Will of Ralph Heydon of Watford 1592

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

This is a transcription of the register copy of the Will of Ralph Heydon of "Caverfeilde" (Caversfield) in Buckinghamshire (now in Oxfordshire). Ralph wrote his will on 20 October 1591 (the 33rd regnal year of Queen Elizabeth) and it was proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 4 July 1592.^[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 named:

• William Heydon of The Grove Testator's father
• Nephew Francis Heydon and unnamed daughters and unnamed younger sons
• my cozen John Heidon sonn of my brother Anthonie Heidon
• Anthonie Heydon Testator's brother
• my cozin Jeffrie Palmer
• my cozen Anthonie Willowbie and two unnamed sons and one unnamed daughter
• Agnes Heidon daughter of the late John Heidon Agnes was married to James Ewer, deceased.
• James Ewer, deceased husband of Agnes Heydon.
• Edward Ewer Agnes' eldest son, and co-executor of Testator's will
• William Ewer Agnes' second son, and co-executor of Testator's will
• Francis Ewer Agnes' third son
• my cozin Thomas Heidon, seconde sonn of my late brother Henrie Heidon
• Henry Heidon (or Heydon) deceased, Testator's brother
• my godsonn Francis Heidon, relationship to Testator not stated
• Charles Heidon
• Arthur Heydon
• Francis Heidon esquier relationship to Testator not given
• my cozin Michaell Haidon
• my cozen Solomans three daughters unnamed
• Witnesses: Edwarde Ewer, William Ewer, Raphe Leighe vicar of Caverffielde, William Ewer

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In the name of god amen The twentith of October in the thirtie
three yeere of the raigne of Queene Elizabeth by the grace of god &c
I Raphe Heydon of Caverffeilde ^[2] in the Countie of Buck gent one of
the eighte sonnes of the late Will[ia]m Heydon of the Grove in the p[ar]ishe of
Watforde in the Countie of Hertforde esquier nowe beinge in whole minde and
memorie, thankes be givenn to allmightie and eternall god, father of heaven
and earth, Jesus Christe his sonn conceaved by the hollie ghoste by his divine
majestie. Ffirst I moste humblie with thanks given unto god of y^e benifite
that he hath givenn unto me by his grace more then tenn thousandes that hath
better deserved; I ordaine and make this my last will and testamente comprised
in the same in manner and forme followinge

I will my soule to the eternall
god in Trinitie trustinge by his grace to inherite his heavenlie kingdom
everlastinge and my terrestriall bodie to be buried in the Ile called St Kater ^[3]
Ile in the southside of the p[ar]ishe churche of Watforde, w[hi]^ch my grandfather
thear caused to be bilded at the discretion of my Executor if I fortune
thear to departe this mortall lief, I trustinge stedfastelie by the grace and mercy
of our onlie saviour and redemer Jesus Christe, as I departe a terrestriall
bodie, soe to arise a celestiall bodie at his generall daie of resurrecc[i]on and
iudgemente to eternall lief unscrutable for mortall men to comprehende or attri=
bute.

I will to be givenn to the poore well disposed to labour tenn poundes
Item I give to the marriage of everie of my nephewe Mr Francis Heydons
daughters at the daie of everie of their marriages the summ of tenn poundes
of good and currant monie of Englande, then to be paide and delivered by
mine Executor and to everie of his younger sonnes five pounde a peece like
wise to be paide and delivered by mine Executor at the age of twentie one
yeeres.

Item I give to my cozen John Heidon sonn of my brother Anthonie
Heidon five pounde. And to my cozin Jeffrie Palmer five pounde
And to my cozen Anthonie Willowbies twoe sonnes five pounde a peece to
be delivered at their age of twentie one yeeres : And to his daughter five
pounde at the daie of her marriage.

Item I give and bequeath to Agnes
Heidon daughter of the late John Heidon, my late farmer of Sarrett
hall late the espowsed to the late James Ewer all that my house called
Sarrett hall with all my landes and tenementes, meadowes, mill, pastures,
with all and singular their appu[rten]ences whatsoever. sett, lienge and beinge
withine the p[ar]ish of Sarret in the countie of Hertf[ord] for terme of her lief
yeeldinge and paienge thearefore yeerlie to her sonn Edwarde or his heir, the
somm of eleven pounde sterlinge at twoe feastes in the yeere that ys to
saie at the feaste of St Michaell thearchangell ; and the feaste of the
annuncac[i]on of our Blessed Ladie by even porc[i]ons ; And after her decease
I will and bequeathe all that my saide house called Sarrett hall and all other
my landes tenementes mill medowes pastures fishinges with all & singular
their appurtenances whatsoever I have within the p[ar]ish of Sarrett in the
countie of Hertf[ord] to Edwarde her sonn and to his heires males of his bodie
lawfullie begotten : And for lack of suche issue, to remaine to Will[ia]m
his brother, and to the heires males of his bodie lawfullie begotten : And
for lack of suche issue to remaine to Francis her thirde sonn and to
the heires males of his bodie lawfullie begotten : And for lack of suche
yssue to remaine to my cozin Thomas Heidon seconde sonn of my late

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brother Henrie Heidon, and to the heires males of his bodie lawfullie begotten :
And for lacke of suche issue to remain my godsonn Francis Heidon and to the heires
males of his bodie lawfullie begotten : And for lack of suche issue to remaine to
Charles Heidon and to the heires males of his bodie lawfullie begotten : And for lacke
of suche issue to remaine to Arthur Heidon and to the heires males of his bodie law
fullie begotten : And for lacke of suche yssue to remaine to my cozin John Heidon son
of my brother Anthonie Heidon and to the heires males of his bodie begotten. And for
lacke of suche issue to remaine to ffrancis Heydon esquier and his heires for ever
And for lacke of his heire to the nowe Queene of Englande her heires and successors
forever

Item I will and bequeath all that my house at Lamton called Longs w[i]^th
all and singular the appurt[enan]ces sett lienge and beinge in Lamton in the countie of
Oxford with all other my landes, meadowes, pastures, with all and singular theire
appurt[enan]ces whatsoever sett lienge and being in the p[ar]ish of Watforde in the countie
of Hertf[ord] to the foresaide' William the thirde sonn of the said Agnes, and to the heires
males of his bodie lawfullie begotten : And for lack of suche issue to remaine
to the foresaide Edwarde his brother and to the heires males of his bodie lawfullie
begotten; And for lacke of suche issue to remaine to ffrancis his brother, and to
the heires males of his bodie lawfullie begotten: And for lacke of suche yssue
to remane to the foresaide Thomas Heydon, and to the heires males of his bodie
lawfullie begotten : And for lacke of suche yssue to remaine to my godsonn
Francis Heidon, and to the heires males of his bodie lawfullie begotten : And
for lacke of suche yssue to remaine to Charles Heydon, and to the heires males of
his bodie lawfullie begotten : And for lacke of suche yssue to remaine to Arthur
Heydon, and to the heires males of his bodie lawfullie begotten : And for lacke
of suche issue to remaine to my cosen John Heydon sonn of my brother Anthonie
Heydon, and to the heires males of his bodie lawfullie begotten : And for lacke
of suche yssue to remaine to Francis Heidon esquier and to his heires forever :
Provided allwaies by this my laste will and true meaninge is that if anie of
the foresaide p[er]sonns in manner and forme afore nominated, doe alien sell, give or
exchange his state of anie of the premisses or anie p[ar]te theareof to anie other
p[er]son, contrarie to the limitation aforesaide to the intente to take awaie anie of
the estates in remainder afore appointed in manner and forme afore declared;
Then I will his estate aforesaide that soe dothe Shall surcease and be utterlie
voide, And be and remaine to the nexte in remainder in manner and forme as is
afore recited and declared accordinge to the limitac[i]ons and true meaninge of this my
laste will.

Item I make ordaine and institute the foresaid Edwarde & Will[ia]m
sonnes of the foresaide Agnes my executors of that my laste will and testament
Item I will that theie shall contente and paie to my cozin Michaell Haidon
Twentie pounde : I gave unto him uppon my obligac[i]on, and likewise Twentie
pounds to the marriages of my cozen Solomans three daughters according to an
obligac[i]on of mine owne hande writinge if theie be not paied

Item I give
and bequeath my lease of the desmeanes of the mannor of Lamton and the
terme of yeeres thearein to come to the foresaid Edwarde and Will[ia]m they
payinge to their brother Francis the somm of twentie pounds to paie within
five yeares nexte after my decease.

Item I will and bequeatt to the foresaide
Agnes their mother the half of all my householde stuff, and all my sheepe
beinge at Sarrett fouer kine with foure horse, plowes, cartes and harneis
with all ymplementes to them belonginge. All the residue of my goodes (my
bequestes and debtes paide) I give and bequeathe to my said Executors. In
witness wheareof to this my laste will and testament I have sette my hande
and seale, yeven this p[rese]nte twentith daie of October in the thirtie three yeare
of Queene Elizabethe firste above written all with mine owne hande writinge

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As much as is interlined in this my laste will, is my wills, deede, beinge of
mine owne hand writinge also. Per me Rad[ulp]h Heydon. Witnesses to this
p[rese]nte testamente of mine Edwarde Ewer, William Ewer, By me Raphe Leighe vicar of Caverffielde William Eweres mark

Probate [in Latin] at London on 4 July Anno Domini 1592 to Edward and William Ewer, executors named in the Testament

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: 80 Harrington, Quire Numbers 48-94 (1592)
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5111 #957054 (accessed 31 December 2021)
   Will of Radulphi Heydon of Watford, Hertfordshire, England, granted probate on 4 Jul 1592. Died Abt 1592.
2. ↑ Caversfield, was in Buckinghamshire, now in Oxfordshire
3. ↑ The Aisle of St Katherine at St Mary's Watford, built by John Heydon and his wife