The Document Chest
1589 Will of Lionell Harrison
of Preston Plucknett
As a prominent member of the community, Lionell Harrison played the prestigious leading title role in the annual Robin Hood pageant and church ale of the year 1558-59, raising £11 10s 5½d (around £4,900 at today's value). The chief purpose of the pageant was to raise money for church funds and the income derived from the pageants was a considerable sum each year. The monies were collected from the townspeople by the Churchwardens in much the same way that Somerset street carnival collectors do today.
The 1589 will of Lionell Harrison
In the name of god amen
I Lionell
Harrison of
Preston
Plucknett of the
parish of
Yeavill within
the Countie of
Somersett beinge
sick in bodye
butt of sounde
and perfect
memorie god
therefore be
praysed doe make
my last will and
testament in
manner and forme
followinge In
primis I give
and bequeathe my
Soule to
almightie god
the father who
hathe made me,
the sonne who by
his presius
deathe hathe
redeemed me, to
the holy ghost
who sanctefyethe
me the only trew
god the
omnipotent and
blessed familie
in whom I live
and if it please
the same god
willinge to
yealde my selfe
I hope unto
Joyes
everlastingly
And my bodye to
be buried in the
parishe churche
of Yevill Item I
give and
bequeathe to the
parishe churche
of Yeovill
twelve shillings
Item I give to
the Chappell of
Preston tenne
shillings Item I
give to every
pore house in
Preston twelve
pence Item I
give to the pore
of the parishe
of Yevill tenne
shillings Item I
give to my
servant Thomas
Tucke a littel
house orchard
and garden at
Stockbridge gate
twoe [kyne ?]
goinge in the
com[m]on for
terme of his
life and his now
wife Joane Tucke
[word illegible]
if my terme of
yeares doo so
long last Item I
give and
bequeath to my
servant John
[Samler ?] my
house in yevill
for terme of my
yeares yett to
come if the
saide John so
longe shall live
Item I give my
brother Mathew
Harrison twentie
shillings And
also I give to
his children six
shillings eighte
pence a peece
Item I give to
my sister Agnes
Milborne twentie
shillings And to
her sonne
William Milborne
six shillings
eighte pence
Item I give to
my littell boye
Richard Mewe one
black Heffer
Item I give to
Lionell Harrison
the sonne of
John Harrison
one Heifer of
two yeares owlde
Item I give to
my brother
George Harrison
seaven silver
spoones withe a
black mare and a
coult and the
best cow I have
and the best
sute of my
apparell Item I
give and
bequeathe to my
daughter Cicilie
Hayne fower
featherbeddes
whereof twoe she
hathe alredye in
her kepinge also
twoe of the best
brasse pannes
she can choose
at Stockbridge
withe one
cawdron called
whitell and a
littell panne
Also fower
platters fower
pottingers fower
sawcers withe
twoe white
cancelsticks
also one longe
legged [track ?]
and a littell
[track ?] also
one cupbord in
my house at
Preston
Barmesley [that
is, Preston
Bermondsey] Also
I give and
bequeathe unto
the saide my
daughter Ciceley
twentie poundes
in money to be
payde by myne
executor within
twoe yeares
after my decease
Item I give and
bequeathe to my
daughter Ciciley
Haynes children
Marie Hayne
George Hayne and
Suzan Hayne
twentie nobles a
peece to be
paide to eache
of them when
they shall be of
the age of
eleven yeares
Item my will is
that my sonne
Lionell Harrison
shall have and
enjoye all my
plate duringe
his life and his
heier male after
him of his bodye
lawfully
begotten for
ever to enjoye
the same, but
for want of
suche lawfull
heier male my
will is that my
brother George
Harrison and his
heier male after
him for ever
shall enjoye the
same Item my
will is that my
sonne Lionell
Harrison shall
have and enjoye
the wholl terme
of yeares of my
bargayne at
Stockbridge for
terme of his
life and his
heier male after
him to enjoye
the same but for
want of suche
heier male my
will is that my
brother George
Harrison shall
enjoye the same
and his heier
male after him
for the terme of
yeares then nott
to be expired
Item I give and
bequeathe to my
sonne Lyonell
Harrison and my
sonne in Lawe
George Hayne all
suche debtes as
John Harrison
Thomas White
Lawrence [word
illegible] and
due [Wattes ?]
oweth me equally
to be devided
betwene them to
br recovored by
the equall costs
and charges of
either of them
Item I make and
ordeyne my Sonne
Lyonell Harrison
my Sole and only
executor of this
my last will and
testament unto
whome I give and
bequeathe all my
Landes Lyvings
goodes and
chattells
moveable and
unmoveable my
Legacies debtes
and funeralls
discharged Also
I make and
ordeyne my
brother George
Harrison and my
sonne in Lawe
George Hayne
overseers of
this my Last
will and
testament unto
whom I give
twentie
shillings a
peece
Signum Lionell
Harrison
In the presence
of John Shewerd
vicar of yevill
Lyonell
Harrison
George
Harrison
Proved at London in 1589
Transcribed by Bob Osborn
