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The Will of William Hayne

The 1558 Will of William Hayne, Draper

 

William Hayne was a wealthy Yeovil draper and owned land as well as properties. His will dated, 15 January 1558, is the first time I have come across an individual leaving a legacy of money (and, indeed, cloth) to the Second Poor (those poor people not receiving assistance, financial or otherwise, from the Parish) of Yeovil. He also left money to the residents of Woborn Almshouse, and even left funds for the prisoners of the County Gaol at Ilchester.

In the 1548 Return of Chantries, he is recorded as "holds by indenture a burgage with a garden and a close of pasture containing 2 acres and 4 acres of arable land and renders per annum 12 shillings" the revenue of which was for the benefit of the Chantry of the Holy Trinity. Also, for the benefit of the Chantry of the Blessed Virgin within the Church "holds a burgage with a garden and renders per annum 6s 8d".

 

The Will of William Hayne, 1558

 

In the name of god amen The XV daie of Jannairie Anno Dm 1558 in the fifth year of the Raiyne of o[ur] Sovereyne Ladie Quene Elisabeth I Wylliam Hayne of Yevill in the countie of Som[er]se[t] Draper of good and perfitt remembrannce thanks be to god doe make this my last will and testament in manner and foorme followinge First I bequeath my Soule into the Handes of allmightie god and my boddie to be buried in [two words illegible] Item I geve to the Cathedrall church of Wells iiijd [four pence] Item I geve to the reparacions of the Church of Yvill xs [that is, ten shillings] Item I gyve towards the mayntenannce of singing good service in the same church iij£ vis viijd [that is, three pounds six shillings and eight pence - equal to around £1,400 at today's value] to be paid yearlie vjs iiid [that is, six shillings and three pence] duringe tenne yeares in such Will as my executors and oversears shall think best and most nedefull not that shall hellp to discharge the parishe for [word illegible] ways Item I will that my best cape [word illegible] I doo nowe lend to the Parishe of Yevell aforesaid doo contynue and Remaine in the parrish to doo servyce in the usage there [three words illegible] lawfull by the lawes of the Reallme To have [ropes tyed ?] and occupyed in the Church and not other Wise but afterwards to remayne to my executors and to their executors and Assynes Item I geve and bequeath to the poore people of JevilL foure poundes [around £1,600 at today's value] to be distributed amonge them at some severall tymes after my deceas most convenient Item I geve and bequeth to fyve poore people soe much coorse black or russett Clothe as will make them meete [word illegible] to be gyven unto them during fyve yeres after my deceas in Woorship of the fyve woundes of Jesus Christ my Saviour Item I gyve and bequethe to the poore people of the Allmes house of Yevill aforsaide Yevelle xvijs iijd [seventeen shillings and three pence - around £350 at today's value] during the terme of xxiiij [twenty four] yeares next comynge in manner and forme followinge that ys to saye [word illegible] duringe the said terme [two words illegible] under the Condicion that yf the same poore people have Wekelie other iiijd [fourpence] out of the Land of the same allmeshouse over and above their Wekelie stipend and wages duringe the said terme of xxiiij [twenty four] yeares that they the said poore people shall [two words illegible] charytablie dyne together duringe the said terme to be paid out of my lands in Yevill Otherwise this my legacie unto them to be voide and of noo effecte Item I geve to the poore [presoners ?] of Yevill [Chester ?] vjs viijd [six shillings and eight pence] to be paid at my severall termes [two words illegible] next comynge Item I gyve to [East ?] pennards parryshe West pennard to [word illegible] of them xjs viijd [eleven shillings eight pence] to be distributed by John [Grayacre ?] and John Lykes amonge the poore there Item I geve and bequeath to Gyles Hayne to George Hayne and Agnes Hayne the chylldren of my Sonne Giles Hayne to [everye ?] of them xj# xiijs iiijd [eleven pounds thirteen shillings four pence] of monnye Item I gyve and bequeath to Wyllyam Hayne and to Alice Hayne the chilldren of my sonne Wylliam Hayne diseased to everie of them xj# xiijs iiijd [eleven pounds thirteen shillings four pence] of monnye Item I gyve and beqeathe to the sayde Alice Hayne the whyte syllver cupp [appreviation of 'which'] I gave to her father duringe his lyfe Item I geve to the said Wylliam Hayne my Graned sonne my syllver [two words illegible] syllver cup and sallt to be delyvered to them when they be of laufull age And if they happen to die before Then the same to remayne to my executors Item I geve and bequeath to Elisabeth Haynes my Sonne Willyams daughter tenne pounds of monnye Provyded allwaies and my Will ys that all such legacies and sumes of monney which I by this my testament have beqeathed and gyven to my chilldrens Chylldren and to everie of them doo remaine in the hands and custodie of my executors untyll such tyme as the saide chylldren [two words illegible] laufull age shall happen to be married or come to such laufull ages as they shalbe [between ?] by my executors and oversears to be of good discrecyon able to occupie and use the same to their proffytt and commodytie except my executors in the meane tyme doo take better order in yt for the better assurance and commoditie of the said chilldren [word illegible] I Will and ordayne that if anny of the said chilldren that is Gyles George Agnes Willyam Alyce and Elisabeth happen to die before they come to laufill age That theire portion which doo die shall [word illegible] Remayne to the Survivors of them qualie to be devy Item I geve and bequeathe to everie of my godchildren xij# [twelve pounds] Item I geve and beqeathe to Joane [rest of sentence illegible] Item I geve and bequeathe to Joanne Odmund my servant xx# [twenty pounds] twentie shillings to be paid at the daie of her marriage Item I geve and bequeathe to the three Children of my sister Edith [Gregor ?] deceased [several words illegible] Item I gyve and bequeath to fyve poore maidens to be gyven [word illegible] the daie of theire [marriage ?] and my executors shall thinck most convenient to everie of them xx# [twenty pounds] Item I gyve to [wayle ?] by the [word illegible] waye leding towards the [village houses ?, followed by illegible word] was wont to be [Nailed ?] xxs [twenty shillings] Item I gyve towards the mackinge of a [Cansey ?] at the east end of the towne xxs [twenty shillings] Item I will that Agnes my wife shall have my home that I now dwell in and all the rents or the house that Walter [Masser ?] doth hold of me and the rent of the land George browne holdyth and the rent of the land that William Bekett holdeth and the rent of the Land which I bought of Sir William Carrant knight she to einoy [enjoy] all the same duringe her [word illegible] Item I gyve and beqeathe to the said Agnes my wife during her wydowhod the one half of my bucking mill [that is, a sawmill] with the appurtenances [word illegible] Barwick And the other hallf to Giles my Sonne and after my wyves in [word illegible] the Whole terme of yeares of the same wyll [wth = appreviated 'with' ?] thappurtenannce and allso the terme of yeares in my hand that I now dwell in I geve and bequeath the same To Giles my Sonne and to his assignes Item I gyve and bequeathe to Agnes my wife her chamber wholie to her sellf Item I gyve and bequeathe to William Haine my sonne Williams sonne and to the heires of his boddie laufullie begotten forever the burgage with the appurtenanncs [word illegible] my Sonne William gave me By his testament which Giles Hacker now hollds the lyinge in the borough of Jevyll beforesaid sometyme the Lord Stourtons Land Reserving to Agnes my wife the rent thereof ontill the said Wylliam Haine come to his laufull age ys my Wife [gyve ?] so to my Item I gyve and bequeath to Gyles my Sonne and to his heires forever all my lands and tenements With their app[ur]tenances lyinge w[i]thin the borough of Yevilll aforesaid The rest of all my goods and chattells not gyven nor bequeathed after my detts bee paide I gyve and bequeath them to Agnes my Wife and to Giles my sonne whome I make my laufull executors to dispose the same to the will and pleasure of allmyhtie god w[i]th whom god grant so to be forever and ever Amen And I request John Whytby the elder of yevill and Wyllyam Stone of yevyll to bee my overseers and they to have fore their paines everie of them x# [ten pounds] And further whereas I was put in trust by my Sonne William Heyne to bee one of his Oversears of his chilldren and their goods I doo [resign ?] it and put in my place Lewys plympton of brueton in that [befalls ?] to whome I gyve my full power and auctoritie to have the oversyht thereof with my Sonne Giles Hayne wytnessed S Garrie [larbycke ?] personne of Barwicke John Whitey and William Stone by me William Hayne

 

 

Transcribed by Bob Osborn