Will of Sir Thomas Streete of Cotheridge, Worcestershire, 1696

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

This is a transcription of the register copy of the will of Sir Thomas Streete (here spelled Street) of Cotheridge, Worcestershire, England. Thomas drew up his will on 8 February 1695/6 and it was proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 9 May 1696. ^[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 acceptable, and the handwriting legible.

Persons mentioned:

• Sr Thomas Street Knight Testator
• my Grandson William Steevens received property in Clevelode and Stockton, and property in St Andrew, Worcester
• Wm Jervas, Thomas Poole and [blank] Bartlet tenants of Testator's property in St Andrew, Worcester
• my Brother Georg Street received annuity out of property rents
• my Sister Mrs Bridget Darby received annuity out of property rents
• my Grandson Thomas Brydges son of Anne Bridges. Property remaindered to him secondly. Also inherits salt pans in Upwich, legacy of £300
• my Grandson Richard Brydges son of Anne Bridges. Property remaindered to him thirdly, plus £200
• Anne Brydges my daughter Property remaindered to her fourthly. Residuary legatee.
• Tanfield Vachell Esq owes Testator £2000
• Said £200 to my four Grandaughters
  • Mary Steevens
  • Elizabeth Steevens
  • Katherine Steevens
  • Anne Bridges daughter of Anne Bridges
• Edmund Brydges of Lincolnes Inn Esq my son in Law holds money in trust for his daughter Anne
• my son in law Mr Thomas Steevens not allowed to have his three daughters' legacies
• my very worthy friend Benjamin Jefferies of the Middle Temple London Esq Executor of will and trustee for Testator's daughter Anne Bridges
• my Grandson Randolph Steevens property in Grafton Flyford after the death of Bridget Darby, plus the inheritance from the Estate of Dr John Darby, plus property in St Peter, Worcester
• Dr John Darby
• Thomas Lord Coventry Testator holds lease of property in Grafton Flyford from him
• Mr John Cheatle current tenant of property in St Peter, Worcester
• my Grandson Edmund Brydges £400
• my honoured Father in law Sr Rowland Berkeley father of Testator's second wife Penelope Berkeley
• my beloved Sister Mrs Dorothy Berkeley Five pounds
• Mrs Peryn Five pounds
• my Neeces (step-nieces, daughters of second wife's sister) £5 each
  • Dorothy Green
  • Penelope Green
  • Elizabeth Green
  • Rebeca Green
• my good Cousin Mrs Joice Jeffreyes £20
• my faithfull servant Anne Jones Widdow £20
• my faithfull Servant Thomas Edwards £20
• my good Cousin Mrs Elizabeth Bookey Widdow £5
• my deare wife Penelope Berkeley. Receives horses, coaches and household goods at Cotheridge
• my old and right worthy friend Dr George Smyth 20 shillings and a book
• Tho: Bowles witness to Will
• W: Seaton witness to Will
• Richd Borneford witness to Will
• Tho Newell witness to Will

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[folio 173 verso]
In the name of God Amen
I S^r Thomas Street Knight being (Thanks be to God) in good health
and perfect memory doe make this my last Will and Testament in
manner following I doe hereby give devise and bequeath unto my
Grandson William Steevens All my Messuages Lands Tenements and
hereditaments whatsoever in Cleveload in the parishes of Powick
Maddersfield and Malvern or either of them And also All those my
Messuages Lands Tenements and hereditaments in Stockton in the County

[folio 174 recto]
of Worcester And also those my three Messuages or Tenements with
their appurtenances scituate and being in the parish of St Andrews in the
City of Worcester at the key there now in the possessions of Wm Jervas
Thomas Poole and [blank] Bartlet or some of them To hold to the said
Wm Steevens and the heirs males of his body to be begotten Provided
always That the said Wm Steevens shall out of the rents and profitts of the
premises pay to my Brother Georg Street for and during his naturall life

by four quarterly payments the sume of Twenty pounds per Annum And
also pay to my Sister M^rs Bridget Darby during her naturall life the
sume of Twelve pounds per Annum at Michaelmas and Lady by equall
portions And for want of issue male of the body of the said Wm Steevens
I give and devise the said Messuages Lands Tenements hereditaments and
premises with their appurtenances unto my Grandson Thomas Brydges
and the heirs males of his body to be begotten The said Thomas Brydges
paying the Annuitys to my Brother and Sister as aforesaid And for
want of issue male of the body of the said Thomas Brydges
I give and devise the said Messuages Lands Tenements hereditaments and
premises with their appurtenances unto my Grandson Richard Brydges
and the heirs males of his body to be begotten The said Richards Brydges
paying the Annuitys to my Brother and Sister as aforesaid And for want
of such issue to Anne Brydges my daughter and her heires for ever

Whereas there is a debt of Two Thousand five hundred pounds oweing and
due to me from Tanfield Vachell Esq secured by a mortgage of Lands
lying in the County of Berks I doe by this my Will give devise and
bequeath the said debt and Mortgage and all my Estate title and interest
I have therein unto my four Grandaughters Mary Steevens Elizabeth
Steevens Katherine Steevens and Anne Bridges equally to be divided
between them and also such Interest as shall be due and oweing to me for
the same at the time of my death And my will is That the said Mary
Steevens shall have and receive one fourth part of the interest of the said
debt as soon as conveniently can be after it shall be paid to my Executor
for her necessary support and maintenance And that the said Elizabeth
Steevens shall also have and receive one other fourth part of the Interest
of the said debt as soon as conveniently can be after it shall be paid to
my Executor for her better support And that my Executor shall reserve
in his hands one other fouth part of the Interest of the said debt to be
imployed for the best benefit (according as he shall think fitt) of the said
Katherine Steevens And that Edmund Brydges of Lincolnes Inn Esq my
son in Law shall have and receive one other fourth part of the Interest of the
said debt as soon as conveniently can be after it shall be paid to my Executor
to be disposed of and imployed by him for the best benefit of the said
Anne Brydges his daughter And my will is that my Executor shall not pay
into the hands of my son in law M^r Thomas Steevens any part of the
Legacies or profitts thereof hereby given by me to any of his children or be
accountable to him for the same under any title or pretence whatsoever And
I doe hereby require all my said Grandchildren to be advised and that
they follow the counsell and directions of my very worthy friend Benjamin
Jefferies of the Middle Temple London Esq and their Uncle the said
Edmund Bridges in the disposall of themselves and in all affaires of
concernment to them Also I doe give devise and bequeath unto my said
Grandson Thomas Brydges All those my two Boyllarys and an half of
Saltwater or Salt phats waling and a seale in Upwich in Droitwich in the

[folio 174 verso]
said County of Worcester To hold to him his heires and Assignes for ever
Also I give devise and bequeath to my Grandson Randolph Steevens and
his Assignes All that my Farme Lands and Tenements with the appurtenances
lyeing and being in Grafton Flyford in the said County of Worcester which I
hold by Lease for years determinable upon lives from the right honorable
Thomas Lord Coventry and all the estate and terme I have therein from the
death of my said Sister Bridget Darby to whom I doe hereby devise the same
for her life And I doe hereby give and bequeath to the said Randolph
Steevens all the advantage and benefit that shall and ought to grow to me
or my Executor out of the Estate of D^r John Darby after the death of my said
Sister And also I doe give and bequeath to the said Randolph Steevens and
his Assignes All that my Messuage or Tenement and Garden with their
appurtenances lying and being in the parish of St Peters in the said Citty of
Worcester and now in the possession of M^r John Cheatle or his undertenants
which I hold by Lease for yeares from the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedrall
Church of Worcester and all the Estate and terme I have therein to come and
unexpired And also I give and bequeath to the said Randolph Steevens All
that my Coppyhold Messuage Mills and Lands in Broadwas in the said
County of Worcester granted to Trustees for my use and all the Estate title
and Interest my Trustees have therein And I doe hereby require the said
Randolph Steevens if he shall dye without a wife or child That he shall
dispose of the aforesaid two Leases and Copyhold and all the interest he shall
have therein by this my Will to his Brother Wm Steevens Also I doe give to
the said Randolph Steevens a Legacy of Two hundred pounds Also I doe
give to the said Mary Steevens Elizabeth Steevens and Katherine Steevens
three hundred pounds to be equally divided over and above the Legacies
before in this my Will given unto them Also I doe give and bequeath unto
my said Grandson Richard Brydges a Legacy of Two hundred pounds And
to my Grandson Edmund Brydges a Legacy of Four hundred pounds And to
the said Thomas Brydges my Grandson a Legacy of Three hundred pounds
Also I doe give to my honoured Father in law S^r Rowland Berkeley
Ten pounds buy him mourning To my beloved Sister M^rs Dorothy
Berkeley Five pounds To M^rs Peryn Five pounds To my Neeces Dorothy
Green Penelope Green Elizabeth Green and Rebeca Green Five pounds
apeece Also I doe give to my good Cousin M^rs Joice Jeffreyes a Legacy
of Twenty pounds To my faithfull servant Anne Jones Widdow Twenty
pounds To my faithfull Servant Thomas Edwards Twenty pounds in
full discharge of all wages that shall be due to him at my death Also I
doe give to my good Cousin M^rs Elizabeth Bookey Widdow a Legacy
of Five pounds Also I give to the said Mary Steevens one of my silver
salvers To the said Elizabeth Steevens the other of my silver Salvers
To the said Katherine Steevens one of my guilt cupps that has my
Armes on it And to my said Grandaughter Anne Brydges the other
guilt cupp Also I doe give to the said William Steevens a Legacy of
Two hundred pounds and my biggest Silver Tankard now at S[e]rjeants
Inne And to the said Thomas Brydges a silver Tankard now at
Cotheridge Also I do give to my said Son in Law Edmund Brydges
All my Robes Gownes Sumpter and Sumpter sadle with the appurtenances
and Cloak lined with Velvet if worth his wearing at his death and if not
to be disposed of at his pleasure Also I give to my deare wife my Coaches
horses harness and household goods now at Cotheridge (my plate linen
and Jewells lexcepted) my Cloathes there I desire she dispose of to the

[folio 175 recto]
servants at Cotheridge Court to whom I also give Five pounds to
be also distributed amongst them by her And I doe also give to the
poorhouse keepers of the parish of Cotheridge Five pounds to be distributed
amongst them as my wife shall direct And I do order that no
dole be given to wandering beggars at my Funerall Also I doe give to
my old and right worthy friend Dr^r George Smyth Twenty shillings to
buy him a Ring and such a Book as he shall choose out of my printed
Bookes Also I doe give to my said Son in Law Edmund Brydges and the
said William Steevens all my Bookes equally to be divided between them
at the discretion of the said Benjamin Jeffreyes except such six Bookes as
he the said Benjamin shall make choice of for his own use which division
of my said Bookes shall be binding to the said Edmund Brydges and
William Steevens And also I doe give to the said Benjamin Jeffreyes a
Legacy of One hundred and Fifty pounds for the care and trouble he will
have in the execution of this Trust and the good direction offices and advice
he will always be ready (I noe whit doubt) to grant to these my Relations
And doe hereby constitute him my sole Executor of this my last Will and
Testament and Trustee for my dear daughter Anne Brydges to whome
after my debts Funeralls and Legacies (before by me given) are paid and
discharged I doe give all the residue of the personal Estate it hath pleased
God to give me to be by her disposed of amongst her children at her
discretion And I desire she may have leave from her husband soe to doe

In witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seale to every page (being
five in number) and publish this as my last Will and Testament
the eighth day of February One Thousand six hundred ninety five T Street
Signed sealed and published in the pr[e]sence of Tho: Bowles W: Seaton Richd
Borneford Tho Newell

Probate [in Latin] This will was proved at London before the Venerable Master Thomas Pinfold, knight and Doctor of Laws and Master Richard Raines knight at a lawfully constituted Commission of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, on the ninth day of May AD 1696 . Judgement given to Benjamin Jeffreyes, Gentleman, the executor named in the Will who swore on the Holy Saints to administer all and singular the right goods and credits of the said deceased.

Margin note [in Latin]
The twentieth day of July AD 1707 Elizabeth Combe wife of Edward Combe, and daughter and legatee named in the Testament of Thomas Street, late of Cotheridge in the County of Worcestershire, knight...

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Sir Thomas Street 1696: "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: 435
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #779519 (accessed 10 August 2022)