Will of Thomas White or Whitte, Merchant of Poole, Dorset 1557

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: White

National Archives, Kew, Surrey, UK

Will of Thomas White or Whitte, Merchant of Poole, Dorset

Reference PROB 11/39/278

Probate date, 9 July 1557

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D954766

Thomas White (abt.1483-1556)

In the name of god Amen the xyth daie of June in the yere of our Lorde god a thousand fyve hundreth fiftie and fyve. And in the first and seconde yeare of the reigne of our most grac[ious] soveraigne Philipp and Marie by the grace of god Kinge and Queene of England, France, Naples, Jerusalem and Ireland, defeder of the faith p(rinces) of E[s]pagna and Cicille, Archduke of Austria , Duke of Millan, (Burgundie?) and Brabant , Comites of Lambouge, Flannders and Tiroll.

I Thomas White the older of the towne of Poole and the Countie of Dorset; marchannt being hole in bodye and of parfytte mynde and memory praise be given to Almighty god, calling to my rememberance the greate grande giftes and benefits which yt hath pleased god to give unto me do therefore give unto his grace my moste humble &[lowliest?]

[page 2] thankes. And considering the length of tyme w[i]ch it hath pleased the same Almightie god to give me in this transitory world and that I am (as mankinde is) mortall and born in sinne believinge [ ] and hopinge that every Christian creatyre lyving in this transitorie and wretched worlde dying under god in stedfast and pfect faith endorsing hyme self to do in his lief tyme and yf he have [ ] such good works and deads of charitie at [ ] remaindeth and as thay be to the honnor of god as ordeyned by Christes passion to be saved and to atteyne the lief eternall of which number I would trust to be one (callyinge also to my said remembrance that I nether any other creature mortall knoweth the tyme and when and where yt shall please God to call hym in [ ] of that mysterous vale, willinge theirefore and mynding with God his grace on my departing oute of the same to dispose my laste mynde will and testament doo establish and make this same my said last mynde will and testament in maner and forme followinge

First I do moste humblie commende give and bequeath my soule unto almightie God beseeching his grace to take the same to his inifinite m’tie ,Beseching also the most blessed Virgine Marie his mother and all the company of heaven continually to praye for me and with me whilst I live in this said mystrous vale that it may please the lyving God the creater at their inter[ssey? ] to take my said soule into his said infinite m’tie . And will and ordeigne that my body be buried and interred in the parishe Churche of Saynt James within the said towne of Poole.

Item I charitablie remiytt and cherily forgyve to all and every creature and creatures whatsover they be and every further crymes trespasses and offences as they or any of th[ ] have commyted do[] facted or exptrated agaynst me And likewise I charitablie [ ] and desyre [ sion] and there forgiveness of all suche myne offence Crymes and trespasses as I have comytted don facted or expertrated against the said creatures or against any of theym

Item I will that there be given by my Executour to every poor creature [ ] and being present at the tyme of my buriall iijd

Item I will that there be lykewise given in Almes by said Executour to poore people at Okeford Fitzpayne fortie shillings

Item I give and bequeath to every godchild whiche I have now lyving and to evry other god childe whiche my late wyfe Cicil had and not alreadie given unto theym xijd

Item I give and bequeth to six poore people which be & shalbe elected and chosen by me or by my sonne Thomas White being men or women so they [ ] of [ ] [co—sation] every weke [ ] to be distributed betwynst them equally within the Almeshowse of the said towne of Poole The same legacie of vid by the porch to contynue after my said deceaseby the space of tenne yeares

Item I give and bequeath also to the said poore people lying in the si[ ] almshowse in Poole aforesaid [ ] duringe the afor[said] tenne yeare next after my said decease viijd to bye them a[loode?] of toursses for their funerall

Item I will that there be employed and bestowed by my said executors by th’ discretion of the overseers of this my said last will & testament in and above the repairinge and ammending of the highwayes nere adjoyning to the said towne of Poole and upon the repairinge and amending of the highewayes lying about Upton [to’n po---]

Item I give legate and bequeath to the three Sonnes and to the two daughters of John Mann which he begat upon my daughter as followeth (that is to saye) to Thomas Man my godson twentie poundes To Willyam Man vjL xiijs iiijd And to John Man other viL xiijs iiijd And to evry of the said two daughters that is to saye Agnes and Edithe other viL xiijs iiijd upon the condcion following that is to saye where as the said John Mann the father pretendeth and claimeth any [ ] title in and to my mansion howse in the whiche I nowe dwelling in Poole If the said John Mann the father or his heire do not or shall not make or cause to be made to me in my lieftime or to my sonne and heire Thomas Whytt within one moneth after my decease a good [ ] and sufficient reles in the lawe of all his right and title in or to my said mansion therof that then my said bequests and legacies made to the sonnes and daughters of the said John the father or to any of theym to be utterlie voide and of none effecte.

Item I give and bequeath to Thomas Mesurer my godson ten poundes and to every of the vj daughters of James Mesurer which he begatt upn my daughter Edith and being this daye lyving VjL xiiijs iiijd And if it shall fortune any of the said daughters to departe this same mysterous vale before they shal be able to be married that then I will that her or there legacies so dyinge unmarried shalbe equally distributed amongst the survyvers of theym And if it shall please god to send my said daughter Edith Mesurer any more children by the same James Mesurer or by any other husband after his decease that then I will legate [ ] and bequeath to every such child to be begotten and borne of my daid daught Edith other VjL xiiijs iiijd

I will legate give and bequeath to my said daughter Edith Mesurer twentie poundes she to dispose the same at her will and pleasure

Item whereas at the tyme of the marriage [ ] and solemonized betwixt me [ ] Thomas Whight the elder and Xpian nowe my wife before the marriage called Xpian Percye I promyssed and granted to assure her for terme of her lief of one annuitie or yerely rent of tenne poundes foing out of my landes and tenenements in Shillinges Okeforde and Arthinghayes in the said countie of Dorset as by one payer of Indenture therof made between me the said Thomas Whyght the elder of one p’te [xpfer ----] and George Percye of the other pte [ ] playnely therewith and may [ ] In consideracon of her great and lovinge kyndness where she the same Xpian [ ] the tyme of her marriage hath showed unto me and contynuallie yet showeth I will [devyse? ] legate

[page 3]' give and bequeath to the said Christian my wife if she surviive me the said Thomas Whight one hundred poundes of lawfull money of England and all such plate as I had at the tyme of the marriage of her unto me which inventory [ ] [ ] and iij [ ] which is valued at iiijsviijd [ ] [ ] the hole amountith to xxxviij L x[-]xs id And also suche stuf of howseholde as she had at the tym of her said marrage unto me saving one greate crocke wayeng iij of ij Le and one of her greatest pannes which she gave unto me to remayne as ymplements in my howse And to the intent that the furniture as all of the plate as of the howsehold stuff before legared lymitted and appoynted to my said wife might and shold the better appeare I hand caused an Invitorie indented of the [p ] thereof to be annexed to this my will and testament And to the intent that her lyvinge shallbe better augmented I will devyse legate give and bequeathe unto her the said Christian my wife one Annuytie or rente charge of twentie poundes by the yere going out of my manors of Cricklade in the parishe of Andover in the Countie of South my Mannor of Quynteyines [Quintance] in the parish of Brington and my moytie of the Manor of Crof Molein [Corfe Mullen] on the Countie of Dorset And to the intent that the said Christian my wife shall any other hand and [ ] thesaid some of twentie pounds by the yere I wikk the same shallbe paid unto her or her assignes during her naturall lief by my said sonne and heyre Thomas white myne executor at fower tymes in the year most usuall by even porcions And for not payment of the said Annuitie of twentie pounds within xv daies at the fardest after any quarter I will that she or her said assignes shall distreine for the same and for th’arerages thereof with[ ]my said Mannors of Cricklade Quynteynes and Crofe Molein

Item I will & bequeathe unto the said Christian my wief my howse where I nowe dwell in the said towne of Poole with gardens and backsides thereunto belonginge with all and singuler the commodities and proffitts thereof to her owne use duringe the [ ]and terme of her naturall lief after the decease of the said Thomas White owte of this p’ut worlde ( the chamber over the [x’lorn?] called the greate chamber) and the Chamber over the kichyn called the white chamber the closett or counting howse the great[-solld] in the backeside with the loft over the same and [haes’y] stable onely excepted which is reserved and or deyind to and for th’use of Thomas White the younger sonne and heire unto me the foresaid Thomas White the elder And he the said Thomas White the younger to have the use and comoditie of the same at his pleasure during the foresaid terme

Item I will that the table bordes and cupboards in thehall and parloure of the said howse w’th greatechest presse cupboards being in the chambers and bedsteds wch cannot be removed without hurrte or breakinge of the same with the hanginges of the said howse to be as ymplements and to remayne then and the said Christian to have trust and comoditie thereof And she to have all the same ymplements aforesaid in the said howse unremoved in and at th’end of the terme aforesaid anything before expressed in my said will not w’thstandinge . Provided always that the said Christian shall repayer and sufisayne upholde and maynteyne [as—ich-] of the said howse as she shall and [custody]of at her own proper costes and charges during the terme of her lief Provided alwaies also by this my said last will and testament I do will devyse and ordeigne yf the said Christian my wife at any tyme during her said lief and after my decease do refuse or be not contented wich the said annuitye of twentie poundes and with the said howse by me granted unto her for terme of her lief as is aforesaid for and in the mann’er of her Joynter and Dower, but will goo aboute to demande, require or sewe for her dower of suche landes as I shall fortune to dye seased of by wryht of Dower or any other process of the lawe or [ ] if shee [ ] molest interrupt vexe or trouble my said sonne Thomas Whyte or his heyres in demanding requireinge or suwing for her said dower That then my legacies and giftes of the saide one hundreth pounds plate and of all and any other thing and thinges by me before legated givyn and bequeathed unto the said Christian my wief to be [f ] and voyded And And by this my last will and testament so will and ordeyne that yf my said sief or any man in her name do after my said decease demande any dower of any of my said landes or of any parcell thereof as is afore expressed that then the said one hundreth pounds of plate and all and every other thing or things above where [ ] and by me legated and given to my said wief shalbe and remayne to my executour forever And farder I will that if she the said Christian my wief be contented with the said annuitie of twentie pounds by the yere and with the legacies before repetyd with out demands and any fault or perfidy of my said landes for her said dower that she shall dwell [of the ---] in my [-oute] next to my greate howse in the said towne of Poole during her natural [lief?] reparinge yt during the said tyme

Item whereas I am seased in my in my demesne as of fee of and in the Lordshipps manors landes and tenements called by the name of Cross Molleyn otherwise callyd Cross[yn-ared] Fittleford Burbeshowe Butterwyke, Hollowelle, Shillinges Ockeford, Childeockeford, Athurhawes [Arthurs Hayes] Blinfilde, Quynternes and Poole in the said County of Dorset And of and in the [ ] messuages landes and tenements with’appurteynances in [-----stowlane] and Warmwell in the said countie of Dorset And also of and in the mannors of

[page 4] or ferme of Bowfild lyen in the parishe of Whiteparishe in the Countie of Wiltshie And also of and in all the mannor of Cricklade lyinge and beinge in the parisshe of Andover in the said Countie of South to th’use of me the said Thomas Whyte and of myne forever I will ordeyne and devyse that immediately after my said decease all my said lordshippes Mannors mesuages fermes landes tenements and other myne heritaments whatsoev’ they be lyinge and being in the said counties of Dorset Wiltshire and South shall descende [ ] and remayne to my said Thomas White and to t’heyres of his bodie lawfully begotten or to be begotten And for default of issue of the body of my said sonne Thomas White lawfully begotten as is after said, I will that my Mansion howse standing in the said Poole with the two ten’tes [tenements] adioyning to the same and all that my moitie and half[indeall] of the said mannir Croffmoleyns otherwise called Croffehubarde with th’appurtenances [------all] shall descend be and remain to my said godson Thomas Man and to t’heyres of his body lafullie begotten or to be begotten, and for default of issue of the boide of my said sonne Thomas White and of my said godsonne Thomas Man la’fully begotten or to be begotten as is aforesaid I will that all my said Mansion howse and two ten’ts {tenements] in Poole aforesaid, and all my mesu’ and [halff----al] of the said manor of Croffemolem otherwise called Croffhusbard with their appurtenances unniversall shalbe descend and remayne to the said William Man and John Man brothers to the said Thomas Man and to t’heyres of their two bodies lafullie begotten and to be begotten forever,the same to be equally deivided betwixt theym.

Item if it shall fortune my said sonne Thomas Whit to die without issue of his bodie lafully begotten or to be begotten as is aforesaid then I will that all my Manores of Fyttleford, Arthurhayes, Shillinges Okeford, Child Ockford Blynffield and Quyntes w’th their appurtenances and members unniversall shalbe descend and remayne to my said godsonne Thomas Mesurer and to t’heyres of his bodie lafully begotten or to be begotten And for default of issue of the bodies of my said sonne Thomas Whit and of my said godsonne Thomas Mesurer lafullie begotten and to be begotten as is above said I will that all my said Mannors of Fittleforde, Arthurshayes, Shillinge Okeford, Childe Ockeforde, Blyinfield and Quyntes there saide appurtenances unniversall shall descend be and remayne to Bengeamyn Mesurerthe second sonne of the said James Mesurer and of my said daughter Edith his wife and to the heyres of his bodie lafully begotten and to be begotten for ever And farder if it shall fortune my said sonne Thomas White to dye without yssue of his bodie lafully begotten or to be begotten as is also aforesaid if then I will that all my Manor and Ferme of Bowefylde lyinge and beinge w’thin the daid p’ishe of Whitep’ishe in the said Countie of Wiltes’ And also my Manor and ferme of Cricklade lyinge and beinge in thesaid parishe of Andover with[in][th]e said countie of South, w’th their appurtenances and members unniversall shall descend be and remayne unto Thomas Seyntebarbe sonne and heyre of Thomas Seyntebarbe of the citie of newe Sarum in the said Countie of Wiltes Draper and t’heyre of the bodie of the said Thomas Seyntebarbe afore’ lafullie begotten or to be begotten forever The residue of all my lordshipped mannors messuages, landes and tenements above mentioned and reherssed with their apportenances universall and not entailed I will and I am content that my said son Thomas White so dyinge without issue of his bodie lafullie begotten or to be begotten as is aforsaid shall dispose the same at his lybertie will and pleasure and as he shall thinkmost convenient.

Item I give and bequeth to John White the elder my brothers sonne [lxs?]

Item I give and bequeth to John White the younger other [lsx?]

Item I give and bequethe to my daughter Johnane Sentebarbe to be devyded amongst her children besides the fiftie [ ][ounds which I gave to her husband before this tyme to be equally devyded amongst the said children As god send hym poewer thereto xlviijL be rebated of the monye that he oweth me at this daye Also I give unto my said daughter Johan Seyntebarbe three of my gownes one that is furred w’th [fitchowk?] and the best of my two gownes furred w’th foxe and one other [dyned?]w’th black damask in the [fo—tie]

Item I give and bequeth to my cosyn Walter White the elder xls and a gowne that is lyned w’th black russell wolsted

Item I give and bequeath to John Craddock my servant xls and his yeres wages over and above the same

Item I give to Sir Brice my priest xxs and one quarters wages

Item I give and bequeth to Alicce Harrywell my servant xxvjs and her quarters wages

Item I give unto Christian Garroy my servante xxs and her wage for her quarter

Item I give and bequeth to Gilberde White xxs

The residue of all my goods and catalls as well moveable as unmoveable before not given legated nor yet bequethed my debts paide my legacies p’formed and my funerall observed and kepte I give legate and whollie bequeth to my said sonne Thomas White whom I doo make ordeyne constitute and appointe to be a sole executor of this said last mynde will and testament And also do make ordeyne constitute and appoint William Husee and George Stranwayes gentelmen to be the overseers of the same my last will and testament for whose paynes to be taken in and aboute the seeinge of the same dewlie p’formed and kept I give

[page five] and bequeth unto any of them a hundreth shillings And also that all such costes and charges as they my said overseers shalbe at in travelling or Rydinge any where about the furnature of my said will shalbeborne and paide by my said executour And further whereas I have before [-ondycioned & willed by this my last will and testament that my said wife Christian should loose and forgett all and every legacie and bequest by this my said will to her legated and bequeathed yf at anytyme hereafter [-----shall] demande her dower of any parte of myne inheritant landes tentes or hereditaments against my sonne Thomas White or any other my next heires my will and mynde is that yf my sonne Thomas White his heires or assignes do not or shall not peasably and quyetlye content and paye or cause to be contentyd or paide to my said wife the said yearly rent or Annuitie of Twentie poundes accordinge to the tenor content and true meanyninge of this my last will and testament That then my saie wief Christian shall not incurre any dannger or forfeture of any penaltie or penalites legacie or legacies to her before bequeathed or legated by this my will and testament for the demanding of her dower according to the lawe Any article clause or condicion in this my will conteyned to the contrary not w’thstanding

In witnes wherof and for the more full p’sec’on and approbacon of my willmynde and intente in forme above written I have sealed and signyed bothe partes of this my last will and testament w’th my seale and hande these being witnesses By me Thomas White the elder William Husee [Taillener?] John Craddock [ ] [Shiplyn?] by me George Strangwayes

[this will is followed by an inventory of the plate and goods in the house in Poole and some from the house at Fittleford [Fiddleford] together with some jewelery and the ‘beste of my Ambelinge nagges’ left to wife Christian ]

Probate [clause in latin] was granted to Thomas White, 9 July 1557