Will of Elizabeth Sympson of London 1548

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: London, England
Surnames/tags: Lacy Lowe

This is a transcription of the register office copy of the will of Elizabeth Sympson 1548^[1]. Written on the 28 July 1547 and proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 19 August 1547

The will images were good and very readable

Transcription conventions:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been included struck out
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]
The image quality was good and the writing very legible.
Non standard spelling as per usual for this time period, which has been transcribed verbatim.

Persons mentioned

• Elizabeth Sympson of London widowe testatrix
• my sonne John Sympson son of second marriage to John Sympson
• my doughter Agnes Hilles daughter of first marriage to Christopher Lacy, married to Richard Hilles
• my sonne Hilles Richard Hilles husband of Agnes
• John Hilles grandson of testatrix
• Gerson Hilles grandson of testatrix
• Barnabus Hilles grandson of testatrix
• my daughter Margarett Lowe daughter from first marriage to Christopher Lacy, married to Symon Lowe
• my sonne Lowe Symon Lowe
• Elizabeth Lowe my goddaughter granddaughter of testatrix
• Frances Lowe grandson
• Tymothye Lowe grandson
• Thomas Lowe grandson
• M^r Rychard Hely and to my sister his wif Richard Hely probably and his wife Elizabeth - sister is a very loose term in this era so she may be only related through marriage
• Mother Randall no relationship stated
• Agnes Flynt sometyme my serv[a]nt
• Elizabeth Flynt my goddoughter daughter of Agnes Flynt
• Elizabeth Warton my goddoughter
• Elizabeth Warton mother of Elizabeth Warton
• my Cosyn wright and his wife
• my cosyn Mace and his wif
• my Cosyn Calf
• my Cosyn Newman
• John Bynkes no relationship stated
• John Coke sometyme my serv[a]nt
• Laurence Foster no relationship sated
• Amy the wif of Willyam Atherton no relationship stated
• John Chapman and his wif no relationship stated
• goodman Mylman and his wif no relationship stated
• Johane Browne my goddoughter dwelling with Master Mandeswell
• Aynlett Brase sometyme my serv[a]nt
• ^Jo Stemp[...] somtyme my s[er]v[an]t name has been contracted
• Cousyn Downer
• Octavian no last name given, possibly a lad that is in service to testatrix
• Willyam Player no relationship stated
• Rychard Johnson my serv[a]nt
• my Cousyn Colffes doughter
• Elizabeth Barnes somtyme my serv[a]nt
• Margaret Forsett sometyme my serv[a]nt
• Margaret Pece sometyme my serv[a]nt
• Willyam Fowler somtyme my serv[a]nt
• John Welforde no relationship stated
• M^r Sturgyon and his wif no relationship stated
• the wif of Thomas Hunt no relationship stated
• John Sturgyon and Willyam Peterson haberdashers executors of the will
• Will[ia]m Buckstede witness to will
• Alexander Bankes witness to will
  
  

Mentioned in Codicil

• Margaret Woodd probably a maid servant
• Katheryn my other mayde serv[a]nt
• Rauf my sonne Lowes serv[a]nt
• Joyce his mayde
• mother Stere no relationship stated
• M^r Alderman Garrard no relationship stated
• Elizabeth James sometyme my mayde
• [blank] Lacy a cloth worker no relationship stated
• goodwif Sympson of Maydeston no relationship stated
• my daughter Lowe
• M[ist]ress Hely my horsse no relationship stated
• M[ist]ress Upley no relationship stated
• M[ist]ress Towley no relationship stated
• my husband John Sympson deceased husband of testatrx
• M[ist]ress Buxstede no relationship stated
• Johane Freste no relationship stated
• Redes wif no relationship stated
• M[ist]ress Ellys of Trowbridge John Hilles hostes no relationship stated
• Playnes wif no relationship stated
• John Garraw owes testatrix money no relationship stated
• John Sexton no relationship stated
• Willyam Peterson witness to codicil
• John Sympson witness to codicil, son of testatrix
• Symon Lowe witness to codicil, son in law of testatrix

In margin on right written
T[estatrix] Eliz[abeth] Sympson
Widow of Cristopher
Lacy, whose will
9 Ayloffe
A Sentence, fo. 5 More

[folio 357 recto]

In the name of god amen, the xxviij^th day of July in the yere of o[ur] Lorde god a thousande v^c
xlvij I Elizabeth Sympson of London widowe being of hole and perfitt mynde do make this my present testament and
last will in man[n]er and forme following. First I comytte my self holy unto the mercy of almighty god firmely beleving
that by his grace and merits of my lorde and savio[ur] Jh[e]us Christe I have remyssion of all my synnes, and in the laste
day shall ryse agayne, to raigne wyth hym in glory / according unto thees wordes of my savio[ur]. I am the resurrection and
lif, he that Belevethe in me, though he were ded he shall lyve, and he that lyveth and Beleveth in me shall never
dye/ Nowe touching my body I will that it be buryed in a meane and christian manere without all maner off
pompe or funerall exequyes ^[2] other then shalbe thought necessarie by myne executors / for in them lyeth nott my
salvac[i]on but in Christes merites / Nowe as touching the distribuc[i]on of my temporall goodes/ First I bequethe unto
my sonne John Sympson one hundreth poundes to be delivered unto hym within one yere next and im[m]edyatley
after my deathe. Also I bequethe unto him the lease of my house with all the implements holy suche as by the
lawe of the City he may take away wyth all my houshold stuff as I doe occupy yt, and he to be put in possession
therof within six wekes next and im[m]edyatley after my dethe and not before / Also I bequethe unto him all my plate
whiche in this my will is unbequethed /

Item I bequethe unto my doughter Agnes Hilles fifty pounds to be
delivered unto her im[m]edyatly after my decease in old angelles after eight shillinges the Angell,.

Item I bequethe
unto my sayd daughter Hilles children suche as she nowe hathe or hereafter shalbe borne of her body foure
hundreth poundes of lawfull money of England to be equally devided ammongst them all /. And if it fortune any
of them to dye before they com[e] to thage of one and twenty yeres the men children and the women childrene
before they be maryed or come to thage of one and twenty yeres / Then I will that the porcyon of hym[e] or her
that is deceased shalbe equally devided amonges them that remayne alyve And if it fortune thay all to dye
before they com[e] to thage of xxj yeres, or before they be maryed. Then I will that the sayd foure hundreth

[folio 357 verso]

pounds shalbe gyven unto my daughter Agness Hilles, And if she fortune to dye before her children, and her
children before they com to thage of xxj^ti yeres as as abovesayd, Then I will thies iiij hundreth poundes to be
gyven unto her husbande, that she shall have at the tyme of her dethe, Furthermore my will is that this
foure hundreth poundes shalbe delivered within three yeres next and im[m]ediatly after my deth unto my sonne
Hilles her husband if so be that he doe fynde foure sufficient sureties to be bounde unto the Master and wardyns
of the haberdashers and their successors that he shall delyver unto his children aforesayde iiij^Li at suche tyme
as ys above specified,. And if he do refuse this to doo Then I will it be put unto some sure mens hands whiche
will fynde suertyes as is abovesayde /.
.
Item I bequethe unto John Hilles a silver nutt with a cover all gilt /..
.
Item I
bequeathe unto Gerson Hilles a silver pott wyth a cover all gilt. /.
.
Item I bequethe unto Barnabus Hilles a silver
pott wyth a cover all gilt/. And if it fortune any of the sayd thre children to dye before he com[e] unto thage of
xxj^ti yeres I will that his porcyon of plate whiche I have given hym be gyven unto his mother my daughter
Agnes Hilles/.

Item I bequethe unto my daughter Agnes Hilles my chayne of gold wyth the tablitt therto belonging'

Item I bequeathe unto my daughter Lowe fifty poundes to be delivered unto her im[m]diatly after my dethe in old
angelles after eight shillinges the angell..
.
Item I bequeathe unto my sayd daughters children suche as nowe hath
or hereafter shalhave of her body foure hundrethe poundes of lawfull money of England to be equally devided amonges
them. And if it fortune any of them to dye before they com[e] to thage of xxj yeres, the men children and the women
children before they be maryed or com[e] to thage of xxj yeres, Then I will that the porcyone of him or her so
deceased shalbe equally devided amonges them that remayn alyve, And if it fortune them all to dye before they
com[e] to thage of xxj yeres or before they be maryed Then I will that the sayd four hundreth poundes shalbe
gyven unto my daughter Margarett Lowe their mother. And if she fortune to dye before her children, And her
children before they com[e] to thage of xxj yeres as is abovesayde Then I will that thies iiij^Li be given unto her
husband, that she shall have at the tyme of her deathe./ Furthermore my will is that thies iiij^Li shalbe
delivered within thre yeres next and im[m]ediatly after my deathe unto my sonne Lowe her husband if so be that
he do finde foure sufficient suetries to be bounden unto the Masters and wardeynes of the haberdashers and
their successors that he shall deliver unto his children aforesayde iiij^li at suche tymes as is above specified
And if he refuse this to doo Then I will that yt be putt into som[e] other four mens hands whiche will fynd<b/> suertyes as is aforesayde. And I bequthe unto the fellowshipp of the haberdashers aforesayd to see this thing
performed a standing cupp of silver and gilt weing about xx^ti ounces lythe under or over.
.
Item I bequeathe unto
Elizabeth Lowe my goddaughter a silver salt wyth a cover all gylt /..
.
Item I bequeathe unto Frances Lowe
a silver goblett all gilt

Item I bequethe unto Tymothye Lowe a silver goblett all gilt/.

Item I bequethe unto Thomas
Lowe a silver goblett all gilt with a cover to it: And if that it fortune that any of these my daughters
foure children to dye before they com[e] to thage of xxj yeres or before they be maryed / I will that his or her
porcyon of the plate whiche is so deceased shalbe gyven unto my daughter thier mother/

Item I bequeathe unto my daughter Lowe two of my best gownes and two of my best kyrtilles /

Item I bequeathe unto poore maydens
marriages one hundreth poundes to be distributed by the discrec[i]on of my executors, to every mariage xx^s/.

Item I
Bequethe unto poore housholders and wyddowes suche as be of honest lif and fame two hundreth poundes to be distributed
by the discrecion of my executors; to every maryed couple or widowe to eche ten shillinges. And this to be done within
one yere after my decease.

Item I bequethe unto the foure pryson houses, to say the kings bench the marshalsey
Newgate and Ludgate to every house vi^s viiij^d a quarter to be distributed in bread to the poore prysoners there and
this to be contynued for foure yeres after my dethe./

Item where as my husband gave ten shillinges a yere for the
space of twenty yeres to be distributed amonges the poore people of the parishe of Saint Magnus I bequeth
tenne shillinges more unto ^it to be distributed every yere amonges the same people, till those xx^ti yeres be fully
expyred

Item I bequethe unto M^r Rychard Hely and to my sister his wif tenne poundes ./

Item I bequeathe
unto Mother Randall tenne poundes/.

Item I bequeath to every one of my mayde servauntes suche as shall happen
to be in my service at suche tyme as god shall call me from this mortall lif xiij^li vj^s viij^d of lawfull moneye

Item I bequethe unto Agnes Flynt sometyme my serv[a]nt iij^li vj^s viij^d /.

Item I bequethe unto Elizabeth Flynt
my goddoughter vj^li xiij^s iiij^d to be delevered unto her at the day of her mariage /. And if she fortune to dye
before that tyme, Then I will that it be gyven unto her mother Agnes Flynt/.

Item I bequethe unto
Elizabeth Warton my goddoughter vj^li xiij^s iiij^d to be delevered unto her at the day of her mariage And if
she fortune to dye before Then I will it be gyven unto her mother Elizabeth Warton

Item I bequeathe
unto my Cosyn wright and his wife xl^s<b/>
Item unto my cosyn Mace and his wif v^li

Item I bequeathe
unto my Cosyn Calf xl^s

Item I bequethe unto my Cosyn Newman xl^s/.

Item I bequethe to John Bynkes iiij^li

Item I bequethe unto John Coke sometyme my serv[a]nt xl^li

Item I bequethe unto Laurence Foster
x^li/.

Item I bequethe to Amy the wif of Willyam Atherton iiij^li

Item I bequethe unto John Chapman
forty shillinges And to his wif I bequeathe my gowne lyned wyth taffeta /.

Item I bequethe unto goodman
Mylman xl^s And to his wifI bequethe my gowne lyned wyth valence satten/.

Item I bequethe unto Johane
Browne my goddoughter dwelling with Master Mandeswell xiij^li vi^s viij^d to be delivered unto her at the
.
+ Item I give and give to Aynlett Brase sometyme my serv[a]nt tenn poundes 8 S.
.
[folio 358 recto]
.
day of her mariage /.

Item I bequeathe unto ^Jo Stemp[...] ^[3] somtyme my s[er]v[an]t iiij^li/.

Item I bequeathe unto my
Cousyn Downer xl^s

Item I bequethe unto Octavian v^li/.

Item I bequethe unto Willyam Player
vj^li xiij^s iiij^d /.

Item I bequethe to Rychard Johnson my serv[a]nt v^li/.

Item I bequeathe unto my Cousyn
Colffes doughter fyve poundes to be delivered to her at the day of her mariage /.

Item I bequethe unto
Elizabeth Barnes somtyme my serv[a]nt forty shillinges/.

Item I bequethe unto Margaret Forsett some
tyme my serv[a]nt my litle gold ryng wyth the table Ruby /. .
.
Item I bequethe unto Margaret Pece sometyme my serv[a]nt xx^s./.

Item I bequethe unto Willyam Fowler somtyme my serv[a]nt xl^s/.

Item I
bequethe to John Welforde xx^s

Item I bequethe unto the mayntennance of the hospitall sometyme
called Saint Barthelmews Spyttell xl^li/.

Item I will that myne executors shall provide that there
may be thirty good sermons made in the parishe churche of Saint Magnus to the edifeing of the
people / And to gyve unto the prechers for every sermon vi^s viij^d to the mayntenance of his lerning and
study /

Item I will that thies my friendes whose names do folowe shalhave black gownes to weer at
my buryall that is to say my sonne John Sympson my sonne in lawe Symon Lowe and his wif, M^r Hely
and his wif M^r Sturgyon and his wif, Willyam Peterson and his wif, the wif of Thomas Hunt, my
Cousin Wright and his wif and all my houshold servauntes; Of this my present testament and last will
I make myn[e] executors John Sturgyon and Willyam Peterson haberdashers, And for their labors I gyve
to eche of them xx^li /.

Item I will that touching all my goodes and debts im[m]ediatly after my deathe as they
shall com[e] unto the hands of myn[e] executors, my sayd executors shall receave them into their custody by even
porcyons, and to pay them out agayne by even porcyons unto suche as I have bequethed them, And myn[e]
overseers of this testament and last will I make John Sympson my sonne and Symon ^Lowe my sonne in lawe
witnes my mark and seale which I have sette to thies p[rese]ntes Anno d[o]m[ini] 1547 unto this do also bere witnes
all they which have hereunder published their names And unto my overseers for their paynes I gyve
xl^s a pece over and above that which I have alredy bequethed them /. p[er] me John Sympson as a witnes
unto the will /. p[er] me Will[ia]m Buckstede / p[er] me Alexander Bankes as a witnes unto this will.
.

Where as above writen I have willed that my two sonnes in lawe shuld put in suerties to the M[aster]
and Wardeyns of the haberdashers for eight hundreth poundes that I have bequested unto my doughters
children, My will is nowe that during their lyves they should not put in suertys for the same but if
it happen that they or either of them doo dye or departe this worlde before their children do com[e] to lafull
age, That then thexecutors of him that so shall departe this worlde or dye shall put in suerties as is a
foresayde, or els they to redeliver the money to myn[e] executors and they to putt it in such mens hands as
will put in suertyes as is aforesayde /. Furthermore where as I gave unto eche of my mayde serv[a]ntes suche
as shale be in my servyce when god shuld call me from this mortall life xiij^li vi^s viij^d / My will nowe is that
Margaret Woodd shalhave xiij^li vi^s viij^d And unto Katheryn my other mayde serv[a]nt I gyve xl^s /.
Item I bequeathe unto Rauf my sonne Lowes serv[a]nt vi^li xiij^s iiij^d /.

Item I beqethe unto Joyce his mayde
serv[a]nt vi^li xiij^s iiij^d /.

Item I bequethe to mother Stere xx^s /.

Item I bequethe to M^r Alderman Garrard
xl^s to bye hym a gowne wyth /.

Item I bequeathe unto Elizabeth James sometyme my mayde xI^s /.

Item I
bequeathe unto [blank] Lacy a cloth worker iij^li /.

Item I bequeathe unto the goodwif Sympson of Maydeston
xL^s/.

Item Item I bequeathe unto John Sympson my gold ryng with my name graven on it /.

Item I give
unto my daughter Lowe my frock furred with foynes^[4] and my best bonet wyth my beades of corrall/.

Item I
bequeathe unto M[ist]ress Hely my horsse/.

Item I bequethe unto M[ist]ress Upley a payre of hokes of gold/.

Item I give
to M[ist]ress Towley a velvet bonet in recompense of the xxvj^s viij^d whiche I doo owe unto her for the bequest
of my husband John Sympson /.

Item I bequeathe unto M[ist]ress Buxstede my best velvet partlett^[5] lyned wyth
satten /.

Item I bequeathe unto Johane Freste a button of gold for a partlett ^[6]/.

Item I bequethe unto Redes wif
my frock furred with calaber /.

Item I bequethe unto M[ist]ress Ellys of Trowbridge John Hilles hostes my
gowne of stannyll ^[7]/.

Item I bequeth to Mother Stere my gowne lyned wyth cotton /.

Item I bequethe to
Playnes wif my gowne furred with gray^[8] /.

Item I bequeathe the hundreth ells of canvas which lieth
in my house unto poore people to begyven unto them in shirts and smocks at the distcrecion of myn[e]
executors /.

Item I bequeathe unto my sonne John Sympson one hundreth poundes in money, and the
money which John Garraw oweth unto me /. if he can gett it of hym /.

Item I bequethe to the goodwif
Harpeny x^s /.

Item I bequethe to John Sexton iij^s iiij^d /.

Item I bequethe unto the church wardyns of
the paryshe of Saint Magnus towards the charges of the pulling downe of the steple of the sayme
churche vj^li xiij^s iiij^d And the same to be delivered unto them at suche tyme as the work shal begyn

I Willyam Peterson do witnes this to be true for I was present at the bequethyng of this I John
Sympson I Symon Lowe

[folio 358 verso]
[Probate in Latin] This will written above together with a codicill was proved on the nineteenth day of August AD 1547 Administration to those named in the will approved to administer all and singular the goods and credits of the said deceased etc. Sworn to well and truly administer.

Research Notes

John Sturgeon: a messuage in the Parish of St Mary Magdalene in Milk Street in Cripplegate Ward, in which John Sturgeon, citizen and haberdasher lives, worth £3 a year; ^[9]

Gerson Hilles Gerson Hilles, Lunatic.

Inquisition taken at the Guildhall, 18 December, 22 Eliz. [1579], before Thomas Penny, Doctor of Medicine, Richard Taylor, Doctor of Medicine, Nicholas Wheler, gent., and William Necton, feodary, by virtue of a commission to enquire into the lunacy of Gerson Hilles, by the oath of John Haddon, Thomas Russell, Arthur Raynscrofte, John Jackson, Edward Owen, John Stodderde, Thomas Elyot, John Ricardes, Richard Smyth, Geoffrey Johnes, William Jones, John Ireland, John Keblewhite, William Povye, William Layer and William Curteis, who say that

Gerson Hilles is a lunatic and does not enjoy lucid intervals, so that he is incapable of governing either himself or his lands, and he became a lunatic on the 10th day of December, 20 Eliz. [1577], and has not since alienated any of his lands or goods, nor has he since been seised of any messuages, lands, &c., which he might alienate, but long before his lunacy he was and still is possessed of divers goods and chattels, viz., 1 piece of white woollen cloth, containing 27 yards, remaining in the City of Antwerp, in parts beyond the seas, in the custody of Reginald Capcote, citizen and ironmonger of London, of the price of £9, and of a certain lease of a tenement in the which he dwells, lying in the parish of St. Dionis Backchurche, London, for a term of years not yet expired, of the value of £20; also of divers goods, movables and utensils in his said house of the value of £163 1s. 3d.; and divers clothes and other things thereto appertaining of the value of £105 9s. 6d.

Barnabas Hilles is the brother and next heir of the said Gerson Hilles, and is now aged 30 years and more.

Chan. Inq. p. m., 22 Eliz., p. 2, No. 19.

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/inquis-post-mortem/abstract/no3/pp9-19#h3-0009

Sources

1. ↑ Will: "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: 31
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5111 #902734 (accessed 22 October 2023)
   Will of Eliz Sympson, granted probate on 30 Jul 1548. Died about 1548 in London.
2. ↑ exequies = funeral rites
3. ↑ name contracted
4. ↑ Foynes -fur of beech marten
5. ↑ Partlett - a small item of clothing which covered the shoulders
6. ↑ Partlett - a small item of clothing which covered the shoulders
7. ↑ Stammel - a wool cloth,
8. ↑ Gray - possibly gray jenet - civet cat
9. ↑ https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C9538166