The Document Chest
The Will of Thomas Gyrdeler
The 1581 Will of Thomas Gyrdeler, Tanner
In the name of
god amen: the
first daie of
Auguste in the
yeare of oure
Lorde god after
the course and
computation of
the Churche of
England a
thousande fyve
hundred eightie
one and in the
three and
twentye yeare of
the raigne of o[ur]
soveraigne Ladye
Elizabethe by
the grace of god
Queene of
Englande Fraunce
and Ireland
defender of the
faith etc. I
Thomas
Gyrdeler
of the
Towne of Yevill
in the countye
of Som[erse]t
Tanner beinge
sicke in bodye
but of good and
perfecte
remembraunce
(laude and
praise be gyven
to allmightie
god) doe ordaine
and make this my
last will and
testamente in
manner and
fourmefollowinge
First I give and
bequeathe my
soule to the
handes of
allmightie god
my maker
savioure and
redemer And my
bodye to be
buried in the
christen buriall.
Item I doe give
and bequeathe
towardes the
maintenance of
the Churche of
Brodford three
shillinges fower
pence. Item I
doe give and
bequeathe unto
my father
William Gyrdler
my best cloake
my best coate my
best dublett my
best hoses and
twoe shirtes &
twentye
shillinges of
good and lawfull
money of
Englande. Item I
doe give and
bequeathe unto
my sister Johan
one silver
spoone withe a
maiden head one
platter one
porringer and
tenne shillinge
in monneye. Item
I doe give and
bequeathe unto
my sister Elnor
Girdeler one
silver spoone
withe a mayden
heade one
porringer one
platter and
tenne shillinges
in moneye. Item
I doe give and
bequeathe to my
sister Agnes
Gyrdeler one
sylver spoone
withe a maiden
heade one plaite
one porringer
and tenne
shillinges of
currant englishe
monneye. Item I
doe give and
bequeathe unto
my childe that
my wife doeth
goe withall if
it please god to
sende yt into
the worlde my
three Tanninge
howses and my
Leazes thereof
my eight tanue
vates and my
tannynge myll
withe all the
tooles to the
same belonginge.
And also twoe
acres of arable
Lande withe all
righte title and
interest in the
same lying in
Northover fielde
within the
parrishe of
yevell
aforesaide. Also
my will if my
wife Rabedge be
not withe childe
then I doe give
and bequeath
unto my brother
Edwarde Gyrdeler
the foresayde
three tanninge
houses and my
Leases thereof
my Eight tanne
vates and my
tanninge mill
with all the
tooles to the
same belonginge
and the
foresaide twoe
acres of arrable
lande. Provided
also and
neverthelesse my
Will is that my
wiffe shall have
the use &
occupaton of the
foresaide three
tanninge houses
and my Lease
thereof my
eighte tanne
vates my
tanninge myll
with all the
tooles to the
same belonginge
and the twoe
acres of arable
lande lyinge in
Northover Fielde
within the p[a]rishe
of Yevell withe
all righte tytle
and intereste
that I have in
the same durynge
the tyme that
shee doe keepe
herself
unmarried. Item
I doe owe unto
Alice Master of
the p[a]rishe of
Brodforde Thirty
fyve shillings.
Item I doe owe
unto Alice
Marchaunte of
Yevell widdowe
theree shillings
fower pence Item
I doe owe unto
[abbreviated =
Eme] Marchaunte
thirtene
shillinges
eighte pence.
Also debtes owed
unto me viz John
Fathers of
Mudforde doth
owe me twentie
shillinges. John
Trent tenne
shillinges three
pence Harrye
Browne Tenne
shillinges eight
pence. Item old
Whitnoll of West
Coker fyve
shillinges eight
pence. Item
Roger Slade of
West Coker Twoe
shillinges five
pence. Item John
Collyns of
Barwick fowre
shillinges six
pence Item Hughe
Plattyne of
Tevell fower
shillinges. Item
Richard Huckell
of Sommerton
Twoe shillinge.
Item Thomas [Newe?]
twoe shillinges.
The Resydue of
all my goods and
cattells movable
and unmovable
(my debtes
legacies
perfourmed and
paide) I do gyve
and bequeathe
unto Rabedge
Gyedler my wiffe
whome I doe
nominate and
appointe to be
my sole
executrix of
this my last
will and
testamente. In
witnes wherof I
the saide Thomas
Girdeler have
signed theise
presents withe
my owne hande
the daie and
yeare firste
above written In
the presence of
John Chanute
clerk Henrie
Stare and George
Reade withe
others.
Transcribed by
Bob Osborn
