Will of Joanne Humfrey, widow of Worcester 1597

Date: 1597 [unknown]
Location: Worcester, Worcestershire, England
Surname/tag: Bullingham

This is a transcription of the register office copy of the will of Joanne Humfrey, widow of Worcester . The will was written on 24 September 1597 and proved on 31 October 1597^[1][2]

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

• Joane Humfreye of the Cittie of worcester widowe testatrix
• my Syster Sanbruke
• my daughter Susan
• Joane my daughter Allens daughter
• my daughter Susanes three daughters not named
• Alyce Bell received some clothing, could be servant or poore friend
• Elenor myller al[ia]s hues received some clothing, could be servant or poore friend
• my cosen Stretes presumably dead and had left a gowne o the testatrix which was getting old and was left to a servant or poore friend
• Susan Taylor received some clothing, could be servant or poore friend
• Robert Belles wief received some clothing, could be servant or poore friend
• goodwife Shawe received some clothing, could be servant or poore friend
• Joanne my daughter Allens daughter Tenn shillings and to Richard her brother
• my two Sonnes Nicholas and Will[ia]m
• my loveinge brother John Sandbroke and my Cosyn Edwarde Archpoleoverseers to will, Edward Archpole also a witness
• Elizabeth Bullingam' witness to will

[Folio 88 recto]

In the name of God Amen: The foure
and Twentie daye of September. Athousand five hundred nyntie seaven in the thirtie
ninth year of the Reigne of o[ur] Soverreigne Ladie Elizabeth by the grace of God of England
Frannce and Ireland Queene defend[er] of the fayth etc: I Joane Humfreye of the Cittie of
worcester widowe, sicke in bodie but of good Remembrance, thanks therefore begeven unto
God. Doe make my last will & Testament in manner and forme followinge:

First I bequeath
my Soule to Almightie God, trusing to be saved by the merits of the death and passion
of Jesus Christ my onlie Savio[ur] and Redeemer, my bodie I bequeath unto the Earth to be
buryed in the Colledge Churchyard neere the place where my grandmother Bullinga[m]
was buryed.

I geve and bequeath unto my Syster Sanbruke my Damaske Tablecloths

It[em] I geve and bequeath unto my daughter Susan my weddinge ringe It[em] I geve unto
her my saddell w[ith] the furniture there unto belonginge

It[em] I geve and bequeath unto
Joane my daughter Allens daughter, my best gowne, my scarlett petticotte, with
redd damaske bodies, and my brayne kertell with blacke damaske bodyes, to be delyvered
unto her at the tyme of her maryage, and if she dye before; Then I geve the same to
my daughter Susanes three daughters to be delyvered devided amongste them.

All ye
rest of my wearing apparell, with my two hattes and my two silke apornes, I geve
and bequeath unto my daughter Susanes, savinge some parte of the worste thereof
which I geve unto my poore friends and work women, to witte to Alyce Bell an oulde
medly gowne, to Elenor myller al[ia]s hues a medly gowne that was my cosen Stretes
and to Susan Taylor a workin daye gowne and a workin daye petticote, and to Robert
Belles wief a freyre adorne gwone, and unto goodwife Shawe one olde puke gowne
with a lace.

I give unto Joanne my daughter Allens daughter Tenn shillings and to
Richard her brother other Tenn shillings to be paide unto them when they shall
accomplishe the age of Twentie one yeares and yf any one of them doe dye before
age. Then my will is that the Surviv[or] shall have the whole Twentie shillings
And in case both o them shall decease before [blank] age. Then I will that the same
twentie shillings shall remayne to my daughter Susans her children to be devided
amongste them. And unto every of my said daughters Susans children, I geve a
sylver spoone and a payer of sylver hooks and eyes to be d[elivere]d unto them at theire
severall dayes of maryage:

All the rest of my goods whatsoever, with the lease
of my house and the ymplements therein, I geve and bequeath unto my two Sonnes
Nicholas and Will[ia]m equallie to be devided betwixt them, they payinge my debtes
and former legacyes, and seinge my bodie decently buryed.

And I doe make my saide
two Sonnes sole Executors of this my last will and Testament. And I doe request
my loveinge brother John Sandbroke and my Cosyn Edwarde Archpole to be
overseers desyringe them to direct and advice my Executors for the dew Execution
of this my last will & Testament: wittnesses hereunto: Elizabeth Bullingam
Robert Bell:/ Edward Archpole and others//

Sources

1. ↑ https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D933440
2. ↑ 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: 90
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #944770 (accessed 28 November 2022)
   Will of Joanne Humfrey, granted probate on 31 Oct 1597. Died about 1597 in Worcester, Worcestershire, England.