Yeovil's Virtual Museum

1667 Will of Mathew Wills

Parchment maker

 

Mathew Wills was a parchment maker and one of five generations all called Mathew Wills. That parchment making was a profitable occupation is witnessed by the properties William left in his will that included two houses, a barn in Back Street (today's South Street), the Red Lion (presumed to be the Red Lion in Kingston), the Bull alehouse in Hendford and a large field called Hardermeade lying alongside the River Yeo. 

From his will, we know that he had a brother named Samuel and his wife was called Mary (although the marriage of 19 September 1654 between Mathew Wills and Mary Stride at St John's church, is likely to have been his son) and he had sons called Mathew, Samuel, Edward, Jonathan and George and daughters named Elizabeth and Jane.

 

 

In the name of God Amen The Fourth Day of September In the yeare of our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Sixty and Seven I Mathew Wills of Yeovill in the county of Somerset Parchment maker being sicke of body but of good and perfect memory (God be praised) Doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following That is to say Imprimis [inserted = I Comend] my Soule into the hands of Almighty God having through the merits Death and passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my Sinns and to inheritt everlasting life and my Body I Comitt to the Earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named and as touchinge the disposicon of such temporall estate as it hath pleased God to bestowe upon me I give and dispose thereof as followeth First I give and bequeath unto my Sonne Mathew Wills All that my Messuage and now Dwelling house Together with my Stable Pitt houses and [word illegible] thereunto adjoyning and belonging Item I give and bequeath unto my said Sonne Mathew Wills my higher Garden which I purchased of John Bond Item I give and bequeath unto my Sonne Mathew Wills my [Curbed?] Furnace and all my [Harrawes?] and the other [Trowes?] and all other the [prinsses?] which doe usually belong to my Trade of Parchment makinge and makeing of [ye same?] Item I give unto my said Sonne Mathew Wills my Barne Scituiate in Backstreete in Yeovell aforesaid next adjoining the Land of Sir John Sydenham Item I give and bequeath unto my said Sonne Mathew Wills my Nagg and all my Hay Provided always that if my said Sonne Mathew Wills shall pay unto my Sonne Samuel Wills and my Daughter Elizabeth Wills the [sume?] of Forty pounds a peece within halfe a yeare next after my decease and mainetayne my said Sonne Samuell and my daughter Elizabeth with sufficient meate drinke and Lodgeing untill such tyme as the moneys before appointed to bee paid to them by this my Will shall become due Item I give unto my daughter Elizabeth Wills my paire of Virginalls Item I give and bequeath unto my Wife during her life my house with the Outhouses thereunto belonging [word illegible] called the Redlyon Scituate in the Burrowe of Yeovell in the County aforesaid and after her decease I give the same to my Sonne Mathew Wills for and during his life And from and after my Sonne Mathews decease I give and bequeath the same to my Sonne Samuel Item I give and bequeath unto my Wife my Barne in the backstreete in Yeovell aforesaid over against John Wheadons Item I give unto my Wife that plott of ground in the parish of Yeovell aforesaid which I bought of Sire John Sydenham and alsoe All that my ground called Hardermead in the parish of Yeovell aforesaid which I purchased of my Brother Samuel Wills Item I give and bequeath unto my said wife my house called the Bull in Yeovell aforesaid And my will is that my said Wife shall reside in my now Dwelling house two months next ensuing my Decease Item I give and bequeath unto my said Wife my Sonnes Mathew Samuell Edward Jonathan and George Wills and my Daughters Elizabeth and Jane Wills all my Bedds and Furniture thereunto belonging and all my [Lyninye?] and [word illegible] Pewter brass and all other my householdstuffe equally divided between them by my Overseers or the Major part of them and to bee afterwards disposed of for the best benefitt and behoofe of my said wife and Children As my said Overseers shall thinke fitt All the rest and residue of my personall estate goods and chattles whatsoever I doe give and bequeath unto my Loveing wife whome I doe make full and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament And I doe devise and appoint William Harwood John Wheadon and William Rowe all of Yeavell aforesaid to bee my Overseers of this my Last Will and Testament And I doe hereby revoke [three words illegible] all former Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made In Witness whereof I the said Mathew Wills to this my last Will and testament have sett my hand and seale the day and Yeare above written

Mathew Wills

Item I give unto my Sonne Mathew Wills since the makeing of this my Will All my [word illegible] and Papers Provided that my Sonne Mathew Wills shall pay my Wife Mary the sume of Fower pounds and Tenn shillings Signed sealed published and declared to be the last Will and Testament in the presence of Edward [Bensgind?] the mark of Henry Bengefield the mark of Henry Chapman

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn