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Will of Elizabeth WINCHESTER of Ascott under Wychwood Will 7 Apr 1585   Probate 10 Jul 1584 (see Note)
Source: OHC no. W. 187.246; 156/1/6 Contributed by: Mick Dumbleton Go to Translation Go to Transcript
Summary.
... I Elizabeth Winchester of Ascot ... widow ... Name Relationship [Comments] or Major Bequests Elizabeth WINCHESTER   Ascott under Wychwood Margery BRICKET Daughter Anne PEESLEY Daughter William PEESLEY Grandson [s Anne] Mary PEESLEY Granddaughter [d Anne -- see Note] Elizabeth PEESLEY Granddaughter [d Anne -- see Note] Frances PEESLEY Granddaughter [d Anne -- see Note] George PEESLEY Son-in-law Overseer [see Note] Elizabeth PEESLEY Granddaughter [d George -- see Note] William PEESLEY Son-in-law Overseer [see Note] Elizabeth PEESLEY Granddaughter [d William -- see Note] Jane HALLE Daughter [with 2 unnamed ch legatees] Edmund HALL Son-in-law Joan BROOKS Daughter [later HARRIES -- with 4 unnamed BROOKS ch legatees] Joan HARRIES Daughter [formerly BROOKS -- with 2 unnamed HARRIES ch legatees] Susan BROOKS Granddaughter [d Joan -- see Note] Margaret BROOKS Legatee [probably old] Edmund WINCHESTER Son (Exec) [with unnamed wife & ch legatees] Elizabeth WINCHESTER Granddaughter Goddaughter [d Edmund] Joane WINCHESTER Legatee Thomas WINCHESTER Legatee [s Joane] John SKAY Brother Overseer [with unnamed ch legatees] Thomas SKAY Brother [with unnamed ch legatees] Edward ROBARDS Legatee Thomas TAYLOUR Mention [als FLETCHER] Thomas FLETCHER Mention [als TAYLOUR] Joane TAYLOUR Legatee [d Thomas] Probate 10 Jul 1584 (see Note) ... Executrix named ... Inventory £85 12s 6d
Transcriber's and Editor's Notes
One of the dates must be wrong. The will year of 1585 agrees with 27 Eliz, and in the Reg copy the probate year has been altered (illegibly). It seems fair to assume that probate was really July 1585, but users should be aware of the problem. This cannot be the true "original", being unsigned and unwitnessed. It may be a copy made for the Executor. The wording of the first bequest to the children of daughter Anne PEESLEY is unclear -- "children of my daughter Anne Peesley Mary Peesley, & Elizabeth ffrances". Mary PEESLEY and Elizabeth FRANCES (or Elizabeth and Frances) are presumably Anne's daughters. Later bequests suggest that there may be three and they are here summarised (and indexed) as such, but users should be aware of the problem. There may just possibly be two Mary PEESLEYs, a granddaughter and a separate legatee ("my third gown"), but only the granddaughter is included here. There are two PEESLEY sons-in-law, George and William, but we don't know which is Anne's husband and since both have daughters named Elizabeth that doesn't help -- one of them must be Anne's daughter, but ... It seems fairly clear that Susan BROOKS is one of her daughter Joan's four children by her first husband (the Marriage Index has George HARRIS marrying Joan BROKES (widow) in 1571). Joan is here summarised (and indexed) under both surnames. The following details are believed to be true but should not be totally relied upon: Testatrix: Wife of Thomas (1575 qv); Mother of Edmond (1613 qv); Grandmother of Thomas (1626 qv) & Thomas BRICQUETT (1649 qv); Great-grandmother of Joane (1688 qv) & Thomas BRIQUETT (1707 qv).
Translated and paragraphed. with some of the standard preamble and "legalese" removed. Go to Glossary
... I Elizabeth Winchester of Ascot ... widow ... I give 4d to the mother church of Oxford. I give 3s 4d towards the repair of Ascott church. I give 3s 4d to the poor people of Ascott. I give my daughter Margery Bricket ten ewes and lamb, and my best gown. I give my second gown to my daughter Anne Peesley. I give my third gown to Marie Peesley. I give my daughter Jane a gown or a gown cloth, two kerchiefs and two pairs of sheets. I give two sheep each to the children of my son Edmund Winchester and the children of my daughter Anne Peesley, Mary Peesley and Elizabeth Frances (see Note). I give two sheep each to my daughter Joane's four children whom she had by George Brooks (see Notes), also 40s each to be paid at age 20 or earlier marriage. I give one sheep each to her other two children whom she had by George Harries (see Notes). I give one sheep each to all the children of my two brothers John Skay and Thomas Skay. I give one sheep to Edward Robards. I give one pair of sheets and 20s each to Elizabeth, daughter of William Peesley, and Elizabeth, daughter of George Peesley. I give 20s to Thomas Winchester, son of Joane Winchester, whereof he is paid 10s [has already had 10s?] I give all my daughters a kerchief each. I give a kerchief and 10s to the wife of my son Edmund Winchester I give 40s to Susan Brooks more than the above 40s, and a pair of sheets (see Note). I give £10 to Margaret Brooks, but if my son Edmund Winchester or his executors etc will provide her with meat, drink and other necessaries suitable for a woman of her age and degree for the rest of her life, he may have the £10. I give 40s to William Peesley, son of my daughter Anne Peesley, and 20s to her daughter Frances Peesley. I give 20s to my goddaughter Elizabeth, daughter of my son Edmund Winchester. I give 20s to Joane Tayloure, daughter of Thomas Taylour alias Fletcher. I give 20s each to the two children of my daughter Jane Halle. The money is to remain with my Executor and (with the consent of my overseers) be invested for their benefit until age 20 or earlier marriage. My son-in-law William Peesley owes me £20, which I give to be equally divided between all his children within one year after my decease at the discretion of my executor and overseers. He also owes me a further £40 which I forgive him and his heirs. My son-in-law George Peesley owes me £6 which is to be equally divided among his children as above. My son-in-law Edmund Hall owes me £11 and a cow. My debts and funeral expenses being paid, I give all the residue of my goods and chattels to my son Edmund Winchester whom I make sole Executor. I appoint my brother John Skey and my sons-in-law William Peeslye and George Peesly as overseers and give them 10s each. Probate 10 Jul 1584 (see Note) ... Executrix named ... Inventory £85 12s 6d
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 seventh day of Aprill in the xxvijth yeare of the Raign of o'r Soveraign Lady Elizabeth by the grace of god Quene of England, France, & Ireland &c And in the yere of o'r Lord god one thousand five hundreth fourescore & five: I Elizabeth Winchester of Ascot in the county of Ox'on widdowe, beynge of p'fect Remembrannce thanks be to god doe ordaine and make this my last will and Testament in manner, & forme as followeth first I comit my soule unto the hands of god: &c Item I geve unto the mother church of Ox'on iiijd. It' I geve towards the Repaire of the church of Ascot iiis iiijd. Ite' I geve unto the poore people of Ascot aforesayd iijs iiijd: Item I geve & bequeath unto Margery Bricket my daughter: x yowes & lambes, and my best gowne. It' I geve to my daughter Anne Peesley my second gowne: It' I geve unto Marie Peesley my third gowne: It' I geve unto Jane my daughter A gowne, or a gowne cloath, ij kerchieffs ij paire of sheets: Ite' I geve unto the children of Edmund Winchester my sonne: and to the children of my daughter Anne Peesley Mary Peesley, & Elizabeth ffrances ev'ie one of them ij sheepe a peece: Item I geve unto the foure children of Joane my daughter the which she had by George Brooks ij sheepe a peece and further to ev'ie one of the same iiij children fourtie shillinges apeece: to be payd at the day of their marriage, or els at thage of xx yeres whether of them shall first happen: and to hir other ij children w'ch she had by George Harries one sheepe apeece; It' I geve to all the children of my two brethren John Skay and Thomas Skay ev'ie one of them one sheepe apeece: and to Edward Robards one sheepe: It' I geve unto Eliza= beth the daughter of William Peesley, & to Elizabeth the daughter of George Peesley either of them one payre of sheetes, and to either of them xxs in money: It' I geve unto Thomas Winchester the sonne of Joane Winchester xxs whereof he is payd xs It' I geve unto ev'ye one of my daughters a kerchife a peece It' I geve unto the wife of my sonne Edmund Winchester A kerchife, & xs in money: It' I geve unto Susan Brooks xls over, & above xls aforesayd, & a paire of sheets: It' I geve unto Margaret Brooks xli Provided that if my sonne Edmund Winchester, his executors, or assignes, shall, & will find & provide for hir the sayd Margaret competent & sufficient meat, & drinke, & other necessaries as shalbe meet and convenient for a woman of hir Age, & degree, for, & during all such tyme as she shall fortune to live: my will is that then this sayd xli shall remaine to the use of the said Edmund It' I geve unto William Peesley the sonne of my daughter Anne Peesley xls It' I geve unto ffrannces Peesley the daughter of the said Anne xxs It' I geve unto Elizabeth the daughter of my sonne Edmund Winchester and my goddaughter xxs It' I geve unto Joane Tayloure the daughter of Thomas Taylour als ffletcher xxs: It' I geve unto the ij children of my daughter Jane Halle eache of them xxs apeece. Provided that the sayd s'mme of xxs apeece geven unto the sayd ij children of my daughter Jane shalbe remaininge in the hands and custody of myne Executor and by the consent of my overseers to the use & behoof of the sayd ij children unto the day of their marriage or the age of xx yeares whether shall first happen It' whereas my sonne in lawe William Peesley oweth unto me xxli w'ch I geve wholy to be devided amonge all the children of the sayd William Peesley to every one of them an even and equall portion: to be paid w'th in one whole yeare next after my deceasse by the discretion of myne executor & overseers: Item whereas my sonne in lawe George Peesley oweth unto me vjli w'ch I will shall equally be devided in like manner as thaforesaid xxli unto the children of the said George by iust & equall portions Item further my sonne in lawe William Peesley oweth me xl’li all which I forgeve unto him & his heires for ever: Item my sonne in lawe Edmund Hall oweth me xj’li & a cowe: All the Rest & Residue of my goods & chattles moveable, and unmoveable my depts paid, & funerall expenses dischar ged: I geve to Edmund Winchester my sonne: who I will shall be my sole executor Also I appoynt myne ov’seers John Skey my brother William Peeslye & George Peesly my sonnes in lawe of this my last will and Testament, hopinge they will see the same duely fulfilled accordingly: It I geve to my said ov’seers xs apeece Probat fuit coram .................................................... deci’o die Julij 1584 ...................................... Executrici in eodem no’i'at ........ Inventariu lxxxv li xij s vj d