Will of Thomas Bowcher, Haberdasher of London, 1594

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: London, England
Surnames/tags: Bowcher Bourchier

Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Persons Mentioned 1.2 Summary of more complex bequests 2 Transcription 3 Sources

Introduction

This is a transcription of the will of Thomas Bourchier (Bowcher), Haberdasher of London, 1594.^[1] The will is not witnessed.

Transcription conventions:
Spelling, punctuation and line breaks are as per the original document.
Crossings through have been struck out and superscripts ^raised
Bold and italic 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]
Non standard spelling as per usual for this time period, which has been transcribed verbatim.

Persons Mentioned

• Thomas Bowcher testator
• William Bowcher brother, £1200, of which £1000 is to be wares from Thomas' shop, overseer of the will
• William's children £40 each
• Hughe Bowcher brother, £500
• Hugh's daughter £40
• Anne Clerke sister £20
• Anne's children £20 each
• sister Woodward £20
• sister Woodwards children £20 each
• daughters of brother John (deceased) £20 each
• James Morley, brother-in-law £10
• Bartholemewe Morley brother-in-law £50
• Isaack Morley brother-in-law £10
• John Bowcher cousin £30, overseer of the will
• Paule Bowcher cousin £10
• Thomas Eveley friend £40
• cosin Rydley £10
• William Parrat cousin £10
• John Bowcher uncle, of Kidderminster, £20
• John Thaccher kinsman, of Kidderminster (possibly) £10
• Mr Carmon gentleman £15 to buy good gelding
• Company of Haberdashers 20 marks to host a dinner on the day of Thomas' burial
• Elizabeth wife, given one third of the testators goods, as well as land detailed below
• James Bowcher son, one third of good as well as land detailed below
• Thomas Woodward brother-in-law, of Kidderminster
• Mr Sebrighte a gown
• Mr Sothirke and his wife, gowns
• Mr Eveley and his wife, gowns
• Mr Bannam/Bannain and his wife, gowns
• cousin Haynes and his wife, gowns

Summary of more complex bequests

One third of the testator's goods after expenses is to go to his wife, and one third to his son.

There is a bequest to set up a fund for the Company of Haberdashers for £100 to be given to two young men of the company as wages, and to the poor of the company.

Little Stambridge was purchased in Thomas' son's name, but has been as profitable as hoped.

Caulders or Caulde House' is given to Elizabeth, Thomas' wife for the remainder of her life.

Caulders, Nicolwicke, Babb and Goulde - farms given to James Bowcher, son, to be received after the death of Elizabeth. This property is to go to William Bowcher, brother of the testator if James dies without heirs.

Land in Essex at Frynd and the farm at Abridge are given to James Bowcher, son of Thomas. If James dies without issue, these lands are to go to the heirs of Thomas Woodward of Kidderminster, brother-in-law and his wife.

There is a leased property in Kidderminster, where Thomas Woodward and his wife live, which is linked to the churchwardens of Kidderminster parish. A complex bequest indicates that Thomas Woodward should keep the house in good order, and pay the churchwardens a sum of 56 shillings four times a year, which is to be used for 12 pence a week of bread for the poorest parishioners.

The house is bequeathed to the Vicar and churchwardens of Kidderminster, if they continue to feed the poor as above.

Land "the wassels and the orsinger and the mere place" is given to the male heir of brother William Bowcher. This land was purchased from brother Hughe.

Forty poor men receive new gowns for the funeral (thirty of them to be free men of the Haberdashers)

Also receiving a gown

• Cousin John and his wife
• Brother William and his wife
• Cousin Paule and his wife
• Brother James Morley and his wife
• Mr Sebrighte
• Mr Sothirke and his [wife]
• Mr Eveley and his wife
• Mr Bannam/Bannain and his wife
• Cousin Ridley and his [wife]
• Cousin Haynes and his wife
• Thomas Morley
• Bartholemew Morley
• Morley the preacher (who is asked to visit the testator in his sickness)

Transcription

In the name of God Amen the sixt daye of
August Anno Domini a thousande fyve hundred nynetie three and in the fyve and thirtith
yere of the raigne of oure Soveraigne Ladye Quene Elizabeth [etc] I Thomas Bowcher
Citizen and Haberdasher of London being in perfect mynde and in good healthe (I thanke
god) Do make this present wryting to be my last will and testament as foloweth
First and principallie I commend my soule unto Almightie god my creator
and to Jesus Christe his only sonne my only Savyoure and Redeemer by whose death I
Do assuredlie trist and believe to have forgiveness of all my synnes and to enioye
eternall life And my bodie to the earthe where yt shall please god to call me - My minde
and will ys that after my decease so soone as convenyently may be all my goodes and wares
Debtes houshould stuffe plate money Leases be Inventaryed and praysed according to ye
custome in London and gathered into a totall somme: Out of which somme I will that all
my debtes my debtes shalbe payed which I owe, unto any person and my funeralle[?] charged
the rest of my whole goodes to be devided or cast into three equall partes according to the

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custome in this citie which is one thirde parte for my wife and one third parte for my sonne and
the other third parte for my selfe. Of and out of which sayed my owne third parte I will and
give or dispose of as ^[illegible] followeth. Item I give and bequeath to the poore of the Saint Edmondes parish
fortie shillinges to be distributed by the person of minister and churchwardens where moste
needeyd as by the minister Item I give unto the poore of St Leonardes parishe by Bowe three
poundes to be distributed where most neede yd by the minister and churchwardens of the sayed
parishe Item I give towardes the releife of the poore of Christes hospitall and St Barthol[illegible]
Twentie poundes which is tenne poundes a peece to be payed to thegovernors thereof Item I
give for the releasing of suche poore prisoners as ar in the twoe compters in London and
Ludgate thirtie poundes which is tenne poundes a peece for the releasing of such thathe
in prison for smale sommes at the discretion of my overseers. Item I give and bequeathe
unto my brother William Bowcher the somme of twelve hundred poundes My mynde ys
that he shall have a thousand poundes thereof in wares in my shoppe as they shalbe prised
by the prysors of my goodes after my deathe. Item I give unto every one of my brother Willims
children fortie poundes a peece. Item I give and bequeath to my brother Hughe Bowcher five
hundred poundes. Item I give unto my brother Hughes daughter fortie poundes. Item I give to
my sister Anne Clerke twentie poundes Item I give unto every one of her children twentie pounds
a peece. Item I give unto my sister Woodward twentie poundes. And I give unto every one
of her children twentie poundes a peece. Item I give unto every one of the daughters that were
my brother Johns twentie poundes a peece beyng twoe of them fortie poundes. Item I give unto
my brother in lawe James Morley one hundred poundes. Item I give unto his daughter Besse
Morley which hath allwates ben broughte up with my wife fortie poundes.Ite I give unto
my brother in lawe Thomas Morley tenne poundes. Item I give unto my brother in lawe Bartholemewe
Morley fiftie poundes. Item I give unto my brother in lawe Isaack Morley tenne poundes. Item I
give unto my cosin John Bowcher thirtie poundes. Item I give unto my cosin Paule Bowcher
tenne poundes. Item I give unto my freinde Thomas Eveley fortie poundes. Item I give unto
my cosin Rydley tenne poundes. Item I give unto my cosin William Parrat tenne poundes
Item I give unto my uncle John Bowcher of Kitherminster twentie poundes. Item I give
unto one John Thaccher a kynnesman of myne tenne poundes I thinke he dwelleth aboute
Kitherminster Item I give unto every my wyves three mayde servantes fyve poundes. Item I give
unto Mr Carmon gentleman fifteene poundes to buye him a good gelding. Item I give unto the
company of Haberdashers to make them a dynner the daye of my buriall twentie markes. Item
I give unto the Master and wardens and company of Haberdashers and thire Successors Master
and wardens and company for ever one hundred poundes to thinkent to thinkent that yt shalbe
sent out from three yeres to three yeres unto twoe younge men that shalbe free of the sayed
companye they to paye either of them fortie shillinges a yere, which is f?r poundes ?
for the hundred which fewer poundes yerelie my minde ys should be given to the poore of ye
sayed companye by the appoyntment of the Courte of ? twentie shillinges
every quarter daye for ever to poore men : Concerning all my Landes and tenements being
Freehold I give and dispose as hereafter foloweth : First in respect my mannor of Litle
Stambridge with thappurtenances I purchased in my sonnes name whereby my wives third
will not be so good as I would yt should be althoughe she is ? purchases with me in
some thinges to the rent of fortie poundes by yere : yet for that I would she should have to yt
thirdes of all my Landes I give unto Elizabeth my wife the rented and profittes of my Farme
called Caulders or Caulde House during her life. Item I give and bequeathe unto James Bowchr
my sonne after my ^[illegible] decease my Farme Caulders and Nicolwicke and Babb and Goolde which
my wige hathe for tearme of her life and to the heires of his bodye lawfullie begotten And
for want of ? heires unto my brother William during his life And after his decease
to the heires male of my sayed brother William during his life And after his Decease unto
his heires for ever. All other my Free landes I give unto my sonne James Bowcher lying
in Essex at Frynd? and the Farme at Abridge with all and singnler? theire appurtenances

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unto my sayed sonne James and the heires of his bodye lawfullie begotten. And for wante of such
heires unto the heire male of my brother in lawe Thomas Woodward of Kitherminster and my sister
nowe his wife and to the here of there bodye a Lease of my house they dwell in lying in Kitherminster
aforesayed during there severall lives (paying therfore yerelie during there several lives unto
the churchwardens of the sayed Kitherminster parish and there successore churchwardens
the somme of fiftie sixe shillings every yere at fouer usuall feastes or ? in the yere or
within eight and twentie dayes afer every the sayed feastes Provided allwayes that the
sayed Thomas Woodward and his wife and theire heires and every of them shall keepe all the
howsing in good reparation from tyme to tyme. My will and intent ys that the churchwardens
of the sayed Kitherminster parish and theire successors churchwardens of the sayed Kitherminster
shall give every Sondaye thoroughe the yere twelve pennyworth of bread to twelve of the
poorest of the sayed parishe where most needed shalbe thoughte with the consent and appoyntment
of the vicar or minister of the sayed parish and the Baylie of Kitherminster for the tyme
beyng and fower of the ?ient parishoners such as have ben churchwardens and the church
wardens for the tyme beying or by the appoyntment of the more parte of them Item I give
and bequeath to the sayed vicar and churchwardens of the sayed Ketherminster parish and
there successors vicrs and churchwardens the ^said house that Thomas Woodward dwelleth in
as above sayed to ?ent that there shalbe twelve pence every Sondaye given to twelve
poore of the sayed parish in bred for ever as aforesayed. Yf this my gifte be neglected
and not performed I will that my next heire in the sayed parishe shall enter uppon the
foresayed tenement to performe the sayed twelve pence a weeke as abovesayed for ever
Item I give and bequeathe unto the heire male of my brother William Bowcher all that
my free land I boughte of my brother Hughe which is the wassells and the orsinger
with the mere pleace and all there appurtenances after my brother Hughes decease duringe
his life and to his heires for ever. My minde ys that the three shillinges on? which is payed
to the churchwardens shalbe twelve pence a yere to the vicar or minister and the churche
wardens twelve pence a peece for there paynes. Item I give theist many mourning gownes
as here foloweth. Item I give unto fortie poore men newe gownes ? my funerall
And I will that thirtie of them be free of the haberdashers. Item I give my cosen John and
his wife gownes , my brother William and his wife, my cosen Paule and his wife my
brother James Morley and his wife Mr Sebrighte a gowne, Mr Sothirke and his
Mr Eveley and his wife, Mr Bannain and his wife, Cosen Ridley and his. Item I give my cosen
Haynes and his wife Thomas Morley and Bartholemew MorleyI ? aske Morley the
preacher that shall visit me in my sicknes I give a gowne. Item I make my wife and my
sonne James my executors of this my last will. And I appoynte my brother William
and my cosen John and Mr Bannam my overseers. I have wrote this my will with mine
owne hand and left as my last will and I renounce all other: Sealed with my seale and
Delivered as my deed. By me Thomas Bowcher.

Sources

1. ↑ PCC Reference: PROB 11/84/468 Will of Thomas Bowcher, Haberdasher of London