Yeovil People
John Cary
Mercer, Landowner and Warden of Woborn's Almshouse
Very little is known of John Cary's life. He was born in Yeovil in 1638 and was probably the second son of Nathaniel Cary of Hendford, (or he may have been the son of John Cary, who was the owner of the George Inn in High Street).
In 1656, at the age of 18, 'John second son of Nathaniel Cary' matriculated from Wadham College, Oxford.
John became a mercer with premises in the Borough, although it appears that he lived in Kingston. From his 1664 payment of 8s 6d for the Poor Rate, his premises would appear to have been one of the larger properties in the Borough. The 1684 Poor Law returns indicate that John Cary, mercer, paid 2s 7½d for his property in Kingston.
The Conventicle Act of 1664 made persons attending private assemblies for religious worship liable to severe penalties, yet several sects are known to have been active in and around Yeovil, the earliest on record being the Baptists with their Yeovil church being first mentioned on 12 February 1656. Their meetings in the town, of necessity in secret at first, were in South Street, from 1668 in a barn built by John Cary. In truth, it is not known if this was the older or younger John Cary, nevertheless it indicates that the family were Baptists.
The Woborn Muniments state that, in 1687 and again in 1689, John Cary was elected as a Warden of the Woborn Almshouse.
From his will, transcribed below, John owned some 85 acres of land as well as many properties - chiefly in Yeovil but also in several other Somerset parishes. Below are synopses of several documents held in the Somerset Heritage Centre at Taunton, describing some of his various property holdings.
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A 'bargain and sale' dated 25 April 1654, by John Luckys of Kingston juxta Yeovil, yeoman, to John Carye of Yeovil, grocer, of a close of pasture heretofore arable cont[aining] three ac[res] lying at a place called Above Treene Crosse in the Middle Field abutted by a close now in the tenure of Hugh Poundfield on the south and the road from Yeovil to Mudford on the north. the close was 'long since' exchanged by John Hayne, dec, and Ambrose Locke, dec, for lands now the inheritance of Onesiphorus Pennye. Consideration £48.
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A 'bargain and sale' dated 19 January 1655/1656, by John Luckys of Kingston juxta Yeovil, yeoman, to John Carye of Yeovil, mercer, of an acre of arable land in the Middle Field of Kingston iuxta Yeovil late in the tenure of Nicholas Moulton between the lands of Valentyne Jacob on the south and the lands of the Widow Richmond on the south. Consideration £14.
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A 'bargain and sale' dated 23 August 1662, by Henry Starr, gent, to Christopher Jeanes and John Cary, gents, all of Yeovil, of a cottage or dwelling house in Hendford with the garden and backside cont[aining] one ac[re], lately part of Davidge's Tenement, abutted with a house now in the tenure of Susan Dyer on the west and the lands of Lawrence Wills on the east now in the tenure of Elizabeth Marsh. Consideration £34.
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A 'bargain and sale' dated 3 January 1670/1671, by Thomas Whippye the elder of Kingston juxta Yeovil, glover and Samuel his son to John Cary of Yeovil, mercer, of two ac[res] of arable land in the Middle Field of Kingston juxta Yeovil, one lying in Bramble Furlong with the land of William, Lord Stowerton, in the possession of Joseph Monkton on the north and the land of John Cary on the south, and the other abutting Combestreet Furlong. Consideration £27.
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A 'bargain and sale' dated 7 April 1682, for remainder of a lease by Richard Moore, junior, of Bradford Abbis, Dorset, yeoman to John Cary of Yeovil, mercer, of two cottages with gardens, etc at Addlewell, Yeovil lately in the possession of Thomas Stount, dec[eased]. Consideration 50/-.
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Two copies of a lease, dated 29 October 1688, for 99 years or three lives by Joseph Hillyard of Taunton, sergemaker to John Cary of Yeovil, mercer. Lives: John Sanders of Yeovil, gent, Samuel and John Danyell, sons of Samuel Dannyell the elder of Yeovil, mercer. Rent 2/6d and a heriot of 5/- on the death of each life. Consideration £20.
Found inside - a note dated 6 October 1688 that John Cary is to pay £33-1-6d to Joseph Hillyard when the deeds are sealed and delivered and that Cary has the right to add two lives; receipt dated 6 November 1688 by Thomas Pitthard of this money from John Cary for a fine on 12 ac[res] of land and three ac[res] of land; letter from Hillyard dated 14 November 1688 to Cary to say he is sending the two leases and Cary should send him the counterpart and the money by Thomas Piterd.
John Cary died in Yeovil in 1694 and was buried in St John's churchyard on 15 September 1694. Since he left the vast bulk of his estate to his nephew, Thomas Clarke of Bristol, we must assume that he had no surviving close family.
He also left legacies totalling £13 5s (around £2,000 at today's value) for the poor of several parished - Item I give to the poore of the parish of Yeovill tenn pounds And to the poore of the parish of Sherborne Forty shillings And to the poore of the parish of Sutton Mountague tenn shillings And to the poore of the parish of Milborne Port twenty shillings.
Will of John Cary, 1694
In the name of
God Amen I John
Cary of Yeovill
in the County of
Somersett Mercer
Being old and
infirme and
sensible of the
incertainty and
frailty of
humane life
though of a
sound minde and
disposing memory
praise be
therefore given
to God Almighty
doe this
thirteenth day
of October In
the yeare of our
Lord God One
Thousand Six
Hundred Ninety
and Four make
and ordaine this
my last Will and
Testament in
manner and forme
following
Revoking all
former wills by
me made (that is
to say) First
and principally
I recommend my
Soule into the
hands of God
that gave it me
Hopeing through
the merits of
Jesus Christ his
only Sonn our
Saviour to have
full pardon and
forgiveness of
all my Sinns and
to inheritt life
Everlasting My
body I committ
to the Earth
from whence it
came to be
decently buried
at the
discretion of my
Executors
hereinafter
named Att the
end of my Seate
wherein I
usually sitt in
the parish
Church of
Yeovill
aforesaid And as
touching the
disposition of
my worldly goods
and Estate which
it hath pleased
God to bless me
withall I give
and dispose
thereof as
followeth
Imprimis I give
devise and
bequeath unto my
nephew John
Clarke of the
citty of
Bristoll
Winecooper and
his Heyres for
ever All those
Six acres and
halfe of pasture
(be it more of
less) lying at
Hather Meadhill,
six acres more
of pasture
ground lying at
Lyde near
Lydehouse, four
acres more of
pasture lying at
Treane Crosse,
three acres of
pasture called
New Close lying
at or neare a
place called
Middle Field,
two acres of
arrable land
lying in
Middlefield, two
acres and one
Yard of arrable
land lying in
Eastfield, one
acre of arrable
land lying at
Adlewell which I
lately purchased
of Mr John
Phelps dec[eas]ed And
all those my
Cottages Gardens
and Orchards
lying at
Adlewell
aforesaid and
lately [word
illegible] a
certaine [acke
?] there called
Longacre, one
other Cottage
Barne and
Orchard with the
appurtenances
scituate and
being at a place
called Pudle
Wharfe, one
Cottage or
dwelling house
Garden Orchard
and Backside
called [Coblins
?] scituate
lying and being
in
Backstreete
in Yeovill
aforesaid All
which lands
houses cottages
and premises
before mentioned
to be devised
and scituate
lying and being
within the
severall
parishes of
Yeovill
aforesaid and
Pitney or one of
them together
with the
revercon and
revercons
remainder and
remainders [word
illegible] and
services thereof
and of every
parte and
parcell thereof
And alsoe I give
devise and
bequeath unto
the said John
Clarke all that
Messuage or
Dwellinghouse
with the
appurtenances
thereto
belonging
scituate lying
and being in the
Citty of
Bristoll
aforesaid in a
street there
called
Marshstreet
commonly called
the Blew Boares
head which I
lately purchased
of John Abington
Esq And all
those my three
Tenements
Gardens Orchards
Closes lands
Meadows and
Pasture
thereunto
belonging with
their and every
of their
appurtenances
scituate lying
and being in
Felton in the
said County of
Somersett now or
late in the
severall tenures
of Mr Thomas
Hill Nicholas
Kithin and one
Crosse And also
all those two
Closes of
arrable and
Pasture commonly
called twelve
acres lying in
Marsh within the
several parishes
of Yeovill and
Pitney aforesaid
or one of them
heretofore in
the possession
of one Henry
Browne To hold
the same
Messuages Closes
Tenements and
premisses with
their and every
of their
appurtenances
unto the said
John Clarke his
Heyres and
Assignes for
ever. Item I
give devise and
bequeath unto my
said nephew John
Clarke and the
Heires of his
body All my
Messuages houses
gardens orchards
closes lands
Meadows and
pastures with
the appurtenances
thereunto
belonging
scituate lying
and being within
the parishes of
Sutton Mountague
also [word
illegible] in
the County of
Somersett which
I lately
purchased of
William Rowe
heretofore in
the possession
of one Haskett
But if it shall
happen the said
John Clarke
shall dye
without issue of
his body Then my
will and
pleasure is that
two parts of
three of a
certain Tenement
called Caryes
Tenement and two
Closes called
Pitts mead and
Burrell
containing by
estimacion
fourteen acres
in Sutton
Mountague also
Crothorne
aforesaid shall
be and remaine
And I doe hereby
give devise
limitt and
bequaeth the
same to my
nephew Thomas
Clarke and the
Heyres males of
his body And for
want of such
issue then to
the right Heyres
of the said
Thomas Clarke
for ever Item I
give the said
John Clarke two
closes of
pasture ground
called Banes
Marsh [at Yew
Tree] containing
Fourteen acres
or thereabouts
in the parish of
Preston dureing
all my estate
and tenure for
yeares that is
yet to come and
unexpired Item I
give devise and
bequeath unto
the said Thomas
Clarke and his
heyres for ever
two acres of
pasture ground
late Jacobbs
lying at a
certaine place
called
the Bicken within
the said parish
of Yeovill or
Preston
plucknett Item I
give and devise
unto the said
Thomas Clarke
all my right
title interests
and and terme of
yeares yet to
come of and in
three acres of
pasture lying in
Marsh within the
severall
parishes of
Yeovill and
Pittney
aforesaid And of
and in two acres
of pasture
called Spenders
lying near
Bicken aforesaid
Item I give unto
my Kinswoman
Dorothy Rowe two
shillings a week
to be paid
weekly by my
Executor during
the tenure of
her naturall
life And my will
is that my
Executor shall
lay out and
expend Fourty
shillings in and
about her
buriall Item I
give to the
Churchwardens of
Yeovill
aforesaid twenty
shillings for
and towards the
repair of the
parish church of
Yeovil aforesaid
Item I give unto
John Cary lately
a servant to the
lady Windham
five pounds And
to John
Codderdill of
Milborne Port
twenty shillings
Item I give to
the poore of the
parish of
Yeovill tenn
pounds And to
the poore of the
parish of
Sherborne Forty
shillings And to
the poore of the
parish of Sutton
Mountague tenn
shillings And to
the poore of the
parish of
Milborne Port
twenty shillings
And my will is
that all my
aforesaid
legacies be paid
within six
monthes after my
decease All the
rest of my lands
and tenements
whatsoever or
wheresoever the
same may be
found in the
Kingdome of
England and not
herein before
devised I give
devise and
bequeath unto
the said John
Clarke and his
heyres for ever
Item I give and
bequeath unto
the aid Thomas
Clarke ll the
remainder of a
terme of yeares
which I have yet
to come and
unexpired of and
in three Closes
called Hillhead
and Longhills
containing by
estimation
thirteen acres
or thereabouts
lying and being
in Broad Marston
[word illegible]
Marston magna in
the said County
of Somersett And
as for all the
rest of my goods
chattells moneys
bonds bills
mortgages and
household stuffe
whatsoever I
give and
bequeath unto
the said John
Clarke whome I
make ordaine and
appoint Sole
Executor of this
my last Will and
Testament Item I
doe give unto my
Tenant John
Masters of
Nether Compton
in the County of
Dorsett Yeoman
Five pounds to
be paid as the
rest of my
aforegiven
legacies And I
doe hereby
appointe my hon[ourable]
friend Sir
Edward Phelipps
of Mountague in
the County of
Somersett Knight
my worthy
friends William
Phelipps of
Preston
plucknett in the
said County of
Somersett Esq[uire]
Councellor of
Lawe and
Nathaniell Cary
of Yeovill
aforesaid gent
to be Overseers
and Trustees of
this my will to
see that my
aforesaid
Executor John
Clarke doe
punctually
performe this my
will according
to the true
intent and
meaning thereof
And I doe give
each of them my
said Overseers a
whole guinia
peice of gold to
buy them rings
in remembrance
of me And I doe
moreover give
unto the said Mr
Edward Phelipps
five whole
guinia pieces of
gold desireing
that he would
countenance and
favour my
aforesaid
Executor in all
just and
reasonable
things And I doe
also give to my
aforesaid
friends William
Phelipps over
and above the
aforesaid Guinia
to buy him a
ring four whole
guinia peices of
gold more whose
advice and
assistance in
all matters of
Lawe about my
Inventary and
estate real and
personall I doe
hereby direct my
aforesaid
Executor upon
all occasions to
take The which
last legacies I
appointe to be
paid within two
monthes after my
decease And I
the said John
Cary doe hereby
forgive acquitt
and release unto
Christopher
Jeanes the elder
of Yeovill
aforesaid yeoman
All bills bonds
reckonings debts
dues and demands
whatsoever that
I have upon him
And I doe hereby
require my
aforesaid
Executor to
discharge the
same In
Testimony
whereof I the
said John Cary
have hereunto
sett my hand and
seale the day
and yeare first
abovewritten And
in the sixth
yeare of the
Reignes of our
Sovereigne Lord
and lady King
William and
Queen Mary over
England
John Cary Signed
sealed published
and delivered by
the above named
John Cary as his
last Will and
Testament in the
presence of us
John Newman Jane
Burford Elizabeth
Monkton John
Abbott
Transcribed by Bob Osborn
