MRP: John Williams will
John Williams will
PROB 11/172 Pile 90 -123 Will of John Williams, Draper of London 18 November 1636
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01/12/11, CSG: Created page & posted transcription to wiki
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In the name of God Amen I John Williams being through the mercy of God (to whom be ascribed all prayse honor and glory) in right and pfect (sic) understanding and soundness of of mynde, and pfect health of Body But must entertayne how longe I shall soe continue And at this xpect [?] by his questions [grations?] intimatewhich is the answer [anchor?] and giver of all grace and goodnessmoved in my Confidence towards him my duty to the world and my naturall affection [?] to xxxx to xxxxxxx I am most xxxxxx linked lynked bothe by Gods knott and the knott of nature to dispose of my life and all estate temporallblessings xxxx god in his mercy hath vouch safed (sic) unto mee in manner and forme followinge
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Will made 15th day of June 1629
Mary my dearely beloved wife
Gives his moiety in land in the parish of XXX on county of Middlesex in tenure of William Turner, her father and Amy [?] his wife
My four sons and five daughters - Vizt William Williams, Phillip Williams, Elizabeth Williams, Katherine Williams, Chrystian [??] Williams, Jane Williams, Danyell (sic) Williams, Anne Williams, and John Williams
Give and bequeath to the porre of the parish of St Dunstans in the East London where I was borne. Give and bequeath unto the poore of the parish of St Peter le Poer in London where I dwelt many yeares. Give and bequeath to the parson and parishioners and churchwardens of the parish of St Andrews Undershaft where I now dwell. Give and bequeath unto the releife of the poore persons in Newgate, Ludgate. Poore of the hospital of Bridewell in London. Poore of St Thomas Hospitall. Prison of Ludgate. Give and bequeath to my eldest sonne William Williams all that my manner of Charlton Canville in the county of Somerset. My second son Philip Williams. My fourth sonne John Williams. My brother Daniell Williams. Interest in a tenament in Bowelane London
TRANSCRIPTION AGAIN
Item I give and bequeath unto my second daughter Katherine Williams the somme of one thousand and three hundred pounde (sic) over and abov her childes parte of the Thirde, and my xxxxxx and best Persian carpett (sic) and two silver candlesticks and two xxxxxxxxxxxxx of silver, whereof one is guilte (sic) Item I give and bequeath to my third daughter Christian (sic) Williams the some (sic) of one thousand and three hundred pounds (sic) over and above her childes parte of the thirde w:th a gold ringe w:ch was her Mother's (sic) weddinge Rynge, being in my xxxx, And my deepe [?] silver Bason (sic) , and a dozen silver saucers [??], And my second best persian (sic) carpett (sic) Item I give and bequeath to my fourth daughter Jane Williams the some of one thousand and three hundred pounds over and above her childes parte of the thirde, and one dozen of Silver Plated [?] xxxxxxxx and my third best persian carpett
Item I give and bequeath to my fifth and youngest daughter Amey (sic) Williams the somme (sic) of one thousant pounds (sic), over and above her childs parte of the thirde, and one dozen of guilte (sic) spoons/ Item I give and bequeath to my youngest sonne John Williams one thousand pounds over and above his childs parte of the thirde and one dozen of silver spoone guilte, And my will and meaning is that the sommes (sic) left before mentioned in the severall bequeste (sic) to every one of my children over and above their sevrall and respective thirde parte of my psonall (sic) estate shalbe paid unto them as followeth vizt unto every one of my said sonnes when they shall accomplish theri severall and respective Ages of one and twenty yeares And to my daughters at their severall and respective Ages of one and twenty yeares or Daye of marriage w:ch first shall happen, And if any of my sonnes or daughters aforesaide shall dye or decease in the meane (sic) tyme then the parte of him (sic) and her soe deceasing shall remain unto and be received by the
survivors of them , to every one of them a rateable [?] pte [?] & proportion (sic) accoding to the Legacie to him and her (over and above his and her thirde parte of my psonall estate) herein before bequeathed to be paid unto them at their severalland respective Ages of one and twenty or daie (sic) of Marriage as aforesaid Item I give and bequeath to Mary my dearely beloved wife over and above the Legacie before bequeathed unto her the somme of foure (sic) hundred pounds to bee by her bestowed acording to her discretion upon her foure children w:ch she had by her former husband vizt Phillip John & William Gifford & Mary Gifford their sister, XXXXX nevertheless that she the said Mary my wife shall not xxxxx this legacy nor any of my former Legacies if she shall not quiett (sic) and content herselfe (sic) w:th the Agreement before mentioned in the Tripartite Indenture made the fifteenth of June Anno domi One thousand six hundred Twenty Nyne,
And according to her bond dated the two and twentite (sic) day of June in the same yeare, Or if she shall indeavour (sic) to frustrate and make void the said Agreem:t or go aboute to intitle (sic) herselfe to one thirde of my estate accordinge to the custome of the Citty of London, and shall not xxxxx accordingly But if (as I verily beleive (sic)) she wille honestly and faithfully contente and satisfyed w:th the said Agreementaccording to her Bond My will and meaninge (sic) is and I charge my executors to see it faithfully and punctually pformed (sic) and xxxx she hand [?] and xxxx all the Legacies in and bythis my last will and testamente bequeathed unto her , Neither doe I doubt or feare her owne integrityof whose faithfullness, honest conscionable xxxx to deale swiftly in all things I have had soe XXXXX experience, But knowing how full of fraxxx and subtilty (sic) A397the world is I may supose [?] well minded people may insure [?] into her wise [?] counsell (sic) , under ptence (sic) of xxxx by the Lawe, w:ch if they should gett I xxxx she will never hearken to, much lesse (sic) to crosse my xxxxxx and bequeath in this my last Will and Testament ;
Item I give and bequeathe to the persons mentioned in xxxx xxxxx Codicill annexed to this my last Will all such guifte and Legacyes as are mentioned and expressed (sic) to be bequeathed unto them by the said Schedule
Item I give and bequeath to Alice Bayley my kinswoman during her life all my right (sic) estate and Interest in a Tenement (sic) in Bowelane (sic) London presented by Lease to mee and my brother Dainell [?] Williams by the Company of Skinners together with the remainder and terme of release [?] to come therein and xxxxxxx But the estate in Lawe to remaine in my brother Daniell (sic) Williams during his Life and to her use soo long as she lived (sic) But in case she decease before the Lease be expired Then the said estate in Lawe w:th the remainder of xxxxxxxxxxxx to remaine in my said Brother Daniell to the use of my Executor(s) in my will named. Item I give and bequeath to the Lady Elizabeth Garway whose servante I sometime was (sic) the some (sic) of ffive pounds if she be liveing (sic) at the tyme of my decease
Item I give and bequeath to Henry Garway Alderman and to Margarett (sic) his wife ffive pounde a peice (sic) respectively if they be liveing at the time of my decease Item I give and bequeath to Mr William Garway XXXX [There is an annotation in the LH margin which I cannot read] the some (sic) of ffive pounde (sic) And to Margett (sic) his wife the somme (sic) of twenty howe full of fraude [??} and subtilty (sic) the world is I may suporte [??] well minded people may inquire into her will commeth [?] under plentie [?] of xxxx by the Lawe, w:ch if they should yett I expect [?] she will never hearken [??] to, xxx xxxx to crosse my xxxxx and bequeath in this my last Will and Testament
Item I give and bequeath to the persons mentionedin xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Codicll annexede to this my last Will all such guifte (sic) and Legacye (sic) xxxx mentioned and expressed to be bequeathed unto them by the said Schedule All w:ch Legacie (sic) and bequeste (sic) in the said Schedule mentioned my Will and meaning is shall be well and truely paid to the severall psons (sic) therein named, if they shall be liveing at the tyme of my decease
In witness whereof I the said John Williams to this my last Will and Testament conteyning (sic) twelve (sic) sheete (sic) of paper have putt my Seale (sic) to every sheete thereof subscribed my name the day and place [?] first abovewritten Sealed subscribed published and delivered by the said John Williams for and as his last Will and Testamente in the presence of Frn. [?] Mosse [?] No:y publique (sic) Henry Mosse Arthur Terry [?] Geo: Towncrowe [?] John Williams The Schedule annexed by mee John Williams to this my last Will and Testament conteyning such further Legacie and bequeste as I desire may be given to the severall pties (sic) hereafter named
Item I give and bequeath to Alice Bayley my kinswoman during her life all my right (sic) estate and Interest in a Tenement (sic) in Bowelane (sic) London presented by Lease to mee and my brother Dainell [?] Williams by the Company of Skinners together wi
the somme of Twenty pounde for the great care she had of mee when I lay sick in her house in greate extreamity respectively if they be liveinge at the tyme of my Decease Item I give to Nathaniel Garway and Grace [?] his wife ffive pounde and bequest xxx aginse (against?] respectively if they be liveing at the time of my decease Item I give and bequeath to my brother in law Mr Richard Kent the somme of ffive pounde Item I give and bequeath to Mr Josiah ffuyth [?]of S:nt Alphage the somme of ffive pounde Item I give and bequeath to Mr Henry Mason parson of S:nt Andrew Undershafte the somme of ffive pounde Item I give and bequeath to Mr Alsworth [??] pason (sic) of S:nt Piters (sic) the poore (sic) five (sic) pounde Item I give and bequeath to Roger Harris and to John Harris his sonne ffive pounde a peice (sic)
Item I I give and bequeath to my lovinge (sic) frind (sic) Mr ffrancis Christoff ffive pounde Item I give and bequeath to Anne Walt xxxx widow xxxfort to my children twenty pounde Item I give and bequeath to my neighbour Widow Clare [?] who hath longe (sic) depended upon mee ffive pounds Item I give and bequeath to my My servante (sic) Gilberte Mathewe and Humphrey Gifford twenty pounde a piece
TEXT TO COME
Notes
Grassby
Richard Grassby’s interesting and well written article, Richard Grassby, 'Love, Property and Kinship: The Courtship of Philip Williams, Levant Merchant, 1617- 50' in The English Historical Review, vol 113, No 451 (Apr., 1998), pp. 335-350, confirms that the father of William Williams and Philip Williams was John Williams, Draper.
Grassby (1998: 337-338) provides a detailed well researched profile of William Williams. Born on 23rd July 1614, he attended Merchant Taylors school from 1626 to 1629. He entered the Drapers Company by patrimony, and was on the Livery from 1650 to 1651. In 1637 he became free of the Levant Company by patrimony, and was Assistant (1640-54, 1655-6, 1659-61), Treasurer (1656-7) and Deputy Governor. He was involved in the East India Company from 1643 to 1662, and fined for Alderman in 1652 for £200. Grassby portrays William Williams as primarily a Mediterranean merchant, exporting dressed cloth and dozens from Berkshire, Wiltshire, and Devon and importing currants from Zante. He inherited the manor of Charlton Musgrove in Somerset from his father, John Williams. He married Jane Middleton in 1639, but according to Grassby it is not clear whether he had children or when he died.
