The Document Chest
1626 Will of John Hardinge
Mercer
In the name of God Amen
the one &
twentieth daie
of October in
the yeare of our
Lord god 1626 I
John Hardinge of
Yevell in the
Countie of
Somersett Mercer
calling to mynde
the frailtie of
man and howe
necessarie a
thinge it is for
everie good
Christian to be
in a contynuall
readines
whensoever the
good will and
pleasure of God
is to call Doe
make and ordaine
this my last
will and
testament in
manner and forme
Following (that
is to saie)
First I
Com[m]end my
soule into the
handes of god my
maker hopinge
assuredlie
through the
onelie merritts
of Jesus Christ
my Saviour to be
made p[ar]taker
of everlastinge
lief. And I
com[m]end my
bodie to the
earth whenceof
it is made. Item
I give towardes
the reparacon of
the parish
Church of yevell
Five shillinges.
Item my will is
that my brothers
sonne Samuell
Hardinge shall
have occupie and
enioye to his
owne use and
behooffe during
his naturall
lief seaven
acres of land
lying in the
East field of
Kingstone iuxta
Yevell which I
purchased of
Walter marten of
Frome Saint
Quintin And
after the
decease of the
said Samuell I
give the said
seaven acres of
Land to John
hardinge the
sonne of the
saide Samuell
and to his
heires forever.
Item I give to
John and Agnes
Hardinge the
children of the
said Samuell
Hardinge to each
of them tenne
poundes. Item I
give to John
Starr my kinsman
in London
Twentie poundes
in which he is
now indebted to
me. Item I give
to John Traske
and his wief and
his two sonnes
and daughter to
each of them ten
shillinges. Item
I give to
Richard Hardinge
of Mudford
Twentie
shillinges. Item
I give to Gyles
Hardinge of
Mudford Five
shillinges. Item
I give to
Elizabeth
Jenninges the
daughter of
Gyles Jenninges
Twentie
shillinges. Item
I give to Joane
Baker Five
shillinges. Item
I give to
Stephen Dyer and
John Dyer the
sonnes of John
Dyer the Elder a
Bill of
Seaventeene
poundes which
the said John
Dyer the father
owes unto me to
be devided in
this manner
Fower pounds of
the said bill I
give to Stephen
Dyer and tenne
poundes to his
brother John,
The other three
pounds remayning
I acknowledge
satisfied, Item
I give to
Margarett Starr
the daughter of
William Starr
deceased twentie
shillinges, with
this Proviso,
that if the said
margarett shall
clayme sue or
trouble myne
executor or
Gyles Jenninges
or his executors
for anie Legacie
pretended to be
due from Thomas
Whittby to her,
Then my will is
that she shall
loose the
benefitt of this
guift and
legacie of myne,
Item I giev to
John Starr to
sonne of William
Starr, the some
of Seven poundes
with this Provio,
That if the said
John Starr or
anie of his
brothers, or
anie other in
their behalf
shall sue or
trouble either
myne executor or
Gyles Jenninges
or his executors
for certain
Legacies given
by Thomas
Whittby to the
children of the
said William
Starr, Then mny
will is that the
saide Fower
poundes shallbe
lyable to
answeare the
said Legacies as
farr as it will
extend, And the
residue to
remayne to the
said John Starr
The which
legacies have
benne paid and
delivered
allready to
William Starr
the father. Item
I give and
release unto
Roger Traske and
his executors,
all such debts
Bondes and Bills
which the said
Roger owes me
with this
Provisoe that
the said Roger
his executors or
administrators
shall
sufficientlie
discharge and
save harmeles
myne executors
and Gyles
Jenninges and
his executors
from all
legacies given
unto the
children of the
said Roger
Traske by Thomas
Whittb,
otherwise he the
said Roger and
his executors
shall loose the
benefitt which
they might have
by this my last
will and
testament. Item
I give to John
Webber the Rent
of his house for
a yeare after my
decease. Item I
give to the
tenne
Almespeople of
William Oburnes
Almeshouse
Twelve pence a
peece. Item I
give to the
Almspeople of
the newe
Almshouse three
shillinges
equalie to be
devided amongst
them. Item I
give to the
widdowe Gardiner
and Agnes White
Twelve pence a
peece. Item my
will is that
myne executor
shall bestowe
the three
poundes of myne
which remaynes
in the Custodie
of the Prtrive
[that is,
portreeve] and
Burgomasters of
Yevell and
likewise the
three poundes
which gyles
White owes me
towardes the
apparelling of
as manie poore
children as he
in his discrecon
shall thinke
fitt, of which
Thomas Brookes
sonne must be
one. Item
whereas William
Sugge the sonne
of Tristram
Sugge hath Fower
poundes of myne
in his Custodie
for three yeares
for taking an
Apprentice my
will is That
after the
expiracon of the
saide three
yeares, three
poundes of the
said some
shallbe bestowed
by myne executor
towardes the
apparelling of
poore children
and the other
Twentie
shillinges to
remaine for ever
to the said
William Sugge.
All the rest of
my goodes,
chattels, and
cattells, I give
and bequeath to
Samuel hardinge
my brothers
sonne whom I
make my sole
executor of this
my last will and
gtestament And I
doe appoint
Overseers of
thsi my last
will and
testament Gyles
Jenninges and
William
Jenninges the
younger, and for
their paines I
give them
Twentie
shillinges a
peece. In
wittnes whereof
I have hereunto
subscribed my
name and sett my
seale unto this
my present last
will the daie
and yeare first
above
written in the
presence of
John Hardinge
Signed and
sealed in the
presence of
The signe of
John [Oustophe?]
The marke
of Ursula Hooper
The marke
of Joane Masters
Gyles
Marchaunt
Proved at London in 1627
Transcribed by Bob Osborn
