Will of Richard Garrett of Bistsby (Bittesby), Yeoman, 1625

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

This is a transcription of the register copy of the will of Richard Garrett, a yeoman of "Bitsby" (Bittesby), Leicestershire. Richard drew up his will on 12 June 1625 and it was proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 23 January 1625/6. ^[1]

Transcription conventions used in this text:

• Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
• The text was originally in one block of text. Paragraph breaks at change of bequest ("Item"), and bold text for names have been added for ease of reading.
• Where present, ff has been rendered as F, and the old letter Thorn has been rendered as th.
• Abbreviations and breviographs have been expanded in [square brackets].
• Additions and margin notes, where they occur, have been added where indicated in the text.
• Crossings through, where they occur, have been included Struck out.
• The image quality was good, and the handwriting legible.

Persons mentioned:

• Richard Garrett Testator, yeoman, wishes to be buried at "Cleybrooke" (Claybrooke)
• my daughter Sara Garrett named heir unless a son is born after Testator's death. Under the age of 21 years. Lands in Willey, Rugby and Ulstrop (Ullesthorpe)
• various occupiers of Testator's property
  • Rice Coles
  • William Chinney shepherd
  • Richard Tonson carpenter
• John Garrett Testator's brother
  • Agnes Garrett the daughter of John Garrett 40 shillings
  • two sonnes of John Garrett (unnamed) 20 shillings each
• Nicholas Garrett Testator's brother
  • Richard Garrett the sonne of Nicholas £3 in the hands of John Fosse of Crecke
  • John Garrett son of Nicholas
  • Anne Garrett son of Nicholas
  • Elizabeth daughter of Nicholas
• William Garrett Testator's brother
• Sibell Ward relationship not stated, forgiven debts
• Jane Ward 40 shillings
• John Ward 20 shillings
• William Ward 20 shillings
• Elizabeth Ward 20 shillings
• Frauncis Dalleyrelationship not stated 20 shillings
• William Dalley 20 shillings
• John Game 20 shillings
• Thomas Tome 20 shillings
• Robert Meades 20 shillings
• James Wigley 20 shillings
• Joane Meades 40 shillings
• Agnes Gey and her daughter ten shillinges
  
• my wife Alice Garrett executrix and residuary legatee. Possibly pregnant
• Richard Losebie witness
• Robert Slater witness

---

The 12th of June Anno dni 1625
In the name of God Amen I Richard Garrett of Bitsby in the
Countie of Leicester yeoman being of whole minde and perfect remembrance laud and praise be to Almigh=
tie God make and ordayne this my present testament concerning here in my last will in manner and forme
following that is to saie first I Com[m]end my soule into the hands of Almightie god my maker and redeemer and
my bodie to be buried in the parish church yard of Cleybrooke

Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter
Sara Garrett three Quarternes of land at Willey which is in the tenure or occupacon of Rice Coles
Item I give and bequeath unto her the lease of a halfe yard land of Lutterworth land which is in the
tenure or occupation of Rice Coles of Willey If my wife be with child of a man child then he shall have
this land if he live and the saied Sara shall have fower score pownds paied unto her by my executrix
and if so be she have a woman child that the foresaid Sara to have the land onlie and not the fowerscore
pownd and the saied heyre is to enter uppon the land with halfe of the howses belonging to the same and
one cottage in Rugbie in the tenure or occupation of William Chinney sheephard and one Cottage in
Ulstroope in the tenure or occupac[i]on of Richard Tonson Carpenter & all houses buildings orchard closes &
all other things belonging to the same and the saied heyre is to enter uppon the land in Willley, with halfe
of the houses & homesteade at one and twentie yeeres of age if the heire should die then my wife to enioye
it her life & for the Cottages my heyre is to enter uppon ^^them hereafter my wives decease for want of heyrs of
the saied Richard Garrett then the saied howses and land to returne unto my saied three bretheren that
is to saie John Garrett to have that howse at Ulstrop with a quarterne of land in Willey, to him and his
heyres for ever and Nicholas Garrett that howse at Rugby with a quarterne of lande in Willey to him &
his heyres for ever and William Garrett to have that howse at Willey with a quarterne of land and all the
homestead to him and heyres for ever.

Item I give unto Richard Garrett the sonne of Nicholas three
Pownds which is in the hands of John Fosse of Crecke Item I give unto my brother Nicholas Garrett
the money which he oweth unto me Item I give unto John Garrett and Anne Garrett & Elizabeth the
Children of Nicholas Garrett twentie shillings a peere

Item I give unto Sibell Ward that which
shee oweth unto me Item I give unto Jane Ward fortie shillings. Item I give unto John Ward twentie
shillings Item I give unto William Ward twentie shillings Item I give unto Elizabeth Ward twentie
shillings Item I give unto Agnes Garrett the daughter of John Garrett fourtie shillings and his
two sonnes twentie shillings a peece

Item I give unto my brother William Garrett all those goods of
myne which he hath in his hands Item I give unto my brother John Garrett fower pownd and the
wood that is growing uppon my grownd in Ulstroppe Item I give unto Frauncis Dalley twentie
shillings Item I give unto William Dalley twentie shillings Item I give unto John Game twentie
shillings Item I give unto Thomas Tome twentie shillings Item I give unto Robert Meades twentie
shillings. Item I give unto James Wigley twentie shillings Item I give unto Joane Meades fortie
shillings

Item I give unto the poore of Ulstrop twentie shillings Item I give unto the poore of
Over Cleybrooke ^[2] tenn shillings Item I bequeatth unto my godchildren twelve pence a peece Item I give
unto the poore of Willey tenne shillings Item I give unto Agnes Gey and her daughter ten shillinges

All the rest of my goods moveable and unmoveable cattells and debts I bequeath unto my wife Alice Garrett
and make her my full executrix. / Richard Garrett. these be the witnesses Richard Losebie Robert
Slater his marke

[Probate in Latin] This will written above was proved at London before the Honorourable Sir Henry Marten knight, Doctor of Laws presiding at a Comissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury constituted 23 January AD 1625 by the computation of the English. Judgment given to Alice Garrett widow of the deceased and the executrix named in this will who was granted administration of all and singular the rightful goods and credits of the said deceased after being sworn to well and truly administer the same before Ger: Aldred, clerk

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: 148
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 5111 #840516 (accessed 12 January 2024)
   Will of Richi Garrett, granted probate on 23 Jan 1625. Died about 1625 in Bitsby, Leicestershire, England.
2. ↑ Over Cleybrooke = Claybrooke Magna