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Will of Thomas BRICE of Curbridge Will 23 Sep 1547   Admon 6 Feb 1547/48
Source: OHC no. 179.265 Contributed by: DBB Go to Translation Go to Transcript
Summary.
... I Thomas Brice of Curbrige ... yeoman ... Name Relationship [Comments] or Major Bequests Thomas BRICE   Curbridge Margaret BRICE Wife Alice BRICE Mother [living] Richard BRICE Brother Stephen BRICE Son (Exec) [under 20] Margaret BRICE Daughter [under 17] - BRICE unborn child Leonard YATE Uncle Governor of children Walter BECKYNSALE Legatee Governor of children Elizabeth TOOLEY Sister [with unnamed ch legatees] George EDRIGE? Legatee Witney William BYSHOPP Legatee Supervisor Thomas RYNGE Legatee Supervisor Thomas KNYGHT Legatee Witness [vicar of Witney] Thomas TAYLER Witness Thoms HANCKES Witness Wyllyam GEYLES Witness Admon 6 Feb 1547/48 ... Walter Beckynsale one of the governors (represented by Thomas Knyght, vicar of Witney) and Leonard Yate the other governor (in person) are ordered to administer for Stephan Bryce, the executor named, during his minority.
Transcriber's and Editor's Notes
Admon was required because the named Executor was under-21. The following details are believed to be true but should not be totally relied upon: Testator: Son of Alice (1553 qv), predeceasing her.
Translated and paragraphed. with some of the standard preamble and "legalese" removed. Go to Glossary
... I Thomas Brice of Curbrige ... yeoman ... My body is to be buried in the church of Witney. I give 4d to the mother church of Oxford, 3s 4d to the high altar of Witney church, 6s 8d to Witney church and 20s to the poor-box. I give £30 to my wife Margaret, to be taken out of the joint goods of myself and my mother Alice Brice, widow. During her widowhood, and while my son Stephen is under 20, my wife is to have half the income and profits of this farm where I now dwell equally with my mother, as I have had, she paying half the rent and other charges as I have done. She is also to pay my funeral expenses and half the debts of my mother and myself that are owed at my death. During her widowhood, my wife is to have the governance of my son, heir and Executor Stephen, and of all the lands, goods and cattle given to him (below), she keeping them in good order and delivering them to him or his heirs at age 20. She is to nourish and bring up my children honestly and virtuously, and in due time pay my legacies, except only the chargeable legacies given to my two younger children which she will not be bound to pay unless she remains my widow while Stephen is under age. If my wife re-marries while Stephen is under 20: I appoint Water Beckynsale, gent, and Leonard Yate, yeoman, as governors and rulers of Stephen and the rest of my children, managing the lease of the farm, lands, cattle and goods until [a child] reaches lawful age, charging them during that time to employ the commodities of the farm for the profit of Stephen and the upbringing of the rest of my children, and I give them £5 pa between them (out of the profits) for their trouble. Stephen or his governors are to pay my wife 100 marks with her chambre(?) at her day of marriage, of which 100 marks the £30 given to her above is to be part. On receiving the 100 marks she is quietly and without delay to deliver the goods and cattle to Stephen's governors in the same condition as before. She is then to be clearly discharged of ownership of the half farm and of all my other lands. But I give her £6 pa for life for her own purposes, to be paid out of my lands annually at the usual times by Stephen or his governors. I give £40 to my daughter Margaret, to be paid at her day of mariage if she is then over 17 [That's what it seems to be saying -- see Transcript below]. If she dies before age 17 she is to have nothing. If the child with whom my wife is now pregnant is a boy, I give him £40 at age 20, but if he dies before 20 he is to have nothing. If it is a girl I give her £20 at age 17, but if she dies before 17 she is to have nothing. I give five sheep and a heifer to each child of my sister Elizabeth Toolye. I give 10s to the present vicar of Witney. I give 13s 4d to Mr George Edrige? I give the rest of my lease of my fulling mill to my brother Richarde Bryce, after my uncle Yate's years therein have expired [whatever that means]. The agreement and sale made between my uncle Leonard Yate and myself before last Midsummer, re two houses and a barn etc on the north side of the bridge in Witney is to stand in full effect, Leonard or his heirs etc paying £28 to my Executor and heir (or his then governors) towards the discharge of my debts next May 3rd [1548]. My Executor and heir is then to discharge Leonard and his heirs of all kinds of duties due out of the houses and barn, except only the chief rents and other duties due to the king or to any other chief Lord or Lords. My body buried, my debts paid and my will fulfilled, I give all the residue of my goods and cattle to my son Stephen Bryce whom I make sole Executor. I give him the lease of this farm, with all my freeholds, leaseholds and copy-holds, to enter into [everything] at age 20, he then paying any outstanding debts and legacies. If Stephen dies before age 20: If the child with whom my wife is now pregnant is a boy and lives to age 20, he is to have [all of it], he paying any outstanding legacies and debts. If the child is a girl, [all of it] is to be equally divided between her and my daughter Margaret, they paying any outstanding legacies and debts. If only one of them survives she is to have the whole. If none of my children live to inherit I give [everything] to my brother Richarde Brice, he paying any outstanding debts and legacies. I make my supervisors William Byshopp and Thomas Rynge, and give them 13s 4d each. Witnesses Thomas Knyght, clerk, vicar of Witney; Thomas Tayler; Thomas Hanckes; William Geyles with others Admon 6 Feb 1547/48 ... Walter Beckynsale one of the governors (represented by Thomas Knyght, vicar of Witney) and Leonard Yate the other governor (in person) are ordered to administer for Stephan Bryce, the executor named, during his minority.
As transcribed from a copy of the original document. Original line- and page-breaks are preserved as far as possible.
Testamentum Thome Brice de Curbrige                p'ochie de Wytnaye In dei no'i'e Amen The xxiij Daye of Septembre The yere of our Lorde god 1547 And in the fyrste yere of the reigne of owr soferaigne lorde Edwarde the vjth by the grace of god kynge of Englande ffraunce and Irelande defender of the faith and in earth supreame heed under god of the church of Englande and Irelande I Thomas Brice of Curbrige in the parishe of Wytnaye in the Countie of Oxforde Yeoman being whole of mynde prayse be unto god make & ordeyne this my presente Testamente herin conteyning my laste wyll after this forme folowing that is to saye ffyrste I recommende my sowle unto allmyghtie god my maker and redemer and my bodie to be buryed in the churche of Wytnaye It'm I gyve to owr mother churche of Oxforde iiijd It'm I gyve to the high altare within the churche of Wytnaye iijs iiijd It'm I gyve to the churche off Wytnaye vjs viijd It'm I gyve unto the com'on coffer appoynted for the reliff of the poore xxs It'm I gyve unto Margaret my wiff xxxli in lawfull moneye of Englande which xxxli shalbe deducted owte of the hole substaunce and goodes of my mothers Alice Brice wedow and my goodes It'm I wyll that the said Margaret my wiff shall have duryng hir wedow estate my sonne Stephen or his heyres beyng under the age of xx'ti yeres The commoditie and profettes of halffe this the farme that I now dwell in equally with my mother lyke as I have had she paying the halffe rente of the same farme lyke as I have done and bearyng the other lyke chargies app'teyning accordinglye It'm I wyll that the said Margaret my wiff shall have (duryng only hir wedow estate) the governaunce of the said Stephen my sonne heyre and executor, and allso of all the landes goodes and catall bequethed and unto hym gyven by this my Laste wyll and Testamente she savyng kepyng maynteyning and delyveryng the same in lyke indifferente valew state and substaunce as she receavith it unto the said Stephen or his heyres at his or their age of xx'ti yeres It'm the said Margaret my wiff upon the profettes of the said halffe farme landes goodes catall and dettes owing unto me shall beare and paye the chargies of my funerall expense paye halffe the whole dettes of my mother and myne that we now owe at the hower of my dep'ting Allso she shall nowryshe and brynge up my chylder honestly and vertuously and allso in dew & convenient tyme discharge all the legacies comprised within this my Last wyll and Testament excepted only the chargeable legacies gyven unto my ij yonger chyldren whiche she shall not be bounde to discharge unles she contynew in her wedow estate during the whole under age of the said Stephen or three p'tes of the same It'm I wyll that in case the said Margaret doo agayne marrye at anye tyme the said Stephen or his heyre being under the age of xx'ti yeres as afore The said Stephen his governors hereafter expressed and named his heyres or assignes shall paye or cause to be payed unto the said Margaret at the daye or tyme of her said mariage one hundrith marke of lawfull money of Englande with hir chambre(?) accordyngly of which C mark the xxxli before to hir gyven shalbe porc'on It'm I wyll that she receaving the said C mark at the daye or tyme of her said mariage she shall quyetly as than delyver with owte delaye or interruption unto the governors of the said Stephen the said goodes and catall in lyke indifferent valew state and substaunce as before Allso the said Margaret as than shalbe clerely dischargied of the said halffe farme and allso of all my landes of what nature or tenure so ever they be of saving only I gyve unto the said Margaret for terme of hir naturall lyffe for hir purporte syx pounde which vjli shalbe payed yerely unto hir in customable seasons owt of my landes by the handes of the said Stephen or by his governors for his under age or by his heyre or assignes fro tyme to tyme beyng It'm I gyve to Margaret my dowghter xl'li which xl'li I wyll to be delyvered unto her at the daye of hir mariage so that she be than of the full age of xvij yeres Allso in case the said Margaret my dowghter departe owte of this worlde before hir said full age she to have nothing It'm I gyve unto the chylde which my wiff is now conceaved withall it being a manchylde and lyving untyll his age of xx'ti yeres xl'li And if he dep'te owte of this worlde before his said full age he to have nothynge It'm if it be a woma' chylde and lyve untyll hir full age as before I gyve her xxli if she dep'te before hir said age she to have nothing It'm I gyve unto every one of the chylder of Elizab' Toolye my syster fyve shepe and one heyfer It'm I gyve unto Mr vicar of Wytnaye that now is xs It'm I gyve unto Mr George Edrige? xiijs iiijd It'm I gyve unto Richarde Bryce my brother the rest of my yeres of my fullyng myll after that my uncle Yates Yeres be expired therin It'm I wyll that my bargayne and sale made betwyxt my uncle Leonard Yate and and me before mydsomer last paste before the date herof for and concernyng two howses and one barne w'th thappurten'nces scituate in the borough of Wytnaye in the north syde of the brydge shall stande in reall and full effecte the said Leonarde his heyres or assignes paying therfore unto my executor and heyre his heyre assignes or governors for the tyme beyng towardes the dischargying of my dettes the therde daye of Maye nexte folowing xxviijli of lawfull money of Englande Allso I bynde my executor and heyre his heyres and assignes to discharge the said Leonarde and his heyres of all maner of Dewties goyng owte of the said howses and barne w'th thappurten'ncies dew or herafter to be dew excepted only the cheiffe rentes and other dewties dew or herafter to be dew unto the kynges ma'tie or to any other cheife lorde or Lordes of the same All the resydew of my goodes and catall my bodie buryed my dettes payed as afore wrytten and this my presente Testamente and Laste wyll fullfylled I gyve all frely unto Stephen Bryce my sonne whome I make only myne executor to whom I gyve the Lease of this my farme with all my free holdes charter holdes and copye holdes and to entre into the whole at his age of xx'ti yeres he dischargynge accordynglye my dettes and Legacies undischargied as before Allso in case the said Stephen departe owte of this worlde before his Lawfull age I wyll that the chylde which my wiff is now conceaved withall (beyng a manchylde and lyving untyll his age of xx'ti yeres shall have the said Lease Lands catall and goodes gyven and bequethed unto the said Stephen dischargyng my Legacies and dettes as before, It'm I wyll if that it be a womanchylde the said Lease Landes catall and goodes shalbe equallye devided betwyxt my dowghter Margaret and hir they dischargynge my Legacies and dettes as before, It'm in case that but one of theym remayne she to have the whole dischargyng as before It'm in case that none of my chylder lyve untyll their Lawfull age I gyve both lease landes catall and goodes unto Richarde Brice my brother he dischargyng my dettes and Legacies as before It'm I ordeyne by this my Laste wyll and Testamente that in case the said Margaret my wiff do agayne marrye my sonne Stephen beyng under his Lawfull age Water Beckynsale gent & Leonarde Yate Yeoman to be governors and rulers of the said Stephen and the rest of my chylder and of the Lease of the said farme Landes catall and goodes untyll his or their Lawfull age wyllyng and chargyng them to employ the commodities of the farme (duryng the sayd tyme) to the profet of the said Stephen and brynging up of the reste of my chylder to whom I bequeth for suche their paynes therin takyng vli yerely betwyxte theym off the profettes of the premisses It'm I ordeyne Willyam Byshopp & Thom's Rynge supervisors of this my last wyll to whom I gyve betwyxt theym xxvjs viijd These beryng wytnesse Thomas Knyght clerke vicar of Wytnaye Thomas Tayler Thom's Hanckes Wyllyam Geyles with other Probatum Erat hoc presen' Testamentu' coram nobis Waltero Wright ...................................... [....................................................................................] ......................... viz' sexto die Mens's februarij Anno domini Millesimo Quingentesimo Quadragesimo Septimo ac p[er] nos approbatum et Insinuat' Necnon pro vero valore eiusdem L'time pronunciat' Commissaq' fuit et est p' nos administracio omnium et sing'loru' bonorum, iurium, catallorum, et creditorum suprascripti Testator' defuncti Waltero Beckynsale uni tutoru' in persona Mag'ri Thome Knyght vicarij de Wytnaye procuratoris eius et Leonardo Yate alteri tutorum in p'sona propria de bene et fidel'r administrando eadem ad usum et utilitatem Stephani Bryce executor' in dicto testamento no'i'at (dur__ eius minore etate) ac solvendo debita et Legata eiusdem defuncti ac dictum Testamentum p'implendo iuxta vires bonorum ......................... ................................................................................................ ........................................