Will of Jerome Heydon, Ironmonger of London, 1616

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

This is a transcription of the register copy of the Will of Jerome Heydon, Citizen of London and Freeman of the Company of Ironmongers It was written on 23 February 1615/16 and proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 27 March 1616. ^[1]

Spelling, punctuation and line breaks as per the original
Paragraph breaks and bold text are my own for ease of reading
ff has been rendered as F, and ligatures and abbreviations have been expanded in [square brackets]

Persons mentioned:

• Edward Heydon Testator's brother, deceased
• Agnes Heydon Testator's wife and executor of his will
• Jerome Heydon Testator's son
• John Heydon Testator's son
• Anne Heydon Testator's daughter
• Sara Heydon Testator's daughter
• Alice Heydon Testator's daughter
• Dorathie Heydon Testator's daughter
• Elizabeth Heydon Testator's daughter
• John Orme the elder and his wife Testator's cousin and overseer of Testator's will, and wife unnamed.
• Michaell Heydon Testator's cousin
• Simeon G---e possibly Greene (overwritten by a descender from the line above) Testator's godson
• Nicholas Wheler relationship unknown
• Nicholas Grice relationship unknown
• Henry Heydon Testator's brother
• William Heydon Testator's brother
• John Harmar Testator's servant and Overseer of Testator's will
• Josua Litherland (?Joshua) Testator's servant
• my sonne and Daughter Robert Cambell and Alice his wyfe Alice was the daughter from Agnes Heydon's first marriage to William Wellington, and hence Testator's stepdaughter. Robert Cambell was Alice's husband.
• James Cambell son of Robert and Alice Cambell, Testator's step-grandson
• Witnessess Richard Troute, Will. Richbell sevannt to Jo: Mayle Scr

---

In the name of God Amen The Three and Twenteth Day
of February in the yeare of our Lord God according to the Computation of the Church of
England one Thowsand six hundred and Fifteene and in the yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne
Lod James by the grace of God king of England Scotland France and Ireland Defendor of
the faithe &c that is to saye of England France and Ireland the Thirteenth and of Scotland the
Nyne and Fortith, I Jerome Heydon Cittizen and Iremonger of London beinge weake in
body but of good and perfect mynde and memorie Thancks be therefore given to Allmightie God
Doe make and ordeyne this my presentlast will and Testament in manner and forme follo=
winge, That is to saye First and principallie I comend my soule to Allmightie God my
Creator, And my body to the Earth to be buried in Christian buriall within Mercers Chappell
neere to the place where my brother Edward Heydon lyeth buried, Nothing Doubting but
assuredly beleevinge that through the merritts Death and passion of my Saviour Jhesus
Christ to have full fruition of that heavenly Joy and happines in the World to come, And as
touching such wordly goods wherewith it hath pleased God to blesse me in this p[rese]nte life
I will give devise and dispose thereof in manner and forme followinge, That is to say
First I will and require that all such somes of money and Debts as I shall trulie owe
at the tyme of my Decease shalbe Dulie paid as the same shall growe Due and payable

Item I will that all my goods Chattells Creditts and Debts whatsoever whereof I shalbe
possessed at the tyme of my Decease shall according to the laudable Custome of the Cittie
of London be equally Devided into three equall parts, The one Third part thereof I give
and bequeath to my Welbeloved Wife Agnes Heydon, One other Third part thereof I
will shalbe equallie Devided to and amongst my Children Jerome John Anne Sara Alice
Dorathie and Elizabeth and such other Child and Children as my Wife nowe goeth withall,
And the other Third part thereof I reserve unto my selfe to Discharge my Funeralls and
to paye and performe such legacies and bequests and herein after in this my Will are given and
bequeathed,

Item I give and bequeath to my Cosen John Orme thelder Fyve Poundes,
And to his wife Fiftie shillings, Item I give and bequeath to my Cozen Michaell Heydon
Fyve poundes,

Item I give and bequeath to my Godson Simeon G---e Fiftie shillings
Item I given and bequeath to Nicholas Wheler Fortie shillings Item I give and bequeath to
Nicholas Grice Fiftie shillings,

Item I give and bequeath to my brother Henry Heydon
Fyve shillings and I forgive him all such moneys and Debts as he oweth me,

Item I give
and bequeath to my Brother William Heydon Fyve shillings and I doe forgive him all
such debts and some of money as he oweth mee,

Item I give to the Company of Iremon=
gers ^[2] whereof I am a member Tenn poundes to buy them A Cupp

Item I give and bequeath
to my servannt John Harmar so that he Continue w[i]th my wyfe as her servant Five
years after my Decease Tenne Pounds for every of the same Fyve yeares over and above
such yearely wages as he now gets,

Item I give and bequeath to my servannt Josua Lither=
land Twentie shillings, Item I give and bequeath to my two mayde servannts which shalbe
dwelling with me at the tyme of my Decease Tenne shillings a peece. Item I give to the
Children of he hospitall at Bridewell Tenne poundes

Item I give and bequeath to my sonne and
Daughter Robert Cambell and Alice his wyfe Fyve poundes to buy ech of them a Ringe
And I doe give unto James Cambell their sonne Fortie shillings,

Item I will that if any of
my said Children Jerome, John, Anne, Sara, Alice, Dorathie and Eizabeth or such Child or
Children as my wyfe nowe goeth withall shall happen to Dye or depart this mortall
life before such tyme as they shall have had and receaved their equall parts porc[i]ons and
shares to them herein before willed and bequeathed, That then in every such case the share
part and porc[i]on of such of my said Children so Deceased shalbe equally parted shared and
Devided to and amongst the survivors of them part and porcion like

The rest and residue
of all and singuler my good Chattells Credditss and Debts whatsoever my Debts payde
Funeralls Discharged and this my present last will and Testament in all things p[er]formed
I give and bequeath unto my lovinge wife Agnes Heydon, And I doe make and ordeine

[page 2]
the said Agnes my wyfe the full and sole Executrix of this my last will and Testament Charginge and
requiring her as shee will answer before Allmightie God at the dreadfull Daye of Judgement
to see this my will in all things truly performed accordinge to my true meaninge herein
expressed as my trust is she will, And I doe make and appoint John Orme thelder and
John Harman my servannt the Overseers of this my will praying and requiringe them to
be aydinge and assistinge to my said Executrix in the execuc[i]on of this my last will and
Testament , And I doe utterly Revoke all former wills by mee heretofore made willinge
and ordeyning theis presents to stand and be reported for my last will and Testament , In
Witnes whereof I have hereunto putt my hand and seale the Day and yeere first above
Written / Jerom Heydon' / Sealed and Delivered by the said Jerome Heydon after he had
publihsed to theis foure sheets and this peece of a sheete and by him published and Declared
For his last will and Testament in the p[rese]nce of Richard Troute, Will. Richbell sevannt to
Jo: Mayle Scr

Probate [in Latin] at London 27th day of March Anno Domini 1616 to Agnes Heydon relict of the said deceased and Executor named.

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: 127
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5111 #895461 (accessed 31 December 2021)
   
2. ↑ The Worshipful Company of Ironmongers

Ready for merge to correct name