Yeovil's Virtual Museum

Thomas Marshe

Woollen Draper

 

Thomas Marshe was born in Yeovil in 1596 and baptised at St John's church on 28 October 1596. It is likely that he was the son of Thomas Marshe. He was a woollen draper and on 14 January 1621 he married Elizabeth Burford at St John's church. They were to have four daughters; Elizabeth (who married John Carey), Temperance (died between 1646 and 1675 ?), Eleanor and Mary (who married John Jeanes).

Thomas was a Warden of Woborn Almshouse in 1839 and in 1845 he served as Custos of the Almshouse. It is likely that the Thomas Marshe who was a Warden in 1825 and 1827 and served as Custos in 1630, was his father.

Thomas appears to have been quite wealthy, leaving each of his three unmarried daughters "One Hundred and Fiftie Poundes [around £26,000 at today's value] as well as owning properties in Middle Street and South Street and various parcels of land around Yeovil and Marsh.

Thomas died in 1646, the same year that he wrote his will (see below).

Elizabeth survived him by 34 years - she wrote her will in 1675 (see below) and died in 1680. The will of Edward Drake dated 7 May 1668 states "... six acres of land called Brightmore in possession of Elizabeth Marsh in Yeovil or Pitney ..." which was, presumably, "... all that parcell of Land and Estate which I bought of Francis Beauchame lying at Brightmore Hill ..." that Thomas left in his will to his daughters

 

 

In the name of God Amen The Seaventh Daye of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand Six Hundred Fortie six I Thomas Marshe of Yeovill in the Countie of Somersett Woollen Draper being Sicke of Body but of perfect minde and memorie thankes be unto Almightie God doe make and ordaine this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme following that is to saye First I bequeathe my soule into the handes of Almightie God my [holy?] maker and Redeemer And my body to be buried in the Churchyarde of Yevell aforesaid Item I give unto the Church of Yevell Tenne Shillinges Item I give unto the poore of Yevell Fortie Shillinges Item I give and bequeathe unto my Daughter Elizabeth Carey that parte of my Coppyhold estate lyinge in Marshe after the Death Surrender or Forfeiture of my Wife Item I give and bequeathe unto my [illegible abbreviation] Daughter Elizabeth Carey All that Close of Land Which I bought of John Silley att Marshe to her and her heires forever And for want of such issue my Will is That my Daughter Temperance shall have it to her and her heires forever And if Shee happen to dye Without yssue my Will is that my Daughter Mary shall have itt to her and her heires forever And if Shee happen to dye Without yssue Then my Will is that my Daughter Elinor shall have it to her and her heires forever Item I give and bequeathe unto my said Daughter Elizabeth Carey after the decease of my Wife the Remiander of the Estate in my house Gardens and Orchards in the Backstreete with the appurtenances Item my Will is that my said Daughter Elizabeth Carey shall have my Two acres of Land lying upon Henford penn [ie = Hendford Hill] which I bought of Christopher Evans to her and her heires forever But if shee happen to dye without yssue Then my Will is that my Daughter Temperance shall have it to her and her heires forever And if shee happen to dye without yssue Then my Will is that my Daughter Ellynor shall have it to her and her heires forever And if shee happen to dye without yssue Then my Will is that my Daughter Mary shall have the said Two Acres of Land to her and her heires forever Item my Will is that my Said Daughter Elizabeth Carey shall have to her and her heires All that Remainder of yeares in that Acre of land comonly called the Long Acre Lying upon Penn with all the appurtenances Tenements and Rents belonging unto it excepting those estates which are Alreadie Grannted upon it or shallbe grannted by my Wife after my Decease Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Temperance the other parte of my Coppyhold lying in Kingstone As it is allready divided upon the Coppie Thereof if shee out live her Mother Item I give unto my Daughter Temperance the remainder of the Estate in the two Acres of Areable Lands which I hold of Mr Hillard dureing the lives of Lionell Francis and Thomas Fraunces after the decease of my Wife Item my Will is that my said Daughter Temperance shall have all that Acre of Land lying at Larkehill inclosed with the other after the decease of my Wife if shee doe out live her But if shee dye without yssue Then my Will is that my Daughter Elizabeth Carey and her heires shall have it And if shee dye without yssue My Will is that my Daughter Ellinor and her heires shall have itt And if shee dye without yssue My Will is that my Daughter Mary and her heires shall have itt for ever Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughters Temperance Ellinor and Mary One Hundred and Fiftie Poundes [around £26,000 at today's value] apeece of Lawfull Englishe money to be paid unto them when they Shall accompolishe the Age of Twentie yeares or be marryed Item my Will is that my Daughter Ellinor shall have all that parcell of Land and Estate which I bought of Francis Beauchame lying at Brightmore Hill To her and her heires forever And if shee dye Without yssue Then my Will is that my Daughter Temperance (if she outlive her) shall have it to her and her heires forever and if shee happen to dye without yssue Then my Will is that my Daughter Elizabeth Carey shall have it to her and her heires forever and if shee dye Without yssue Then my Will is that my Daughter Mary shall have it to her and her heires forever Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary my house in Middlestreete comonly called the Swanne with the appurtenances and Goods which I have in the house as Table Boards Benches Bedsteads [abbreviation = etc] but if shee dye before she come of Age or Marry Then my Will is that my Daughter Ellinor shall have the Remainder of the estate that I have in it and if they Both dye Before my Wife then my Will is that my wife shall have all the remainder of the estate that I have in it with all my Goods and household stuffe belonging to the house Item I give unto my Daughter Ellinor the Remainder of the estate which I have in a plott of ground Lyind by Downtons house which I bought of William Wills Item I give unto Mary my Daughter the Remainder of the Estate whicvh I have in [Spenn Millhame ?] which I bought of Mr Joseph Comp[ton if shee live till shee come to be of Lawfull yeares or Marrye Item my Will is that my Wife shall have the use of all those my Chattells Lands and Legacies untill such time as they are or shall belonge or come due unto my said Daughters or Legatees respectively as is above lymited and expressed in this my Last Will and Testament Item all the residue of my Goods Cattells and Chattells moveable & unmoveable whatsoever not yet given nor bequeathed I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth my wife whom I doe make and ordaine full and whole Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale Yearon the day and yeare above written

Witnesses hereunto Thomas Brooke Edward Burford John Cary Signed Willim Waterman
Over and besides what is above Expressed I doe also give unto George Hucker my Godsonne Fortie Shillinges to binde him an apprentice to some trade And unto Edwarde Foott my Servant Twentie Shillinges and a suite of Clothes of three shillinges Fower pence a yarde when he is out of his time Unto my Daughter Elizabeth my Best Silver Bowle and Three Silver Spoones unto John White my man a Graye Coate And unto my Daughter Temperance my Lesser Silver Bowle I doe also desire my Sonne in Lawe John Carey my Brother in Lawe James Burford my Cozen Edward Burford and my Brother in Lawe Richard Chedd To be overseers of this my Last Will and testament

Tho. Marshe

Test. Tho Brooke       Edward Burford      John Carey     Signed Willi Waterman

Transcribed by Bob Osborn

 

 

 

 In the name of God Amen this Eighteenth day of September in the yeare of our Lord One Thousand six hundred seaventy five I Elizabeth Marsh of Yeavell in the County of Somerset Widdow being sick and weak of body but of sound and perfect mind and memory praise and [thanks ?] be rendered to Almighty God for the same doe now make and declare my last will and testament in manner and forme following first of all I recomend and resigne my Soule into the hands of God the Father hopeing and being assuredly confident that in and through the mediaton of God the Son and by the Sharpe and bitter death and bloody passion of Jesus Christ the righteous I shallbe [partaker ?] of that Celestiall Kingdome which is prepared for the elect alsoe I recomend my body to the earth from whence it was taken to be decently interred at yeavell aforesaid theirto remaine untill the resurrection of body and Soule and as touching my worldly estate I give and bequeath amongst my friends in the world as followeth I doe hereby revoke and [word illegible] renounce all former and other wills at any time heretofore by me made and doe declare the same to be of none effect Item I give and bequeath unto John Jeanes children of Corton Dinham in the County of Somerset ten pounds apeice to each of them Item I give and bequeath unto John Jeanes and Thomas Jeanes the sonn of Christopher Jeanes of yeavell the sume of Twenty pounds to each of them Item I give and bequeath unto the rest of Christopher Jeanes children the Sume of Ten pounds apeice to each of them and to be paid out of a debt which is due to me from Christopher Jeanes being Eight Score and Ten pounds Item I give and bequeath my trunck of Linin to my three Daughters and my Grandchild Mary Saunders to be equally divided between them Item I give and bequeath all my pewter and brasse to my said Daughters and my Grandchild Mary Saunders to be equally divided between them Item I give and bequeath Twenty Shillings to twenty poore Widdow Women of yeavell Item I give and bequeath to my maid Grace Russell ten Shillings Item I give and bequeath to the Widdow Pawly Ten Shillings Item I give and bequeath to my Grandchild John Saunders of Bristoll the money due to me by bond from the Winters of Mudford and Mr Edmund Dow of Ditchett in Somerset it being forty pounds with its interest Item I give and bequeath that fifty pounds which due to me from my Lord Stownton by a noate under his and Seale with its Interest to my Grandchild Mary Saunders the Daughter of John Saunders the Elder Item I give and bequeath unto my Brother James Burford of Martock a bond of ten pounds principal money due to me from my cozen John Burford his Son with all the interest due in areare since the bond was made Item I give and bequeath unto the Church of yeavell the Some of ten Shillings Item I give and bequeath unto my three Daughters Elizabeth Sarah Ellinor Sheane and Mary Jeanes all my wearing apparrell to be equally divided between them Item my desire is that my Executors hereafter mentioned here under neath will not see my funerall Expences lye unpaid and that my Legacies given here above written may be paid within twelve months after my decease except those Legacies which I have given Christopher Jeanes his children my desire is that they shall be paid out of that debt which Christopher Jeanes oweth unto me as is expressed here above written and that my Executors will take the best care they can to see Christopher Jeanes his children to have their Legacies secured from their father as soone as its possible and that they may have the benefitt thereof after they come of one and Twenty years of age Item my desire is that Thomas Jeanes the son of Christopher Jeanes may have his life bought into that close called or known by the name of Rayles or the now [word illegible] close by my Executors after the decease of John Sunders life Item my desire is that my Son in Law John Cary and my Son in Law John Jeanes to be my Trustees and my whole and sole Executors of this my will and Testament In witness hereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written this 18th day of September in the yeare of our Lord God One Thousand Six Hundred seaventy five

the marke of Elizabeth Marsh

wittness then present John Cary



Transcribed by Bob Osborn