MRP: Bence Johnson the elder will
Contents
Bence Johnson the elder will
Editorial history
10/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted partial transcription
Abstract & context
Suggested links
See Bence Johnson the younger will
See Alexander Bence of Aldeburghe will
Transcription
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN The ffiveth day of November Snno Domini 1637 And in the thirteenth yeare of the reigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of god King of England Scotland ffrance and Ireland defender of the faith x:r I Bence Johnson of Limehouse in the county of Midds Mariner being sicke in bodie but of sound and perfect minde and memory (praised be almightie god) much callinge to minde the frailtie and uncertaintie of this mortall life Doe make and Declare my Last will and testament in manner and forme following, that is to saie
FFIRST and principally I commend my soule into the hands of Almightie God assuredlie trustinge that through his mercie and the death and merritts of Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redemmer I shalbe freelie pardoned all my synnes, and that after the end of this mortall life shalbe made ptaker of the Kingdome of heaven amongst his blessed Saintes forever, And my bodie I committ to the earth to be decentlie buried accordinge to the directions of my executors hereafter named
And touchinge such temporall goods and substance as god of his mercie hath blessed mee withall in this life I dispose thereof as followeth,
FFIRST my will and minde is that all such debtes and sommes of money as I shall owe of right or in a conscience to any pson or psons att the tyme of my death shalbe trewlie paid w:thin as short tyme after my decease as convenientlie may be
ITEM I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth my lovinge wife five hundred poundes in money to be paid her in this manner, vizt One hundred pounds within one Moneth next after my decease and the other ffower hundred poundes within six moneths then next following, Alsoe I give and bequeath to my said wife to her owne use All and singular my plate beddinge, lynnen woollen brasse pewter chestes implem:ts howsholdstuffe and furniture in Lymehowse aforesaid
ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said wife one Annuity or yearly rent of one hundred pounds of Lawfull money of England, To be paid unto her for and duringe her naturall life by myne executors out of my whole estate At fowre usuall ffeastes or terms of the yeare that is to saie At the ffeaste of the birth of our Lord god Thannunicon of the blessed vigin Marie the Nativitie of S:t John Baptist and S:t Michaell Tharchangell or wuthin ine and twenty daies next ensêwing everie of the said ffeastes by equall porccons; The first paym:t thereof to begyinn and be made att the second feaste of the ffeasts aforesaid w:ch shall next happen and come after my decease or within one and twentie daies next followinge that ffeast (if my said wife be then livinge) And I doe hereby request and desire myne executors to make ?demi payment of the said Annuity unto my said wife as accordinglie,
ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said twoe daughters Elizabeth Johnson and Marie Johnson one thowsand pounds apeece in money To be paid unto them att their severall and respective ages of twenty and one yeares or daies of Marriage w:ch shall first happen, And if either of my said daughters shall happen to die before sucg age or marriage then I will and bequeath the porcon of her soe dyinge unto the survivinge daughter and my sonn Bence Johnson to be equallie devided betweene them part and partlike
ITEM I give and bequeath to that child or children w:ch my said wife nowe goeth withall (if she bve with child) one thowsand pounds in money to be paid to that child or children if sonn or sonnes
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att the said age of one and twentie yeares and if daughter or daughters att the like age or day of marriage w:ch shall first happen, And in case such child or children shall die before such severall and respective age or marriage as aforesaid, then I will the porccon of such deceased shall remayne and be to and amongst all my said children survivinge equally:
ITEM whereas I have heretofore disbursed unto my ffather in law M:r Richard Bromfield the some of eight hundred and fiftie poundes of lawfull money of England for the purchase of the enheritance of a Brewhowse and dwelling howse wherein he nowe dwelleth in Lymehose aforesaid and of other thinges of him the said Richard expressed in the coppie of court Roll and am admitted Tenant thereof accordinge to the Custome of the Manno:r whereof they are houlden, yet nevertheless my will and mynde is, and I doe hereby give full power and authority unto my executo:r hereafter named and to the survivours of them that if the said Richard Bromfield or his heires shall att any tyme or tymes within the space of twelve monethes nexte ensuing my decease truly paie or cause to be paid unto my said Executors or any of them the somme of eight hundred and fiftie poundes of lawfull money of England That then my said Executors and the Survivours of them sahll upon paym:t of the same mony and att the coste and charges of the said Richard and his heires surrender Recovery and ?reassure to the said Richard his heiresa nd Assignes All the said Brewhowse dwellinge howse and other thinges soe purchased as aforesaid in such manner and for me As by the consent of the said Richard Learned in the Lawe shalbe advised and thought fitt.
ITEM I give and bequeath unto my sonne Bence Johnson and to his heires and Assignes forever All and singular my howses Landes tenem:ts and hereditam:ts whatsoever with their Appurtenances lyinge and being in Aldburgh in the Countie of Suffolk w.ch I bought abd purchased of Thomas ?Redgrave and Marie his wife
Commentary
Elizabeth, loving wife
Two daughters, Elizabeth Johnson and Marie Johnson
Father-in-law, Mr. Richard Bromfield
Arnold Browne
Son, Bence Johnson
Son-in-law Arnold Browne (my wife bringing up her son Arnold Browne)
Nephew Ewen Johnson
Poore of Aldbrough
Hamlett of Rattcliffe
My uncles Alexander Bence and Squire Bence
My brother-in-law Samuell Knight
Notes
GB 0096 MS 655: Davis, Thomas, 1630-31, 4 leaves
- Content: Accounts kept by Thomas Davis of Aleppo, merchant, dated 30 Mar and 18 Dec 1630 and 18 Dec 1631, relating to broadcloth received from his brother Richard Davis of London, also a merchant, and to gogram and ardass silks sent by Davis to London, 'being 16 balles cont: 80 peeces broad clothes under the m[a]rke per margent receved out of the shipp Sampson of London Bence Johnson master is debt[es?] to charges of merchandize for the fraight custome and other charges as ffoll[oweth?]...'. Other persons mentioned include Bryan Harrison, master of the shipp Unicorne of London, and Thomas Davis.
"... shipwrights, shipmasters and shipowners, one product of which alliance, presumably, was Bence Johnson, master of the Mary and John in 1626 and of the 300-ton Assurance in 1629 and part-owner with Alexander and Squire of the Elizabeth of Aldeburgh (100 tons) in 1636. In the next generation Henry Johnson of the same family took ober the east India Company’s Blackwall yard and became perhaps the largest shipowner of the day."[1]
"The Reverend Mr. Garrard to the Lord Deputy.
May it please your Lordship,
Since my last of the 9:th of October from Sion, though now seated in London....There are abudance dead, Men of Quality, both at Home and Abroad...and Captain Bence Johnson, one of the best Seamen of this Kingdom, who was Captain of my Lord of Northumberland’s Ship this last Summer."[2]
"381. [Before 4 Feb. 1630] James Moyer, William Knight, Bence Johnson, Daniel Gatts and James Dammarell [to Trinity House. See 382.]
Trinity House are asked to establish a consul in this port of Leghorn. The post being void and leaving no one to speak for them, 'our' nation is much slighted by the ministers of the duke [of Tuscany], and 'much exacted upon' to the prejudice of shipping coming to the port. Morgan Read is willing to accept the place, being honest and able, of good repute with the duke, with sufficient means, and much respected by shipmasters and merchants. He has promised to write to Trinity House about the post [380]."[3]
"1626 Jan. 8 Owner of ship: John Slany; name of Ship: Mary and John, of London Tonnage: 160 Captains of Masters: Bence Johnson"[4]
"Since their return the plaintiff, Clobery, Bence, Johnson and Hooper met in the Ship tavern behind the Exchange, when witness gave Johnson a copy of his journal. That the crew consisted of 14 men and a boy."[5]
Possible primary sources
PROB 11/152 Skynner 60-124 Will of Arnold Browne, Mariner of Stepney, Middlesex 09 November 1627
PROB 11/182 Coventry 1-53 Will of Samuell Knight, Mariner of Limehouse, Middlesex 04 March 1640
- ↑ Kenneth R. Andrewes, Ships, money, and politics: seafaring and naval enterprise in the reign of Charles I (Cambridge, 1991), p. 49
- ↑ William Knowler, The Earl of Strafforde's letters and dispatches: with an essay towards his life, vol.2 (London, 1739), p. 128
- ↑ G.G. Harris (ed.), 'Transactions , vol. 2: 1630', Trinity House of Deptford Transactions, 1609-35, London Record Society 19 (London, 1983), pp. 106-112. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63926 Date accessed: 10 December 2011
- ↑ William Douglas Hamilton (ed.), Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Reign of Charles I ...: 1628-1629 (London, 1859), p. 286
- ↑ XXX, High Court of Admiralty examinations (ms. vol. 53) 1637-1638, vol. 2 (XXXX, 1932), p.30
