|
|
|
The Will of Thomas Meryell 1463/4
THE WILL OF THOMAS MERYELL
OF WHERSTEAD
Thomas Meryell of Wherstede 1463/4
[Latin] In the name of God Amen AD 1463 the first of January, I Thomas Meriell of Wherstede, being of sound mind and sane memory, make and order my testament in this wise.
First I bequeath my soul to Almighty God & the blessed Virgin Mary most glorious, and to all the saints, and my body to be buried in the parish church of Wherstede, to whose high altar I bequeath five shillings, for my tithes negligently omitted.
Item, I bequeath to the chaplain of the same parish church twenty pence.
Item, I bequeath for the making of the great light called Candelbem of the same church twenty shillings.
Item I bequeath to the high altar of the church of Little Belstede for my tithes forgotten six shillings and eight pence.
Item I bequeath for a suitable priest to celebrate for my soul, and for the souls of my father and mother, my parents, my friends and my benefactors for one whole year immediately after my death nine marks.
Item I bequeath to the Minor Friars of Ipswich to celebrate one trentale for my soul and for the souls of my parents and benefactors ten shillings.
Item to the fabric of the parish church of Little Belstede, to be disposed at the will of my executors, six shillings and eight pence.
Item I bequeath for a suitable presbytery priest journeying to Rome to celebrate for the salvation of my soul at the chapel of indulgence forty pence.
Item I bequeath to Margaret my wife all my lands and tenements, rents and services, with all their appurtenances, to have and to hold to her alone and her assigns for term of her life, if she remains unmarried. And if it happens that she should marry, then I will that my heirs should possess and have all my lands and tenements, rents and services with all their appurtenances, according to the form and effect of my bequest written below, saving to the said Margaret my wife for term of her life an annuity of forty shillings. So that each of my heirs written below should pay a share of the annual pension of forty shillings according to the rate and value of the lands & tenements of their bequest.
Item I bequeath to Margaret my wife all my other goods and chattels and domestic utensils, not bequeathed below, to have and to hold to her and her assigns, to keep and provide for all my younger sons and daughters up to the age of sixteen years.
Item I bequeath to my son John senior, after the death of Margaret my wife if she remains unmarried, the whole of my capital tenement, in which I live on the day of making this present, to have and to hold to him and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten.
Item I bequeath to the said John a certain copyhold tenement called Mersshes to him and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten, so that the said John should pay to his brother William senior five marks [copy difficult to read - possible deletions here ].... John junior and William junior .. at the time of payment immediately after entry into the said lands and tenements twenty shillings.
Item, I will that the said John should pay to John junior and William junior five marks, equally divided between them, and if either John junior or William junior should die before payment, then the whole sum of five marks should be paid to the other. And if it should happen that John senior should die without heirs of his body lawfully begotten, then the said tenement with its appurtenances should remain to my next eldest son and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten.
Item I will that the said tenement should descend for default of heirs from son to son until the last of my sons.
Item I bequeath to my son William senior three tenements situated opposite my capital tenement, and if it happens that the said William should die without heirs of his body lawfully created, I will that it should remain to my son John senior and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten, and for default of his heirs I will that descent should be from son to son until the last of my sons.
Item I bequeath to my sons Robert, John junior, Edmund and William junior my tenement called Hamundis with all its appurtenances, to have and to hold to them and the heirs of their bodies lawfully begotten, to be divided equally between them. And if it happens that the said Robert, John, Edmund and William should die without heirs of their bodies lawfully begotten, then inheritance of the tenement should descend to my son John senior and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten. And if it happens that John senior dies without heirs of his body lawfully begotten, then I will that the said tenement should remain to my son William senior and the heirs of his body lawfully begotten and so from son to son by default of heirs until the last of my sons. And if it happens that the aforesaid sons die without heirs of their bodies lawfully begotten, then I will that all the aforesaid lands and tenements should remain to my daughters and their heirs divided equally among them by value.
Item I will to Cristian my daughter one cow.
Item to Alice my daughter ten marks of lawful money of England and one cow.
Item I bequeath to Katherine my daughter five pounds of lawful money of England and one cow.
Item I bequeath to Julian my daughter five marks of lawful money of England and one cow.
Item I will that if one or two of my daughters never marry or die before they marry, then their legacy should remain to the survivors, equally divided between them or if only one survives then the whole.
Item I bequeath to John Bacon senior of Blakenham Parva ten shillings.
Item I require all my feoffees, on the day of making feoffment of all my aforesaid lands and tenements with all their appurtenances, should prepare and deliver full, peaceful and lawfull seisin of my lands and tenements, whenever they are desired or required by my executors, to fulfill my will and all my abovesaid bequests. I make, ordain and appoint as my faithful executors Margaret my wife, John Bacon senior of Blakenham Parva and my son John senior, that they should order and dispose for the salvation of my soul, my parents and benefactors, as seems best to them. In witness whereof I have placed my seal. Proved at Ipswich 8th day of March AD 1463. All goods &c granted to the within-named executors.
Source:
Sudbury Archdeaconry R2/109
1464 Thomas Meryell of Wherstead
Suffolk Records Office--Ipswich Branch (England)
Reference: 1C/AA2/2/109
Transcribed by:
Diana Spelman Research Service
(AGRA member, BA English History)
74 Park Lane
Norwich NR2 3EF
Tel: 01603 664186
Email:
dianaspelman@waitrose.com
(Peforms family, house, and local history, including manorial searches, Latin and document transcription, digital photography. NRO, NHC, NFHS, UEA, GYL*, SRO*)
Norfolk Records Office URL:
http://www.archives.norfolk.gov.uk/nroindex.htm