphrey Offley and sisters to
Thomas and Robert Offley the summe of tenn pounds a peecee to buye
them mourning Item I doe give and bequeath unto my grandechild
Thomas Offley of Lamberhurst in Kent sonne of my sonne Humfrey

folio 368 verso

Offley and to his wife and to his Brother Robert Offley tenn pounds a
peece to buy them mourning Item I doe give unto my grandechild Ellinor
Lye one hundred pounds and to her husband Mr Robert Lye, baker, ten
pounds to buy mourning Item I give unto my grandchildren Leah Herbert
Elizabeth Herbert, Robert Spring, Elizabeth Spring and Mary Spring
to each of tenn pounds a peece to buy them mourning And I doe also
give to Bazill Hutchinson my Rent gatherer and to his wife ten pounds
a peece to buy them mourning And to everie one of my houshold servants
which shalbee dwelling with mee at the tyme of my decease sixe pounds
a peece in mony and five pounds a peece more to buy them mourning And
unto Mary Cheeseman servant to my daughter Warren the some of five
pounds for mourning if living with her at my death Item I doe give and
bequeath unto my grandechild Marie Offley daughter of my said sonne
David Offley tenn pounds for mourning and the summe of one hundred pounds
to bee paid unto her when she shall attaine unto the age of one and twentie
yeares or bee married, which shall first and next happen Item I doe give
and bequeath unto my grandchild Sarah Godfrey the sume of fifty pounds
to bee paid unto her within one yeare next after my decease Item I doe give
and bequeath unto Moses Atkinson sonne of my late sister Leah Atkinson
and to Stephen Offley and my cosen Francis Offley, my cosens Elizabeth
Ayres William Broyster and Elizabeth Broyster his sister to each of them
five pounds a peece Item I doe give unto Mr Gillpin some tymes Minister of
the parish church of Knowle in the countie of Warricke, To Mr George
Griffin late minister of the Charterhouse London To Mr William Jenkin late
Minister of Christchurch ^London and to Mr Henchman now Minister of Christchurch
London to each of them five pounds a peece Item I give to William Tibbes
of London Scrivener Tenn pounds to buy him a Ring to weare in remembrance of
mee Item I doe give to soe many poore women to bee nominated by my Executor
as I shall have lived yeares at the tyme of my Decease Twentie shillinges a
peece to accompany my bodie to the church ⁱⁿ mourning gownes at the day of
my Funerall Item I doe give unto the Governors of Christes Hospitall London
towards the releife of the poore Children in the same Hospitall twentie
pounds of lawfull mony of England And to one hundred poore children
of the same hospitall twelve pense a peece to accompany my bodie to
Church at the day of my Funerall Item I give to the poore of Aldermanbury
parish in London the sume of sixe pounds And more I doe give to Twentie
poore people of the parish of St Gregories Five shillinges a peece to bee
paid unto them within one month next after my decease Item I doe give
to Thirtye poore persons of the parish of Christchurch where I did live
five shillinges a peece And to thirty poore persons of the parish of St
Gyles Cripplegate in the countie of Middx to bee nonimated by my Executor
five shillinges a peece to bee paid unto them within one month next
after my decease And as concerning my messuages lands tenements and
hereditaments I doe charge give and bequeath them in manner & forme
Following, That is to say, First I doe give will and grant to the Parson
and churchwardens of the parish of Harwich in the countie of Essex and
their successors forever one Annuytie of fifty shillinges of lawfull mony
of England And to the Parson and churchwardens of the parish of Putney
in the countie of Surrey and their successors for ever one Annuytie of
fifty shillinges of lawfull mony of England And to the Parson and
churchwardens of the parish of Walderne in the countie of Sussex and

folio 369 recto

their successors for ever one Annuytie or yearlie rent charge of fortie
shillinges of lawfull mony of England To bee yearelie yssuing & payable
out of all that my messuages tenement or Inne with the appurtenances
scituate and being in Holborne in the countie of Middx commonlie called or
knowne by the name of the Signe of the Unicorne ^[2] which my late husband
and I purchased of Francis Cole of Boxford in the countie of Suffolke
Gent to bee paid unto the Parson and churchwardens of the respective
parishes afore said and their successor[s] for ever on the Feast day of St Mich=
=aell the Archangell yearelie In Trust for the onlie use and benefite of
the poore of the same parishes respectivelie as hereafter is specifyed And
in case the aforesaid three severall Annuyties or any of them shall not bee
paid uppon demand thereof on the day of payment aforesaid that then the
person or persons which ou[g]t to pay the same shall forfeit and pay to the
parson and churchwardens of each parish aforesaid tenn shillinges of
lawfull mony of England nomine pæne^[3] for each such default for the use
of the poore of the said respective parishes aforesaid which shalbe pre indorsed
by such default to bee distributed as the respective Annuyties ought to bee
And that then alsoe my will is that uppon everie such default of payment as
is aforesaid it shalbee lawfull to and for the said Parson and Churchwardens
of the said severall and respective parishes severallie and respectively
according to their severall and respective interests to enter into the said
Messuage and premisses charged with the said Annuyties and there
to distraine ^[4] not onlie for their severall and respective Annuyties and the
Arrearages of the same (if any be) but alsoe for the said sume of mony that
shalbe forfeited in default of payment of them or any of them and the
Distresse and Distresses soe taken to leade drive cary away and deteyne
till hee or they according to their severall and respective interests shalbee
well and truly satisfyed what is legalie and duelie belonging to them or
any of them And my will is that the aforesaid Annuytie of fiftye shillinges
payable to the Parson and churchwardens of Harwich aforesaid shalbe
by them distributed to the poore of the same parish on Thursday before
Easter Day in everie yeare for ever And that the saide Annuytie of fiftye
shillinges payable to the parson and churchwardens of Putney aforesaid
shalbee by them dystributed to the poore of the same Parish on the Feast
Day of St Andrew the Apostle in everie yeare for ever. And that the
said Annuytie of fortie shillinges payable to the Parson and Churchwar=
=dens of Walderne aforesaid shalbe by them distributed to the poore of the
same parish on the next Thursday after the Feast of St Michael the
Archangel in everie yeare for ever Item I give will devise & bequeath
unto my kinswoman Anne Barnes for and during her naturall life All
that my said messuage tenement or Inne scituate lying and being in
Holborne in the countie of Middx commonlie called and knowne by the name
of the ^{signe of the} Unicorne chargeable with the Annuyties aforesaid And after her
decease I give and devise the same charges as aforesaid unto my said grand
children Robert Spring Leah Herbert and Elizabeth Herbert, Elizabeth Spring,
and Mary Spring children of my daughter Leah Spring deceased and to
their heires and assignes for ever Equallie to be divided among them Item
I give will devise and bequeath all those my messuages lands tenements
and hereditaments scituate lying and being in Kente Streete and Long Lane
in the parish of St George the Martyr in Southwarke in the countie of Surr[e]y
wherein my late husband and I purchased ____ of Christopher Gardner
unto my grandchild Thomas Offley Esqr sonne and heir of my sonne Humphrey

folio 369 verso

Offley deceased and to his heirs and assignes for ever Item I give will
devise and bequeath all that my messuage or tenement with th'appurtenances
scituate and being in Helmett Court neere Bishopsgate London now or late
in the tenure of John Borley his assignee or assignees And alsoe all that
my fourth part of and in the messsuage or tenement with th'appurtenances
scituate and being in Lewisham in the countie of Kent wherein my
late father Humphrey Streete sometymes dwelt And also all that
my fouth part of and in all and singuler other the messuages lands tenem[en]ts
and hereditaments with their and every of their appurtenances scituate lying
and being in Lewisham aforesaid and Lee in the said countie of Kent w[hi]ch
were given and bequeathed unto mee by the last will and testament of the
said Humphrey Street my said late father deceased, unto my said grandchild
Thomas Offley ^eldest sonne of my said sonne Humphrey Offley deceased and to his heires
and assignes for ever. Neverthelesse uppon this spetiall trust intent and purpose
that hee the said Thomas Offley his heires or assignes shall and will out of
the Rente and proffittes of the same messuages and premisses yearlie pay
or cause to be paid unto his Brother Robert Offley second sonne of my late
eldest son Humphrey Offley deceased during the terme of his naturall
life the yearlie summe or Annuytie of thirty pounds of lawfull monye
of England by quarterlie payments by even and equall porcions Item
I give will and grant unto my said daughter Elizabeth Warren and her
assignes One Annuytie or yearlie rent charge of three score pounds of
lawfull mony of England to bee yssuing and going out of all those my messuages
lands tenements and hereditaments scituate lying and being in Kent Streete
and Long Lane aforesaid, To have and to hould receive and take the said Annuytie
or yearlie rent charge of Three score pounds unto the said Elizabeth Warren
and her assignes from and ymediatelie after my decease for and during
the terme of her naturall life To bee yearlie paid unto her or her assignes
at the Foure Feast days aforemenc[i]oned by even and equall portions The
first payment to begginne at such of the same Feasts as shall ensue next
after my decease And if it shall happen the said Annuytie or yearlie
rent charge of three score pounds to bee behind and unpaid in part or in all
by the space of tenn dayes next over or after any the said Feast dayes where
in the same ought to bee paid That then and from thence forth yt shall &
may bee lawfull to and for the said Elizabeth Warren and her assignes into
the said Messuages or Tenements in Kent Streete and Long Lane aforesaid
or any of them to Enter and Deteyne for the same and the Distresse
there found to carrie away and deteyne untill the said rent charge
and all the arrearages if any bee or shalbee dulie satisfyed and paid
Item I give devise and bequeath unto Charles Doyley John Mascall
Joshuah Pordage and William Tibbes All my messuages or tenements
with their appurtenances in or neare Goulding Lane in or neare London
To hould to them their executors administrators and assignes for the
terme of eight yeares to comence from the tyme of my death Uppon
trust and to the intent that they the said Charles Doyley John
Mascall Joshua Pordage and William Tibbes their executors ad[ministra]tors
or assignes shall raise one of the rents and proffittes thereof the same
of Eight hundred pounds of lawfull mony of England to bee paid as
followeth And which I doe give and bequeath as followeth that is
to say; To the foure daughters of my son Robert Offley deceased
to each of them two hundred pounds a peece And if any of them

folio 370 recto

Dye: Then the two hundred pounds of such dying to bee equallie devided
amongst the survivors, which said Annuytie of Three Score pounds afore=
=said I do give to my said daughter Elizabeth Warren over and besides
the lease of the houses in Barbican held of Christchurch Hospitall w[hi]ch
I have assigned and Doe hereby will unto her and for her use after my
Decease And I doe will give devise & bequeath the aforesaid Messuages
or Tenements with their appurtenances in or neere Goulding lane afores[a]id
to my grandchild Robert Offley sonne of my said sonne Robert Offley &
the heirs of his bodie to bee lawfullie begotten And for want of
such yssue to my said grandchild Thomas Offley and his heires for
ever Charged Nevertheles with one Annuytie of fortie pounds per annum
payable to my grandchild Mrs Elizabeth Midleton ^{wife of Mr Andrew Middleton} during her life
in such manner and under such penalties as the said Sixtye pounds per
annum payable to my daughter and with the said legacies of Eight
hundred pounds to the said foure daughters of my said sonne Robert
as aforesaid Item I give to my good friend Mr John Howell Five pounds
And to my said Trustees Charles Doyley John Mascall Joshua Pordage
and William Tibbes each of them Twentie Markes a peece to buy each
of them a peece of Plate : All the rest and residue of my Jeweles plate
readie mony Houshold stuffe Debtes Creditts goodes Chattell and personall
Estate whatsoever other than my Leases Annuyties estates and interestes
for yeares which I have in Southewarke Hatton Garden & in or neere New
Market in St Clements Danes parish heretofore purchased of Alexander
Hatchett Broker, John Seale and George Halman or any of them which I
Doe hereby will and Devise to my said sonne David Offley. I doe give and
bequeath after the charges of my Funerall defrayed and my Debts
and Legacies paid and discharged unto my executor And I doe hereby
Constitute and appoint my said Grandchild Thomas Offley to bee sole executor
of this my last will and Testament And I doe hereby Desire his Care and
paines to bee taken in Execution thereof And I doe require and charge my
Children that they doe accord and agree and live lovinglie together and
according to their severall powers and interests to bee helpfull
Assisting one to another And I doe hereby revoake and make void all
former and other will and wills and Codicills whatsoever by mee
heretofore made In Witnes whereof I the said Elizabeth Offley the
testatrixe to this my last will and Testament have sett my hand and
Seale the day and yeare first above written Elizabeth Offley./.
Theis ^pressents conteyning nyne sheetes of paper to each of which the Testatrixe
aforesaid hath sett her hand and was by her Signed Sealed and Declared
for and as her last will and Testament the day and yeare first above written
In the presente of us whose names are subscribed vizt. Elizabeth Lye
Mary Taylor Isaac Babington John Arden.

Memorand[um] that this
writing as now altered conteyning the last will and Testament of the
above named Elizabeth Offley was read unto her and by her Subscribed
Sealed and Declared to bee her last will and Testament this 29th day of
April Anno D[o]m[ini] 1668 Annoq[ue] Caroli S[e]c[un]do xx^o
Elizabeth Offley in the presence of John Howell Barnaby Edmunde Thomas Plumb
Elizabeth Lye Mary Taylor Mary Cheeseman Godman Atwood

Memorand[um] that I Elizabeth Offley of the parish of St
Gyles in the Feilds in the Countie of Middx widdow Doe make this
present codicil to bee taken as part of my last will and Testament That is to say

folio 370 verso

I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Warren the lease of my house
which I now Dwell in Scituate and being in King Streete in Southampton buildings
in the said parish of St Giles in the Feilds, and all my tearme of yeares right
Title and interest therein, And alsoe all my goodes and Household stuffe what=
=soever remaining and being in and aboute my said house, or else I give unto
my said daughter Warren the summe of One Hundred pounds of lawfull mony
of England In witnes whereof I the said Elizabeth Offley have to this present
Codicill set my hand and Seale the Five and twentieth Day of June Anno D[o]m[ini]
1668 In the twentieth yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles
the second by the grace of god King of England Scotland France and Ireland
defender of the faith &c Elizabeth Offley./. Signed Sealed published & declared
to bee part of the past will of the said Elizabeth Offley in the presence of us
Elizabeth Copley Elizabeth Lye Henry Nye serv[an]t to Wm Tibbes.

Probate to Thomas Offley the executor named in the will 27 August 1668.

Footnotes

1. ↑ England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858: "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
   PROB 11: Will Registers > 1660-1673 > Piece 327: Hone, Quire Numbers 58-112 (1668)
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Image (accessed 30 June 2022)
   Elizabetha Offley.
2. ↑ "High Holborn from the parish boundary to Little Turnstile," in Survey of London: Volume 5, St Giles-in-The-Fields, Pt II, ed. W Edward Riley and Laurence Gomme (London: London County Council, 1914), 3-9. British History Online, accessed June 8, 2022, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol5/pt2/pp3-9. "The premises (N), which in the early part of the seventeenth century comprised a single inn, The Unicorn, had in 1574 been purchased by Francis Johnson from John and Margaret Cowper, as three messuages and three gardens, (fn. 43) and are described in 1626 (fn. 44) as having been "now longe since converted into one messuage or inn commonly called The Unicorne." Apparently its use as an inn was of recent date, for in the description of (M), dated 1607, the eastern boundary of that property is said to be "a tenement in the occupation of John Larchin, baker," and in 1629, when the premises had been re-divided into two, one is said to be (fn. 45) "now in the tenure of Mary Larchin, widdowe, and is now used by her as a common inne, and is called by the name or signe of The Unycorne." The dimensions of the premises are given as 45 feet wide on the north, 40 feet on the south on Lincoln's Inn Fields, and 156 feet long. No records of the time of Elizabeth relating to property between The Unicorn and the house at the corner of Great Turnstile have, so far, been discovered. The latter (O), having a frontage to High Holborn of 39 feet, was certainly at the time in the possession of the same John Miller (fn. 46) who held the property (M)."
3. ↑ Latin legal term for "by way of penalty"
4. ↑ seize (someone's property) in order to obtain monies owed