Yeovil's Virtual Museum

1592 will of John Hacker

Yeoman

 

As a prominent Yeovilian, John Hacker the Elder played the prestigious leading title role in the annual Robin Hood pageant and church ale of the year 1545-46, raising £9 10s (around £4,500 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.

His son, John Hacker the Younger revived the role of Robin Hood in the pageant of 1557-58 and, at the associated church ale, raised the sum of £13 0s 5d. It is believed that this will pertains to the younger Hacker. 

 

 

In the name of god Amen The fifteenth daye of Januarie in the yeare of our Lord god after the Coputation of England one thousand five hundred ninetie and tow and in the five and thirtyeth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth by the grace of god of Englande Fraunce and Ireland Queene defender of the fayth I John Hacker the oldest of yeven in the Countie of Sumerset yeoman beinge sicke of body and nevertheless (Lauded be god) of perfect mynd and remembrance Callinge to mynde the frailtie of man and howe necessarie a thinge it is for every Christian to be in a Continuall redines for death whensoever the good will and pleasure of god is to Call Doe make and declare this my present last Will and testament in manner and forme followinge Viz First I bequeath and Commend my Soule into the handes of my most gracious and mercifull Lorde god The father the Sonn and the holie goste three p[er]sons and one Almightie eternall and incomprehensible god beinge most Certainely persuaded that my Sinnes which be grevious and [heney?] are forgiven and myne [eleccion?] sealed upp in the bloud and merrittes of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And my bodie I comit to the earth from whence it Came Beleavinge the resurrection of the fleshe and the life everlastinge Item I give and bequeath to the parishe Church of yeven Sixteene Shillinges in monye To be payed at the wardens accoumpt next after my decease Item I give to the poore of the parishe of yeven One quarter of wheate to be baked at the Charge of my Executrice And to be distributed by my Overseers Item I give and bequeath unto the poore people of the Almeshouse latelye edified in the South streate of yeven aforesayd fower shillinges to be payde fower pence by the weeke by my sayde Executrixe Item I give and bequeath unto my sister Johane Collins widow the some of twenty shillinges of lawefull monye Item I give and bequeath unto John Gyles and Thomas Gyles my god children the sonnes of Edwarde Gyles the [sonn?] of thirteene shillinges fower pence viz to either of them sixe shillinges eight pence Item I give and bequeath unto my god sonn John Rawlinges the sonn of John Rawlinges Clarke the some of sixe shillinges eight pence Item I give and bequeath unto my godsonn John Collins the sonn of John Collyns sixe shillinge eight pence Item I give unto Lyonell Rawlinges two shillinges Item I give unto Marye Collyns my sisters daughter five shillinges Item I give unto Johan Barret my sisters daughter sixe shillinges eight pence Item I give and bequeath unto my Cosen Margaret Lawrence the some of twentie shillinges and a plater and a pottenger Item I give and bequeath unto my godsonne John Dyer my Targett and my ould partison Which hangeth upp in my haule Item I give unto every other of my godchildren twelve pence apeece Item I give and bequeath unto my servante John Masters my best Cowe Item I give unto my cosen Richard Hackers two sonnes Richard and George two wether sheepe viz to either of them one Item I give and bequeath unto my shepharde John Hammond the some of twentie shillinges of lawfull english monye Item I give unto my servant John Frances five shillinges Also I give unto my servant Johan Fudge five shillinges and to Rabidge Winter my other servant five shillinges Item I give will and devise unto Fraunces Sutton my burgage with the appurtenances situat lyinge and beinge within the Burrow of yeven aforesayde in a certaine Lane there Called grope lane nowe in the tenure or occupacion of one Nichollas [Wodains?] and also one garden lyinge within the sayde Burow of yeuell in gropela[n]e aforesayd nowe in the tenure or occupation of one Richard Pryde To have and to holde the sayde Burgage and garden with thappurtenances unto the fraunces Sutton his heires and assignes forever to thonely proper use of the sayd Fraunces his heires and assignes forevermore Item I give will and devise unto Frauncis Sutton and Christian his wife my kinnswoman and to the heires males of theire to bodyes lawfullie begotten or to be begotten All other my landes Tenementes and heredytamentes situat lyinge and beinge in Yeuell kingestone iuxta yeuell Pitnie or elswhere in the sayd Countie of Sumerthe To have and to hold to the sayd Frauncis Sutton Christian his wife and to the heires males of theire two bodyes lawfullie begotten or to be begotten all the saide Landes Tenements and hereditamentes w[i]th thappurtencnaces And for default of such issue the remainder of all the same Landes Tenements and hereditamentes with thappurtencnaces unto Richard Hacker the sonn of my Cosen Richard Hacker late of yeuell aforesayd Deceased and to the heires males of the bodye of the saide Richard Hacker the sonn lawfullie begotten or to be begotten And for default of such issue the remainder of all the same Landes Tenements and hereditamentes with thappurtencnaces unto George Hacker one other of the sonnes of the sayde Richard deceased and to the heires males of the bodye of the saide George Hacker lawfullie begotten or to be begotten And for default of such issue All the sayde landes tenements and hereditamentes whollie to remain to the right heirs of the said Frauncis Sutton forevermore Provided alwayes and my Will and intente is That if the foresayd Frauncis Sutton and Christian his wife or either of them or the heires males of [any?] or either of them or the saied Richard Hacker the sonne and George hacker or either of [them?] or the heires males of them or either of them shall at anie tyme after my deceasse by anie wayes or meanes prectize procure or goe about to alter [discontinuance?] or make any Alienation or discontinuwance of the afore devised premisses or anie parte or percell thereof other then the sayde Burgage and garden with thappurtenances in gropelane aforesaide So as the same or ane p[ar]te or p[ar]cell thereof maye not at all tyme and tymes hereafter remaine be and Come to such person and persons and in such manner and forme as is before Limited and expressed by these [unknown contraction] That then this present devise and the whole benifitt Commoditie and profytt thereof unto such person and or persons so offendinge and to the heires males of his her or theire bodyes lawfullie begotten of and in so much of the premisses with thappurtenances for the which ane Acte or thinge shallbe so practized procured or gone about as aforesayde Contrarye to the Trew intent and meaninge of these [unknown contraction] Shall uttly Ceasse end and determine in such manner and forme as though this devise had [never?] been made And that imedeatlye after anie such Cession or determination the nexte Remainder limited and appointed by these [unknown contraction] of such and so much of the [prisses?] whereof o0r wherein the offence or offences was or weare Committed to take place and effecte All the residue of my goodes and Cattells not before given or bequeathed I doe fully and absolutelie give and bequeath unto my foresayd Kinswoman xtian [that is, Christian] Sutton the wife of the said Frauncis Sutton and her I make and ordaine sole Executrix of this my last will and testament And I doe request my lovinge neibors Thomas Williams and John Dyer to see this my testamente executed accordinglie And I give unto either of them for theire paynes takinge thirteen shillinges fower pence a pece In Wittnes whereof I have to this my last will and Testament sett my hand and seale [yeuen?] the daye and yeare first above written These bearinge wittnes

John Sheward Vicar of yevell     Thomas Phelpes     Thomas Williams     Thomas whibbie

 

Proved in 1593

 

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn