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Will of Thomas HESTER of Thame Will 8 Jun 1575   Admon 16 Jun 1575   Probate 5 Jun 1583
Source: TNA no. PROB11/57 Contributed by: Paddy Hester Go to Translation Go to Transcript
Summary.
... I Thomas Hester of Thame ... sick in body ... Name Relationship [Comments] or Major Bequests Thomas HESTER   Thame Alice HESTER Wife John HESTER Eldest Son (Exec) [under 21] Thomas HESTER Second Son [under 21] William HESTER Third Son [under 21] Richard HESTER Youngest Son [under 21] Johane HESTER Daughter William HESTER Brother [with unnamed ch legatees] John HESTER Brother see Note Jane HESTER Sister see Note William LAMTON Overseer Towersey? Francis PARKE Overseer Wickham Richard PEERS Overseer London Anne BAKER Legatee Elizabeth BAKER Legatee Servant William COX Tenant unnamed Servants unnamed Godchildren William HESTER Witness Harry? ____ Witness Robert PHILLIPPES Witness als COX Robert COX Witness als PHILLIPPES Thomas STREPLYN Witness Richard PEERS Witness the scribe.   Admon 16 Jun 1575 granted to William Langton, Francis Parke and Richard Peers, the named supervisors, during the minority of John Hester the son and Executor. Probate 5 Jun 1583 ... John Hester son and Executor ...
Transcriber's and Editor's Notes
The phrase "John and Jane Hester my brother and sister by the father" is unusual -- perhaps it means half-siblings, with a different mother.
Translated and paragraphed. with some of the standard preamble and "legalese" removed. Go to Glossary
... I Thomas Hester of Thame ... sick in body ... My body is to be buried in the parish church of Thame I make my eldest son John Hester my sole executor, and my overseers my trusty friends William Lamton of Towersey?, Francis Parke of Wickham and Richard Peers of London, giving them for their pains 40s apiece. My wife Alice shall have all the profits of my lands during her widowhood, provided that my son John Hester (or my next heir) have it at age 21. I give my wife Alice £50 if she does not claim the third of my lands and goods. If she claims the thirds, the £50 is to be equally divided among all my children. I give my eldest son John Hester all my lands in Old Thame and Priestend at age 21, and the profits thereof after his mother's widowhood: to him and his lawful heirs forever. For default of such issue, to Thomas Hester my second son and his lawful heirs forever For default of such issue, to William Hester my third son and his lawful heirs forever For default of such issue, to Richard Hester my youngest son and his lawful heirs forever If all my sons die before 21 without issue, as god forbid, my daughter Johanne Hester shall have [all of it], to her and her lawful heirs of her body forever. And if Johane dies without issue then it goes to the next lawful heir I give my son John Hester the best bed and bedstead with all the best furniture belonging, now standing in the chamber over the parlour. I give my son Thomas Hester all my copy-hold lands in Priestend. I give my son Thomas Hester £100 at age 21. I give my son William Hester £100 at age 21. I give my son Richard Hester £100 at age 21. I give my daughter Johan Hester £100 to be paid on the day of her marriage. If any of my children die before 21 or day of marriage, their part shall be equally divided amongst the survivors. My overseers shall have custody of the £400 given to my children towards their schooling during their minority, giving sureties to my executor for the money. I give my son William Hester my lands etc called Lowdes and the house which my brother William dwells in, after the decease of his mother. I give my son Richard Hester all the rest of my copy-hold not already bequethed after the decease of his mother. Anne Baker shall have a lease of the house late in the tenure of William Cox for 21 years after my decease, paying 6s 8d pa. I give Anne Baker £6 13s 4d to be paid at her day of marriage. I give my servant Elizabeth Baker 40s. I give every one of my servants 3s 4d. I give 40s to be distributed to the poor of the town. I give 40s to the mending of the highways about Thame. I give all my brother's children 10s apiece. I give to John and Jane Hester my brother and sister by the father 40s apiece. I give each of my godchildren 12d. Thomas Hester ... would have signed it but he could not ... Witnesses William Hester Harry? ____ the marke of Robert Phillippes als Cox Thomas Streplyn Richard Peers the writer. Admon 16 Jun 1575 granted to William Langton, Francis Parke and Richard Peers, the named supervisors, during the minority of John Hester the son and Executor. Probate 5 Jun 1583 ... John Hester son and Executor ...
As transcribed from a copy of the original document. Original line- and page-breaks are preserved as far as possible.
T: Thome Hester In the name of god amen I Thomas Hester of Thame in the countie of Oxforth beinge sicke in body but in perfecte memory thancked be god Do ordeine and make this my laste will and testament this viijth Day of June 1575 in the Seaventeneth yere of the Quenes Ma'tis Raigne that nowe is &c ffirst I bequeth my sowle to almightie god my creator verily trustinge through him and his deare sonne who shedd his most precious bloudde for me and through the grace of the holy ghost thre p'sonns and one god to have free forgivenes of all my synnes secondly I bequeath my body to be burried in the parishe churche of Thame at the discrecon of my executor and overseers Item I make my full and onely executor John Hester my eldest sonne and my overseers my trusty frends william Lamton of Tow'sty ffrancis Parke of wickham and Richard Peers of London givinge them for their payne fortie shillings a pece Item I give and my will is that Alice my wyfe shall have and enioy duringe her wydowehod all the profitts of my Lands whatsoev' Provided alwayes that my sonne John Hester or my next heire have and enioye it at his full age of one and twentie yeres I will and bequeth to Alice my wyfe so as she clayme not the thyrde in my lands and goods the Somme of ffiftie poundes yf she clayme the thyrde then the said fiftie pounds to be equally devided amongest all my children Item I give to John Hester my eldest sonne all my lands in olde Thame and Prestende and the profitts thereof after his mothers wydowhod at thage of one and twentie yeres to him and theires of his body lawfully begotten forev' and for defaulte of suche issue to Thomas Hester my seconde sonne and to theires of his body lawfully begotten forever and for defaulte of suche issue to William Hester my thirde Sonne and to theires of his body lawfully begottenne forever and for defaulte of suche issue to Richard Hester my youngest sonne and to theires of his body lawfully begottenne forever And if fortune that all my sonnes departe before their full age and dye w'thoute issue as god forbide I will that Johanne Hester my daughter shall have all my said lands aforsaid to her and theires of her body lawfully begotten forever And if it fortune the said Johane to dye withoute issue then to the next heire w'ch of right ought to have it Item I give and bequeth to John Hester my sonne the best bedde and bedsted w't all my best furinture to it belonginge now standinge in the chamber over the parlo'r Item I give and bequeth to Thomas Hester my sonne all my coppie holde lands beinge in Prestende Item I give and bequeth to Thomas Hester my sonne at thage of one and twentie yeres a hundreth pounds Item I give to william Hester my sonne at thage of one and twentie yeres one hundreth pounds Item I give to Richard Hester my Sonne at thage of one and twentie yeres one hundreth pounds Item I give to Johan Hester my Daughter one hundreth Poundes to be paied her at the day of her mariage Provided alwayes that if it fortune any of my said children to dye before their full age or day of mariage that then their parte that so shall Decease shalbe equally devided amongest the rest of them then livinge equally And further I will that myne overseers shall have the use and custodie of the foure hundred Pounds given to my children duringe the tyme of there none age towards the syndinge of them to schole puttinge in good sureties to my executor for the same Item I give to my sonne william Hester my lands called Lowdes wth the appurtenannces and the howse which my brother william dwelleth in after the decease of his mother Item I give to Richard Hester my sonne all the rest of my coppie holde not bequethed after the decease of his mother Item I will that Anne Baker shall have a lease of the howse late in the teanure of william Cox for one and twentie yeres after my decease payinge six shillings and eight pence a yere Item I give and bequeth to Anne Baker to be paied at her day of marriage six poundes thetene shillings and foure pence Item I give to Elizabeth Baker my servannte fortie shillings Item I give to ev'y one of my servannts thre shillings and foure pence Item I give to be Distributed to the poore of the towne ffortie shillings Item I give to the mendinge of the high wayes aboute thame ffortie shillings Item I give to ev'ry of my brothers children tenne shillings a pece Item I give to John and Jane Hester my brother and sister by the father fortie shillings a pece Item I give to ev'ry of my god children twelve pence a pece Thomas Hester confessed in the presence of us whose names and marks are here under written this to be his last will and testament and wolde have put his hand to it but he colde not by me william Hester by me harry? ____ the marke of Robert Phillippes als Cox by me Thomas Streplyn and me Richard Peers the writer hereof Emanavit com'issio' Decimo sexto die mensis Junij anno domini Mill'imo quingentesimo septuagesimo quinto? comission' Will'mo Langton ffrancisco Parke et Ricardo Peers Supervisoribus no'i'ate in testamento dic' def' __ &c Ad'on administrand' bona iura et credita dic' def' _____________ minor' etate Johannis Hester filij at Executoris ...................................... [Marginal addition] Quinto die mensis Junij A'o 1583 probatum fuit huiu' testamentum Jur'to Joh-is Hester filij et ex'ris &c .........................................