Yeovil's Virtual Museum

1656 will of Stephen Dyer

Gentleman

 

In the name of the most glorious Trinity Father Sonne and holy ghost three persons but one ever Livinge God I Stephen Dyer of Yeovill in the County of Somersett gent beinge of perfect memory Blessed be God though infirme and weake in body Doe make this my last will and Testament in manner and forme followinge I bequeath and tender up my Soule into the hands of Almighty God that gave it mee in full and Joyfull assurance of pardon for all my [Sinnes?] through the alone merritts of Jesus Christ my redeemer through whom I doe confidently hope for Salvation both of my Soule and Body in the great day of the Lord Jesus Item my will is that my body may be decently buried amongst my [word illegible] in the Churchyard of Yeovill without any superstitious mourninge other than [word illegible] to be given to my family and relacons as my Executrix shall thinke fitt And for the [setlinge?] of my worldly estate amongst my family that I may live in peace that little [tyme?] it shall pleased god to allowe mee Soe that I may dye in peace and leave peace and love amongst them when I am gone My will is That whereas I doe stand possessed in fee Simple to mee and my heires of a certain Messuage lyinge in Kingstone Pitney and Marsh in the parish of Yeovill with all and Singular the lands and appurtenances thereunto belonging I doe by these presents grant and assigne over unto my loveinge friends Benedict Blagdon [Cler? = clerk?] Gregory Gilles gent William Jennings [Cler? = clerk?] and unto Elizabeth my lovinge [missing = wife] by these presents one lease of fourteen yeares in all the Said Messuage grounds Lands and appurtenances thereunto belonginge or any way appurtaininge To commence from and immediately after my decease duringe the Said terme of fourteene yeares to the uses intents and purposes hereinafter mentioned and to noe other That is to Say that my loveing wife and my Sayd friends in trust and the Survivour or Survivours of them Shall then receive the proffitts and benefitts thereof upon trust and confidence [First?] for the dischargeing and Satisfieinge Such debtes as I shall owe at the tyme of my decease That being soe discharged My will is that they my said loveinge wife and friends in trust doe imploy the best of the proffitts and benefitts thereof for the [raysines?] of percons for my foure daughters Julian, Elizabeth Mary and Joane Dyer And for the maintenance of John Dyer my Sonne in Such manner as is hereafter expressed and declared (That is to Say) My will is that they my Said loveinge wife and friends in trust shall pay unto my Sonne John yearly the Summe of five poundes Soe long as hee shall remaine with his mother And five poundes more my Said loveinge wife is to be allowed for his dyett yearly duringe such his tyme of aboade with her but if my Said Sonne John shall otherwise dispose of himself abroade and not be chargeable to his said mother Then my will is that they allow him out of the Said proffitts the Summe of tenne poundes for his yearly maintenance soe long as hee shall soe live from his mother and not otherwise Next my will is that my said loveinge wife and friends in trust shall with the proffitts of my Said Messuage and lands shall pay unto my daughter Julian Dyer the Summe of Three score poundes with what conveynience may be She being Soe paid my will is that my Said friends in trust out of the residue of the proffitts of the Said lands shall pay unto my daughter Elizabeth the Summe of Three score poundes, that being paid, my will is that my Said friends in trust out of the residue of the proffitts of the Said lands shall pay unto my daughter Joane Dyer The Summe of Three score poundes more with what conveynience it can be raysed And my will is further for the better orderinge my Said Childrens percons that my said friends in trust doe neet once every yeare at my house and provision be made by my Executrix for them that they may keepe in due account of what they shall remaine of the proffitts of my Said lands soe intrusted to them And what money shall first gathered to bee forthwith then put out for Julian my eldest daughter untill her percon of Three Score pounds be up And soe for the rest of them accordingly in manner as they are here nominated And when my debtes are paid and these percons unto my Children discharged According unto the true intent and meaning of this my will that being done My will is that the Inheritance of my Said lands shall come and descend unto my Sonne John Dyer and his heires In such manner as is hereinafter expressed and declared with this proviso notwithstanding that if it shall please god my Sonne John should happen to dye without issue liveinge at the time of his death lawfully begotten or in the wombe of his then Lawfull wife That then and in Such case I give all my Said Lands soe devised unto my fower daughters and their heires forever to be equally divided amongst them with this promise I doe hereby declare that if it shall please god the said lands should soe come unto them my will is that if anie one or more of my Said daughters should happen to dye leaveinge noe issue at the time of her or their death That then her or their parts soe dyinge shall descend and come to such daughter or daughters soe Survivinge and to their heires forever And I doe further declare that my will is that if anie of my Said Daughters shall happen to dye unmarried before the age of one and twenty yeares That her or their percon soe dyeinge shall accrue and come unto her Sisters Survivinge to be equally divided amongst them And I doe further declare that if it shall happen to please God my Sonne John Dyer should happen to marry with Such a wife as to bringe such a percon as to Satisfie and pay unto my said fower daughters their Severall percons abovementioned and shall soe Satisfie them accordinge to thier contents and to the consents of his Said mother and my loveinge friends in trust That then I doe by these presents (my debtes beinge paid) revoake my Said grant or Lease of fourteene yeares herein made unto my Said loveinge wife and Friends in trust and upon the condicons abovementioned doe give my said messuage and lands soe devised as abovesaid unto my Sonne John Dyer and the heires of his body lawfully begotten if hee have anie livinge or in the wombe of his lawfull wife at the time of his decease (as abovesaid) However the meaning of this my will is (my Debtes and legacies beinge paid) hee shall have power to make a Joynture of the Sayd Lands to such woman as shalbe his wife for the better [word illegible] of the Said percons for his [Sisters?] if hee will soe make use of it My will further is That I leave my now dwellinge house called the Chaff in Yeavill withall the furniture beddinge householdstuffe plate pewter brasse and all utensills and appurtenances thereunto belonging fully and wholly unto my lovinge wife duringe her naturall life only And after her decease I give all my said goods furniture beddinge householdstuffe plate pewter brasse and utensills unto my five children (viz) John Dyer, Julian, Elizabeth, Mary and Joane to be equally divided amongst them Item I give to the Church of Yeavill five shillings Item I give to the poore of Yeavill tenn shillings to be disposed to Such of them as my Executrix shall think fitt The rest of my goods and Chattles not herein disposed of I give unto Elizabeth my loveinge wife for the better maintenance of my younger Children And I doe constitute and appoint her Executrix of this my last will and testament And I doe bid farewell unto this miserable world In Witness whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand and Seale This sixe and twentieth day of January In the year of our Lord one Thousand sixe hundred fifty sixe

Stephen Dyer

Sealed and published as my last will and Testament In the presence of

Jeremiah Atkins     the marke of John [Daure?]    John Bradly

 

This will was proved at London The sixteenth day of the month of October in the yeare of our Lord God one Thousand sixe hundred fifty and Seaven Before the Judges for probate of wills and [writings?] Administrations lawfully authorized by the oath of Elizabeth Dyer the Relict of the said deceased and Sole Executrix named in the Said will To whom was committed administration of all and Singular the goods Chattles and Debtes of the said deceased Shee the Said Elizabeth Dyer beinge first sworne in due forme of lawe by vertue of a Commission well and truly to administer the Same

 

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn