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Will of Edmond WINCHESTER of Ascott under Wychwood

Will 31 Aug 1612   Probate 15 Feb 1612/13

Source: TNA no. PROB11/121
Contributed by: Mick Dumbleton Go to Translation Go to Transcript
Summary.
...I Edmond Winchester of Ascott ... yeoman ... somewhat subject to sickness and other infirmities of my body ...

NameRelationship[Comments] or Major Bequests
Edmond WINCHESTER Ascott under Wychwood
Johane WINCHESTERWife (Exec)
Thomas WINCHESTEREldest Son (Exec)
Edmond WINCHESTERGrandson[s Thomas -- under 21]
Tysdale WINCHESTERGrandson[s Thomas -- under 21]
Anne WINCHESTERGranddaughter[d Thomas -- under 18]
Magdalen WINCHESTERGranddaughter[d Thomas -- under 18]
Emlin WINCHESTERGranddaughter[d Thomas -- under 18]
Margery SYMONSSister
Anne HARRISDaughter
Joseph HARRISSon-in-lawWoodstock
William HARRISGrandson[s Anne -- under 21]
Edmond HARRISGrandson[s Anne -- under 21]
Anne HARRISGranddaughter[d Anne -- under 18]
Marye HARRISGranddaughter[d Anne -- under 18]
Johane HARRISGranddaughter[d Anne -- under 18]
William WINCHESTERSon[with unnamed pregnant wife]
Jane HALLSister
Anne HALLNiece[d Jane]
Sara HALLNiece[d Jane]
Samuell HUDSONMention[former Minister of Ascott]
Robert HIXELegatee Shepherd
Henry HEYLINOverseer
Leonard BOXEOverseer
Bartholomew PEYSLEYOverseer
Richard FULLERCousin Overseer
James GOODMANWitness
Henry HELMWitness
John SMITHWitness
Stephen SURMANWitness
Walter BENETTWitness

Probate 15 Feb 1612/13 London (PCC) Joanne relict and Thomas Winchester son the Executors ...
Transcriber's and Editor's Notes
The £10 bequests to various granddaughters do not seem to make sense, translating as "at age 18 or day of marriage, whichever comes first, if they do not marry before age 18." Users who care should try to make more sense of the Transcript than the editor can :-)
Re "the cheise howse in the ffeild". We may discount "cheese house", since such a building would not be furnished like that. "Chase house" is possible -- perhaps once a hunting lodge -- but who knows? "... in the ffeild" could of course just mean "in the field", but since the village is here written as "Le ffeild" it could also mean Leafield, slightly anglicised.
The following details are believed to be true but should not be totally relied upon:
Testator: Son of Thomas (1575 qv) & Elizabeth (1584 qv); Father of Thomas (1626 qv); Grandfather of Joane (1688 qv); Uncle of Thomas Bricquett (1649 qv).
  Translated and paragraphed.
with some of the standard preamble and "legalese" removed.
Go to Glossary
...I Edmond Winchester of Ascott ... yeoman ... somewhat subject to sickness and other infirmities of my body ...
  • My body is to be buried in the churchyard of Ascott.
  • I give 5s to the church of Ascott.
  • I give 20s to the poor of Ascott and 20s to the poor of Leafield.
  • I give 20s to the town of Burford and 20s to the town of Witney, to be distributed in each case among 60 of the poorest inhabitants (4d each) by the current Bailiffs.
    All the above legacies are to be distributed immediately after my decease.
  • I give 20s to my shepherd Robert Hixe, to be paid immediately after my decease.
  • I give 40s to my sister Margery Symons, to be paid immediately after my decease.
  • I give 100 marks to my daughter Anne Harris, wife of Joseph Harris of Woodstock, to be paid within three months after my decease.
  • I give £10 each to all her children, William, Edmond, Anne, Marye and Johane, to be paid to sons at age 21 and to daughters at age 18 or earlier marriage (see Note).
    If any of them die before inheriting, their portions (plus interest) are to be equally divided amongst the survivors at the above ages.
    The £50 is to be paid to my son-in-law Harris, their father, within six months after my decease.
    He is to put in a bond with sureties to my Executors to pay each child £20 at the above ages, and if any die to divide their £20 portions equally between the survivors.
    The sureties to be named by my son-in-law are to be such as my Executors approve of, and if any of them die or decay a new surety is to be given within three months after being requested.
    If he refuses to give such security, my £10 legacies are to be invested by my Executors, who are to pay each child as above.
  • I give 20s each to Anne Hall and Sara Hall, daughters of my sister Jane Hall, to be paid within three months after my decease.
  • I give £10 each to all the children of my son Thomas Winchester, Edmond, Tysdale, Anne, Magdalen and Emlin.
    [Rules as above for Harris children, except that Overseers are to be in charge rather than Executors.]
  • I give £10 to the child with which my son William's wife is now pregnant, to be paid to William within six months after my death.
    He is to pay £20 to the child at age 18.
    If the child dies before 18 the £20 goes to their next eldest child at 18, and for want of such child it is to remain with my son and his wife.
  • I give the following to my son William Winchester:
    • All my messuages, lands, tenements etc in Leafield, with all their commons, profits etc in Leafield and the forest of Wychwood or elsewhere, to him and the heirs males of his body.
      For want of such issue [the properties] go to my own right heirs forever.
    • My second iron-bound cart, one plough (furnished), two horses (one a bay sorrel gelding colt, the other a black filly), thirty sheep and three kine of the middle sort.
    • These goods which remain at "the cheise howse in the ffeild" (see Note), ie two tables with their frames in the hall and parlour, one livery cupboard in the parlour, five joined stools, two bedsteads and a press, a round table in one of the chambers and three chairs, with such other household stuff and implements of mine as remained about that house before my son Thomas went to live there.
  • I give all the residue of my goods and chattels (except my gold ring with my initials) to my well-beloved wife Johane Winchester and my son and heir apparent Thomas Winchester whom I make my Executors, they paying my debts and legacies etc.
  • A sermon is to be made at my burial by some learned Divine to be appointed by my Executors, having 10s for his pains, but if Mr Samuell Hudson, late Minister here, will undertake the task then he is to have the 10s.
  • My grandson Edmond Winchester is to have my above gold ring.
  • I make Mr Henry Heylin, Mr Leonard Boxe, Mr Bartholomew Peysley and my cousin Richard Fuller my overseers, and I give them 20s each for their pains to be paid immediately after my decease.

  • Witnesses James Goodman; He: Helm; John Smith; Stephen Surman; Walter Benett
Probate 15 Feb 1612/13 London (PCC) Joanne relict and Thomas Winchester son the Executors ...
  As transcribed from a copy of the original document.
Original line- and page-breaks are preserved as far as possible.
In the name of God Amen The one and Thirtith daye of August
in the yeare of our Lord God 1612 And in the Tenth yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lorde
James the kings ma'tie that nowe is over this __ king of England I Edmond Winchester of Ascott in the County of
Ox’on yeoman beinge somwhat subject to sicknes and other infirmities of my bodie but of good and
p’fect memory, I doe therefore thanke Thalmightie, doe make and declare this my Testament and last
will in manner and forme followeinge, ffirst I doe Com’end my sowle into the handes of Allmightie
God my maker Savior and only Redeemer hopinge and assuredlye trustinge by the death and meritts of
my Lord and saviour Jhesus Christe to have forgivenes of my synnes and everlastinge life, my body I
Comend to the earth from whence it was taken to be buried in the Churcheyard of Ascott aforesaid at
the discretion of myne Executors hereafter named, Item I give to the Church of Ascott afforesaid vs
to be paide to the handes of the Churchwardens there, And to the poore people of Ascott xx’s to be
distributed amongest them by myne Executors ymediatlie after my decease, I give also to the poore
people of Le ffeild xx’s, to be distributed amongest them as afforesaid, Item I give to the towne of
Burford in this Countey of Ox’on xx’s, To be given and distributed to and amongest Threescore of the
poorest sorte of thinhabitants ther by the Bayliffs there for the tyme beinge videl’t by iiij’d a
peece to every of the same poore, Item I give to the Towne of Wittney other xx’s to be distributed
amongest lx of the poorest inhabitants there by iiij’d a peece accordingly as is lastly before
appoynted, All theis moneyes to be given and distributed forthw’th after my decease, Item I
give to my sheapard Robert Hixe xx’s to be paid forthw’th after my decease, I give to my sister
Margery Symons xls to be paid as afforesaid, Item I give and bequeath unto Anne Harris
my daughter wife of Joseph Harris of Woodstocke one hundred marks of lawfull money of
England to be paid unto her w’thin three monethes after my decease, And to every of her Children
videl’t Will’m Edmond Anne Marye and Johane Tenne poundes a peece of like money to be paid
to the same sonnes at theire severall ages of Twentie and one yeares, And to the saide daughters
at their ags of xviij yeares or dayes of mariadge if they marry not before the same age of
xviij yeares w’ch of them shall first happen, And if any of them shall happen to die before theire
said ages Then the porc’on and stocke of him her and them soe dieinge w’th the increase thereof to bee
equally devided amongest the survivors of them at theire ages afforesaid by even porc’ons And I will
that the same severall porc’ons of x’li amountinge to l’li in the whole shall w’th sixe monethes next
after my decease be delivered into the handes of my said sonne in lawe theire father so as he will put
in bonde w’th suerties to my Executors hereafter named to paye unto every of his said Children at their
severall ages afforesaide xx’li a peece, And in case any of them dye then to paye the porc’on of xx’li of
them so dyeing to and amongest the residue of the same his said Children accordingely as is before
declared, And if my said sonne in lawe shall refuse or fayle to give such securitie for the payment
of the said severall somes of xx’li as afforesaid, That then the said severall legacies of x’li shall be put
forth by myne Executors to and for the use and benefitt of the said Children, And they to paye unto
every of them xx’li a peece at their ages afforesaide, And so to the survivors if any of them happen
to die accordingly as is before menc’oned, And my mynde and will is that the suerties to be putt in
by my said sonne in lawe Harris shall be such as myne Executors or the survivor of them shall allowe of And
yf any of the said suerties shall dye or decaye then a newe surety in his place to be given w’thin the three moneths
after request to be made, And this also to be Conteyned in the Condic’on of the said bond, Item I give unto Anne
Hall and Sara Hall daughters of my sister Jane Hall xx’s a peece to be paid to them w’thin three monethes
next after my decease, Item I give to everie of the Children of my sonne Thomas Winchester videl’t Edmond
Tysdale, Anne, Magdalen and Emlin Tenne poundes a peece to be paid to the said sonnes at their ages of
xxj yeares, And to the said daughters at their ages of xviij yeares or dayes of marriadge w’ch shall first
happen, if they marrye not before xviij yeares of age, And in that case at the same age of xviij yeares w’ch
som’e of l’li shall remayne w’th their said father he putting in bond w’th suertie to my Oversers hereafter named
to paye to every of the same his Children xx’li a peece at their ags or mariadgs afforesaid accordinge to the
true meaninge of this my will And if any of them dye then to paye the som’e of xx’li for every of them
soe dyeinge before the said ages to the survivors of them as they shall severally accomplish their said ages
equally by even porc’ons, And if any of his suerties dye or decaye he also to give newe securitie at the
discretion of my Overseers, And if he shall refuse to give such securitie for payment of the said severall
som’es of xx’li, Then the same l’li shall be payd unto my said Overseers w’thin sixe moneths next after
my decease And they to putt forth and ymploye the same to and for the benefitt of the same Children at
their best discretions, Item I give unto the Child wherewith the wife of my sonne Will’m nowe goeth
x’li, To be paid to the handes of the said Will’m w’th in sixe monethes after my death And if the same
Child happen to dye before the age of xviij yeares at w’ch tyme I will it shall have xx’li paid for the
said x’li then the same some of xx’li to remayne to the next eldest Child to be paid at that age, And for
want of such Child to remayne to my said sonne and my daughter in lawe his wife, Item I give and
bequeath unto the said Will’m Winchester my sonne all my mesuages landes tenements and hereditam’ts
lyeinge and beinge w’thin the village or hamlett of Le ffeilde w’thin the said County of Ox’on w’thall
and everie the Comons profitts and Comodities whatsoever lyeinge beinge or remayninge w’thin Le
ffeild afforesaid and the fforrest of Whichwood or elswere belonging to the same messuages landes and
tenements or any of them to have and to holde to him the said Will’m and the heires males of his bodie
Begotten and to be begotten and for want of such yssue the same messuages landes and Tenements and
hereditaments to remayne to the right heires of me the said Edmond Winchester for ever, Item I give to
the said Will’m my sonne my second iron bound Cart one plowe furnished two horsbeasts videl’t the one
a baye sorrell geldinge colte and thother a blacke mare Coulte thirtie sheepe three kyne of the middle
sorte And also theis severall goods followinge remayninge at the cheise howse in the ffeild videl’t two
tables w’th theire frames in the hall and parlour there and one livery Cubbord in the p’lo’r there
ffive ioyned stooles two bedsteeds and a presse one rounde Table in one of the Chambers there and
three Chaires there beinge w’th such other howshold stuffe and ymplements of myne as remayned
aboute the same howse before my sonne Thomas went thither to dwell, AndAll the rest and residue of
my goodes and Chattells of all sorts and kinds (Except my goldringe w’th the letters of my name
there uppon) I give and bequeath unto Johane Winchester my welbeloved wife and to the said Thomas
Winchester my sonne and heire apparant w’ch said Johane my wife and Thomas my sonne I doe make
and ordeyne the Executors of this my Testament and last will they to paye my debts and legacies
And to see my bodye decently brought to the earth, And I will that there shall be a sermon made at
my buriall by som’e learned devine to be appointed by my said Executors, And he to have for his paynes
therein x’s Provided that if Mr Samuell Hudson late Minister here will undertake the same
business then he to have the x’s before menc’oned, And I will that Edmond Winchester my grandchild
shall have my gold Ringe afforesaid, And I doe make and ordayne Mr Henry Heylin Mr Leonard
Boxe Mr Bartholomew Peysley and my Cosen Richard ffuller the Overseers of this my last will
and Testament desireinge them to doe their best indevors and to give their best helps and assistancs
to myne Executors for the p’formance of this my will and for the settlinge of securitie for the legaces of
my grandchildren according to my true meaning herein And I give to everie of them for their paynes
therein xx’s a peece to be paid ymediatly after my decease, In witnesse whereof I have to every
sheete hereof sett my hand and seale the daye and yeare first above written. Edmond Winchester
This will was sealed and subscribed the daye and yeare first above written by the said Edmond Winchester
and by him acknowledged for his last will and Testam’t in the p’nce of James Goodman, He: Helm John
Smith Stephen Surman Walter Benett

Probatum fuit Testamentum suprascriptum apud London coram ..............................
.....................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................... decimo Quinto die ffebruarij Anno domini iuxta cursum et
Computaco'em ....... Anglicane millesimo sexcentesimo duodecimo Iuramento Joanne Relicte et
Thome Winchester filij .........................dicti defuncti et Executorum in eodem Testamento nominat
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